The latest standard Samsung and Google flagships compared
The Samsung Galaxy S23 and the Google Pixel 7 aren’t the best phones that either company makes, but they’re close. They’re both high-end handsets that undercut their Pro and Ultra siblings, and have relatively small screens.
As such, they’re also naturally competing with one another, as if you’re after a high-but-not-top-end Android phone then there’s a good chance you’ll be considering both of them.
But while these two handsets have a lot in common, they also have plenty of differences, so read on to see exactly how they compare.Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 7: price and availability
Samsung Galaxy S23 prices:
8GB / 128GB: $799.99 / £849 / AU$1,349
8GB / 256GB: $859.99 / £899 / AU$1,449
Google Pixel 7 prices:
8GB / 128GB: $599 / £599 / AU$999
8GB / 256GB: $699 / £699 / AU$1,129
Comparing the prices of the Google Pixel 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 is straightforward, because they come in exactly the same storage and RAM configurations.
Both phones always and only come with 8GB of RAM, so the only choice that affects the price is how much storage you want, whether it’s 128GB or 256GB.
In either case, you’ll be paying more for the Samsung Galaxy S23, as you can see above. That phone starts at $200 / £250 / AU$350 more than the equivalent 128GB Pixel 7, and if you want a 256GB model then you’ll be paying around $160 / £200 / AU$320 more for a Galaxy S23 than a Pixel 7.
Those are the standard prices anyway, but the Pixel 7 – which launched in October 2022 – is old enough now that it’s often reduced, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S23 – which landed in February 2023 – still tends to be full price or close to. So in reality the difference in pricing is often even greater.
Both phones are widely available across the world though, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding either.Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 7: design
The Google Pixel 7 is certainly the more distinctive looking of these two phones, with a large metal camera visor running the width of the rear, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 has a trio of lens in the top left corner, with no significant housing around them.
Which look you prefer is subjective, and while that’s the most obvious design difference, it’s not the only one. The colors differ for one, with the Pixel 7 coming in Obsidian, Lemongrass (a pale green), or Snow, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 colors include Cream, Phantom Black, Green, Lavender, Graphite, and Lime.
The weight and dimensions of these phones also differ, with the Google Pixel 7 coming in at 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7mm and 197g, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 is 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6mm and 168g. So Google’s phone is bigger, thicker, and heavier.
However, both phones have a flat screen, a punch-hole camera in the top center of the display, an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, an aluminum frame, and a glass back.
The only difference there is that the Samsung Galaxy S23 uses tough Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the screen and back, while the Google Pixel 7 uses slightly older and slightly worse original Victus.Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Google Pixel 7: display
With the Samsung Galaxy S23 you get a 6.1-inch 1080 x 2340 AMOLED display, with 425 pixels per inch, a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a peak brightness of 1,750 nits.
