Google Pixel 9 Pro / Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

It is a higher-resolution panel in the same body as the Pixel 9; 495 ppi renders text and photo edges more sharply. Because the corners are rounded, the visible area is slightly smaller than the measured diagonal.

Adaptive refresh drops to as low as 1 Hz when content is static to save power and rises to 120 Hz when scrolling and gaming. Vision Booster adjusts colour and contrast in bright conditions across three lighting levels; the edge curve is reduced compared with the S22 Ultra.

The LTPO panel drops as low as 1 Hz for static content and the always-on display to save power, and rises to 120 Hz when scrolling. Google notes 120 Hz is not available in every app.

HDR brightness is measured with the whole screen lit and peak brightness with only 5% lit; the peak applies to small bright areas in sunlight.

The finishes are the reverse of the Pixel 9, which has a glossy back and a matte frame. The aluminium in the housing is 100% recycled.

Google notes the protection can diminish with wear, repair or drops and that liquid damage voids the warranty.

It is the same chip as the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL; there is no performance difference.

Samsung says the vapour chamber is larger on every S23-series model.

There is no card slot; storage and colour options vary by region.

Memory depends on the storage option; usable space is lower because of preloaded software. There is no memory card slot.

Pro controls allow full 50 MP capture; the Pixel 9 only saves binned 12.5 MP photos. Optical quality is offered at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x and 10x.

Magnification beyond 5x is done in software; Google says 10x still gives near-optical quality. A multi-zone laser (LDAF) sensor assists focusing.

On the S23 series the front camera gets fast autofocus and 60 fps Super HDR.

Video Boost processes recorded video on Google’s cloud servers to improve colour, lighting and stabilisation, so the result is not available immediately and an internet connection is needed. 8K and Super Res Zoom Video are only available with Video Boost on.

The Expert RAW app (downloaded separately from the Galaxy Store) offers RAW capture at up to 50 MP.

The battery matches the Pixel 9’s capacity. Figures come from pre-production tests in the US using a median user profile.

No charger is included. 37 W wired charging is only on the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL.

The UWB chip measures distance and direction to compatible devices and tags with centimetre-level precision; the standard Pixel 9 lacks it.

The rear temperature sensor measures surface temperatures of objects through the Thermometer app; the standard Pixel 9 lacks it.

The period counts from the first sale date on the US Google Store. Satellite SOS works only in the US.

Update timing can vary by model and market.

The size matches the Pixel 9; it weighs 1 g more.

According to Samsung, the S23 series was the first S series to use Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

The 200 MP sensor outputs 200, 50 or 12 MP images through pixel binning. 100x Space Zoom combines 10x optical with 10x AI-assisted digital zoom; image quality may deteriorate beyond 10x. The optical stabilisation angle was doubled compared with the S22 Ultra.

45 W requires a separately sold 45 W adapter and a 5 A USB-C cable; wired charging is compatible with QC2.0 and AFC. Wireless PowerShare charges Qi-compatible devices from the back of the phone when the battery is above 30%.

Using Wi‑Fi 6E’s 6 GHz band needs a Wi‑Fi 6E router and market availability.

Knox Vault keeps critical data in separate hardware isolated from the operating system.

Samsung does not recommend beach or pool use.