Google Pixel 9 / Samsung Galaxy S23+ (SM-S916B)

Google Pixel 9: Pixel 9 (GUR25 global model, G2YBB US, G1B60 Japan); 12 GB RAM with 128 or 256 GB; Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen and Peony. The Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9a are separate models.

Samsung Galaxy S23+ (SM-S916B): Galaxy S23+ SM-S916B (2023, international version); 8 GB RAM with 256 or 512 GB. The Galaxy S23, S23 Ultra and S23 FE are separate models; US versions carry different model codes.

SpecificationGoogle Pixel 9Samsung Galaxy S23+ (SM-S916B)
Release year20242023
Display160 mm (6.3-inch) Actua OLED; 1080 × 2424 at 422 ppi; Smooth Display (60–120 Hz); 20:9

According to Google it reaches up to 1,800 nits in HDR and up to 2,700 nits peak, with contrast above 2,000,000:1. Smooth Display varies the refresh rate between 60 and 120 Hz with the content.

Google		6.6-inch FHD+ (2316 × 1080) Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 48–120 Hz Super Smooth refresh; 1,750 nits; 240 Hz touch sampling in Game Mode

The refresh rate varies between 48 and 120 Hz depending on content; the lower rate on static screens saves battery. Vision Booster adjusts contrast and colour to keep the screen readable in bright light. The size is measured as a full rectangle; the viewable area is smaller because of the rounded corners and camera hole.

Samsung
Glass and buildCorning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back; polished back with satin metal frame; IP68

IP68 is a dust and water resistance rating; Google notes it is not permanent and that liquid damage is not covered by the warranty.

Google		—
ChipGoogle Tensor G4; Titan M2 security coprocessor Google—
Memory and storage12 GB RAM; 128 GB or 256 GB

There is no memory card slot; storage options may vary by region.

Google		8 GB RAM; 256 GB or 512 GB

Available storage is lower because of preloaded software; there is no memory card slot.

Samsung
Rear cameras50 MP wide (Octa PD, ƒ/1.68, 82°, 1/1.31-inch sensor, optical + electronic stabilisation) and 48 MP ultrawide (Quad PD, autofocus, ƒ/1.7, 123°, 1/2.55-inch); Super Res Zoom up to 8x

There is no telephoto camera; Google lists optical-quality zoom at 0.5x, 1x and 2x. The ultrawide camera also handles Macro Focus; a laser autofocus (LDAF) sensor is fitted.

Google		50 MP Wide (F1.8, 85°), 12 MP Ultra Wide (F2.2, 120°), 10 MP Telephoto (3x optical, F2.4, 36°)

The telephoto gives 3x optical zoom; zoom beyond that is digital. According to Samsung the wide camera records 8K video at 30 fps.

Samsung
Front camera and video10.5 MP front camera (autofocus, ƒ/2.2, 95°); rear 4K at 24/30/60 fps, front 4K at 30/60 fps; 10-bit HDR video; slow motion up to 240 fps

Video offers optical stabilisation, fused stabilisation, Cinematic Pan and Audio Magic Eraser; digital video zoom goes up to 7x.

Google		—
Battery and chargingTypical 4,700 mAh (minimum 4,558 mAh); 24+ hours; up to 27 W wired, about 55% in roughly 30 minutes; 15 W wireless with Pixel Stand, 12 W with Qi EPP; Battery Share

Google measures 27 W and 55% in 30 minutes with its separately sold 45 W charger; the box contains only a 1 m USB-C cable (USB 2.0). Battery Share lets the back of the phone wirelessly charge other Qi devices.

Google		—
Operating system and updatesLaunched with Android 14; seven years of OS, security and Pixel Drop updates

The seven years count from when the device first went on sale on the US Google Store.

Google		—
Connectivity5G sub-6 GHz (the US model adds mmWave); Wi-Fi 7 (2.4/5/6 GHz); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; dual-band GNSS

The Indian model has Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 + 5 GHz). Dual-band GNSS receives two frequencies from positioning satellites for more accurate location in cities.

Google		5G, LTE, Wi‑Fi 6E, Wi‑Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.3

Wi‑Fi 6E needs a router that supports 6 GHz; band availability varies by market and operator.

Samsung
SIM, port and audioSingle nano SIM + eSIM; USB Type-C 3.2; stereo speakers, three microphones

There is no 3.5 mm headphone jack; unlocking uses fingerprint and face recognition.

Google		—
Size and weight152.8 × 72.0 × 8.5 mm; 198 g Google76.2 × 157.8 × 7.6 mm; 196 g Samsung
Front and back glass—Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2

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

Samsung
Processor—Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy

Samsung introduced this version as a Snapdragon optimised for Galaxy and exclusive to the S23 series at launch.

Samsung
Front camera—12 MP (F2.2, 80°) Samsung
Battery—4,700 mAh (typical); rated minimum 4,565 mAh

The typical value is the average of battery samples measured by a third-party lab under IEC 61960; the rated value is the minimum capacity.

Samsung
Charging—Wired: about 65% in around 30 minutes with a 45 W adapter and 5 A USB-C cable; Fast Wireless Charging 2.0; Wireless PowerShare

45 W needs a 5 A cable; the adapter is sold separately. Wired charging is compatible with QC2.0 and AFC, wireless with WPC. PowerShare needs more than 30% battery to charge another device. The S23 is limited to 25 W.

Samsung
Operating system—Android 13 with One UI 5.1 at launch

Samsung promised four Android upgrades and five years of security updates for the S23 series; timing varies by model and market.

Samsung
Water resistance—IP68 (up to 1.5 m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes)

Samsung does not advise beach or pool use.

Samsung
Security—Samsung Knox and Knox Vault Samsung