Android

Best Galaxy S23 Ultra Alternatives

Published

2 weeks ago

08/28/2023

If you can’t afford a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra right now, or you simply want a phone that’s comparable to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, here are some of the best Galaxy S23 Ultra alternatives money can buy.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is Samsung’s latest flagship device. It features top-of-the-line hardware including powerful cameras. It also includes a stylus called the S Pen that lets you write and draw on the screen.

It’s a workhorse and it should be on your shopping list if you’re in the market for a device that’s capable of taking excellent photos and videos, running the best looking games, and/or getting work done on-the-go. Unfortunately, you may have to shell out a lot of money in order to get one.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is positioned as the company’s premier Galaxy S device and it has a price tag worthy of that position. Without a deal, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is $1199 in its lowest configuration. If you want more storage, you’ll need to pay more.

There are some excellent Galaxy S23 Ultra deals out there right now, but they require you to trade-in a device to Samsung, a carrier, or a retailer.

If you don’t have a device to trade-in or if the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s price is too expensive for your budget, but you want a device that can hold its own against Samsung’s flagship, you’ll want to investigate Galaxy S23 Ultra alternatives.

Fortunately, there are quite a few Galaxy S23 alternatives on the market right now with more on the way.

In this guide we’ll take you through devices that are comparable to the Galaxy S23 Ultra and help you find a device that fits both your needs and your budget.

Pixel 7 Pro

If you’re looking to stay put on Android, Google’s Pixel 7 Pro should be at, or near, the top of your shopping list. The Pixel 7 Pro is one of the best Galaxy S23 Ultra alternatives on the market right now.

Google sells two version of the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, and it’s the Pixel 7 Pro that’s most comparable to the Galaxy S23 Ultra thanks to its premium set of features.

The Pixel 7 Pro features a massive 6.7-inch OLED display with 1440 x 3120 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. It also comes with 12 GB of RAM, Google’s Tensor G2 processor, a 50 MP Octa PD Quad Bayer wide camera, 12 MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus, and 48 MP Quad Bayer PD telephoto camera.

On top of that, it comes with Google’s sleek version of Android and a price point that’s far more palatable than the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s.

Right now Google’s Pixel 7 Pro starts at $749 for the 128GB model. The 256GB variant will run you $849 while the larger 512GB Pixel 7 Pro is $949.

You can buy the Pixel 7 Pro directly from Google or from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

While it’s no longer Samsung’s flagship device, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is still an excellent Galaxy S23 Ultra alternative and worthy of consideration if you really want a device that runs Samsung’s version of Android.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra may not have all of the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s bells and whistles, but most people should be fine using last year’s specs given that they’ve aged fairly gracefully.

Galaxy S22 Ultra specs include a 6.8-inch QHD AMOLED display, on par with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor (the Galaxy S23 Ultra uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset), a 108MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide lens, and two 10MP telephoto lenses. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has the better camera experience, but the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s setup should be fine for most people.

Like the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the Galaxy S22 Ultra runs Android 13 out of the box and it should get upgraded with at least some of th new features from Samsung’s new One UI 5.1 software.

Something else to keep in mind is the fact that Samsung keeps its devices upgraded with new software for several years. In the case of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, it should continue to get regular software updates for another four years which makes it a sound investment.

Speaking of an investment, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is cheaper than the Galaxy S23 Ultra which makes it an intriguing option for those of you that want a Galaxy S Ultra model, but aren’t thrilled with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s price.

You can buy the Galaxy S22 Ultra directly through Samsung or through retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

If price is not an issue for you, you may also want to check out Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 which is even more expensive than the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but is also very unique.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is one of the latest models in the Galaxy Z series and it’s a foldable device that gives you access to two screen sizes.

On the outside, it has a 6.2-inch cover display. The inner display is a foldable 7.6-inch screen which supports Samsung’s S Pen stylus.

Of course, the foldable display isn’t the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s only attractive feature. The device also has a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a 50MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10MP telephoto lens.

It’s certainly different, but the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is worth a look if you want something that’s perhaps a bit more exciting than the Galaxy S23 Ultra and other traditional devices. It’s also a multitaskers dream.

You can buy the Galaxy Z Fold 5 directly from Samsung or via retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

OnePlus Pro 10

OnePlus has launched its new OnePlus 11, but we also recommend taking a look at the OnePlus 10 Pro as a potential Galaxy S23 Ultra alternative.

Like the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the OnePlus 10 Pro comes with a massive display (6.7-inches). The device uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 which is backed by 8GB of RAM. This will be plenty of horsepower for most users.

The OnePlus 10 Pro has a three camera setup as opposed to the four camera setup on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The OnePlus 10 Pro features a 48 MP main camera, 8MP telephoto lens, and a 50MP ultra-wide lens.

The device’s software, dubbed Oxygen OS, is based on Android, but it looks and feels different than the software on Samsung’s flagship. Before you buy you’ll certainly want to compare the two and see which feels more comfortable.

Given its age, the OnePlus 10 Pro is cheaper than the Galaxy S23 Ultra and you may be able to find a great deal if you shop around.

You can find the OnePlus 10 Pro at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

We should note that OnePlus won’t be launching a OnePlus 11 Pro or OnePlus 11T. Those lines have been discontinued leaving the OnePlus 11 as this year’s flagship model.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

If you’re willing to move off of Android, make sure you check out Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max, the company’s flagship model from 2022.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is powered by Apple’s iOS 16 operating system and it comes with company’s best hardware, even better than the iPhone 14 Pro.

It has a large 6.7-inch display, Apple’s latest and greatest in-house processor (A16 Bionic), and a triple camera setup which includes a 48MP main camera, 12MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultra-wide lens.

Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at $1099 without a deal which means the base version is actually cheaper than the base version of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. However, the price of the iPhone 14 Pro Max jumps up quite a bit once you get into the higher storage tiers.

You can buy the iPhone 14 Pro Max directly from Apple or through retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

These aren’t your only options and you’ll want to look into other devices before you settle on the Galaxy S23 Ultra or another smartphone. For instance, you’ll want to investigate the new Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+.

Upcoming Galaxy S23 Alternatives

You can also expect additional Galaxy S23 Ultra alternatives to launch throughout the year.

Google’s working on new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro models and we expect them to debut in the fall. The company typically launches its flagship Pixels in October.

Other potential Galaxy S23 Ultra alternatives include Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will launch in September, probably on September 12th.

As for Samsung, the company is cooking up a new Galaxy S24 series and these models (Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra) should arrive in early 2024.

6 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 15 & 5 Reasons Not To

Wait for Design Changes

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Last year, Apple introduced a brand new pill-shaped notch the company calls Dynamic Island. Unfortunately, this change is only available on the company's high-end iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models. That will likely change this year.

Analyst Ross Young believes Apple could bring Dynamic Island to the lower-end iPhone 15 models. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman does as well.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the iPhone 15's proximity sensor will be integrated into Dynamic Island. The proximity sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro models is under the display outside of Dynamic Island. This could lead to Face ID improvements.

This might give some of you considering Apple's iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus a reason to hold out and wait for the new models.

On the flip side, Young doesn't think the standard iPhone 15 models will get 120Hz/LTPO like the iPhone 15 Pro models. This has been backed up by another source who says the iPhone 15/iPhone 15 Plus won't get ProMotion and Always-On display capabilities.

We've heard the the iPhone 15 Max's design will be made out of titanium as opposed to stainless steel. The frame supposedly has a brushed finish.

Leaker ShrimpApplePro claims early information suggests Apple is indeed working on a titanium design. The leaker says the design may also incorporate curved rear edges and a glass back.

In a newer tweet, the leaker says the iPhone 15 Pro models will "have thinner bezels" with curved edges. The display is reportedly still flat, however.

ShrimpApplePro says additional sources now agree with the information and that the bezels on the iPhone 15 Pro models will indeed be thinner.

In a tweet, well-known leaker Ice Universe says the iPhone 15 Pro Max will break the record for thinnest bezels on a smartphone. The record is currently held by the Xiaomi 13.

In a follow up tweet, he's shown off what are evidently glass displays and third-party screen protectors for the iPhone 15 series. The bezels are indeed extremely thin.

Analyst Jeff Pu from Haitong International Securities also believes the company is working to deliver a new titanium design. So does Gurman.

We've seen an iPhone 15 Pro dummy unit leak on the Chinese version of TikTok and it gives us a glimpse at what the device might look like. CAD images of the iPhone 15 Pro from 9to5Mac also show us what the final product could look like.

We've also heard the iPhone 15 Pro will have a new mute button that replaces the switch. This "Action" button could work like it does on the Apple Watch Ultra in that it will allow users to map it to different functions.

This new addition has seemingly been confirmed by the iOS 17 beta.