Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 8.9 in our rating, and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra scores 7.8. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra leads in display, performance, battery, design, software support and value for money. At launch in the US, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra cost $100 less ($1,199.99 vs $1,299.99). The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the newer phone, announced Feb 25, 2026.
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Key differences
Why choose the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Faster wired charging 60 W vs 45 W
- Bigger screen 6.9 inches vs 6.8 inches
- Brighter screen 2,600 nits vs 1,750 nits
- Longer OS update support 7 years vs 4 years
- Newer model Feb 25, 2026 vs Feb 1, 2023
- Faster wireless charging 25 W vs 15 W
Why choose the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Longer optical zoom 10× vs 5×
- Lower launch price $1,199.99 vs $1,299.99
PhoneRanked scores
Calculated from specs, relative to phones from the same year and price range. How we rate phones
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 UltraSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Overall
8.9
7.8
Display
8.4
8.1
Performance
9.0
6.8
Camera
8.7
8.7
Battery
6.3
5.9
Design
8.6
8.3
Software support
9.2
6.9
Value for money
5.8
4.4
Display
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 UltraSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Size
6.9 inches
6.8 inches
Type
OLED, Dynamic AMOLED 2X
OLED, Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Resolution
1440 × 3120 px
1440 × 3088 px
Pixel density
—
500 ppi
Refresh rate
120 Hz
120 Hz
Adaptive refresh
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Peak brightness
2,600 nits
1,750 nits
HDR
HDR10+
HDR10+
Protection
Corning Gorilla Armor 2
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Performance
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 UltraSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Process
3 nm
4 nm
Max CPU clock
—
3.36 GHz
GPU
Adreno 840
Adreno 740
RAM
12 GB / 16 GB
8 GB / 12 GB
Storage
256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB
256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB
Storage type
UFS 4.0
UFS 4.0
microSD slot
✕ No
✕ No
Cameras
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 UltraSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Main camera
200 MP, f/1.4, 1/1.3"
200 MP, f/1.7
Optical stabilization
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Ultrawide
50 MP
12 MP
Telephoto
50 MP, 5× optical, periscope
10 MP, 10× optical, periscope
Optical zoom
5×
10×
Rear cameras
4
4
Rear video
8K@30
8K@30
Front camera
12 MP
12 MP
Front video
—
4K@60
Battery and charging
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 UltraSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Capacity
5,000 mAh
5,000 mAh
Battery type
Li-Ion
Li-Ion
Wired charging
60 W
45 W
Wireless charging
25 W
15 W
Reverse wireless
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Charger in box
✕ No
✕ No
Design and build
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 UltraSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Dimensions
163.6 × 78.1 × 7.9 mm
163.4 × 78.1 × 8.9 mm
Thickness
7.9 mm
8.9 mm
Weight
214 g
234 g
Form factor
Bar
Bar
Frame
Aluminum
Aluminum
Back
Glass
Glass
Water resistance
IP68
IP68
Fingerprint
Under-display ultrasonic
Under-display ultrasonic
3D face unlock
✕ No
✕ No
SIM
Nano-SIM + eSIM
Dual Nano-SIM + eSIM
Colors
Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold
Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime, Sky Blue, Red
Connectivity and features
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 UltraSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
5G
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7
Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth
6.0
5.3
USB
USB-C 3.x
USB-C 3.x
NFC
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
3.5 mm jack
✕ No
✕ No
Stereo speakers
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Satellite
✕ No
✕ No
IR blaster
✕ No
✕ No
Software
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 UltraSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
OS at launch
Android 16
Android 13
Interface
One UI 8.5
One UI 5.1
OS updates
7 years
4 years
Security updates
7 years
5 years
Launch and price
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 UltraSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Announced
Feb 25, 2026
Feb 1, 2023
Released
Mar 11, 2026
Feb 17, 2023
Status
Released
Discontinued
US launch price
$1,299.99
$1,199.99
Green marks the stronger value in a row. Specs come from official manufacturer data, cross-checked with established tech media; each phone page lists its sources. Report an error
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