Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy S23
The Samsung Galaxy S26 scores 8.3 in our rating, and the Samsung Galaxy S23 scores 7.0. The Samsung Galaxy S26 leads in display, performance, battery, software support and value for money. At launch in the US, the Samsung Galaxy S23 cost $100 less ($799.99 vs $899.99). The Samsung Galaxy S26 is the newer phone, announced Feb 25, 2026.
2 of 4 phones
Clear all
Key differences
Why choose the Samsung Galaxy S26
- Bigger battery 4,300 mAh vs 3,900 mAh
- Bigger screen 6.3 inches vs 6.1 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
- More RAM 12 GB vs 8 GB
Why choose the Samsung Galaxy S23
- Lower launch price $799.99 vs $899.99
- Sharper display 422 ppi vs 409 ppi
PhoneRanked scores
Calculated from specs, relative to phones from the same year and price range. How we rate phones
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26Samsung Galaxy S23
Overall
8.3
7.0
Display
8.2
7.6
Performance
8.9
6.6
Camera
8.0
8.0
Battery
4.8
3.8
Design
8.9
8.8
Software support
9.2
6.9
Value for money
5.4
4.0
Display
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26Samsung Galaxy S23
Size
6.3 inches
6.1 inches
Type
OLED, Dynamic AMOLED 2X
OLED, Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Resolution
1080 × 2340 px
1080 × 2340 px
Pixel density
409 ppi
422 ppi
Refresh rate
120 Hz
120 Hz
Adaptive refresh
✓ Yes
✕ No
Peak brightness
2,600 nits
1,750 nits
HDR
—
HDR10+
Protection
Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Performance
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26Samsung Galaxy S23
Process
3 nm
4 nm
Max CPU clock
—
3.36 GHz
GPU
Adreno 840
Adreno 740
RAM
12 GB
8 GB
Storage
256 GB / 512 GB
128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB
Storage type
—
UFS 4.0
microSD slot
✕ No
✕ No
Cameras
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26Samsung Galaxy S23
Main camera
50 MP, f/1.8
50 MP, f/1.8
Optical stabilization
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Ultrawide
12 MP
12 MP
Telephoto
10 MP, 3× optical
10 MP, 3× optical
Optical zoom
3×
3×
Rear cameras
3
3
Rear video
8K@30
8K@30
Front camera
12 MP
12 MP
Front video
—
4K@60
Battery and charging
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26Samsung Galaxy S23
Capacity
4,300 mAh
3,900 mAh
Battery type
—
Li-Ion
Wired charging
25 W
25 W
Wireless charging
15 W
—
Reverse wireless
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Charger in box
✕ No
✕ No
Design and build
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26Samsung Galaxy S23
Dimensions
149.6 × 71.7 × 7.2 mm
146.3 × 70.9 × 7.6 mm
Thickness
7.2 mm
7.6 mm
Weight
167 g
168 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, Pink Gold, Silver Shadow
Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime
Connectivity and features
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26Samsung Galaxy S23
5G
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7
Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth
5.4
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 S26Samsung Galaxy S23
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 S26Samsung Galaxy S23
Announced
Feb 25, 2026
Feb 1, 2023
Released
Mar 11, 2026
Feb 17, 2023
Status
Released
Discontinued
US launch price
$899.99
$799.99
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
vs
vs
vs
vs
vs
vs