Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs Google Pixel 7 – which one should you go for?

We’re comparing the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs Google Pixel 7, so you can know which one makes the most sense for you.

The Samsung Galaxy 23 Plus has been released and is already impressing people with some pretty staggering specs and performance abilities. It’s the middle child of the S23 range sitting between the standard Galaxy S23 and the S23 Ultra. This makes it a great choice for those who value a large screen but don’t need the incredibly high power of the S23 Ultra. If you’re interested in an in-depth comparison between the S23 Plus vs S23 Ultra, know that we’ve got you covered there too.

The Pixel 7 has enjoyed well-deserved popularity ever since its release in October 2022. It manages to balance high power and incredible camera quality at a reasonable price. In fact, it’s one of the best alternatives to the Samsung S23. This makes the showdown between the two an interesting one.

We should note that we are not here to describe an overall ‘winner’, simply because there isn’t one. Both these devices are outstanding and offer a great return on investment, the question we are trying to answer here is which one is right for you.

To do this we’ll be breaking down our comparison into 4 sections: specs, features, design and value for money, explaining the most important differences between the phones in these areas. By the end, you should have a better sense of which one will suit your needs and requirements more.

So let’s get stuck into it. Here is everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs Google Pixel 7.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs Google Pixel 7 – Specs

Specs	Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus	Google Pixel 7
Display	6.6 inch AMOLED	6.3 inch OLED
Resolution	1080 x 2340p	1080 x 2400p
Refresh rate	120Hz	90Hz
Chip	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2	Google Tensor G2
RAM	12GB	8GB
Storage	256GB	128GB, 256GB
Rear cameras	50 MP telephoto, 10MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide	50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide
Front camera	12MP	10.8MP
Battery size	4,700mAh	4,355mAh
Charging	45W wired	30W wired

As you can see from the table of specs above the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus is the more powerful device. It’s got more RAM, coming with 12GB versus the 8GB available on the Pixel 7. The most significant thing, however, in terms of performance, is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip.

This CPU from Snapdragon is one of the most powerful available. While the new Google Tensor G2 chip does make many improvements over its previous generation, the Snapdragon Gen 2 is simply more capable when it comes to sheer power. That said the G2 does have some useful features thanks to its AI capabilities that we’ll get into later.

Read More: S23 Plus vs iPhone 14 Pro – which phone is right for you?

Unsupringinly the screen on the S23 Plus is the larger of the two, being 6.6 inches versus the 6.3-inch display of the Pixel 7. Not only that but this display is also faster, with a top refresh rate of 120Hz. This is a good chunk faster than the 90Hz of the Pixel 7, though at refresh rates so high it is not as significant as it might sound, and doesn’t come into play when watching films or TV.

Both devices have incredibly large batteries but though S23 Plus is slightly bigger. What’s more, it can be recharged faster at 45W, compared to 30W on the Pixel 7.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs Google Pixel 7 – Features

As we mentioned earlier, thanks to the AI and deep learning capabilities of the Tensor G2 chip, the Pixel 7 is packed full of unique and useful features. Many of these revolve around the camera like Photo Unblur, Magic Eraser and Video Stabilisation.

There are useful features elsewhere too like adaptive battery, voice enhancement for phone calls and real-time language translation. This goes some way to making up for the inferior hardware on the Pixel 7.

Read More: S23 Plus vs S22 Plus – which should you go for?

When it comes to connectivity the S23 Plus is overall better. It boasts Wifi 7 compatibility, which comes with up to 4.8x more bandwidth than the Wifi 6e that the Pixel supports. However, to get the most out of this increased bandwidth you will need a compatible router.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs Google Pixel 7 – Design

Both these phones are well designed and sleek. With the Pixel 7, Google has stuck pretty close to the style of the previous generation. There are the same rounded corners and horizontal camera housing protruding from the back, though this time made from metal. This is a unique and iconic look synonymous with the Pixel.

Samsung has largely stuck to the same design as its predecessor, the S22 Plus. Major design changes have been reserved for Samsung’s top-end S23 Ultra that features a more angular design.

The S23 Plus has lost contour cut on the rear, which houses the cameras, replaced by simpler individual cutouts for each lens, though this is a fairly minor change.

There are some similarities between the devices too, for example, the bezel size on both is really small making more space for the display.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs Google Pixel 7 – Value for money

The Pixel was $599 dollars on its release day and this has since been reduced by a further $100 on the sites of many retailers, including Google themselves.

This makes it a significant chunk cheaper than the Galaxy S22. However, this is not surprising as the Galaxy is in many closer in performance to the Google Pixel Pro, which it shares a more similar price range with.

So essentially, while the Galaxy S23 Plus is more expensive, it’s hard to say if this makes it have less value for money. For this higher investment, you get a larger screen, higher performance, more memory and more RAM. As well as other improvements.

Overall, considering their impressive specs, despite being expensive devices, they both offer excellent value for money. The recent price drop of the Pixel 7 means it does have the edge here, but only just.

Check Price: Samsung S23 Plus via Samsung

Check Price: Google Pixel 7 via Amazon

Which one should you go for?

As we have described, the Galaxy S23 Plus and Pixel 7 are in different price and performance ranges. This should be the most important factor in your decision between the two.

If you want a phone with high specs and performance and don’t mind paying extra for it, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus makes more sense. Not only is it more powerful with a superior chip, high RAM and excellent battery life, but it is also a larger device.

Read More: Google Pixel 7 vs Google Pixel 7 Pro – which one should you go for?

If you still want a high-end phone but are going to be using it for less demanding activities the Pixel 7 is a great option. It’s still incredibly powerful and jam-packed with great features, it also comes with one of the best cameras available on an Android, and all this for an impressively low price.