Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Sony Xperia 1 III

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (2023) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, while the Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888; launch prices were $1199 and $1299. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads — 70/100 vs 60/100 (a 10-point difference). Key differences: the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 200 MP vs 12 MP; the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (1,677,954 vs 1,232,200); per DXOMark lab testing, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has the stronger camera (140 vs 105); the Sony Xperia 1 III is noticeably lighter (186g vs 234g).

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is noticeably better than the Sony Xperia 1 III — the overall rating gap is 10 points.
Profile comparison
Category scores
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Performance 75
Display 88
Camera 73
Battery 56
Portability 29
Value for money 50
Sony Xperia 1 III
Performance 65
Display 90
Camera 46
Battery 42
Portability 65
Value for money 28
What makes Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra better?
  • Higher AnTuTu: 1677954 vs 1232200
  • Better Geekbench Single: 2004 vs 1488
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 5311 vs 3373
  • Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4500 mAh
  • Faster charging: 45W vs 30W
  • Better main camera: 200MP vs 12MP
  • Faster wireless charging: 15W vs 11W
  • Cheaper at launch: $1199 vs $1299

  • Higher performance (75/100 vs 65/100)
  • Better camera (73/100 vs 46/100)
  • Longer battery life (56/100 vs 42/100)
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?
  • Lighter: 186g vs 234g

  • Better display (90/100 vs 88/100)
  • Better portability (65/100 vs 29/100)
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs the Sony Xperia 1 III, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra scores 10 points higher (70/100 vs 60/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads (75/100 vs 65/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads (73/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads (56/100 vs 42/100). Value score: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra — 50/100, Sony Xperia 1 III — 28/100; it is biased by price level, so it should not be compared directly between devices at different prices. In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a bit better (75/100 vs 65/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are nearly equal (90/100 vs 88/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (73/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a bit better (56/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (65/100 vs 29/100).

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a better fit for active users.
Sony Xperia 1 III: The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users.
Specs comparison
Specification Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Sony Xperia 1 III
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Snapdragon 888
AnTuTu 1677954 1232200
Geekbench Single 2004 1488
Geekbench Multi 5311 3373
Display 6.8" AMOLED 6.5" OLED
Resolution 1440x3088 1644x3840
Refresh rate 120 Hz 120 Hz
Battery 5000 mAh 4500 mAh
Charging 45W 30W
Wireless charging 15W 11W
DXOMark (camera) 140 105
Main camera 200 MP 12 MP
Ultrawide 12 MP 12 MP
Telephoto 10 MP 12 MP
Front camera 12 MP 8 MP
RAM 8GB / 12GB 12GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB 256GB / 512GB
OS Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 Android 11
Brightness (peak) 1750 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP68 IP65/IP68
Dimensions 163.4×78.1×8.9 mm 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm
Weight 234 g 186 g
Launch price $1199 $1299
Camera comparison
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
  • Main: 200MP
  • Ultrawide: 12MP
  • Telephoto: 10MP
  • Front: 12MP
73
camera
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • Main: 12MP f/f/1.7
  • Ultrawide: 12MP
  • Telephoto: 12MP
  • Front: 8MP
46
camera
Display comparison
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
  • 6.8" AMOLED
  • Resolution: 1440x3088
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
88
display
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • 6.5" OLED
  • Resolution: 1644x3840
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
90
display
Battery and charging
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
  • 5000 mAh
  • Wired: 45W
  • Wireless: 15W
56
battery
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • 4500 mAh
  • Wired: 30W
  • Wireless: 11W
42
battery
Overall performance score

We compared Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Sony Xperia 1 III, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
70/100
1677954 AnTuTu
Sony Xperia 1 III Snapdragon 888
60/100 -36.2%
1232200 AnTuTu

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads Sony Xperia 1 III by 36.2% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
$1199
Sony Xperia 1 III
$1299

Launch price difference: $100. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra was $100 cheaper at launch.

Detailed category analysis
performance

In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a bit better (75/100 vs 65/100).

display

In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are nearly equal (90/100 vs 88/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (73/100 vs 46/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a bit better (56/100 vs 42/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (65/100 vs 29/100).

Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 III?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is noticeably better than the Sony Xperia 1 III — the overall rating gap is 10 points.

What is the rating of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 1 III?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 70/100, the Sony Xperia 1 III — 60/100.

Which has the better camera: the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 III?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads on camera score (73/100 vs 46/100).

Which is more powerful: the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 III?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads on performance (75/100 vs 65/100).

Should you choose the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra over the Sony Xperia 1 III?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a better fit for active users. The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users.