Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Sony Xperia 5 III
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (2023) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, while the Sony Xperia 5 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888; launch prices were $1199 and $999. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads — 70/100 vs 51/100 (a 19-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 (1,684,869 vs 1,135,878); the Sony Xperia 5 III is noticeably lighter (168g vs 234g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Sony Xperia 5 III
What makes Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 1684869 vs 1135878
- Better Geekbench Single: 2004 vs 1500
- Better Geekbench Multi: 5311 vs 3537
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4500 mAh
- Faster charging: 45W vs 30W
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 12MP
- Higher performance (75/100 vs 64/100)
- Better camera (73/100 vs 20/100)
- Longer battery life (56/100 vs 35/100)
- Better display (88/100 vs 84/100)
What makes Sony Xperia 5 III better?
- Lighter: 168g vs 234g
- Cheaper at launch: $999 vs $1199
- Better portability (76/100 vs 29/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs the Sony Xperia 5 III, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra scores 19 points higher (70/100 vs 51/100). In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads (75/100 vs 64/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads (73/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads (56/100 vs 35/100). Value score: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra — 50/100, Sony Xperia 5 III — 12/100; it shows how far a model sits above or below the usual level for its price, and is not part of the overall rating. In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a bit better (75/100 vs 64/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 5 III are nearly equal (88/100 vs 84/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (73/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (56/100 vs 35/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (76/100 vs 29/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra | Sony Xperia 5 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Snapdragon 888 | |
| AnTuTu | 1684869 | 1135878 | |
| Geekbench Single | 2004 | 1500 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 5311 | 3537 | |
| Display | 6.8" AMOLED | 6.1" OLED | |
| Resolution | 1440x3088 | 1080x2520 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
| Charging | 45W | 30W | |
| Wireless charging | 15W | 0W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | 140 | — | |
| 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 | 8GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 128GB / 256GB | |
| 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 | 157.0×68.0×8.2 mm | |
| Weight | 234 g | 168 g | |
| Launch price | $1199 | $999 |
Camera comparison
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Main: 200MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 10MP
- Front: 12MP
Sony Xperia 5 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Display comparison
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1440x3088
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Sony Xperia 5 III
- 6.1" OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2520
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 45W
- Wireless: 15W
Sony Xperia 5 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Sony Xperia 5 III, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads Sony Xperia 5 III by 48.3% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $200. Sony Xperia 5 III was $200 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a bit better (75/100 vs 64/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 5 III are nearly equal (88/100 vs 84/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (73/100 vs 20/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (56/100 vs 35/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (76/100 vs 29/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 5 III?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is noticeably better than the Sony Xperia 5 III — the overall rating gap is 19 points.
What is the rating of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 5 III?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 70/100, the Sony Xperia 5 III — 51/100.
Which has the better camera: the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 5 III?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads on camera score (73/100 vs 20/100).
Which is more powerful: the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 5 III?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leads on performance (75/100 vs 64/100).
Should you choose the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra over the Sony Xperia 5 III?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a better fit for active users. The Sony Xperia 5 III is a better fit for active users.