iPhone 14 Professional vs. Galaxy S23 Extremely: My Ideas As An Ex-Android Lover

5 months in the past, I went from being a die-hard Samsung Galaxy fan to a sellout iPhone proprietor. Since then, I’ve absolutely tailored to the world of Apple and have been basking within the perks of options like AirDrop and iMessage (principally to the delight of my pals, who had been sick of my inexperienced texts). 

However I nonetheless have a smooth spot for Galaxy telephones, and when Samsung unveiled the S23 lineup in February, I used to be desirous to see how the top-of-the-line S23 Extremely would evaluate to my iPhone 14 Professional. So I acquired my arms on one and started utilizing the telephones facet by facet to match every part from the cameras to battery life to total design — and to see whether or not I would have any regrets about switching to the “darkish facet.” This is what I discovered.

The Galaxy S23 Extremely’s show vs. Apple’s Tremendous Retina display screen

First issues first: I’ve an iPhone 14 Professional, and never a Professional Max, so the Extremely’s huge display screen positively stands out compared. I by no means really feel like I would like a much bigger display screen than what I get on my 14 Professional, but it surely positively would not damage to have that bigger show after I’m watching a YouTube video or streaming a present — or spending an excessive amount of time on TikTok. 

The trade-off to having that bigger display screen is attempting to suit it in my pocket and having to hold one thing a bit bulkier. Nonetheless, it is a fairly modern cellphone for all that actual property.  

The show high quality on each telephones is stellar, and I do not see a lot of a top quality distinction between the 2. Proper out of the field, the S23 Extremely has a pleasant vibrant show, which you’ll obtain on the iPhone by turning off True Tone (a characteristic that adjusts the colour and depth of your show relying in your setting). If the brightness on the Extremely is an excessive amount of, you may inversely mimic the results of True Tone by going into Show settings and both toggling on Eye consolation defend or going to Display mode and deciding on Pure. You may as well play with the White steadiness scale. Photographs on the iPhone look barely sharper, however colours pop a bit extra on the S23 Extremely. General, although, there’s actually not a lot of a distinction between the telephones.

There’s one facet to having an iPhone that I have not fairly made peace with but, and it is the keyboard. I am glad Apple added Slide to Kind with iOS 13 a number of years in the past, adopted by haptic suggestions on the keyboard with iOS 16 (lastly), as a result of these are options I liked on Android. However I nonetheless get annoyed that I’ve to change between numbers and letters after I’m typing on the iPhone. In the meantime, on the Galaxy, the numbers sit simply above the letters, so you may choose them extra shortly, the way in which you’ll on a laptop computer keyboard. You possibly can obtain totally different keyboards on the iPhone like Gboard, but it surely’s not the identical. I will admit that is a minor criticism, however I do suppose the person expertise would profit from Apple taking a web page from Android’s ebook — you already know, like they’ve accomplished many occasions earlier than. Transferring on….

The Galaxy S23 Extremely’s battery life is subsequent degree

I’ve had my iPhone for a number of months now and fortunately have not seen any noticeable drops in battery life but. My cellphone nonetheless lasts a full day of heavy use, however I all the time must cost on the finish of the day.

The Extremely’s battery is subsequent degree. I can go a full day of use and nonetheless have some juice left over. That is not shocking, given the S23 Extremely has a 5,000-mAh battery. Apple would not share battery capability for its telephones, however says the 14 Professional has as much as 23 hours of video playback. An iFixit teardown discovered the iPhone 14 Professional has a 3,200-mAh battery. 

Although the Extremely has a much bigger battery, Apple is definitely in a position to crank out extra effectivity from its batteries due to iOS and its personal A-series chips. In the meantime, Android has to work with a wide range of units working totally different processors, so it turns into extra essential to have that greater battery.

Specs and logistics apart, I am amazed by the Extremely’s battery life, as was CNET’s cellular reporter Lisa Eadicicco when she reviewed the Extremely.

The S23 Extremely’s 200-megapixel digital camera

Digicam high quality is the most essential facet of any cellphone for me. I take loads of footage and movies for work and social media, together with for my very area of interest tea account on Instagram. The digital camera on the Galaxy telephones saved me within the Samsung household for a decade, so I used to be keen to match the S23 Extremely’s cameras to the iPhone 14 Professional’s. 

What I observed immediately is how way more saturated photographs on the Extremely are. Generally, that saturation provides a pleasant colour increase to pictures and makes them stand out extra. Photos of my colourful teacups look much more vibrant on the Extremely. Generally, that saturation generally is a bit overwhelming and makes photographs look unnatural, as if there is a filter on them. However different occasions, it makes colours and topics stand out, in a great way.

The 200-megapixel sensor on the Extremely punches up colour and element much more. An image I took of an ornamental teacup emphasizes the intricate floral design and gold trim and one other picture of a Klay Thompson mural reveals vivid blues and yellows. 

Not all moments are made for a 200-megapixel sensor, although. In one other picture taken open air, the sensor eliminated a number of too many highlights, so it was more durable to see element and make sense of what is going on on. 

General, I recognize the softness and brightness of photographs on the Extremely. Shadows on the iPhone are sometimes a bit too harsh and provides some photos a darker overtone. A picture of the sky on the Extremely will look good and vibrant, whereas on the iPhone, there may be distracting shadows beneath clouds. The Extremely’s softness and brightness additionally make for extra flattering selfies. You possibly can alter the iPhone’s digital camera settings and mess around with issues like distinction, tone and colour temperature, and even mimic images kinds on the Galaxy (and vice versa), however I do want the iPhone simply routinely adjusted for issues like shadows just a little higher. 

The digital camera characteristic that stunned me most was Portrait mode. I consider Portrait mode on the iPhone because the gold normal. The topic is often in good focus, the background is easily blurred and the colours are extra pure trying. However I observed there’s one thing the Extremely did higher than my iPhone. I took an image of my good friend whereas she had sun shades on high of her head, and the iPhone struggled to maintain the bridge and sides of the glasses in focus, whereas the Extremely did not. It is that small element that reveals how far Portrait mode has come on Galaxy telephones. I nonetheless favor the look of iPhone portraits due to the decrease saturation, and you may catch a bit extra element within the background, which is good.  

Does the Galaxy S23 Extremely beat the iPhone at video?

Given the recognition of TikTok and Instagram Reels proper now, video is a large focus for each Apple and Samsung — and in addition essential for people like me who take loads of movies. Since switching to the iPhone, I’ve seen an uptick within the high quality of my movies. The colours are extra pure and the photographs sharper. Cinematic mode makes topics pop and lends a extra skilled look to my content material. Samsung has its personal Cinematic mode equal, referred to as Portrait video. It additionally does an important job of blurring the background, however objects and folks look rather less outlined than they do on iPhone.  

One space the place the Extremely is a transparent winner is with video stabilization. Even strolling down the steps, the footage is extremely clean, as in the event you’re utilizing a gimbal. With the iPhone, you may nonetheless sense every step being taken, and there is much more motion. 

The S23 Extremely’s design vs. iPhone 14 Professional 

Let’s be sincere: the iPhone’s digital camera bumps are ridiculous. The Extremely is a breath of recent air as a result of the cameras do not stick out as a lot, so it wobbles much less whenever you set it down. 

The S Pen on the Extremely is a enjoyable additional, although I by no means discovered myself reaching for it. There’s not a lot I wish to write by hand, and I can simply faucet the display screen for just about all features. Nonetheless, I am glad the legacy of the retired Galaxy Observe sequence lives on. 

The in-screen fingerprint reader was a favourite characteristic of mine on my Galaxy telephones, and it is good to have that choice once more whereas utilizing the Extremely. I missed it after I first switched to the iPhone, however Face ID is strong sufficient that I shortly acquired over it. Unlocking each telephones has been seamless.

The Galaxy S23 Extremely’s value is similar because the iPhone

The S23 Extremely is $1,200 for 256 GB of storage and is priced equally to the iPhone 14 Professional Max with the identical quantity of storage. The smaller iPhone 14 Professional is $1,100 for 256GB. Whether or not you are a Galaxy fan or an iPhone lover, $1,200 is rather a lot. However on this case, you get what you pay for.

Galaxy S23 Extremely vs. iPhone 14 Professional ultimate ideas 

It has been enjoyable to revisit a world I’ve deserted and evaluate the iPhone I’ve now to the one I might’ve had if I would stayed within the Galaxy household. Whereas there are points to the S23 Extremely that I recognize, like brighter and extra colourful photos, higher video stabilization and unimaginable battery life, there are benefits to having an iPhone that transcend specs that’ll possible maintain me within the Apple ecosystem for some time. Options like Airdrop and iMessage have made the person expertise extra seamless. And I do not know if I might hand over the iPhone’s video high quality for anything.  

Nonetheless, I do know that if I wish to take an image that makes individuals’s jaws drop, I will possible attain for the S23 Extremely. Then I will look ahead to the look of shock after I inform them it wasn’t taken with an iPhone.

Take a look at the video above to see extra of my expertise attempting out these two telephones, together with some side-by-side examples of photographs and movies taken on every.