Apple iPhone 17 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 FE sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is the cheaper of the two at $599 versus $999, a difference of about $400. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone 17 Pro stands out for a19 pro chip with 6-core gpu, while Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is praised for flagship features like 120hz amoled and ip68 at a lower price. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 17 Pro if…
- →A19 Pro chip with 6-core GPU
- →48MP triple camera with 5x telephoto
- →Aluminum unibody frame (lighter than titanium)
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE if…
- →Flagship features like 120Hz AMOLED and IP68 at a lower price
- →Bright 1450-nit display for good outdoor visibility
- →3x optical zoom telephoto is rare in this price range
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Pros
- A19 Pro chip with 6-core GPU
- 48MP triple camera with 5x telephoto
- Aluminum unibody frame (lighter than titanium)
- Thunderbolt USB-C
- 25W MagSafe wireless
Cons
- Still 27W wired charging
- Smaller battery than Pro Max
- Aluminum instead of titanium may feel less premium
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Pros
- Flagship features like 120Hz AMOLED and IP68 at a lower price
- Bright 1450-nit display for good outdoor visibility
- 3x optical zoom telephoto is rare in this price range
- Four years of OS updates guaranteed
- Wireless charging with reverse wireless PowerShare
Cons
- Exynos 2200 variant has weaker performance and efficiency
- Only 25W wired charging is slow for 2023
- Gorilla Glass 5 is older protection than Victus 2
- 8 MP telephoto resolution is low
- Heavier at 209 g due to older processor thermals
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 17 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 19 | Android 13 (One UI 5.1) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 194 g | 209 g |
| Material | Aluminum unibody frame, Ceramic Shield 2 | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 5 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 150 x 72 x 8.2 mm | 158 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 24 MP, f/1.9 | 10 MP, f/2.4 |
| Video | 4K@120fps ProRes | 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.8, 5x optical zoom | 8 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4200 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.3 inches | 6.4 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 1206 x 2622 | 2340 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 1450 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | 6-core | Octa-core |
| GPU | 6-core GPU | Xclipse 920 / Adreno 730 |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro | Samsung Exynos 2200 / Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 (Thunderbolt) | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.3 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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