Apple iPhone 8 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
The Verdict
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE offers significantly better value at $599 versus iPhone 8 Plus at $799. Display quality favors Samsung with a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel delivering 1450 nits brightness and 120Hz refresh rate, compared to iPhone's 5.5-inch IPS LCD at 625 nits and 60Hz. Camera performance is competitive: Samsung's 50MP main sensor with OIS and ultrawide lens versus iPhone's dual 12MP setup, though iPhone's larger f/1.8 aperture excels in low light. Battery capacity heavily favors Samsung at 4500mAh with 25W charging versus iPhone's 2691mAh with slower 18W charging. Performance differs: iPhone 8 Plus runs an aging A11 Bionic processor with 3GB RAM, while Samsung features modern Exynos 2200/Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 with 8GB RAM. Samsung includes 5G, USB-C, and IP68 rating. For most users, Galaxy S23 FE delivers superior specs, faster charging, larger display, and better software longevity at a lower price point. Recommend Samsung Galaxy S23 FE unless you require exclusive iOS ecosystem features.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 8 Plus if…
- →Wireless charging added to iPhone for the first time
- →Portrait Lighting effects for depth photography
- →Powerful A11 Bionic chipset
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
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 8 Plus
Pros
- Wireless charging added to iPhone for the first time
- Portrait Lighting effects for depth photography
- Powerful A11 Bionic chipset
- True Tone display technology
- Touch ID still preferred by many users
Cons
- Dated thick-bezel home button design
- Large bezels waste screen real estate
- Glass back cracks easily
- No headphone jack
- Overshadowed by iPhone X launch
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 8 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 11 | Android 13 (One UI 5.1) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 202 g | 209 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, glass back | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 5 |
| IP rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm | 158 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 7 MP, f/2.2 | 10 MP, f/2.4 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.8, 2x optical zoom | 8 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS |
| Ultrawide | — | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 3 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 2691 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired (adapter sold separately) | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 7.5W Qi | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| Display | ||
| Size | 5.5 inches | 6.4 inches |
| Type | Retina IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2340 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 625 | 1450 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.39 GHz + 4x1.7 GHz) | Octa-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (3-core) | Xclipse 920 / Adreno 730 |
| Chipset | Apple A11 Bionic | Samsung Exynos 2200 / Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.3 |
Related Comparisons
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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