OnePlus Nord 4 vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The Verdict
OnePlus Nord 4 and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra serve vastly different market segments. The Nord 4 delivers impressive flagship performance at half the price, featuring a larger 6.74-inch display with superior 2150-nit brightness, faster 100W charging, and a massive 5500 mAh battery that easily outlasts competitors. Its 50 MP main camera with OIS and Sony LYT-600 sensor handles everyday photography excellently. However, the Galaxy S23 Ultra justifies its $1200 premium through a genuinely superior camera system: 200 MP main sensor, dual optical telephoto lenses (3x and 10x), and 8K video recording capability make it unmatched for photography enthusiasts. The S23 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy also edges out the Nord 4's Snapdragon 7+ in sustained performance and gaming. The Galaxy's 3088 x 1440 resolution surpasses Nord 4's 2772 x 1240, though both displays excel. Build quality favors Samsung with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and Armor Aluminum, while OnePlus keeps things lighter at 199.5g versus 234g. Battery capacity alone doesn't tell the full story: Nord 4's superior charging speed partially compensates for smaller real-world endurance. For value-conscious buyers wanting flagship features, OnePlus Nord 4 is exceptional. For camera quality and performance requiring no compromises, Galaxy S23 Ultra remains the better choice despite significant cost.
Who Should Buy
Buy the OnePlus Nord 4 if…
- →Unique all-metal aluminum unibody design
- →Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 punches above its class
- →Large 5500 mAh battery with 100W charging
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if…
- →200 MP main camera with versatile 3x and 10x telephoto lenses
- →Built-in S Pen with Bluetooth air actions retained
- →Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 delivers class-leading performance
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
OnePlus Nord 4
Pros
- Unique all-metal aluminum unibody design
- Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 punches above its class
- Large 5500 mAh battery with 100W charging
- Bright 2150-nit LTPO AMOLED display
- Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 at mid-range price
Cons
- Weak 8 MP ultrawide camera
- No wireless charging
- Only IP65 splash resistance
- USB-C 2.0 (slow data transfer)
- Not officially sold in North America
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Pros
- 200 MP main camera with versatile 3x and 10x telephoto lenses
- Built-in S Pen with Bluetooth air actions retained
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 delivers class-leading performance
- Bright 2200-nit display readable in direct sunlight
- IP68 dust and water resistance
Cons
- Very heavy at 234 g, tiring for extended use
- Thick 8.9 mm body compared to rivals
- 45W charging is slow for a $1199 flagship
- No significant camera hardware upgrade over S22 Ultra main sensor
Full Specifications
| Spec | OnePlus Nord 4 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 14 (OxygenOS 14.1) | Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 199.5 g | 234 g |
| Material | Aluminum unibody | Armor Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| IP rating | IP65 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 162.6 x 75.0 x 8.0 mm | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS (Sony LYT-600) | 200 MP, f/1.7, OIS |
| Front camera | 16 MP, f/2.4 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@30fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps |
| Ultrawide | 8 MP, f/2.2, 112-degree | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Telephoto | — | 10 MP 10x periscope + 10 MP 3x optical |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 5500 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 100W SuperVOOC wired | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | No | 15W |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.74 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X LTPO |
| Resolution | 2772 x 1240 | 3088 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 1-120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2150 | 2200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.8 GHz Cortex-X4 & 4x2.6 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x1.9 GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz + 2x2.8 GHz + 2x2.8 GHz + 3x2.0 GHz) |
| GPU | Adreno 732 | Adreno 740 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 2.0 | 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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