Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs Sony Xperia 5 V
The Verdict
Samsung's Galaxy S23+ excels with a larger 6.6-inch display, superior brightness at 1750 nits, and a versatile quad-camera setup including 3x telephoto zoom. Its 45W charging significantly outpaces Sony's 30W, plus wireless charging and PowerShare add convenience. Sony's Xperia 5 V counters with a more compact 6.1-inch design, larger 5000 mAh battery, and professional video capabilities including 4K at 120fps and log recording. Both feature Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processors and 120Hz OLED displays. For most users, Samsung's well-rounded flagship with faster charging and superior zoom capabilities makes it the stronger choice at the same $999 price point, though videographers and compact phone enthusiasts may prefer Sony's specialized features.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S23+ if…
- →Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy delivers top-tier performance
- →Bright 1750-nit display is excellent in direct sunlight
- →4700 mAh battery provides strong all-day endurance
Buy the Sony Xperia 5 V if…
- →Compact 6.1-inch flagship in an era of large phones
- →4K@120fps video with professional log recording
- →Exmor T sensor excels in low light
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Samsung Galaxy S23+
Pros
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy delivers top-tier performance
- Bright 1750-nit display is excellent in direct sunlight
- 4700 mAh battery provides strong all-day endurance
- Four years of OS updates and five years of security patches
- Versatile triple camera with 3x optical zoom
Cons
- Only 8 GB RAM at the $999 price point
- FHD+ resolution instead of QHD+ on the 6.6-inch display
- 45W charging is slower than Chinese competitors
- No expandable storage or microSD slot
- Design is very similar to S22+ with minimal visual changes
Sony Xperia 5 V
Pros
- Compact 6.1-inch flagship in an era of large phones
- 4K@120fps video with professional log recording
- Exmor T sensor excels in low light
- Headphone jack retained
- IP68 with two years of OS updates
Cons
- No telephoto camera
- Only 30W wired charging — no wireless
- Premium price for a compact with limited camera versatility
- Display not as bright as competitors
Full Specifications
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23+ | Sony Xperia 5 V |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 13 (One UI 5.1) | Android 13 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 195 g | 182 g |
| Material | Armor Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm | 154 x 68 x 8.6 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS | 48 MP, f/1.9, OIS (Exmor T for mobile) |
| Front camera | 12 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.0 |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps | 4K@120fps, log video recording |
| Telephoto | 10 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS | — |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.2, 124-degree |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4700 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 45W wired | 30W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W, Wireless PowerShare | No |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.6 inches | 6.1 inches |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X | OLED |
| Resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 2520 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1750 | 1700 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz + 2x2.8 GHz + 2x2.8 GHz + 3x2.0 GHz) | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 740 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.4 |
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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