The first new iPhone Plus model fared reasonably well against its Galaxy Plus rival (you can check out that pair in our detailed comparison), but it’s time to try and predict how the upcoming iPhone 15 Plus will fare against the now aging Galaxy S23 Plus. Our information is based on industry insiders, leaks, and rumors at this point, so take it with a healthy grain of salt. Here we go!
iPhone 15 Plus vs Galaxy S23 Plus expectations:
- iOS 16 vs Android 13
- A16 Bionic vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- The iPhone 15 Plus will be cheaper at $899, as opposed to the $999.99 S23 Plus price tag
- The S23 Plus has a third camera (telephoto, with 3X optical zoom)
- The S23 Plus sports a 120Hz display, as opposed to the iPhone’s slower 60Hz
- The S23 Plus starts at 256GB of storage, while the iPhone 15 Plus starts at 128 GB.
- The S23 Plus has a bigger battery and potentially faster wired charging
- The iPhone 15 Plus unlocks with Face ID, while the Galaxy S23 uses an under-display fingerprint scanner
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
Display Differences
Performance
Camera
Audio Quality
Battery and Charging
Specs
SummaryRead more:
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: expected differences
iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro: expected differences
Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus review
Design and Size
Apples and Galaxies
The Galaxy S23 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus, as their names suggest, are larger versions of their respective base models, the S23 and iPhone 15. The Galaxy S23 retains the familiar design of its predecessor but now features no camera island on the back. The iPhone 15 Plus also follows in the footsteps of its father, the iPhone 14 Plus.
Both phones offer flat screens, but the iPhone 15 Plus is expected to be more square, just like its predecessor, while the Galaxy S23 Plus is just a tad more rounded and easy to hold. There’s a potential difference in dimensions too, the iPhone 15 Plus is expected to boast a 6.7-inch OLED screen, while the Galaxy S23 Plus comes with a 6.6-inch AMOLED display.
The Galaxy S23 Plus weighs 196 grams, and we expect the iPhone 15 Plus to come very close to that number, given that its predecessor weighed in at 206 grams. As for the colors involved, we know the hues the Galaxy S23 Plus comes in, and we have some idea about the iPhone 15 Plus colors.
Galaxy S23 Plus colors:
Cream
Lavender
Green
Phantom Black
iPhone 15 Plus expected colors:
midnight
starlight
(PRODUCT)RED
dark pink
light blue
yellow
Display Differences
Refresh rate is king
Speaking of the screen, the S23 Plus showcases a 6.6-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. The iPhone 15 Plus, on the other hand, comes with a slightly bigger 6.7-inch OLED screen but only a 60 Hz refresh rate. The resolution of both screens will be roughly the same, as will the PPI (pixel per inch) pixel density, so you shouldn’t notice any big discrepancies in detail between the two phones.
When it comes to brightness, the Galaxy S23 Plus is rated at 750 nits nominal brightness and up to 1,500 nits peak HDR, while the iPhone 15 Plus is expected to mimic its predecessor’s display stats, boasting 800 nits nominal brightness and up to 1,200 nits peak HDR.
All in all, both phones are expected to have equally good displays when it comes to resolution and detail, but the smooth 120Hz of the Galaxy S23 Plus is definitely an advantage over the iPhone 15 Plus. On the other hand, this year’s iPhone 15 Plus is expected to have a pill-shaped cutout supported by the Dynamic Island feature, so that could be a UI advantage for the iPhone.
Performance
A16 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
The Galaxy S23 Plus sports the latest and greatest Qualcomm has to offer – the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. And while the gap between the A-series Bionic chipsets and the Snapdragon flagship processors has shrunk over the years, we expect a slight advantage for the iPhone 15 Plus.
We might be tempted to pull up some benchmarks between the A16 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and you could do that, but there’s a chance the iPhone 15 Plus benefits from software enhancements and gets different scores altogether.
It’s difficult to compare the hardware between an Android and iOS device, these are different ecosystems, and they are differently optimized. If we want to nitpick, the Galaxy S23 Plus comes with more RAM (8 GB compared to the 6GB expected for the iPhone 15 Plus), but it really won’t make any difference in speed, both have fast LPDDR5 memory.
Now, when it comes to onboard storage, the Galaxy S23 Plus base model starts at 256GB, while the iPhone 15 Plus is expected to kick things off at 128GB, but then again, the iPhone is also expected to be cheaper, so things level out when we factor in the price, memory-wise.
Camera
Pure mathematics
There are three cameras on the back of the Galaxy S23 Plus. Those are a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide one, and a 10-megapixel telephoto with 3x optical zoom.
Three is more than two, that’s simple math, and the iPhone 15 Plus is expected to have the same dual-camera configuration as its predecessor – a 48MP main camera (upgraded from 12MP), and a 12MP ultrawide camera.
Now, obviously, things are not that simple, and we’ll have to test both camera systems side by side to draw meaningful conclusions, but on paper, the Galaxy S23 Plus has an advantage. Having a 3X optical zoom is super useful for framing faraway objects, getting better portrait shots, etc.
Audio Quality
Samsung seems to have made significant improvements to the speakers of the Galaxy S23 Plus compared to its predecessors, although the speaker arrangement remains unchanged, with a bottom-firing speaker working alongside the earpiece to produce a stereo effect while gaming or watching movies in landscape mode.
Moving on to the iPhone 15 Plus, we expect it to feature the same bottom-firing speaker and an earpiece. However, if we look at (or hear) the speaker on the iPhone 14 Plus, we know we should expect a loud, rich sound with noticeable bass from the iPhone 15 Plus as well.
Naturally, neither of these phones include a headphone jack, which is hardly surprising in today’s smartphone landscape. Nevertheless, you can still enjoy your favorite Bluetooth headphones or speakers with ease, or alternatively, you can opt for a dongle as a backup solution.
Battery and Charging
Numbers don’t tell the whole story
The Galaxy S23 Plus comes with a big 4,700mAh battery and 45W fast charging support. The iPhone 15 Plus, on the other hand, is expected to retain the battery capacity of its predecessor, 4,325 mAh. If we look at the tests between the S23 Plus and last year’s iPhone 14 Plus, we’ll see that numbers don’t tell the whole story. We expect both phones to be pretty close when it comes to battery life.
Now, charging is a big unknown at the moment, mainly due to the fact that the iPhone 15 Plus will, for the first time in history, sport a USB-C port. This standard allows for faster charging speeds, but it’s not clear whether or not Apple will go to the max or adopt a much more conservative approach.
Specs
| iPhone 15 Plus | Galaxy S23 Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Size, weight | ||
| Screen | 6.7″ OLED 60Hz | 6.6″ AMOLED 120Hz |
| Processor | A16 Bionic 4nm | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 4nm |
| RAM, Storage | 6/128GB 6/256GB 6/512GB – LPDDR5 | 8/256GB 8/512GB – LPDDR5 |
| Cameras | 48MP main 12MP ultra – 12MP front | 50MP main 12MP ultra 10MP telephoto – 12MP front |
| Battery | 4325 mAh* | 4,700mAh |
| Charging | USB-C 20W wired 15W wireless MagSafe | USB-C 45W wired 10W wireless |
Summary
We’re looking at two very different devices here, despite their similarity in the naming scheme. For one, there’s the Android vs iOS debate, and it’s not something to be taken lightly. If you don’t want to switch platforms, then you’ll be better off staying with your current one, so either of these phones will do the job.
If you’re looking to switch, the Galaxy S23 Plus offers more on paper, with one extra telephoto camera, a bigger battery, faster charging (potentially), and a brighter screen.
