Pixel 7, OnePlus 11, and more

Samsung has launched the Galaxy S23 series, and they look like incremental upgrades over 2022’s Galaxy S22 trio. Some of the most notable upgrades include a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset across the board, larger batteries for the S23 and S23 Plus, and a 200MP main camera for the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Otherwise, you’ve still got a lengthy update pledge, the same cameras on the base and Plus models, and the same pricing (at least if you’re in the US).

But what if you don’t want the Galaxy S23 series for some reason? Maybe they’re tough to find in your market or you’re not a fan of One UI. Maybe you just want to investigate all your options. Either way, we’ve got you covered with a look at the best Samsung Galaxy S23 alternatives on the market.

Buying the right Galaxy S23 alternative

The new Samsung flagships stand out thanks to the best update commitment on the market, some premium extras (e.g. IP68 rating, wireless charging, telephoto cameras), a supremely powerful processor, and wide availability. In saying so, there are a few phones that are superior to the Galaxy S23 range in some ways.

The Google Pixel 7 series is perhaps the best rival in this sense, serving up great camera quality, a slick take on Android, a long update pledge, and a host of AI-powered features. Best of all, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are more competitively priced as well.

For a brief look at all of our recommendations, you can check our summary below, or read on for a full breakdown of each Galaxy S23 rival.

The Pixel 7 range is perhaps Google’s mobile business at its very best, delivering two critically acclaimed offerings. The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have a number of features in common, such as the Tensor G2 processor, IP68 water/dust resistance, wireless charging, and a slick take on Android. These devices also offer three major OS updates and five years of security patches, making for a pretty good update pledge.

As you’d expect, the Pro model is the more premium device. This model stands out thanks to features like a QHD+ 120Hz screen, a 5,000mAh battery, and a great 48MP 5x telephoto zoom camera. Meanwhile, the vanilla device offers a 90Hz FHD+ panel, a 4,355mAh battery, and no dedicated zoom lens.

The phones aren’t perfect, it must be said. The Tensor G2 might deliver loads of AI-powered features, but it lacks grunt compared to even some of 2022’s chipsets. Furthermore, charging speeds are simply atrocious compared to even Samsung, let alone the likes of Xiaomi and OnePlus. Still, the phones are hard to beat at a $599 starting price.

The Galaxy S22 phones are arguably the best Galaxy S23 alternatives on the list, especially if you value Samsung’s hardware, software, and associated services. These three handsets share features like a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, a great software update pledge, an IP68 rating, and wireless charging.

As you’d expect, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the star of the show. It stands out from the other two devices by serving up a 108MP main camera, a pair of telephoto shooters (3x and 10x), a 5,000mAh battery, QHD+ screen, and an S Pen slot.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus share the same triple camera system (50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto), but differ in terms of display size and battery capacity. It’s worth noting that the base S22 has a 3,700mAh battery, which is certainly on the small side for a flagship Android phone. Still, the entire range should be a little cheaper now that the S23 series has launched.

2022’s Apple iPhone 14 series actually feels like two different iPhone families. The standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus use an older but still powerful A15 Bionic SoC, retain the wide notch, and stick with a 12MP main camera.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro devices bring major upgrades like the A16 Bionic processor, the Dynamic Island display cutout, and 48MP main cameras. Furthermore, the Pro models offer a telephoto camera and 120Hz refresh rates too, which are both missing from the standard variants.

Nevertheless, all four iPhones still enjoy a host of perks, such as IP68 water/dust resistance, wireless charging, and access to Apple’s ecosystem of services and tight hardware integration. So those curious about the world outside Android can do a lot worse than this.

Samsung’s flagship phones aren’t cheap, so we can totally understand if you want a more affordable option. Well, the Galaxy A53 5G is one of the better Galaxy S23 alternatives if you’re on a budget.

The Galaxy A53 5G brings a number of handy features to the table, such as an IP67 rating, a 6.5-inch 120Hz OLED screen, and a massive battery with 25W wired charging. Toss in five years of security updates (as well as four major OS updates) and you’ve got a great Samsung experience here.

In saying so, the mid-ranger isn’t without its significant drawbacks. That Exynos 1280 chipset will struggle with demanding games, you don’t get wireless charging, and you’re missing out on a telephoto camera. But most of this is to be expected at a sub-$450 price tag.

OnePlus 11: The best Galaxy S23 alternative if you want fast charging

The OnePlus 11 is actually a few days away from its global launch as of writing, but it’s still worth keeping an eye on this model if you want a 2023 flagship.

Much like the Galaxy S23 series, OnePlus is bringing a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor as well (albeit at a lower clock speed than the S23). So games and other demanding use cases shouldn’t be a problem here. The new phone also serves up highlights like a 6.7-inch QHD+ OLED screen, a 5,000mAh battery, and 100W wired charging.

The OnePlus 11 isn’t too shabby when it comes to cameras either, offering a 50MP main camera, 48MP ultrawide lens, and 32MP 2x telephoto shooter. Unfortunately, there are downsides, namely the lack of wireless charging, for one. The Chinese model also lacks water resistance and OnePlus tends to restrict it to carrier-locked devices in the US, so we aren’t holding our breath for this feature across the board (if at all).

What if you want something that stands out in terms of design? Well, Samsung has a Galaxy S23 alternative for you in the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The clamshell foldable bucks the trend of gigantic phones by offering a pocket-friendly form factor. But there’s more to the Z Flip 4 than a compact design.

Samsung’s late 2022 device also offers Flex Mode, using the form factor to offer features like tripod functionality and a kickstand of sorts for video playback and video calls. Otherwise, you’ve got a still-speedy Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, a 6.7-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED screen, and a small cover display for alerts.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 isn’t perfect though, as the 3,700mAh battery is on the small side while the dual rear camera system lacks a telephoto camera. Nevertheless, you’re still getting familiar Samsung software and a long-term update pledge. Thankfully, we frequently see this device on sale for way below its $999 launch price.

That’s it for our list of the best Galaxy S23 alternatives on the market! Are there any picks we missed? Then let us know below!