Google Pixel 8
The Google Pixel 8 offers an impressive mix of build quality, camera, and software support for its price tag. The Tensor G3 provides enough power for a snappy experience and seven years of software support. In comparison to the Galaxy S23 FE, it features better battery life, an improved camera, and longer support.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Samsung’s newest budget flagship offers a lot for just over $600. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, features Gorilla Glass and aluminum construction, and has a best-in-class display. However, it still falls short of the Pixel 8 regarding battery life and camera, making it a tough choice between the two.
Samsung’s release of the Galaxy S23 FE sets up abudget flagshipbattle with theGoogle Pixel 8. Both feature premium designs, snappy performance, and attractive price tags; however, there are important differences between the two, especially if you’re a shutterbug. It’s a close call, so which is your preferred choice?
Price, availability, and specs
The Google Pixel 8 can be purchased through Google and Best Buy starting from $699. The base configuration includes 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, with 256GB available for an additional $60. The Pixel 8 comes in three colors: Hazel, Obsidian, and newcomer Rose.
TheSamsung Galaxy S23 FEis available through Samsung starting from $629. It features 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Samsung also offers a 256GB variant for $689. The S23 FE is sold in various colors: Graphite, Cream, Purple, and Mint, with Tangerine and Indigo available as website exclusives.
If you’ve seen a Pixel in the last couple of years, you’ll notice the heavy design influence of previous devices in the Pixel 8. It’s a refinement of a design Google has used since the Pixel 6, and most users have made their peace with the Geordi La Forge aesthetic of the camera hump. Unlike the Pixel 6 and 7, Google’s Pixel 8 feels more like a finished product, with smooth curves and edges making for a pleasing experience holding the phone. The Pixel 8 is fitted with Gorilla Glass Victus front and back, with an aluminum frame, providing excellent protection against shattering on drops. It’s also IP68 dust and water-resistant.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE features a flat glass design front and back. Unlike the Pixel 8, it’s covered in Gorilla Glass 5, providing slightly less protection against shattering. It also sports an aluminum frame with an IP68 rating. And with the Galaxy S23 FE having a thicker frame, it’s not quite as comfortable in the hand as the Pixel 8.
Unfortunately, both devices use shiny glass backs, leading to a parade of fingerprints and smudges. It’s especially disappointing for the Pixel 8, as its bigger brother, thePixel 8 Pro, uses a fantastic frosted matte finish on its glass back.
Google made a concerted effort with the Pixel 8’s OLED Super Actua display, likely tired of people complaining about the company’s smartphone displays. The Pixel 8 display is a significant improvement over those in previous years, with excellent color saturation and a retina-busting 2,000 nits of peak brightness. It’s not an overly large display at 6.2 inches, but many consumers prefer a smaller device. Like many devices at this price point, the Pixel 8’s display is 1080p, refreshing up to 120Hz. Google has turned a weakness of the Pixel devices into a strength with the Super Actua display.
While bright and colorful displays might be new to Pixel devices, they’re fairly standard on Samsung’s smartphone offerings. The Galaxy S23 FE has a gorgeous 6.4-inch OLED 1080p display refreshing up to 120Hz. It is not as bright as the Pixel 8, with a peak brightness of 1,450 nits, but you will have no issue seeing the S23 FE display in sunlight. The colors look amazing on the Galaxy S23 FE, and streaming video is a joy to watch. Games also look great, with characters and graphics popping off the display. All told, the S23 FE display is still better than the Pixel 8, but it’s not the blowout it used to be.
Google’s Pixel user experience, Material You, is alive and well on Android 14. Aesthetically, it’s the same as in previous years, with color schemes from your wallpaper bleeding over into the rest of the menus. It’s a relatively clean version of Android, augmented by Google’s AI extras. Also, Now Playing allows users to keep track of the music they are listening to passively, while Magic Eraser lets you touch up photos on the go.
Software support is a major advantage for this year’s Pixel, with Google promising a mind-boggling seven years of Android upgrades without limitations. It’s a number we haven’t seen before on the Android side, and it should be interesting to see how well Google optimizes older hardware over time.
Samsung’s One UI 5.1 is the company’s Android 13 skin. Android 14 is expected soon with One UI 6, but it hasn’t come to the S23 FE yet. Despite being heavily modified, One UI provides a smooth user experience with sleek animations and a pleasing aesthetic. Samsung’s native apps are also greatly improved, with the Samsung Browser a worthy competitor to Chrome with some excellent features. In addition, Samsung DeX provides the flexibility to bring Android apps to your desktop through a wired connection.
Samsung has been excellent in recent years with prompt monthly security patches, and the company promises four major upgrades of Android and five years of security updates for the S23 FE. It comes down to personal preference, but both devices offer a quality software experience.
Performance
Google’s new Tensor G3 powers the Pixel 8. Unlike previous Tensor generations, the G3 handles power more efficiently, leaving the days of overheating Pixels in the rearview mirror. It may not benchmark as well as its Snapdragon counterparts, but that rarely tells the whole story. The Pixel 8 is a capable performer, easily handling more intensive tasks. If you’re a hardcore gamer, however, you’ll have to live with lower settings in games likeGenshin Impact, as the G3 doesn’t excel in graphics performance. Aside from that, it’s hard to find a smoother overall experience than the Pixel 8 powered by the G3 at any price point.
Despite being a couple of years old, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the Galaxy S23 FE remains a top performer, powering a buttery-smooth experience in One UI. Samsung managed to handle the SD8G1’s heating issues, with the S23 FE running slightly cooler than a Galaxy S22 Ultra with the same chipset. It’s not an ideal choice for gaming, but it will do a better job than the Pixel 8 at maintaining higher frame rates. The S23 FE is the better choice for raw performance, but Google’s software optimization makes up much of the gap with the Pixel 8.
Battery life and charging
Power efficiency is another benefit of the Tensor G3 in the Pixel 8. In a departure from earlier Google phones, the Pixel 8 is capable of all-day battery life. We’ve seen over seven hours of screen on time in testing, with limited idle battery drain. It’s a significant improvement and another area where Google has turned a former weakness into a strength. The Pixel 8 recharges at 27W wired or 18W wirelessly, with both figures an improvement over what Google has offered previously.
The Galaxy S23 FE gets around six hours of screen on time, with a recharging speed of 25W. It carries a slightly smaller 4,500mAh cell, but the less efficient performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 drags battery life down behind the Pixel 8. Like the Pixel 8, the S23 FE is capable of charging wirelessly. If you really need outstanding battery life, the Pixel 8 is going to be the choice between the two.
Google ships the Pixel 8 with two lenses: a 50MP main shooter and a 12MP ultrawide. But as we’ve seen in the past, the megapixels of a Google camera are often the least important specification. True to form, the cameras on the Pixel 8 are excellent, with improved Night Sight, making sure shots in less-than-ideal lighting come out looking sharp. Google’s computational photography undoubtedly has a cooler aesthetic, with true-to-life color temperatures. It’s a formula that works, and the Pixel 8 is still one of thebest camerasyou can get at any price.
While the Galaxy S23 FE cameras aren’t bad, they are no match for the Pixel 8. Photos seem oversharpened, with softer lighting dominating some images. It’s still a photo you’d be happy to put on Instagram, and the colors are still poppy and vibrant, but it’s not the quality image you’d find coming out of an S23 Ultra. The added versatility of the 3x optical zoom is helpful, but it doesn’t make up for the quality gap against the Pixel 8.
Which is right for you?
Even though the Google Pixel 8 is more expensive, the added benefits of a better camera, longer battery life, and substantial software support make the additional cost worth the investment. I could see looking elsewhere if you are a heavy gamer, but the Pixel 8 is the complete package for an attractive price tag.
Most versatile phone for the money
If you’re a fan of Samsung devices and One UI, you’ll be pleased overall with the Galaxy S23 FE. It features great build quality, snappy performance, and decent battery life at a price not currently available in the Samsung lineup. For people allergic to Pixel devices, the S23 FE is one of the best for the price.
Best value in the Samsung lineup
Samsung’s newest budget flagship offers a lot for just over $600. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, features Gorilla Glass and aluminum construction, and has a best-in-class display, but it still falls short of the Pixel 8 regarding battery life and camera, making it a tough choice between the two.
