Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone 14: which should you buy?

The short version

The Galaxy S23 and the iPhone 14 are the value sweethearts of the 2026 used market, and pricing has them practically tied: about $200 for a 128 GB S23 against $257 for an iPhone 14. On pure hardware the S23 wins most rows — screen, battery, zoom camera — while the iPhone counters with video quality and a longer update runway. This is the rare matchup where the cheaper phone is also the better spec sheet.

Performance

Raw Geekbench numbers favor the A15 — about 2,315/5,753 against the 8 Gen 2's 2,004/5,311 — but our gaming scores land nearly level at 40/100 versus 37/100, with the Adreno GPU the stronger graphics platform and the 8 Gen 2 running cooler than its infamous predecessor. The honest read: the A15 is the smoother long-term performer, the 8 Gen 2 the better sustained-gaming chassis in 2023-optimized titles. Full stories in our 8 Gen 2 guide and A15 Bionic guide.

Display

Clear S23 win: 120 Hz OLED at 1,200 nits peak against the iPhone's 60 Hz panel at 800 nits. If you have used a high-refresh phone, the iPhone 14's scrolling feels dated immediately. Our screen scores: 66/100 versus 39/100.

Camera

Hardware favors the S23 — a 50 MP main with a 12 MP 3x telephoto and 8K30 capture; the iPhone 14 has no telephoto at all. Processing and video favor the iPhone as always: 4K60 with best-in-class stabilization. Our camera score: 42/100 versus 22/100, with the same video-shooter override as ever.

Battery

The S23's 3,900 mAh with 25 W charging comfortably outlasts the iPhone's 3,279 mAh at 20 W — our battery scores put it 18/100 versus 6/100. Neither is a two-day phone; both charge slowly by current standards.

Verdict

Buy the Galaxy S23 at ~$200 — better screen, battery, camera hardware and the same money or less, with the one honest caveat: it is entering the final year of Samsung's update window (the iPhone 14 retains roughly a year more runway). Buy the iPhone 14 at ~$257 if you shoot video, live in Apple's ecosystem, or plan to keep the phone past 2027 — the A15 ages slower than any Android silicon of this class.