Sony Xperia 1 V vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Harley Maranan / Android Authority

Sony is one of those rare OEMs that has stuck to its vision of offering the best set of features for photographers and audiophiles, even when the rest of the industry has moved on. But how well does its most recent flagship compare to the de-facto choice for many photography enthusiasts? We pit the Sony Xperia 1 V vs the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in this comparison.

At a glance

• The Xperia 1 V is significantly lighter than the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
• The Xperia 1 V has a higher resolution display than the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
• The Xperia 1 V has expandable storage, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a dedicated two-step shutter button, which the Galaxy S23 Ultra does not have.
• The Galaxy S23 Ultra has faster wired charging than the Xperia 1 V.
• The Galaxy S23 Ultra has S Pen support, which the Xperia 1 V completely lacks.
• The Galaxy S23 Ultra has better software support than the Xperia 1 V.

Keep reading to know in-depth how the phones differ from each other.

Specs

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Display

Sony Xperia 1 V

• 6.5-inch OLED
• Flat display
• 4K resolution
• 21:9 aspect ratio
• 120Hz refresh rate
• Not LTPO, lowers to 60Hz only

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

• 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED
• Edge display (curved)
• QHD+ resolution (3,088 x 1,440)
• 19.3:9 aspect ratio
• 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (1Hz to 120Hz)
• LTPO 3.0

Processor

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

RAM

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Storage

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Power

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Cameras

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Software

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

S Pen support

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Audio

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

IP rating

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Dimensions

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Weight

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Materials

Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Conclusion

The Sony Xperia 1 V and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are top-tier flagships. But while the Galaxy S23 Ultra represents the best that Samsung offers in the traditional glass-slab smartphone format, the Xperia 1 V is the second best from Sony as the company sometimes goes even crazier with a Sony Xperia Pro flagship. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the overkill phone for the masses, while the Xperia 1 V is the overkill phone for the enthusiasts. The differences in approach to the two flagships are fairly apparent. Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra is meant to appeal to the average user who wants the best of the best, while Sony is focusing deeply on photographers, audiophiles, and enthusiasts.

Starting from the front, the Xperia 1 V retains the signature Xperia look with a flat display that has decent bezels on the top and bottom. It looks fairly outdated, but it is highly functional. The Galaxy S23 Ultra goes all-in on a curved display with minimal bezels all around.

Don’t let the Xperia 1 V’s dated look fool you, as the OLED display is a whopping 4K in resolution. It’s not an LTPO display, though, and can only cycle between 60Hz and 120Hz. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s AMOLED display has a relatively lower QHD+ resolution but has higher peak brightness and a better 1Hz-120Hz refresh rate.

The internals on the two phones are fairly similar, with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 powering both of them. The one. You get options for more RAM and storage on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. But on the flip side, the Xperia 1 V comes with microSD expandability of up to 1TB, which is a significant advantage for enthusiasts.

Enthusiasts will also appreciate the front-facing stereo speakers and amplifier setup on the Xperia 1 V. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has stereo speakers, but one is on the bottom edge of the midframe, and the other is in the earpiece.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a weapon that no other phone has: an integrated S Pen. This lineup of phones is the only one where you can get a stylus that integrates within the body of the phone, enabling some exclusive features.

The software experience is where the Galaxy S23 Ultra maintains a big lead. The phone launched with One UI 5.1 based on Android 13 and has been updated to One UI 6 based on Android 14. Samsung promises four Android updates and five years of security updates. In contrast, Sony only promises two Android updates and three years of security updates. The Xperia 1 V comes with Android 13 out of the box and has also been updated to Android 14. Sony’s Xperia UI skin makes fairly lightweight changes to the experience with just a handful of extra apps.

There’s a noticeable difference in the size of both phones. The Xperia 1 V measures 165 x 71 x 8.3mm, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra measures 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm. The Xperia adopts a taller and narrower stance that accommodates its 21:9 display aspect ratio. The Galaxy feels chunkier and thicker, though it is also a big phone by itself.

The Xperia 1 V weighs only 187g, which is surprisingly lightweight for a device of this footprint. In contrast, the Galaxy S23 Ultra can be firmly categorized as heavy at 233g. The Xperia 1 V’s taller aspect ratio and textured frame and back make it easier to hold and grip confidently. Neither phone is a one-handed phone. But the Xperia 1 V’s aspect ratio and light weight make it easier to grip and use, though you still have to do some finger gymnastics to reach the top of the phone.

The Sony Xperia 1 V follows the same design language as several predecessors before it. The Galaxy S23 Ultra also does so, but the lineup had a big shakeup a generation ago when it adopted a more Note-esque style with the S Pen. The Xperia 1 V retains a lot of flat edges but no sharp corners. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has curved edges on its display, but it has sharp corners. You’ll probably be well served with a good S23 Ultra case to ease out the corners.

Both Samsung and Sony have adopted the typical glass sandwich design, with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back. There’s an aluminum midframe providing strength and rigidity on both phones. While the Galaxy S23 Ultra is smooth all around, Sony has chosen to add a bumpy texture to the glass back on the Xperia 1 V, making it feel quite unique. The aluminum midframe on the Sony is also ridged, adding to the grip on the phone.

Both the Sony Xperia 1 V and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are great camera phones, but they have different approaches. Sony trusts its enthusiast users with a lot of manual control, while Samsung offers a simpler experience that gets the job done for just about everyone. The Galaxy S23 Ultra flies high as a point-and-shoot style camera, while the Xperia 1 V encourages you to take control. The primary camera on the Sony Xperia 1 V is a 52MP CMOS sensor that crops into a usable 48MP, further binning down to 12MP. In contrast, the…