Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Sony Xperia 5 V

The Sony Xperia 5 V is the company’s latest high-end offering, and it’s also compact at the same time. We’ve already compared it to several other compact phones, and now it’s time to throw Samsung into the mix. In this article, we’ll compare the Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Sony Xperia 5 V. Both of those phones are not only flagship-grade, but are also compact at the same time.

They do look rather different, however, and there are also some differences under the hood, of course. We’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare them across a number of different categories. You’ll get to see a design comparison, followed by a comparison between their displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy S23 & Sony Xperia 5 V, respectively

– Screen size (main):
6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (120Hz, HDR10+, 1,750 nits)
6.1-inch OLED display (120Hz, 1B colors, HDR10)
– Display resolution (main):
2340 x 1080
2520 x 1080
– SoC:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
– RAM:
8GB (LPDDR5X)
8GB
– Storage:
128GB (UFS 3.1)/256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0)
128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, dual Pixel PDAF, OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 1.4um pixel size), 10MP (telephoto, f/2.4 aperture, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom)
48MP (wide, f/1.9 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF)
– Front cameras:
12MP (f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF)
12MP (f/2.0 aperture, 1.25um pixel size)
– Battery:
3,900mAh
5,000mAh
– Charging:
25W wired, 15W wireless, 5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
30W wired, 15W wireless, 5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6mm
154 x 68 x 8.6mm
– Weight:
168 grams
182 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
In-display fingerprint scanner (ultrasonic)
Side-facing fingerprint scanner
– OS:
Android 13 with One UI 5.1 (upgradeable)
Android 13
– Price:
$799
€999
– Buy:
Amazon
Amazon

Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Sony Xperia 5 V: Design

Both of these devices are made out of metal and glass. The Sony Xperia 5 V is narrower and taller thanks to a different display aspect ratio, most of all. The Galaxy S23 has a centered display camera hole, a flat display, and very thin bezels. The Xperia 5 V also has a flat display, but no display camera hole. It has slightly thicker top and bottom bezels, which allow it to hide the camera, and offer unobstructed screen real estate.

The Xperia 5 V has flat sides all around, with chamfered edges. The Galaxy S23’s sides are slightly rounded. They do feel entirely different to hold, which is definitely worth noting. The Galaxy S23 has three cameras on the back, which are vertically-aligned in the top-left corner. The Sony Xperia 5 V has two cameras on the back, which are also vertically aligned in the top-left corner.

The Galaxy S23 is shorter, wider, and thinner than the Xperia 5 V. It’s also lighter than Sony’s offering, while their display sizes are identical in terms of size, but not in terms of aspect ratio. Both devices do feel very premium in the hand, but they’re both also quite slippery. Trying them both out before purchasing may not be a bad idea, as they really are different. They both offer an IP68 certification, by the way.

Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Sony Xperia 5 V: Display

A 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2340 x 1080) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is included on the Galaxy S23. That panel has a 120Hz refresh rate, and supports HDR10+ content. It goes up to 1,750 nits of brightness at its peak too. We’re looking at a 19.5:9 display aspect ratio here, and the display is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

The Sony Xperia 5 V, on the other hand, also has a 6.1-inch display. That is also a flat display, but it has a different aspect ratio than the Galaxy S23. This display has a 2520 x 1080 resolution, with a 21:9 aspect ratio. It is an OLED panel, which can project up to 1 billion colors. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate, and supports HDR10 content. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this panel too.

Both of these displays are great, actually. They have great viewing angles, and are more than sharp enough. The colors are vivid, while the blacks are deep. The Galaxy S23 does have one advantage that may interest you. It gets brighter than the Xperia 5 V’s panel. Don’t get me wrong, though, as the Xperia 5 V’s display is bright enough. The difference may be important to you if you spend a lot of time outdoors in direct sunlight, though.

Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Sony Xperia 5 V: Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 fuels the Samsung Galaxy S23. That is Qualcomm’s most powerful chip to date. The phone is also equipped with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS 4.0 flash storage. Well, only the 128GB storage option has UFS 3.1 storage. The Xperia 5 V, on the flip side, includes the same processor as the Galaxy S23, while it has 8GB of RAM (we’re not sure if it’s LPDDR5 or LPDDR5X), and UFS 3.1 flash storage.

Specs aside, what’s the performance like? Well, they both excel in that regard. The performance is very smooth on both phones, and they handle regular, everyday tasks with ease. The Xperia 5 V’s software is close to what Google offers, though. Both smartphones handle demanding games really well, throttling is not an issue on either smartphone. Sony managed to resolve those issues with this year’s flagship models.

Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Sony Xperia 5 V: Battery

There is a 3,900mAh battery included inside the Galaxy S23. A 5,000mAh unit sits inside the Sony Xperia 5 V. That is quite a difference, especially considering that their display sizes are identical, and resolutions similar. That doesn’t necessarily have to mean that the phone with a larger battery has better battery life. Is that the case here, though? Well, yes, it is. The Xperia 5 V offers much better battery life.

The Galaxy S23 managed to provide us with 5.5-6 hours of screen-on-time. The Xperia 5 V, on the other hand, can go over the 8-hour mark without a problem. In fact, it can even go over 9 hours of screen-on-time if you’re not pushing it hard. Do note that gaming is not included in these numbers, and your mileage may vary… considerably. Each of us use our phones differently, with different apps, and different signal strengths, so… keep that in mind. The Xperia 5 V definitely offers much better battery life, though.

When it comes to charging, the Galaxy S23 supports 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Xperia 5 V, on the other hand, supports 30W wired, 15W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging, Neither of these two phones charges particularly fast, and you also won’t get a charger with either of them.

Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Sony Xperia 5 V: Cameras

A 50-megapixel main camera (Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS) sits on the back of the Galaxy S23. That shooter is backed by a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (120-degree FoV), and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (OIS, 3x optical zoom). The Sony Xperia 5 V has a 48-megapixel main camera (Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS), and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (Dual Pixel PDAF).

The images these two phones provide are quite different, but they’re good on both sides. During the day, the Galaxy S23 tends to provide more vivid images, but also less realistic ones. Both phones do a good job in the dynamic range department, and both provide rather detailed images at the same time. Their ultrawide cameras do a good job, but are a step below the main sensors. When it comes to telephoto images, the Galaxy S23 takes the win, easily, due to its optical zoom.

In low light, the Galaxy S23 tends to light up a scene more than the Xperia 5 V. Sony’s phone tends to keep things closer to real life, so it’s more of a preference than anything else. We did prefer the images from the Xperia 5 V in such conditions, though. Both phones do a good job, albeit providing different results. Neither phone is the best camera smartphone in the market, but they do a good job overall.

Audio

The Sony Xperia 5 V is one of the very few high-end phones that offer an audio jack. The Galaxy S23 does not. If you prefer a wireless connection, however, you can use Bluetooth 5.3 on either device.

They both do include stereo speakers, however. The Xperia 5 V’s units are a bit louder, but the difference is not that noticeable. Both sets of speakers do provide good sound output, as long as you’re not expecting miracles.