Samsung Galaxy, iPhone, Xiaomi, Tecno and Realme Flagships Compared

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The Galaxy S23 Ultra stands as Samsung’s flagship, boasting the widest camera sensor among peers at 200 megapixels. Its display is a 6.8 inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a resolution of 1440×3088 and a 120 Hz refresh rate, delivering peak brightness up to 1750 nits.

Powering the device is an overclocked Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (3.36 GHz, higher than the usual 3.2 GHz), a top-tier Android processor on the market.

RAM ranges from 8 to 12 GB, with storage options from 128 GB up to 1 TB.

In addition to the 200 MP main sensor, the Galaxy S23 Ultra includes a 12 MP ultra-wide, a 10 MP periscope camera with 10x optical zoom, and a 10 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. A 12 MP front camera handles selfies.

The phone integrates a 5000 mAh battery with support for 45 W wired charging and 15 W wireless charging. Notable features include an integrated S Pen, an NFC module for contactless payments, and IP68 water and dust resistance.

In Russia, the Galaxy S23 series is not officially sold. The 12/256 GB variant is commonly offered via parallel import at around 110,000 rubles. On gray markets, similar pricing occurs around 80,000 rubles. With a trusted seller, there is typically no warranty difference between parallel and gray devices, but dishonest shops may not honor the warranty.

Samsung Galaxy S23

The Galaxy S23 differs from the Ultra in several ways, including size and hardware. It features a compact 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 1080×2340 resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. Peak brightness matches the Ultra at 1750 nits.

The same overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 drives performance here, with memory configurations at 8 GB of RAM and 128, 256 or 512 GB of storage. The 128 GB version uses UFS 3.1, while the other options upgrade to the faster UFS 4.0 standard.

The S23 houses three cameras: a 50 MP main sensor, a 12 MP ultra-wide, and a 10 MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. A 12 MP front camera handles selfies.

Its smaller battery capacity stands at 3900 mAh, supporting 25 W wired charging and 15 W wireless charging. The device also includes an NFC chip and IP68 protection against water and dust.

In Russia, a 128 GB Galaxy S23 imported via parallel import is typically priced around 72,000 rubles. A 256 GB option tends to be about 80,000 rubles, while gray-market prices hover around 60–63 thousand rubles.

iPhone 14 Pro

Apple’s flagship for 2022 into early 2023, the iPhone 14 Pro, showcases the company’s most advanced smartphone design to date. It features a 6.1-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 1179×2556 resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. The display has historically reached peak brightness around 2,000 nits.

The iPhone 14 Pro runs on the Apple A16 Bionic chip and comes with 6 GB of RAM and storage options from 128 GB to 1 TB.

On the back, a triple camera array includes a 48 MP main sensor, a 12 MP ultra-wide, and a 12 MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. A LiDAR scanner aids low-light photography and AR object recognition, while a 12 MP front camera handles selfies.

A 3200 mAh battery supports 27 W wired charging and 15 W MagSafe wireless charging. The phone carries IP68 dust and water resistance.

The iPhone 14 Pro differs from the Pro Max primarily in size and weight, with the smaller Pro model weighing 206 grams compared to the Pro Max at 240 grams. Hardware remains similar, so some buyers may reconsider paying more for the larger variant.

In Russia, a 128 GB iPhone 14 Pro imports for around 110,000 rubles. Gray-market options can be cheaper, about 85,000 rubles, though American models often rely on eSIM, which may be less convenient for some users.

iPhone 14 Plus

The iPhone 14 baseline and the 14 Plus share many core features. The Plus stands out for offering a 6.7-inch screen and a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 1284×2778 resolution and a maximum brightness of 1200 nits. Unlike the Pro lines, it lacks a 120 Hz refresh rate, resulting in a smoother look being absent for some users.

Performance comes from the Apple A15 Bionic chip, the same as in 2021 devices, paired with 128 to 512 GB of storage and 6 GB of RAM.

In daily use, the Plus behaves similarly to its siblings despite smaller aggressive performance differences between generations.

The cameras mirror those on the base iPhone 14, with a primary sensor and a 12 MP ultra-wide, plus a 12 MP front camera.

A 4323 mAh battery supports 27 W wired charging and 15 W MagSafe wireless charging, with IP68 protection.

In Russia, the 128 GB iPhone 14 Plus is typically priced from 80 to 90 thousand rubles. Gray-market options can be substantially cheaper, with the 256 GB model around 70 thousand rubles. Those who don’t need a Pro Max may consider this model for its larger display and balanced performance.

Xiaomi 13 Pro

Xiaomi’s flagship, introduced late in 2022 and recently available in Russia, offers a 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with a 1440×3200 resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. Brighter at peak, it reaches up to 1900 nits.

The device runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with 8 or 12 GB of RAM and 128 to 512 GB of storage. The 128 GB version uses UFS 3.1, while higher storage tiers move to UFS 4.0.

The Leica-tuned triple 50 MP camera system dominates photography, including a main, ultra-wide, and telephoto lens with 3.2x optical zoom. The front camera uses a 32 MP sensor.

A 4820 mAh battery supports 120 W wired charging and 50 W wireless charging, plus IP68 protection in this model.

In official Russia sales, a 12/512 GB variant is listed at around 99,000 rubles, with gray-market options near 90,000 rubles.

Tecno Phantom V Fold

The Tecno Phantom V Fold is a foldable flagship available in Russia. It unfolds into a book-like form factor with two LTPO AMOLED screens, external 6.4 inches and internal 7.9 inches, both running at 120 Hz and up to 1100 nits brightness.

Power is provided by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ chip, delivering performance on par with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. It comes with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage.

The device features five cameras in total: three on the back (50 MP main, 50 MP telephoto, 13 MP ultra-wide) and two front cameras (32 MP on the exterior, 16 MP on the interior screen).

Its appeal lies in the foldable design at a relatively reasonable price—around 110,000 rubles at launch, later reduced to about 80,000 rubles. A 512 GB version with a 13-month official warranty adds value for buyers seeking a premium foldable. Drawbacks include the absence of wireless charging and limited water resistance.

Realme GT3

Realme’s GT3, also known as GT Neo5 in China, impressed in 2023 with its bold design featuring a transparent panel and backlighting, and a 240 W charging capability that can replenish the battery in under 10 minutes.

The device sports a 6.74-inch AMOLED display with a 1240×2772 resolution and a 144 Hz refresh rate. Peak brightness reaches 1400 nits.

Powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, it offers 8 to 16 GB of RAM and 128 to 1 TB of storage.

The camera array includes a 50 MP main sensor, an 8 MP ultra-wide, and a 2 MP macro lens, plus a 16 MP front camera for selfies.

A 4600 mAh battery charges exceptionally fast with the included 240 W charger, yet wireless charging is not available, a trade-off in current flagship competition.

In Russia, the Realme GT3 has not yet received an official launch, though the Chinese GT Neo5 is sold in some markets. The price for a 16/256 GB model widely varies by seller, often found around 42,000 rubles, with 16 GB RAM and 1 TB storage options sometimes appearing on marketplaces like Avito and AliExpress.