Apple iPhone 15 Plus or Galaxy S23 Ultra: Which is the right phone to buy in 2025

S23 Ultra

Samsung has just launched its latest Galaxy S25 series smartphones in India. The most expensive offering – Galaxy S25 Ultra – price starts at Rs 1,29,999 and there’s no denying that it is a lot of money. If you are someone who does not want to spend that much and looking for a more affordable alternative, then the Galaxy S23 Ultra, after the price cut, makes a lot of sense, even two years after its launch.

However, there’s another phone – the iPhone 15 Plus – which is also priced similarly to the Galaxy S23 Ultra after the price cut and offers relatively comparable features.

Now, both the phones are priced under Rs 75,000 and received massive discounts and official price cuts too since their launch. The question is: which one makes more sense and offers more value for money proposition? To make things easier for you, we’ve compared both phones to help you make an informed decision.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Price after discount
When it comes to the pricing, the Galaxy S23 Utra is priced starting at Rs 72,999 and while the iPhone 15 Plus is priced starting at Rs 66,000, the 256GB variant costs Rs 76,999 which is slightly more expensive here.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Plus: Design and display
When it comes to design, it is personal preference. Some might like the flat design of the iPhone 15 Plus. However, the curved display of the Galaxy S23 Ultra with curved side rails adds to its look and feel. Another important part is the display, the Galaxy S23 Ultra features a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with QHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. In comparison, the iPhone 15 Plus offers a 60Hz refresh rate, lower resolution and slightly smaller size.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Plus: Performance
This is quite interesting. Both the phones were launched in 2023. However, the Galaxy S23 Ultra arrived earlier in January and iPhone 15 Plus launched on September 23. The iPhone 15 Plus is powered by A17 chip. On the other hand, the S23 Ultra is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. Both are flagship chips and have stood the test of time.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Plus: Camera
When it comes to the camera, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is ahead with its 200MP quad rear camera setup, 100X zoom, and better portrait output. However, the iPhone 15 Plus comes with a 48MP primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, there’s no telephoto here. Also, the iPhone 15 Plus will deliver slightly better video recording capabilities here. So, if you are more into photography, the Galaxy S23 Ulta makes a sensor, and if you want to record videos, then the iPhone 15 Plus is a better choice here.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Plus: Software and support
Both Apple and Samsung now offer multiple years of software support. Galaxy S23 Ultra has already received the Android 14 update with OneUI 6.1.1 update and so has the iPhone 15 Plus with iOS 18.3 update. Both phones will receive future updates and new features, at least for another 5 years.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Plus: Who’s better with AI
Apple, for some reason, decided to ditch the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus for its Apple Intelligence features. And, that’s something Samsung hasn’t done, despite the Galaxy S23 Ultra not being a native AI phone. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has all the Galaxy AI features as the more recent models and we expect it will receive more features with future updates.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Plus: Which one you should buy
The decision is all yours. However, if you are out there looking for the best hardware possible, a good camera (for photos) and AI features, then the Galaxy S23 Ultra is a better choice for you. However, if you are into the Apple ecosystem, or simply don’t care about AI features and looking for something that shoots good videos, then the iPhone 15 Plus is a good phone to go with.