Samsung has taken the wraps off the new Galaxy S23 series. While the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ are very impressive in their own right, there is no doubt about which is the brightest star in this galaxy — the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. The phone comes with staggering specs, including a special version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Generation 2 processor and a huge 200-megapixel main sensor which promises to redefine photography on phones as we know it (you can literally shoot stars of the celestial type with it). 


In the best Samsung Galaxy S tradition, it comes with a brilliant display and in the best Galaxy Note tradition, it comes with the S Pen stylus, making it one-of-a-kind among Android flagships. It also runs on Android 13 and has assured security updates for five years. 


And all this at a starting price of Rs 1,24,999, which is higher than its predecessor, but was largely expected, given the increased cost of components and recent supply chain issues. 


If all that does not make the Galaxy S23 Ultra imposing and impressive, we do not know what does. But even this behemoth will face its share of competition in the market, some from well-known rivals, some from newer kids on the flagship phone block and some from its own family.  Here are six smartphones that have what it takes to take on the latest Ultra from the Samsung Galaxy: 


(Note: the prices in the article are broadly indicative of the prices at which the devices are available at different retailers at the time of writing. They might differ from place to place and might change in the coming days.)


iPhone 14 Pro Max: The Ultra-big iPhone 


Price: Rs 1,39,900


Why not the iPhone 14 Pro, some might wonder, given the fact that the 14 Pro's price is likely to be closer to the S23 Ultra? Well, mainly because the core philosophy of the iPhone 14 Pro Max is closer to that of the S23 Ultra. 


Like the new Samsung flagship, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is an unabashedly powerful and large device that aims to be a one-stop content creation shop for its users. It might not have a curved display or a stylus and its cameras might not have the sort of megapixel count that the S23 Ultra has, but in terms of sheer performance, its A16 Bionic processor is among the most powerful out there, and its cameras remain the benchmark for the competition. 
Another ace up Apple's sleeve is its unmatched hardware and software integration which ensures the phone keeps performing for years. It is every bit as much an all-rounder as the Galaxy S23 Ultra promises to be. That makes it a contender. Some might even term it the defending champion.


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: From the Ultra's own fold 


Price: Rs 1,22,999


It started at a much higher price but the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is now available from certain retailers (online and offline) at prices that are close to and sometimes even lower than that of the S23 Ultra. 


And well, on paper, it does offer more than any smartphone out there, quite simply because of its very unique form factor. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a phone that can be opened into a tablet — it is a 6.2-inch phone on the outside which folds out into a 7.6-inch tablet, which also supports the S Pen. 


In short, you are getting a tablet and a phone in the same package, and that too powered by the impressive Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Generation 1 processor. 


The cameras are not likely to be in the same class as the Galaxy S23 Ultra but they are still very good, and the sheer versatility of the device makes it the darling of productivity warriors. 


Google Pixel 7 Pro: The Ultra-good photographer 


Price: Rs 84,900


The cameras are perhaps the biggest highlights of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and it is the cameras that make the Pixel 7 Pro one of the S23 Ultra's challengers. 


Google's premium flagship does come with very good hardware, including a good display and sound, as well as a rather unique design thanks to the camera bar on its back, but it is the 50+48+12-megapixel camera arrangement on the back that makes the Pixel 7 Pro special. 


The cameras themselves are very good but attain near-magical status when combined with Google's computational photography expertise. We were amazed at the level of detail we got, even when using 30x digital zoom. 


Sure, the Tensor G2 chip powering the device is not quite in the class of the Snapdragon 8 Generation 2 on the S23 Ultra, but on the flip side, the Pixel comes with a number of smart features, and not only runs clean stock Android but also gets Android updates before any other phone out there. 


OnePlus 11: Never settle, Ultra


Price: TBA (expected Rs 55,000 - Rs 60,000)


It started out as a flagship killer, and then became a premium flagship itself. But OnePlus might find itself back in flagship challenging mode with the soon-to-be-released OnePlus 11. 


The phone has not made its way to Indian shores yet, but going by the version launched in China, the OnePlus 11 has what it takes to cause the S23 Ultra a few headaches. The OnePlus 11 has a superb curved display and improved sound, both with Dolby support, and is believed to have upped its camera game, with a little help from the legendary Hasselblad. 


Round that off with a processor that is similar to the one on the S23 Ultra — the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Generation 2 — lots of RAM, one of the cleanest interfaces in the market (OxygenOS) running on top of Android 13, an eye-catching design, a 100W charger in the box and a price tag that is much lower, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra might have reason to feel a little unsettled by the impending arrival of the latest Never Settler. 


iQoo 11: The Ultra-budget friendly flagship 


Price: Rs 59,999


Its presence in this list might surprise some, but with the OnePlus 11 yet to hit the Indian market, the iQoo 11 is the only smartphone in the Indian market to come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Generation 2 processor, similar to the one seen on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. 


It is also the most affordable device with that processor in the Indian market. But that is not the only thing premium flagship about it. The iQoo 11 has a very distinct design with the white variant having the iconic BMW stripes on its back. It also sports a very good display, which is one of the few with a 144Hz refresh rate in the market, and has a very competent set of cameras. 


Throw in 120W charging with a 120W charger in the box, Android 13 with a feature-rich UI and a stack of offers that bring down its price, and the iQoo 11 suddenly emerges as a phone to reckon with. 


It has the looks, the specs and quite a lot of the performance to be an Ultra pain. 


Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Older, but still Ultra-competitive 


Price: Rs 90,500


See you later, predecessor? Well, not quite because the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is not only still alive and kicking, but remains a formidable proposition even now. It comes with a brilliant AMOLED display, Gorilla Glass victus, dust and water resistance and S Pen support as well. 


And well, it even now packs a very formidable punch in the camera department with a 108-megapixel main sensor and 10x optical zoom, which is still among the best you can get on a phone. 


It also comes with an S-Pen that slots into its base and while its processor is a generation older, the Snapdragon 8 Generation 1 chip still packs a formidable punch and can handle everything you can throw at it, from high-end gaming to video editing. 


Samsung has done a superb job in keeping it updated, which makes this oldie definitely golden, even with a new Ultra in town.