CMF Phone 1vsSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra wins
Verdict
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra wins 4 of 5 categories — our overall pick
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the overall winner, 4 / 5 — camera is its standout. It costs USD 849 — USD 650 more than the CMF Phone 1. Pay the premium if camera is your priority.
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes Performance — led by performance score (1,600,000 pts).
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes Display — led by pixel density (501 ppi).
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes Camera — led by telephoto (Yes).
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes Battery — led by wireless charging (Yes).
- CMF Phone 1 takes Price — led by price (199 USD).
Scores follow our published methodology · v2026.09
In plain English
Choose CMF Phone 1 if you want…
- Choose CMF Phone 1 if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 2,000 nits vs 1,750 nits.
- Choose CMF Phone 1 if you want sharper selfies — 16 MP vs 12 MP.
- Choose CMF Phone 1 if you want a lower price — 199 USD vs 849 USD.
Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want…
- Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 1,600,000 pts vs 650,000 pts.
- Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want more room for photos and apps — 256 GB vs 128 GB.
- Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want a bigger screen — 6.8 in vs 6.67 in.
- Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want a sharper screen — 501 ppi vs 395 ppi.
- Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want true optical zoom — Yes vs No.
- Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want better video quality — 94 pts vs 83 pts.
- Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want a better camera — 145 pts vs 114 pts.
- Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want faster charging — 45 W vs 33 W.
- Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want the convenience of wireless charging — Yes vs No.
At a glance
- CMF Phone 1
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Click a label to jump to that section ↓
Best price now
The cheap alternative
Full record
Every spec, side by side — winners get a check and a proportional bar. Ties share the badge.
Performance score
Approximate benchmark score of the chipset — higher is faster for apps, games and AI.
Chipset
The processor inside — shown for reference, never decides a winner.
RAM
More RAM keeps more apps alive in the background.
Storage
Base onboard storage for photos, apps and media.
Screen size
Diagonal screen size — bigger is better for media, smaller is easier to hold.
Pixel density
Sharpness of the screen — above ~400 ppi looks crisp.
Refresh rate
How smooth scrolling and motion feel. 120 Hz is the modern standard.
Peak brightness
Peak brightness in sunlight — higher stays readable outdoors.
Main camera
Resolution of the primary rear camera — photo quality is judged by the Camera quality score, not megapixels.
Selfie camera
Resolution of the front camera.
Telephoto
A dedicated zoom lens for distant subjects without quality loss.
Video score
Composite video rating — stabilisation, 4K/8K support and colour.
Camera score
Composite camera quality from independent testing — how good the photos actually are.
Battery
Battery capacity — higher generally lasts longer.
Charging speed
Wired charging speed — higher refills faster.
Wireless charging
Whether the phone charges wirelessly.
Price
Typical MSRP in US dollars — lower is better value.
Which one should you buy?
CMF Phone 1
Choose CMF Phone 1 if price matters most. It costs USD 199, the lowest price in this group.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Choose Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra if camera matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 849.
Pros & cons
CMF Phone 1
- Swappable back design
- 120 Hz AMOLED
- Very affordable
- Slow charging
- Average cameras
- No NFC in some markets
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- 200 MP camera
- 10x optical zoom
- S Pen built in
- Heavy
- 45 W charging
- Aging chipset