Anyone who has recently purchased the new Galaxy S23 from Samsung might be concerned about how much it's now worth. According to new research from US trade-in firm SellCell, Samsung's 128GB flagship loses a whopping 43.1% of its original value just one month after purchase. That fast depreciation means the $799 Galaxy S23 is worth just $455 should an owner feel the need to sell the device after having it tucked in their pocket for just 30 days.
That's a staggering amount to lose and it could convince some to opt for an iPhone instead. Apple devices are renowned for holding their value much better than their rivals and it seems that tradition is continuing in 2023.
For example, the iPhone 14 lost around 36% of its original cost over the same period which means the $799 call maker can be sold via trade sites for $506. That means the latest iPhone drops 1.4 times less than Samsung devices making them better value to own.
Although that's good news for Apple, the gap does appear to be closing. SellCell's data shows that the new S23 is performing much better than the Galaxy S22 did over the same time frame last year.
The Galaxy S22 actually dropped three times faster than the iPhone 13 - that's a much bigger gap than the 1.4 drop that's being seen between the iPhone 14 and Galaxy S23.
Along with the Galaxy, Google phones also performed badly with the Pixel 7 losing 43.1% of its value in the first month. That means anyone buying this $599 device will find it's now worth just $341. Of course, all of SellCell's figures are in dollars but the same drop appears to be happening in the UK. A quick trip to sites such as MusicMagpie shows that the Galaxy S23 is now worth £380 - that's compared to the iPhone 14 being worth £477.
Here are all the phones that lose the most and least value over time - according to SellCell.
Google Pixel 7 128GB • 43.1% loss after 1 month
Galaxy S23 Ultra 256GB • 35.7% loss after 1 month
Galaxy S23 128GB • 43.1% loss after 1 month
Pixel 7 Pro 128GB • 43.2% loss after 1 month
iPhone 14 Pro 128GB • 34.4% loss after 1 month
iPhone 14 Plus 128GB • 35.8% loss after 1 month
iPhone 14 Pro Max • 21.7% loss after 1 month
Speaking about the latest research, SellCell said: "Despite the Samsung Galaxy S23 catching up a touch, it still hasn’t managed to outdo the iPhone 14. Neither has Google’s efforts with the Pixel 7. Even so, we have seen how the iPhone 14 range has not lived up to the performance of the iPhone 13, losing 5.7% more of its MSRP within six months.
"However, with Samsung closing the gap, could we see a turn in fortune when the brand launches its next generation of smartphones? That remains for us to see, but for now the iPhone retains its crown as the handset that holds its value better than any other."
