Samsung Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra in depth review

Along with the Galaxy S23+ and Galaxy S23, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is now available, allowing us to leave the realm of leaks and speculations and enter the realm of the actual and authorised. After spending some time with each device, we have some early impressions to give on how they feel, what’s new, and what isn’t.

Beginning with a few similarities to the models from the previous year The recipe hasn’t altered, for starters. We continue to receive an Ultra, a Plus, and vanilla, and their relative placement to one another has not changed.

The Galaxy S23/S23+ are more reasonably priced with a few “reasonable” exclusions, whereas the Ultra is the no holds barred flagship phone. Another consideration is size; similar to previous year’s models, the Ultra is the largest in terms of both physical size and screen and battery capacity.

The three models have some significant commonalities, as previously. The major difference is the underlying chipset, which is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that has been specially customised for all three handsets. All three variants share this processor. It is known as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy by Samsung and Qualcomm and is essentially an upgraded version of the well-known new processor.

With a maximum of 12GB RAM available, the Ultra still outperforms the S23/S23+ in terms of performance.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a similar appearance and feel. You’d be excused for believing that the Galaxy S22 Ultra still offers a more significant boost. However, you’d also be mistaken. If we concur that the main areas where a phone can be improved are the camera, performance, and battery life, then the Galaxy S23 Ultra is a significant improvement over the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Performance gains from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 range from modest to significant. According to some preliminary benchmarks, the Cortex-X3 is 10% to 20% quicker than the Exynos 2200’s Cortex-X2 in single-core testing. Depending on the benchmark, multi-core results for the new CPU might be 30% to 60% better. Additionally, the GPU is substantially quicker. Samsung refrained from providing percentages, although Exynos 2200-powered Galaxy S22 Ultra titles like PUBG Mobile have a frame rate cap of about 60 frames per second, while Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 handsets allow for up to 120 frames per second.

Aside from artificial scores, the new chip is far more effective and less prone to heat problems. Based only on specifications, it is around 40% more efficient than its predecessor, which was more efficient than the Exynos 2200, which was mostly used throughout the world in the Galaxy S22 series. That implies the Galaxy S23 Ultra will probably be able to get more hours out of its 5,000mAh battery, which is a significant boost in battery life.

Last but not least, the 200MP primary camera may prove to be a generational improvement over the previous 108MP. Depending on the situation, the new sensor may produce photographs with 12MP or 50MP resolution. Additionally, you may obtain those 50MP using the Expert RAW software, giving prosumers a baseline that is richer and more defined. Additionally, nighttime video and photography have improved.

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Specifications amsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Body: 163.4×78.1×8.9mm, 233g; Glass front and back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2); IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes); Armor metal frame with harder drop and scratch resistance; stylus, 2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro).
Display specifications include the following: Always-on display, 6.80″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak), 1440x3088px resolution, 19.3:9 aspect ratio, and 501ppi.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm); Octa-core (1×3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 740.
Memory: 1TB 12GB RAM; UFS 4.0; 512GB 12GB RAM; 256GB 8GB RAM; 1TB 12GB RAM.
Android version 13, One UI 5.1.
Rare camera: Wide (main): 200 MP, f/1.7, 23mm, 1/1.3; Rear camera “PDAF, Laser AF, OIS, 0.6 m; 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.52″, 1.12 m, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, and 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm, 1/3.52”, 1.12 m, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, are examples of telephoto lenses. 12-megapixel, f/2.2, 13-mm, 120-degree, 1/2.55 “Dual pixel PDAF, 1.4 m.
Selfie Camera: 12 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), PDAF.
video recording : Rare camera features include stereo sound recording, HDR10+, 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, and 720p@960fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps and 4K@30/60fps.
Battery: 5000mAh; 10W wireless (Qi/PMA), 4.5W reverse wireless, 45W wired, PD3.0,
Misc: Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner (behind the display); NFC; stereo speakers; Samsung DeX; Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support); Bixby voice commands and dictation; Samsung Pay (approved by Visa and MasterCard); and compatibility for Ultra Wideband (UWB).

The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ are modest improvements over the Ultra. The largest improvement is the switch to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which offers improved all-around performance and battery life. Both models’ batteries have increased by 200mAh, giving them a combined capacity of 3,900mAh and 4,700mAh for the S23 and S23+, respectively.

Specifications of Samsung galaxy S23 +

Body: 157.8×76.2×7.6mm, 195g; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back, with an aluminium frame; IP68 dust/water resistance (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes); Armor aluminium frame with improved drop and scratch resistance (advertised).
Display: 6.60″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X with 120 Hz, HDR10+, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and 390 ppi; always-on display.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM8550 Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm); Octa-core (1×3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 740.
Memory: UFS 4.0; 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM.
Android version 13, One UI 5.1.

Rear camera specifications include the following: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm, 1/1.56″, 1.0m, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.94″, 1.0m, PDAF, 3x optical zoom; and Ultra Wide Angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120, 1/2.55″, 1.4m, Super Steady video.

12 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), PDAF, front camera.

Video recording: 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound recording, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps; Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, and 720p@960fps.

Battery: 4700mAh; PD3.0, 10W wireless (Qi/PMA), 4.5W reverse wireless, 45W wired, and 10W wireless.

Misc: Other features include an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor built into the display, dual speakers, NFC, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support), Bixby voice commands, and Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified).

Specifications of Samsung Galaxy S23

Body: 146.3×70.9×7.6mm, 167g; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back, with an aluminium frame; IP68 dust/water resistance (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes); Armor aluminium frame with improved drop and scratch resistance (advertised).
Display: 6.10″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X with 120 Hz, HDR10+, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and 422 ppi; always-on display.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM8550 Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm); Octa-core (1×3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 740; .
Memory: UFS; 128GB/8GB, 256GB/8GB.
Android version 13, One UI 5.1.

Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm, 1/1.56″, 1.0 m, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS on the rear camera; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120, 1/2.55″, 1.4m, Super Steady video; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.94″, 1.0m, PDAF.
12 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), PDAF, front camera.
Video recording: 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound recording, and gyro-EIS for the rear camera; 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, and HDR10+ for the front camera; Front camera: 1080p@30fps and 4K@30/60fps.
Battery: 3900mAh; PD3.0, 10W wireless (Qi/PMA), 25W wired, and 4.5W reverse wireless power.
Misc: Other features include an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor built into the display, dual speakers, NFC, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support), Bixby voice commands, and Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified).

The remaining Galaxy S23/S23+ specifications resemble those of their predecessors. You receive a triple camera arrangement with a wide, 3x, and ultrawide lens on the back and a 12MP selfie camera on the front that is common to all three variants.The 1080x2340px Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz 6.1-inch and 6.6-inch screens are also directly from the Galaxy S22 and S22+ from the previous year.

On the Galaxy S23 and S23+, Samsung decided to eliminate the curved camera island. It aligns the duo with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s sleeker, more basic appearance. Across all versions, Samsung refers to it as a linear design. Some could describe it as monotonous or excessively simplistic.

Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender are the four colours available for each of the three versions. These are the first devices to employ the latest Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which is used on all three.

The broad description of the Samsung Galaxy S23 series is now complete. The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ aren’t appealing upgrades for owners of the previous generation, but the Ultra model may be, depending on your demands. This paints a picture of 2022. There isn’t a change as significant as the S Pen inclusion from the previous year, but sometimes improvement is just as crucial as invention.

In hand feel of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

When compared to Samsung’s S23 series, the Ultra stands out right away. In comparison to its competitors, it is broader and taller. But compared to the other two versions, it has a more complex design. To begin with, the glass panels on its front and back slope downward into the light metal frame.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a high-precision quality that the Galaxy S23 and S23+ lack due to its flat frame and flat glass screens and the light curve on both sides of the slim sculpted frame.

However, the design is not brand-new. Unmistakably, the Galaxy S23 Ultra resembles its predecessor. Phantom Black Galaxy S23 Ultra and Phantom Black Galaxy S22 Ultra are likely indistinguishable from one another. Under certain lighting conditions, the Cream model resembles the White one from the previous year. Fortunately, Green and Lavender will make your possible new phone stand out.

Similar to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the back panel is matte rather than glossy, making the glass simpler to clean and more stain-resistant.

Naturally, maintaining the same design might not be the worst option. Even after a year, it is still unmistakably elegant and high-end, and some Galaxy S22 Ultra aficionados will be happy to know that the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s replacement looks and feels largely the same from the exterior.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s design goes beyond aesthetics; it’s a body made to feel comfortable writing on. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s squarer, almost notebook-like feel is directly derived from its predecessor, which in turn borrowed it from the previous Galaxy Note.

The S Pen appears to be unchanged from last year’s model. It tucks nicely into the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and just like previously, the clicker matches the body’s colour.

We anticipate the same great 2.8ms pen latency and 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity on the screen’s digitizer as Samsung made no mention of any meaningful upgrades to the S Pen experience. Thanks to its physical and software execution, it continues to offer the greatest pen experience on a phone and is also the most practical.

The display is subject to the same rules. The panel appears to be the same as the design from the previous year, which is still recognised as the best in the business. Even in 2023, it is a very cutting-edge panel. On paper, we’re receiving the same 6.8-inch 1440x3088px Dynamic AMOLED 2x, with a peak brightness of 1750 nits and a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz (with an LTPO 2.0 controller).

The panel will be ideal in almost all circumstances thanks to improvements made by Samsung to Vision Booster, which can now adjust the colour tone and contrast of the display under three different lighting conditions.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra, like the S22 Ultra, is by default set to FHD+ and Vivid colour mode but may be maximised to WQHD+ with little to no loss in battery life.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s display, according to Samsung, has a bigger flat surface area than the Galaxy S23 since the panel’s curvature has been lessened. Even when seen side by side, the difference is not immediately noticeable, but experienced S22 Ultra users may sense it.

In actuality, every control on the Galaxy S23 Ultra has the same same appearance and feel as the controls on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra has superb ergonomics for its size, and lovers of its design and layout will enjoy how similar its successor is. So, once more, this is not a negative thing. For those who love consistency and might consider upgrading, it’s not a terrible motivation.

Samsung’s commitment to the environment has been expanded to the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Similar to its predecessor, it arrives in a box made entirely of recycled materials and has recycled-material parts.

According to Samsung, the 12 internal and exterior parts of the Galaxy S23 Ultra are made out of recycled plastic from water bottles, PET bottles, and fishing nets. Comparatively speaking, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has two times as many components.

The side and volume buttons, the S Pen inner cover, the SIM tray, and other parts of the Galaxy S23 Ultra are made of recyclable aluminium and glass. More than 15 tonnes of plastic are expected to be kept out of the oceans thanks to Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series, the company claims.

Here are a few of the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s authorised cases. Along with leather and silicone covers in various colours, there is a Smart View cover case with integrated NFC (the one on the left below). Samsung and Adidas have collaborated on certain limited-edition cases.

of S23

The handling of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is about average for a large phone. The S23 Ultra weighs a substantial 233 grammes, but its thin sides make it comfortable in the hand and its flat top and bottom give it a stable feeling when you’re holding it—this is true whether you’re viewing a movie in landscape or portrait mode.

Though Samsung has included a one-handed mode to aid in this, we have no illusions about being able to reach the far corner of the display with a thumb. Swiping in the middle of the screen will also quickly bring down the notification shade.

Reaching the power and volume keys, on the other hand, presents no problems at all. Samsung has had some time to polish the usefulness of this form factor in the hand, and it typically does so successfully. The middle of the lower half of the display is the ideal location for the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which is also user-friendly for novice users.

Although the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s matte back cover seems luxurious to the touch, it does make the device slick. Most individuals are willing to make this compromise in exchange for a glass panel with a cleaner appearance and no fingerprints.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra achieves the maximum amount of screen-to-bezel ratio while still maintaining usability. It’s a large phone that is exceptionally well-balanced and has software designed specifically for its large screen and usability.

Galaxy with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform

For the first time since introducing the Exynos chipset in 2011 with the Galaxy S II, Samsung is releasing its Galaxy S23 series only with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. However, Samsung is adopting a unique, faster version it refers to as Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy instead of the standard SD 8 Gen 2 used in common phones.

The modified chip increases the fastest Cortex-X3 core’s clock speed from 3.2GHz on other Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones to 3.36GHz.

The chip should use its inherent efficiency to stretch the 5,000mAh battery as far as possible while also providing significantly better gaming performance than the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

In comparison to the Galaxy S22 Ultra from the previous year, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 also makes a number of enhancements to the camera, but it all starts with the improved camera sensor.

ISOCELL HP2 200MP sensor

The new Samsung ISOCELL HP2 200MP picture sensor was first introduced with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Though its pre-binned pixels are marginally smaller at 0.6 m compared to the 108MP sensor’s 0.8 m individual pixels, it is slightly larger at 1/1.3″ than last year’s 1/1.33″ 108MP sensor.

The new imager outperforms the older one in this area. For the highest dynamic range and least amount of picture signal noise, it can combine its 200MP 16-to-1 shots to produce 12.5MP images (which will likely wind up being rounded down to 12MP). However, the sensor also offers 4-to-1 binning, which gives you a 50MP image with additional information.

Even if you shot at 200MP in its entirety, your image would probably lack the inherent advantages of multi-frame processing, have a smaller dynamic range, and have higher noise.

Each of the 200MP pixels in the new 200MP is used to identify changes from left to right and up and down in order to achieve focus. Samsung refers the this as Super Quad Pixel improved autofocus.

Expert RAW is more intelligent with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra since it has been integrated into the built-in camera software. With multi-frame processing, you can take improved RAW pictures with up to 50MP resolution. This is a great starting point for more picture processing and is comparable to what the iPhone 14 Pros provide you with Apple ProRAW at 48MP. In particular, landscape photography would benefit from the new, higher-res RAW capture.

Samsung has enhanced several aspects of the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s camera. The night movies and Night Portrait are enhanced by the higher-resolution imager. AI and multi-frame processing adjustments have made it possible to reduce noise more effectively. In addition, Samsung claims that it has doubled the OIS angle compared to the previous 108MP camera, producing more steady images.

There is a new Astro Hyperlapse option that can record light trails without additional tools. And while we’re talking about video, the new primary camera can record 8K footage at up to 30 frames per second, an improvement above 24 frames per second from the previous model.

Samsung made the decision to maintain the other three cameras for an additional calendar year. One of the most useful combinations on the market is a periscope 10x telephoto, 3x zoom, and 12MP ultrawide. We’ll save our findings for the final assessment even if taking images with the hands-on devices seemed faster than on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU and a new 12MP selfie camera, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has Super HDR, which Samsung claims processes the front-facing camera at 60 frames per second.

The 10x, 3x, and 0.6x cameras on the Galaxy S23 Ultra are expected to produce improved results thanks to any internal changes Samsung made.

Camera comparisons between the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra.

We decided to do a brief camera shootout between the new Ultra and the old Ultra now that we’ve spent some additional time with the new Galaxies. We shot a few pictures both indoors and outside, in well-lit and poorly-lit environments.

This side-by-side will be brief. You should wait for our in-depth analysis, in which we’ll examine all of the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s new cameras in in detail.

After that, let’s examine some examples. To compare the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s comparable cameras to the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s, we took two scenes at the 1x, 3x, and 10x zoom levels. Even at the pixel-binned 12MP resolution, the 200MP sensor produces more detail than the 108MP one does. When comparing the Galaxy S23 Ultra photos to the S22 Ultra photos, sharpness has been increased, adding to the impression of more detail.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra also has substantially crisper 3x and 10x photos. Even if there is a little bit more noise, we are happy to tolerate it in return for the greater degree of detail. The Galaxy S23 Ultra preserves delicate texture detail that had been completely lost on its predecessor.

The next few images are from inside. The image of the sofa is in good light. The image of the unkempt shelves is in dimmer light, while the final image of our studio is in almost complete darkness.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra images are cleaner but less detailed. The Galaxy S23 Ultra captures a much higher level of detail in exchange for some noise. Once again, we like the tradeoff. It’s impressive just how much more detail you get from the new 200MP sensor – notice the Kodak Instamatic 33 lettering (if you can spot it) – it’s nearly unreadable on the Galaxy S22 Ultra and is fully readable on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Finally, in order to show you what the maximum resolution has to offer, we took full-res 200MP and 50MP photographs. After we tapped the shutter, they took a brief amount of time to complete.

Design

The new S23 series’ basic models include the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+. But it’s possible that’s a good thing. One is that they are smaller and neatly fit into the area that is of a reasonable size. The S23+ is on the lower end of big phones at 6.6 inches, whilst the S23 is on the bigger end of small phones at 6.1 inches.

Although they don’t feel as precisely built as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the pair is still quite nicely crafted. The day when the smaller S series phone had plastic rather than glass is long gone. In contrast to its Ultra cousin, this year’s Galaxy S23 and S23+ are both covered in the same Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

In order to make the design consistent amongst the three versions, Samsung removed the curved camera island from the rear of the Galaxy S23 and S23+ this year. Even the colour schemes—Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender—are same across the three phones. The S23 and S23+ are perfect for those who appreciate a straightforward, uncluttered appearance.

If the series is maintained, Samsung may even go farther and make the Galaxy S24 and S24+ square like the Ultra; this would recreate the Galaxy Note10 and Galaxy Note10+ combination.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra features a flat top and bottom frame and a curved, slimmer side frame as of right now, whereas the Galaxy S23 and S23+ have an equally broad frame that gently bends down to meet the front and back glass panels.

The S23 and S23back +’s panels are matte rather than glossy, similar to the Ultra. We fully support Samsung’s selection of the finish. It appears prettier and is better at preventing smudges.

A less impressive aspect of the new Galaxy S23+ is that, from a distance, it may be mistaken for a Galaxy A13 because both have a 6.6-inch display and a seamless back cover with just the camera lenses sticking out.

The two phones share the same high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that has been custom tweaked for Galaxy inside. It results in a nice snappy experience that is superior to both the S21 and the previous S22 series. The phone completes any task instantly, and the quick 120Hz screens reflect that lightspeed appropriately.

The 200mAh increase in battery capacity is anticipated to be significant, especially when combined with the effective chipset.

The modifications elsewhere are less significant. You essentially get the same display and camera setup as the S22 and S22+ versions from last year. Perhaps those were previously enough, but upgrade candidates will need to be persuaded.

Warp-up

So let’s attempt to wrap things up. Consider that you now possess a Galaxy S22 or Galaxy S22+ and are debating whether to upgrade after seeing this duo. There weren’t enough discounts offered by the pre-booking promotion to actually make a difference.

Additionally, the tiny spec changes are insufficient to convince users to upgrade. It’s possible that unhappy Galaxy S22 owners may turn to the Galaxy S23’s projected battery upgrade, but that may be an extreme circumstance.

For potential consumers of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the situation isn’t as dire. The Galaxy S23 Ultra offers something to interest you whether you already possess a Galaxy S22 Ultra or are searching for the greatest smartphone available.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is expected to significantly improve both performance and battery life. The brand-new 200MP camera has the ability to surpass the venerable 108MP in quality.

To be safe, you should still hold off on purchasing either S23 phone until you have read our complete review. Remain tuned!