Galaxy S23 (+ and Ultra): Presented by Samsung
A lot has already been said and suggested. Now we have one thing for sure: Samsung is going back to the Qualcomm chip in the Galaxy S23 series, more precisely the high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. And that’s good, because the slowness of the previous year’s Exynos 2200 was observed. Other improvements include higher battery capacity and new designs on the Galaxy S23(+). The flagship S23 Ultra is the only one with the new 200-megapixel camera sensor introduced earlier:
Galaxy S23 Ultra
The new Galaxy S23 Ultra is no different from its predecessor. Again, it has angled corners and an integrated S Pen. Only the internal values are different and sometimes obvious: on the one hand there is a new Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. On the other hand, the Isocell HP2 camera sensor, which now delivers up to 200 megapixels instead of the predecessor’s 108 megapixels.
Samsung uses this astronomically high number to combine up to 16 pixels depending on the brightness, improve autofocus, and also dramatically increase the brightness and quality of the image. In good lighting conditions, the full megapixel count should be used, especially for 8K video and high-resolution images with high digital zoom. Significantly improved nightography is used in low light conditions. Even with 8K video, Samsung says it can achieve 2.5 times the brightness of its predecessor, the S22 Ultra.
| screen | 6.8″ Dynamic Amoled (2x), 3080 x 1440px (500 ppi), 1-120Hz, 1750 nits, HDR 10+, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, HDR10+ |
| processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 for Galaxy (8 cores up to 3.36 GHz, 4 nm) |
| camera | Four cameras: 200 MP (main camera, f/1.7, 23mm, dual OIS) 12 MP (ultra wide angle, f/2.2, 13mm) 10 MP (telephoto, f/2.4, 3x zoom) 10 MP (periscope telephoto, f/4.9, 10x zoom) Front camera: 12 MP (f/2.2) |
| mix together | 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, WiFi 6E, USB-C, NFC, facial recognition, in-display fingerprint sensor, IP68 waterproof, Dual Sim (2x Nano + E-Sim), |
| mass weight | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm, 233 grams |
| battery | 5000mAh, 45W fast charging, 10W wireless |
| operating system | Android 13 with OneUI 5.1 |
| storage and price | From 256 GB / 8 GB: 1399 euros |
Galaxy S23 and S23+
Samsung has also changed the look of its two new, smaller high-end smartphones, the Galaxy S23 and S23+, compared to their predecessors. The camera bump is gone, but the backs with the camera lenses now look like the Ultra model. However, both devices retain their rounded edges.
In them, too, Samsung replaces the old Exynos processor with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for the Galaxy. The phones also get a better adaptive LTPO display with a refresh rate of 48 to 120 Hertz and a higher 200 mAh battery. These are three technical improvements that should have a positive impact on the devices’ battery life. And this is commendable, because the two predecessors did not establish themselves as series champions.
However, the two smaller new galaxies will not have a new camera system. The 200MP sensor is reserved for the Ultra model, where it stays at 50MP. However, both smaller models also have new software features, such as AI-powered night photos.
| screen | 6.1 (6.6) inch Dynamic Amoled 2x, 2340x1080px, 48-120Hz, HDR 10+, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (8 cores up to 3.36 GHz, 4 nm) |
| camera | Triple camera: 50 MP (main camera, f/1.7) 12 MP (ultra wide angle, f/2.2) 10 MP (telephoto, 3x zoom) Front camera: 12 MP (f/2.2) |
| mix together | 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, WiFi 6E, USB-C, NFC, facial recognition, in-display fingerprint sensor, IP68 waterproof, dual SIM (2x nano + e-sim), |
| mass weight | 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6, 167 grams (S23) 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm, 195 grams (S23+) |
| battery | 3,900 (4,700) mAh, 25/45 watt fast charging, 10 watt wireless |
| operating system | Android 13 with OneUI 5.1 |
| storage and price | From 128 GB / 8 GB: €949 (S23) From 256 GB / 8 GB: €1199 (S23+) |
The result
In general, not much has changed from its predecessors. But only the choice of Snapdragon processor should have a noticeable effect on the performance and battery life of the two smaller S23 devices. The S23 Ultra’s camera sounds like a huge leap forward – so big that even the two smaller devices threaten to be left behind. After all, they should have significantly better battery performance than their predecessors – where I personally like the design a little more now.
With the always impressive OneUI – starting with Android 13 version 5.1 – Samsung could have made a real splash here.
The fact that prices have gone up compared to their predecessors is… well – that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Prices are rising almost everywhere and the competition has long introduced prices. Samsung’s overall package is definitely okay.
