Galaxy S23 Ultra Intro
Last year, Samsung brought together its two most successful lines, the Galaxy S series known for its powerful cameras and the Galaxy Note with the S Pen. As a result, we got the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the ultimate flagship phone that basically had every feature you could imagine. By doing this, Samsung freed up the autumn launch window for its foldables, which the company thinks are the future.
But while it is similar to the previous model, the new S23 Ultra brings improves a few of the fundamentals for a great flagship smartphone. The big upgrade this year has got to be the new 200-megapixel main camera which promises print-worthy detail in your photos and much better night shots.
Galaxy S23 pre-orders are now live!
What you should know about the S23 Ultra:
- All S23 Ultra models ship with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (no more Exynos)
- New 200MP main camera, improvements to the other cameras
- 256GB base storage (double than before)
- 8K30 video now with less crop
- Gorilla Glass Victus 2
- Same battery size, same charging speeds
- Prices in US unchanged, but prices in UK / Europe considerably higher
Table of contents:
Galaxy S23 Ultra specs
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | Galaxy S22 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm | 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm |
| Weight | 233g (8.22 oz) | 229g (8.08 oz) |
| Display | 6.8-inch, 1440 x 3088 pixels Dynamic AMOLED 120Hz | 6.8-inch, 1440 x 3088 pixels Dynamic AMOLED 120Hz |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the US Exynos 2200 in UK, Europe, RoW |
| RAM and storage | 8GB + 256GB storage 12GB + 512GB 12GB + 1TB *LPDDR5X RAM on all models | 8GB + 128GB 12GB + 256GB 12GB + 512GB *LPDDR5 RAM on all models |
| Cameras | 200MP main camera, 23mm f/1.7 12MP ultra-wide, 13mm f/2.2 10MP 3X zoom, 69mm f/2.4 10MP 10X periscope zoom, 230mm f/4.9 12MP front camera | 108MP main camera 12MP ultra-wide 3X zoom (10MP) 10X periscope zoom (10MP) 40MP front camera |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging speed | 45W wired, 10W wireless supports reverse wireless charge | 45W wired, 15W wireless supports reverse wireless charge |
| Price | from $1,200 | from $1,200 |
Galaxy S23 Ultra models: Snapdragon vs Exynos
Samsung has made it quite simple to choose the right Galaxy S23 model for you. If you want the S Pen, then you should go with the Ultra model, and if you don’t use an S Pen, then the Galaxy S23 Plus model is both cheaper and considerably lighter-weight. You won’t get a 10X optical zoom camera on the S23 Plus, but it still has the 3X zoom camera, and it’s also got the same processor, same charging speeds and only a marginally smaller battery.
As we’ve already mentioned, all Galaxy S23 Ultra models regardless of the market will have the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which is great news for consumers. The Exynos chip used before was not as power efficient and it even affected image quality, so that will no longer be a problem on the new model.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Design, Colors and S Pen
So similar, you can hardly tell it apart from its predecessor
(Image Credit – PhoneArena)
The Galaxy S23 Ultra retains the sharp corners of its predecessor, but it now has flatter sides like an iPhone, so it kind of brings the best of both worlds. It still uses a slightly curved screen, and Samsung has made some other minor touch-ups: the power and volume buttons are now a bit larger and a bit lower for easier reach, and the cameras on the back are marginally bigger.
It’s still a glass and metal sandwich, but it uses Corning’s new Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the back which should fare better in case of a drop, and the mid-frame is still aluminum. Samsung hasn’t changed the IP68 water and dust protection rating, but that’s already as good as it gets.
- Phantom Black
- Cotton Flower
- Mystic Lilac
- Botanic Green
(Image Credit – PhoneArena)
Samsung is offering a few exclusive colorways on its website too.
Last but definitely not least, the S23 Ultra still comes with an S Pen. It looks and feels just like before and we haven’t heard of any new features either, which just shows once again how mature this product is.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Display
(Image Credit – PhoneArena)
Samsung is the market leader in display technology, so it’s no surprise that the screen on the S23 Ultra looks exquisite, but again, so did the one on the S22 Ultra. The main advantage here is just the size: it’s a massive 6.8-inch screen with a wider aspect ratio and bigger screen real estate than most other phones, which makes it more comfortable for media consumption. But the essentials haven’t changed from last year: you still have 1,750 nits peak brightness, the same 1440p resolution and the same LTPO technology for variable refresh rate that goes from 1Hz to 120Hz.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Camera
New 200MP main camera is the big highlight
(Image Credit – PhoneArena)
There is one notable difference in the S23 Ultra quad camera and a few smaller improvements, but overall it’s not a vastly different camera system.
After three years of using a 108MP sensor for the main camera, Samsung is making the jump to an impressive new 200MP sensor. 200 megapixels sounds crazy! And it is, but the reason you should be impressed is not because of the detail alone. In fact, most people might never actually use the full resolution and by default Samsung uses pixel binning and by combining 16 pixels into one super-pixel, you still get 12MP photos by default. But thanks to that pixel binning trick, Samsung is able to clear out noise and deliver outstanding night shots.
Enthusiasts also finally get the ExpertRAW mode baked right in the camera app. ExpertRAW on the S23 Ultra is more powerful than the regular “Pro” mode because it not only gives you manual camera controls, but also allows you to shoot RAW files with multi-frame exposures. New this year is a 50-megapixel RAW file option, which won’t take up as much space as a 200-megapixel file, but which still provides a lot more detail than the default 12MP shot.
Here is a quick overview of the S23 Ultra camera specs:
- 200MP main camera, 23mm f/1.7 with improved OIS
- 12MP ultra-wide, 13mm f/2.2
- 10MP 3X zoom, f/2.4
- 10MP 10X zoom, f/4.9
- 12MP front camera
Galaxy S23 Ultra Performance & Benchmarks
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in all markets
As we’ve already mentioned, all S23 models have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (it’s actually a slightly modified version of the stock chip tuned to a slightly higher clock speed, especially for Samsung). And this chip is an absolute beast!
Performance Benchmarks
We measured a 40% faster single-core CPU performance and an incredible 50% in multi-core! We rarely get such massive improvements, so this really shows how special this chip is.
Built on the latest and most efficient 4 nanometer technology, it is a huge improvement particularly for gamers. The GPU in this new chip actually is on par or even better than the one in iPhones, which used to lead the market for a few years.
While the chip enables all sorts of fancy tech like Wi-Fi 7 and 4K120 video, not all of them actually make it to the Galaxy. For example, the S23 Ultra still supports only Wi-Fi 6E and 4K60 video recording, so there is that.
Not least impressive is Samsung’s decision to double the storage for the base model of the S23 Ultra while keeping the same price (at least in the U.S.). There are the models you have:
- 8GB RAM + 256GB storage
- 12GB RAM + 512GB storage
- 12GB RAM + 1TB storage
Having a 1TB option is a great thing for power users, but the impact of a 256GB base model will be far greater for the everyday user, so we are really excited about that.
Before the S23 Ultra release, speculations suggested it may have satellite connectivity, just like the iPhone 14 series, but unfortunately that is NOT the case.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Android version
The S23 Ultra features the latest Samsung One UI 5.1 on top of Android 13, and it’s a familiar Samsung-style interface with no major changes.
The best thing about the S23 series software, however, is Samsung’s commitment to long support. The S23 series will get four years of major updates and five years of security updates, more than even Google offers for its Pixel phones.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Battery
No change in battery size
The S23 Ultra has a 5,000 mAh battery, same size as last year. This battery size has become the standard for high-end Android phones and Samsung refers to the actual battery life on the Ultra as “more than a day”.
We don’t expect big changes in battery life, but with the more efficient processor, a slight improvement is certainly possible, and those coming from an Exynos model will probably notice that even more.
We will be updating this section with our independent battery tests over the next couple of days, so make sure to check back in a while if you are here early.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Charging Speeds
One area left without improvement, however, is charging.
The S23 Ultra supports 45W charging with a cable, same as before. Also, just like in previous years, you don’t get a charger in the box, only a cable. These speeds are fine, but considering how other companies support double the speeds, they are a bit of a let-down. The S23 Ultra will still take more than an hour to charge fully, while those other rivals can now achieve that in less than half an hour, or even quicker.
Also, remember that for those 45-watt speeds you need to pair Samsung’s 45W charger with a special 5A USB-C cable (thicker than the average USB-C cable).
Galaxy S23 Ultra Audio Quality and Haptics
We are really happy that the Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with improved loudspeakers, because that was one of our big complaints against last year’s models.
Previous Galaxy Ultra models lacked in bass and depth, and the new S23 Ultra finally has more oomph, it gets louder and most importantly it has a surprising amount of bass for a smartphone. Kudos to Samsung for this!
And for those that are still wondering whether a 3.5mm headphone jack will make a comeback in the S23 Ultra, the answer is a “no”.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Competitors
(Image Credit – PhoneArena)
In the US and most Western countries, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will face competition from two big players.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Summary
(Image Credit – PhoneArena)
At the end of the day, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is a step in the right direction for Samsung. It’s not a giant leap, but it improves in all the key areas with a more capable camera, an impressive new chip that will finally come to all customers, and double the storage. These are things everyone will appreciate.
The S23 Ultra in many ways feels like an “S” version. We doubt that those who currently own an S22 Ultra will find much reason to upgrade, but those coming from older phones and particularly those who are annoyed by a slower Exynos processor, will love this new model. It keeps the power and versatility of a Note and there is really nothing quite like it on the market.
