With the upcoming new models, the formers are overshadowed by their presence. Similarly, the Samsung Galaxy S23 has been obscured by the latest ULTRA model of Samsung Galaxy S23. Is that a great renovation or a slight renovation for the cost of 800 dollars? To get answers to similar questions, read out our detailed review below.
In the mobile markets, companies come up with big promises in bigger price ranges. However, the Galaxy S23 costs 400 dollars lesser than the Ultra model but promises to deliver identical amazing results to the Ultra to it. Are those features as promising as they are claimed to be? Don’t sweat it because this review is tested and then delivered.
This article is mainly going to cover the performance, strong and weak sides, and most focus would be on the camera and battery.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the depth.
Summary
Pros
- Long-lasting battery life
- AMOLED; the best technological display
- Premium user feeling
- Commendable camera results
- Exhilarating gaming experience
- Eloquent speakers
Cons
- Quite expensive
- Minor changes compared to S22
- Low-light camera issues
- Slow-charging issue
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Unboxing
Most people enjoy the feeling of unboxing a new phone. Whereas, there is nothing too intriguing about the unboxing of Samsung Galaxy S23. Rather it’s quite boring- a disappointment for those people. However, it does give a sense of premium experience.
Tech Specifications
The tech specs of the Galaxy S23 are similar to the last year’s S22 having the same components;
- Display size of 6.1” AMOLED
- Resolution (1080*2340 px)
- Maximum refresh rate (120Hz max refresh rate)
- RAM: 8GB
- Type-C port (3.2)
- Wire charging of 23 watts
- All three cameras on the back are similar to the last year’s S22 model; having the Main camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, Ultra-wide camera: 12 MP, Telephoto cam: 10MP
Display
The feature that was unexpectedly far better than the expected one was the display. It is so good that it makes any other phone look bad in comparison to it. The brightness is great for the outdoors. The maximum auto brightness is crazy strong that so far, it’s the best display used on a compact smartphone.
Gaming experience
The phone is super responsive, which makes it quite pleasing for gaming. The animations are tuned to perfection so that you will not feel any stuttering or dropping of frames.
Camera
Samsung Galaxy S23 has three cameras; having the Main camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, Ultra-wide camera: 12 MP, Telephoto cam: 10MP
The daytime photos are superb; the processing of images happens instantly compared to the others.
The S23’s camera app is commendable as it’s full of features and has dedicated pro modes for both photos and videos.
The unique feature which makes Samsung devices quite appealing is the ability to record 24fps for both 1080p and 4K. Samsung has done an excellent job keeping the color science and sharpness same across the different sensors so when you zoom in or out, it will feel smooth and natural.
Moreover, the camera has different modes; photo mode, portrait mode, night mode, 4K video, and pro mode, to click amazing shots. These are the sample shots by these various modes to draw a clear picture in the user’s mind.
Photo Mode
Night Mode
Portrait Mode
Pro Mode
Battery and Charging
For the actual positive enhancements we can count on the battery life though. It‘s up to 50% better than other smartphones like Pixel 7 and performs in similar conditions with top strength being the standby time. However, the charging is a bit disappointing at just 25 watts on an 800-dollar flagship is quite upsetting.
Speakers and Connectivity
Excellent SIM card connectivity, the phone is equipped with the latest wireless communication standards, and even Wi-Fi 6E is present. You can also manage 2 e-Sims and that’s pretty nice. If you are a music lover and looking for a high-quality speaker, then you are at the right place. As Samsung Galaxy S23 speaker’s quality is commendable for a smartphone.
Software
The Samsung Galaxy S23 has Android 13 and has One UI 5.1 which is so annoying about certain features that I can’t stand it. Though Samsung comes up with regular updates which is an exceptionally good thing about their Android phones. A fact is that with the initial Android 13 release it shows icons only on the lock screen by default and you have to tap in order to expand it. It’s fixable and it can be adjusted via wallpaper and style section. For the software part, it certainly manages to keep most of its well-known functions, and turns out that in the Galaxy store, there are some handy apps, especially used for customization.
Drawbacks
- The major drawbacks include:
- It’s quite expensive in its price range,
- Minor upgrade over S22,
- Low-light camera issues,
- Slow so-called ‘fast’ charging issue,
- Some One UI remarks.
Final Verdict
If you are planning to grab your hands on this smartphone then the areas where it shines are the battery life, display, and the premium feeling. Though it has a disappointing fingerprint scanner, the lack of development, and the highly modified One UI 5.1. Whereas keeping aside the price tag and One UI, this smartphone is best in terms of hardware and software world. If you like small phones, need a superb camera, and good battery life then it ticks all the boxes. Or if you are a stock Android fanboy then it might be a struggle until you get used to it. Should you update? If you already have S21 or S22 – not really, if you care about how you spend your money. If budget doesn’t matter then I told you already that the best Android compact phone of the year, probably by far.
