Samsung Galaxy S23 Review: S Is for Samey

Value When Reviewed

From $799

Finest Costs Immediately: Samsung Galaxy S23

$799.99

As common because the bus that takes me into the town centre, Samsung is again with its newest technology of flagship S23 smartphones.

Whereas it would seem from the advertising and marketing marketing campaign that the S23 Extremely is the one telephone that issues, the plain outdated common Galaxy S23 may simply be the darkish horse of the pack.

Granted, the Extremely is all-singing and all-dancing however not everybody, me included, needs, wants or can afford a handset like that. Many individuals, together with quite a few members of the Tech Advisor workforce, crave a smaller, less complicated gadget for his or her day by day driver. 

If that sounds such as you, then the Galaxy S23 may simply be the one you’ve been ready for.

At first, I cherished this telephone however although nothing overtly improper with it, the extra time I spent utilizing it, the extra I realised how related it’s to the year-old Galaxy S22 and the way rivals stay extra engaging general, particularly on the subject of worth for cash.

Design & Construct 

• Nearly equivalent to S22 
• Gorilla Glass Victus 2 
• Extra recycled elements

I gained’t spend too lengthy on this part as a result of there are way more attention-grabbing issues to say about this 12 months’s flagship Galaxy. 

The telephones has close to equivalent dimensions to its predecessor at 7.6mm thick and 168g, however which means it’s nonetheless probably the most compact and handleable flagships available on the market. For comparability, the Google Pixel 7 is simply over 1mm thicker and extra importantly, weighs virtually 200g. 

The iPhone 14 is far nearer in measurement and weight however will solely be an choice if you happen to’re open to utilizing iOS fairly than Android, in fact. Android options embrace the Asus ZenFone 9 and, within the mid-range, the Pixel 6a and Sony Xperia 5 IV. 

Chris Martin

Samsung has solely actually modified one vital factor concerning the design from the S22. The rear cameras now simply sit independently of one another, with no surrounding metallic or the like. They appear like port holes, or in panorama orientation may make you consider the three-eyed fish in The Simpsons. 

It’s a small change however one way or the other makes a giant distinction and I personally a lot choose this new model, whereas the older design didn’t do a lot for me in any respect.

You continue to get the identical aluminium body and IP68 score, however the entrance and rear glass has been barely upgraded to Gorilla Glass Victus 2 which on paper is extra immune to scratches and cracks. 

ThE S23 mannequin I’ve examined is Lavender however you may as well get the telephone in Phantom Black, Cream and Inexperienced. Samsung then has unique colourways on the official web site within the type of Graphite and Lime.

Chris Martin

The telephone additionally has higher eco-credentials with extra recycled plastic (together with fishing nets), aluminium and glass used for sure elements. It could possibly be higher nevertheless it’s progress nonetheless. 

I’m a giant fan of the vibration motor within the S23 which supplies subtly crisp suggestions for system navigation and typing. Not likely noticing it doing its work within the background is a testomony to its premium high quality and you’ll alter the vibration energy for varied issues within the settings menu. 

Display screen & Audio system 

• 6.1in Dynamic AMOLED 
• Full HD+ 
• 120Hz 

The show on the S23 is, just like the design, virtually equivalent to the Galaxy S22 so it stays a Dynamic AMOLED panel with a Full HD+ decision at 6.1in in measurement. That’s all good and usually per equally priced flagships just like the Pixel 7. 

A key ingredient there may be the 6.1in panel measurement which is sweet and compact for these searching for a small telephone – the ZenFone 9 is even smaller at 5.9in. It’s nonetheless large enough for having fun with leisure, viewing pictures and the like though some avid gamers may crave extra actual property and the keyboard can really feel a bit of cramped. 

Like so many telephones, the punch gap digital camera is a bit of distracting at occasions. The scale jumps to six.6in if you happen to plump for the Galaxy S23+. 

The decision is completely crisp sufficient and as typical, Samsung gives punchy colors and wonderful distinction and you’ve got the same old choices to make changes if you want. There’s HDR10+ assist as nicely, for providers that assist it akin to Amazon Prime Video. 

Chris Martin

In terms of refresh charge, the Galaxy S23 remains to be 120Hz which beats the Pixel 7 by 30Hz if you happen to’re enjoying smartphone High Trumps. It doesn’t have the most recent LPTO tech however it may possibly dynamically alter all the way down to 48Hz and on the default Adaptive setting is buttery easy. 

One improve on the S22 display screen is a better peak brightness of 1750 nits, up from 1300 so it’s obtained loads of luminance to carry out in vibrant out of doors circumstances. 

With a Spyder X Professional I measured the show at 752 nits with automated brightness off and further brightness on. As ever, it’s not doable to lab check the true peak output however even 750 is loads of brightness for out of doors daylight. 

Surprisingly, I had a number of points with the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner embedded within the show. Redoing my fingerprint registration helped and the cracked, winter dry pores and skin on my thumb gained’t have helped so it’s not all Samsung’s fault. The facial recognition was additionally considerably sporadic, means off the reliability of Apple’s Face ID.

Issues are extra pleasing on the subject of audio, and though it’s a pipe dream I’d nonetheless like a headphone jack. If you happen to don’t have a Bluetooth speaker or headphones, the built-in stereo audio system are impressively loud and supply up clear and balanced sound.

Specs & Efficiency 

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 
• 8GB of RAM 
• 128- or 256GB storage 

Whereas it would appear to be a small change, swapping the processor from Samsung’s personal Exynos chip to Qualcomm’s newest flagship Snapdragon is definitely essentially the most vital adjustment concerning the Galaxy S23 in comparison with earlier generations. 

Chris Martin

Some markets have been getting Snapdragon fashions for some time, however not right here within the UK, and this transformation makes a giant distinction in some key areas. Battery life is the primary one, however there are additionally efficiency enhancements, too. 

Common operation is easy. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 can deal with demanding video games with out a lot sweat and comes with 5G compatibility as you’ll count on. The S23 can handle a constant framerate in Genshin Influence even at max settings and the telephone doesn’t get too scorching both. 

As talked about, it’s the smaller display screen that’s not so good if you happen to play video games like this or CoD Cell. 

It’s price noting that the Galaxy S23 solely comes with 8GB of RAM and storage is proscribed to only 128- or 256GB within the US and UK. With no microSD card slot, you may need to go for 256.

These wanting a extra spectacular 12GB of RAM must get the Galaxy S23 Extremely. 

Cameras 

• 50Mp primary digital camera 
• 12Mp ultrawide 
• 10Mp telephoto 
• 12Mp selfie 

On the again of the telephone, Samsung has caught with the identical three cameras as final 12 months so that you get the same old flagship mixture of broad, ultrawide and telephoto choices. Word that the S23+ has the identical images credentials, so you should get the Extremely if you would like a 200Mp primary sensor and 10x optical zoom. 

It’s no shock, then, that the efficiency on supply right here is similar to the S22 and that trio of lenses provides you good scope to get wonderful pictures in a variety of conditions and, like so many fashionable smartphones, there’s plenty of intelligent processing happening within the background that will help you simply level and shoot. 

Chris Martin

Samsung’s digital camera app is among the best to make use of and also you’ll usually get wonderful outcomes from the primary and ultrawide cameras when capturing in good mild. There’s loads of element (the primary digital camera pixel bins pictures all the way down to 12Mp by default) and dynamic vary, with the ultrawide avoiding the annoying distortion you generally discover with cheaper sensors.

I don’t personally have a lot want for a telephoto lens however this is among the higher ones I’ve examined with good high quality outcomes, aided by the built-in optical picture stabilisation (OIS). The app permits you to then digitally zoom in as much as 30x with, at occasions, surprisingly clear pictures. 

There are some points although as the primary digital camera can overexpose a bit of, and may battle to focus if you happen to’re not capturing one thing that’s not nonetheless and hues are sometimes over-saturated. That is very true within the meals mode as I can inform you my pizza within the under slideshow undoubtedly didn’t appear like that in actual life. 

Whereas it has plenty of modes to play with, the portrait mode doesn’t at all times do an incredible job of slicing round hair. In the meantime, low mild efficiency is OK, however inferior to I’d count on from a flagship gadget with pictures rapidly turning comfortable, fuzzy and missing color, plus there’s numerous lens flare. 

You’ll be able to at the very least go and use the professional mode and in addition shoot in 50Mp RAW if you happen to ought to want (taking into account that you just’ll begin to fill the storage up in a short time).

The night time mode can conjure one thing out of nothing which is spectacular (it actually was pitch black to my eyes once I took the shot of my backyard) nevertheless it’s understandably grainy. 

It’s the selfie digital camera that’s acquired an improve from 10- to 12Mp and it’s a very good digital camera on the entire, albeit nothing significantly particular. As per the primary digital camera, portrait mode can battle at occasions and low-light conditions require a gradual hand. 

Chris Martin

The Galaxy S23 can shoot in as much as 8K at 30fps which is spectacular, albeit extreme for many customers. You’re most likely higher off capturing in Full HD or 4K the place high quality remains to be sharp and vibrant and the optical stabilisation does a strong job of preserving issues easy.

Battery Life & Charging 

• 3900mAh battery 
• 45W charging 
• No charging brick in field  

The inclusion of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset means a major enchancment in battery life when in comparison with the S22. It additionally helps that the battery has obtained bigger from 3700- to 3900mAh, though that’s nonetheless barely off the 4000mAh discovered within the older Galaxy S21. 

Final 12 months’s common flagship struggled to get via a day with medium utilization at 120Hz however I’m happy to report that’s not the case for the S23. It may well now get you thru to bedtime with round 10-20% energy remaining with combined utilization. 

After all, if you happen to’re hammering video games, media streaming or video recording then that gained’t occur.

Chris Martin

In terms of charging, wired velocity stays at 25W which is to say Samsung is means behind the occasions on this entrance. The S23+ and S23 Extremely cost at 45W, and loads of less expensive telephones include 50-100W and we’re seeing gadgets just like the Realme GT Neo 5 hit the market with 240W. 

Samsung doesn’t provide an adapter within the field, only a cable, so that you’ll have to get your individual and utilizing a 67W adapter, I discovered the Galaxy S23 charged to a mediocre 41%. 

There’s additionally wi-fi charging however that is additionally comparatively gradual at 15W, then reverse wi-fi charging so you possibly can high up your wi-fi earbuds case or related on the again of the telephone whereas it’s face down. That is rated at 4.5W. 

Software program & Apps 

• Android 13 
• One UI 5.1 
• 4 years of OS assist, 5 of safety

The S23 vary comes with Android 13 with Samsung’s One UI 5.1 excessive at launch. Samsung’s Android pores and skin is sort of heavy and modifications the appear and feel of Android considerably.

In comparison with the early days of One UI (or TouchWiz because it was recognized), issues are considerably higher now with a typically polished and mature expertise that’s straightforward sufficient to get your head round. 

Chris Martin

Samsung nonetheless insists on doing sure issues in a different way although akin to having the app tray panels scroll horizontally as an alternative of vertically. I additionally discover the display screen brightness slider awkward to make use of because it’s hidden behind two swipes down within the notification shade.

There’s additionally loads of duplication within the pre-installed apps with Google and Samsung choices for issues together with app shops. It’s bloatware, and Samsung ought to type it out.

There’s worth in issues like Samsung Well being for wearables and smartwatch metrics and SmartThings for good residence package, however much less so on the subject of Bixby and the aptly named Samsung Web when Google Assistant and Chrome are exponentially higher. 

Nonetheless, there’s plenty of customisation and settings you possibly can play with and the sidebar displaying your favorite apps can are available in actually useful at occasions.  

The excellent news as soon as once more is that Samsung gives long run assist for its S sequence telephones so you’ll get 4 years of OS updates together with 5 years of safety patches that means you possibly can relaxation straightforward that the S23 gained’t be forgotten about after Android 15. That is amongst the longest assist within the Android world and an incredible factor.

Value & Availability 

In comparison with the S22, the Galaxy S23 has been given a value rise (within the UK at the very least) and now prices $799/£849 for the most affordable mannequin (up from $799/£769). 

It will get you 128GB of storage and leaping to 256GB will set you again $859/£899. Both means you get 8GB of RAM and, as talked about earlier, there’s no SD card slot so select correctly. 

As you may think, the telephone is extensively obtainable with the official Samsung retailer providing two unique colors in addition to some wonderful trade-in gives in your outdated telephone.

Purchase the galaxy s23 from samsung

You can even purchase it from the next retailers:

US 

UK 

In order for you the Galaxy S23 on contract, listed below are your choices: 

US  

UK

The associated fee could put some folks off however there are a selection of rivals to think about at decrease costs together with the Asus ZenFone 9, Google Pixel 7 and OnePlus 11.

Try our chart of the most effective telephones to see extra choices. 

Verdict 

The Galaxy S23 is one other completed flagship smartphone and for these of you who’re loyal to the model and don’t desire a larger telephone within the S23+ or Extremely.

Nevertheless, within the wider market, the telephone sits in a wierd place as not solely is it dearer than its predecessor, many rivals are significantly cheaper but of the same high quality. The Google Pixel 7 gives a equally premium expertise – minus a telephoto lens – for a significantly cheaper at $599/£599.

The design and construct of the S23 is top-notch as is the show and a substantial quantity of the spec sheet. Nevertheless, I did count on barely higher images efficiency.

The brand new Snapdragon chipset is nearly the one main improve from the S22, although, and there’s no getting round the truth that previous-generation Samsung telephones stay straightforward to search out at a lot diminished costs.

I began out actually liking the S23 however the extra time went on, the extra I realised that the S22 is a greater discount, the S23+ is a greater candy spot and a variety of non-Samsung rivals are higher worth.

Chris Martin

Specs

• Android 13 with One UI 5.1
• 6.1in, 120Hz, FHD+, Dynamic AMOLED show
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
• 8GB RAM
• 128/256GB storage
• Cameras:
  • 50Mp f/1.8 primary digital camera
  • 12Mp f/2.2 ultrawide digital camera
  • 10Mp f/2.4 3x optical telephoto digital camera
  • 12Mp f/2.2 entrance going through digital camera
• 5G
• Wi-Fi 6E
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Stereo audio system
• USB-C
• 3900mAh battery
• 45W wired charging
• 15W wi-fi charging
• 4.5W reverse wi-fi charging
• IP68
• Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm
• 196g