© Samsung
- Samsung offers three particularly premium Galaxy S23s
- The latter inherit a new Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 2 chip for Galaxy
- They are also very good at photography
- Battery capacities are revised on the rise
- Samsung has also unified the design of the range
This is one of the most anticipated smartphone ranges every year along with the new iPhones. Samsung's flagships, the Galaxy S23 will therefore be the new stars of the year 2023.
While the smartphone has just been announced, we explain in this file everything you need to know (Release date, price, technical sheet) about the Galaxy S23 trio.
We were able to get to grips with the Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra a few days before their presentation. Here are our first impressions.
The Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra were unveiled on February 1, 2023. They are available for pre-order until February 16, when of the first deliveries and their arrival in store at the following prices:
- Galaxy S23 128 GB: €959.00
- Galaxy S23 256 GB: 1 019.00 €
- Galaxy S23+ 256 GB: 1 €219.00
- Galaxy S23+ 512 GB: 1 339.00 €
- Galaxy S23 Ultra 256 GB : 1& nbsp;419.00€
- Galaxy S23 Ultra 512 GB: 1 599 .00 €
- Galaxy S23 Ultra 1TB: 1 839.00& nbsp;€
Introductory offer: for everything purchase a Galaxy S23, S23+ or S23 Ultra before February 16, Samsung offers to double your internal storage option at no additional cost. The brand also offers to take back your old smartphone for a trade-in bonus of €150.
| Galaxy S23 | Galaxy S23+ | Galaxy S23 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 70.9 x 146.3 x 7.6 mm | 76.2 x 157.8 x 7.6 mm | 78.1 X 163.4 X 8.9 mm |
| Weight | 168 g | 196 g | 234 g |
| Screen | – 6.1″ – Dynamic AMOLED 2X – FHD+ (2 340 x 1 080 px) – 1-120 Hz – Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
– 6.6″ – Dynamic AMOLED 2X – FHD+ ( 2 340 x 1 080 px) – 1-120 Hz – Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
– 6.8″ – Dynamic AMOLED 2X – QHD+ (3 088 x 1 440 px) – 1-120 Hz – Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Puce | – Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy< /td> | – Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | |
| RAM/Memory Options | – 8/128 – 8/256 – 8/512 |
– 8/256 – 8/512 |
– 8/256 – 12/256 – 12/512 – 12/1000 |
| Main photo sensors | – Ultrawide : 12 Mp, f/2.2, Dual Pixel – Wide: 50 Mp, f/1.8, Dual Pixel – Telephoto 3x: 10 Mp , f/2.4 |
– Ultrawide: 12 Mp, f/2.2, Dual Pixel – Wide: 50 Mp, f/1.8, Dual Pixel – Telephoto 3x: 10 Mp, f/2.4 |
– Ultrawide : 12 Mp, f/2.2, Dual Pixel – Wide: 200 Mp, f/1.7, Dual Pixel – Telephoto 3x: 10 Mp , f/2.4 – Telephoto 10x: 10 Mp, f/4.9 |
| Selfie photo sensor | – 12 MP, f /2.2 | – 12 MP, f/2.2 | – 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Battery/autonomy | – 3 900 mAh – Super Fast Charging 2.0 – Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 – Wireless PowerShare |
– 4  ;700 mAh – Super Fast Charging 2.0 – Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 – Wireless PowerShare |
– 5 000 mAh – Super Fast Charging 2.0 – Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 – Wireless PowerShare |
| S-Pen | – No | – No | – Yes – Storage sheath integrated into the smartphone |
Biometrics | – Fingerprint sensor under the screen | – Fingerprint sensor under the screen |
| Stereo speakers | – Yes | – Yes | – Yes |
| Wireless | – WiFi 6E – Bluetooth 5.3 – NFC – UWB |
– WiFi 6E – Bluetooth 5.3 – NFC – UWB |
– WiFi 6E – Bluetooth 5.3 – NFC – UWB |
| Network | – 5G – 4G/4G+/4G++ (LTE) |
– 5G – 4G/4G+/4G++ (LTE) |
– 5G – 4G/4G+/4G++ (LTE) |
| Connector | – USB type C – OTG |
– USB type C – OTG |
– USB type C – OTG |
| Water and dust resistance | – IP68 | – IP68 | – IP68 |
| Coloris | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender |
Overall, the Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra are developments of the S22 generation. There are better sets of photo sensors, including a 200 Mp system on the Ultra model. The screen is now flat on all models (with the same brightness of 1 750 nits).
We are also entitled to slightly larger batteries: 3 900 mAh (+200 mAh) on the simple S23, 4 700 mAh (+200 mAh) on the intermediate S23 – and still 5 000 mAh on the Ultra model. And we still find S-Pen compatibility on the S23 Ultra (although the model is apparently only compatible with a specific new generation S-Pen).
However, the big news this year is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip for Samsung Galaxy – in place of the endless in-house Exynos chips which were systematically integrated into Galaxy S smartphones sold in Europe.
Samsung is reviewing its strategy in its in-house chips – In the meantime, the manufacturer has approached Qualcomm to customize the most powerful component available in the founder's catalog. This increased power must serve the photo part of the smartphone. But also increase its autonomy.
The chip also improves 5G connectivity, equips the smartphone with Bluetooth 5.3 and the latest WiFi technology available, WiFi 6E.
© Samsung
A sign of the times, Samsung is continuing its roadmap to make its devices more eco-responsible. In this regard, the Galaxy S23s are rather models to follow for the rest of the industry. As part of the “Galaxy for the Planet” the manufacturer relies much more than before on recycling.
Thus, materials such as recycled glass and aluminum further displace plastic (which also comes from the recycling sector when possible). The S22s were already the result of work on this issue. But only 8 components of the smartphone were actually recycled. This year Samsung is doubling down: the S23s all have a dozen recycled components.
In addition, Samsung announces record software support for an Android manufacturer. S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra customers are all now entitled to at least 4 years of major updates and 5 years of security updates. We're still a long way from the 6 years of major updates enjoyed by the iPhone, but at least the gap is closing a little.
Of course the& #8217;the idea is that you will keep your smartphone for longer and this will therefore avoid the manufacture of numerous units.
© Samsung
The S23 generation is an opportunity for Samsung to unify the design language of the range. With the merger of the Note into the Ultra model, Samsung continued to visually differentiate the most expensive model, until the S22 Ultra.
So on the one hand we had standard models, with a flat screen and a more rounded casing, with an unmissable visual element which brings together the photo sensors at the back. While the Ultra model was all angles, taking up more of the angular side of the old Note. The photo sensors of the latter were moreover integrated in a visually simpler way, without a visual element to bring them together.
© Samsung
However, the Ultra model also had an Edge screen with curved edges, instead of a completely flat screen. Many users praised the simpler design of the Ultra on the rear side, while criticizing the Edge screen, considered a bit gimmicky (especially since it is more fragile). And it seems Samsung listened to them and took their remarks at face value.
The new design is not necessarily a visual revolution. But actually all the models visually converge more. We have screens that are now exclusively flat whatever your choice. And the rear sensors are no longer grouped in one element, but integrated like the Ultra.
© Samsung
The models are also now all available in the same Black, Cream, Green and Lavender colors. However, there are new colors exclusive to certain variants: Lime and Graphite on the S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra and Sky Blue and Red only on the S23 Ultra.
The Galaxy S23s establish themselves as benchmarks in smartphone photography. Firstly because Samsung replaced the main 108 Mpxl sensor with a brand new in-house 200 Mp ISOCELL HP2 sensor reserved for the Ultra model.
Galaxy S23 © Samsung
So the Galaxy S23 and S23+ inherit the same set of photo sensors as the previous generation, nothing changes on the hardware side. Except for the selfie sensor, which goes to 12 Mp (f/2.2, DualPixel). The S23 Ultra also uses all the sensors of the previous generation, except the main sensor which we told you increases to 200 Mp (f/1.7) with improved optical stabilization, but also the selfie sensor which is now also a 12 sensor Mp (f/2.2).
Galaxy S23 Ultra © Samsung
For the rest, all the magic lies in the algorithms. This allows the entire range to take better night photos (especially portraits). But also to record 8K videos at 30 fps, to offer better digital stabilization powered by AI, and to improve the quality of the content you post on social networks .
All these algorithms are based on the new capabilities of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Samsung Galaxy chip. Samsung even allows RAW export (in 50 Mp or 200 Mp) thanks to this.
© Lemon squeezer
This year we are still on magnificent AMOLED 2X screens that are extremely bright and well calibrated… but they have more uniform characteristics depending on the model. In terms of differences, these screens of different sizes deliver on one side an FHD+ definition for the cheapest models, and on the other hand QHD+ for the S23 Ultra.
However, for the rest, they are true copies. They notably have the same incredible brightness of 1,750 nits. A first for Samsung as for the rest of the premium segment.
As we said above, the two least expensive S23s benefit from a battery capacity in increase of 200 mAh, while the S23 Ultra retains the same battery capacity of 5,000 mAh as the previous generation.
On the charging side, we have 45 W fast charging for the Galaxy Ultra and 25 W for the other models. We invite you to discover everything about the autonomy of the S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra in our guide.