Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: is the big one worth it?
Samsung has also promised improved cooling with an even bigger vapor chamber. Naturally, this would be of bigger benefit in the S23 Ultra, where there’s actual room. But the Galaxy S23 did pretty good on the stress tests, too!
As for the storage — we have a starting tier of 128 GB for the S23, then a 256 GB upgrade. The Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at 256, then has upgrade tiers to 512 GB and 1 TB. The Galaxy S23 is locked to 8 GB RAM, the Ultra starts at 8 GB but will get 12 GB if you go for more storage than the base unit.
As for software — we have Samsung’s One UI 5.1 on top of Android 13, which is the same bright, bold, customizable, and feature-rich interface we are acquainted with. It may be a spoonful for first-time users, but we feel like — even with its plethora of features — Samsung’s interface has its way of easing you in and slowly teaching you all of its quirks.
Galaxy S23 vs Galaxy S23 Ultra cameras
Upgrades for the Ultra
S23 and S23+ (Image credit – PhoneArena)
Since the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the “camera phone” that gets everything that Samsung can cram in it — it will be the one to feature the new 200 MP Samsung ISOCELL HP2 sensor. The new crazy resolution will not only give us access to highly-detailed photos, it also bins pixels in groups of up to 16 each for a… slightly improved Night Mode. However, the Galaxy S23 Ultra also has an improved optical image stabilization, covering double the jitter distance it did before.
The base Galaxy S23 doesn’t have a 4th camera dedicated to zoom, it has a 3x telephoto lens and that’s it — the rest of the magnification is handled digitally. So, the Galaxy S23 zoom taps out at 30x, it doesn’t reach the 100x of the Ultra.
Zoom:
The Galaxy S23 keeps a 50MP main camera, which benefits from the new Snapdragon with its speed and processing. But physically, it seems to be the same camera module as before — which is fine, because it happened to be pretty good nonetheless. The S23 Ultra has a 200 MP main sensor. On both phones, you can choose to take high-res photos — the Galaxy S23 gives you a 50 MP option, the S23 Ultra gives you a 50 MP and 200 MP option.
50 MP photo (100% crop)
50 MP (100%) vs 200 MP (downsized to match)
For all intents and purposes, it seems like the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the one to get if you are interested in camera usage. It has the new sensor, it has more tricks, it has crazy amounts of zoom on tap.
The Galaxy S23 is no slouch, though — very vibrant and great handling of dynamics from its part. Details also look great on S23 photos. It’s dependable at worst. But if you want over-the-top camera features, the Ultra is… well, ultra.
Audio quality and haptics
Samsung’s stereo speakers have sounded pretty OK over the last few iterations of Galaxy phones. The Galaxy S23 series sees an upgrade in this field and we really quite like their sound. Due to physical size differences, the normal S23 can sound a bit tinnier, but it’s still rich and detailed. The Galaxy S23 Ultra expands the soundstage and adds more bass.
As for haptics, we are very happy that Android manufacturers have been taking them seriously for half a decade now. The Galaxies click and clack with a pleasant feedback to each tap — and so do the S23 series.
Galaxy S23 vs Galaxy S23 Ultra Battery life and charging
It’s in the size
The Galaxy S23 gets a slight bump in battery capacity, bringing it up to 3,900 mAh. Not huge by 2023 standards, but an impressive number considering the phone’s small size. The Galaxy S23 Ultra will retain that 5,000 mAh cell.
We’ve ran the phones through our tests and we are quite pleased with the Galaxy S23 — not only does it do good in benchmarks, we found it to have a very reliable endurance in day-to-day use. The Galaxy S23 Ultra isn’t bad per se — it just didn’t surprise us in any way, as it performs similarly to the S22 Ultra. Which is to say, you can expect a full day of mixed use without much worry.
As for charging, we get 25 W Fast Charging on the Galaxy S23, and 45 W Fast Charging 2.0 on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Not amazing… not even great, especially for the Galaxy S23. But hey, if Samsung wants to take it safe and easy with the batteries of its phones, we’d say “Go for it!”.
Galaxy S23 vs Galaxy S23 Ultra specs comparison
| Specs | Galaxy S23 | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 5.76 x 2.79 x 0.30 inches (146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6mm) | 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 inches (163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm) |
| Weight | 5.89 oz (167.0 g) | 8.22 oz (233.0 g) |
| Screen | 6.1″, 1080 x 2340, 120 Hz, AMOLED | 6.8″, 1440 x 3088, 120 Hz, AMOLED |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm), 3.36 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm), 3.36 GHz |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB / 12 GB |
| Rear Cameras | 50 MP wide, F1.8 10 MP 3x telephoto, F2.4 12 MP ultra-wide, F2.2 |
200 MP wide, F1.7 10 MP 3x telephoto, F2.4 10 MP 10x telephoto, F4.9 12 MP ultra-wide, F2.2 |
| Front Camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Battery Size | 3,900 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging Speeds | 25 W wired 15 W wireless |
45 W wired 15 W wireless |
| Price | $799.99 | $1199.99 |
Summary and Final Verdict
So there are plenty of considerable differences between these phones to be able to make a clear call. If you want the best mobile camera with tons of features, zoom on tap, and an upgraded 200 MP sensor — you will be drawn to the Ultra. You also get to enjoy a large screen and an S Pen stylus that fits right into the phone.
Then again, the Galaxy S23 is definitely not a bad phone. In fact, it will win the hearts of those looking for a more compact handset. It’s still powerful but lacks some camera bells and whistles and a stylus. Don’t care for that? Maybe you are better off saving some money…
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