At its recent Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung announced its latest S-series flagship devices, including the S23, S23+ and the S23 Ultra. The new devices are available now to pre-order in Canada.
If you’re looking to pre-order one of Samsung’s new smartphones, you might want to read on and see how the latest flagships compare to their 2022-released predecessors.
Display and Design
S22 vs S23
Last year’s Samsung S22 featured a 6.1-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED display with a 1,080 x 2,400 pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. This year, the base S23 flagship device is almost identical to its predecessor, with a 6.1-inch 1,080 x 2,340 pixel resolution display and a variable 120Hz refresh rate (48Hz to 120Hz).
The S23 comes with a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 screen, while its predecessor features a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus display. The new glass, according to Samsung, offers more durability for long-term use, and contains an average of 22 percent pre-consumer recycled materials.
Both devices feature always-on displays and HDR10+ support. The S23 takes the brightness of the flagship to the next level. The screen can reach max 1,750 nits, while the S22 was limited to 1,300 nits.
Both devices are also IP68 dust and water-resistant too, which means they can be submerged up to 1.5m underwater for about 30 minutes.
When it comes to the dimensions, the smartphones are almost identical. The S22 is 70.6 x 146 x 7.6mm and weighs in at 167g, while the S23 is 70.9 x 146.3 x 7.6mm and weighs in at 168g.
6.1-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED, 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display, HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
6.1-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED, 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display, HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
50-megapixel (f/1.8, wide) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, ultrawide)
50-megapixel (f/1.8, wide) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, ultrawide)
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Phantom White,’ ‘Green’ and ‘Pink Gold’ as well as Samsung exclusive colours ‘Gray,’ ‘Cream,’ ‘Violet’ and ‘Light Blue.’
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Green,’ ‘Lavendar,’ ‘Creme’
6.1-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED, 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display, HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
6.1-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED, 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display, HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
50-megapixel (f/1.8, wide) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, ultrawide)
50-megapixel (f/1.8, wide) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, ultrawide)
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Phantom White,’ ‘Green’ and ‘Pink Gold’ as well as Samsung exclusive colours ‘Gray,’ ‘Cream,’ ‘Violet’ and ‘Light Blue.’
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Green,’ ‘Lavendar,’ ‘Creme’
S22+ vs S23+
The S22+ boasts a large 6.6-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED display with a 1,080 x 2,400-pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Similar to last year’s model, the S23+ also features a 6.6-inch 1,080 x 2,340-pixel resolution display with a 120Hz refresh rate (48Hz to 120Hz).
The S23+ comes with a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 screen, while its predecessor featured a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus display.
Both devices feature 1,750 nits of peak brightness, with 1,200 nits for HDR and 1,200 nits for HBM (high brightness mode).
Overall, the dimensions of the new S23+ are a tad bit bigger than the S22+. Last year’s model came in at 75.8 x 157.4 x 7.6mm, and weighed 195g. The new S23+ measures 76.2 x 157.8 x 7.6mm and weighs 196g.
6.6-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED, 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display, HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
6.6-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED, 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display, HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
50-megapixel (f/1.8, wide) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, ultrawide)
50-megapixel (f/1.8, wide) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, ultrawide)
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Phantom White,’ ‘Green’ and ‘Pink Gold’ as well as Samsung exclusive colours ‘Gray,’ ‘Cream,’ ‘Violet’ and ‘Light Blue.’
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Green,’ ‘Lavendar,’ ‘Creme’
6.6-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED, 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display, HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
6.6-inch Flat Dynamic AMOLED, 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display, HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
50-megapixel (f/1.8, wide) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, ultrawide)
50-megapixel (f/1.8, wide) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, ultrawide)
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Phantom White,’ ‘Green’ and ‘Pink Gold’ as well as Samsung exclusive colours ‘Gray,’ ‘Cream,’ ‘Violet’ and ‘Light Blue.’
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Green,’ ‘Lavendar,’ ‘Creme’
S22 Ultra vs S23 Ultra
The S22 Ultra features a 120Hz (variable) Quad HD+ 6.8-inch display with a peak brightness of 1,750 nits, alongside an always-on display and HDR10+ support. The S23 Ultra sports a 6.8-inch, 1,440 x 3,080-pixel resolution display with a 120Hz refresh rate (1Hz to 120Hz).
The S23 Ultra also features an S-Pen slot, while the S22 Ultra doesn’t. It’s worth noting that the S22 Ultra is still compatible with the S-Pen, it just didn’t feature a slot to store/charge the stylus.
Further, the S23 Ultra comes with a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 screen, while its predecessor featured a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus display. The S23 Ultra also features flatter edges, which results in a slightly larger display surface area than the S22 Ultra. Both devices feature 1,750 nits of peak brightness, with 1,200 nits for HDR and 1,200 nits for HBM.
Similar to the S23+, the S23 Ultra also measures slightly bigger than its predecessor. The S22 Ultra measured in at 77.9 x 163.3 x 8.9mm and weighed 228g. The S23 Ultra, on the other hand, measures 78.1 x 163.4 x 8.9mm, and weighs 234g.
6.8-inch Curved Dynamic AMOLED, 1,440 x 3,200 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display (variable 1-120Hz), HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
6.8-inch Curved Dynamic AMOLED, 1,440 x 3,200 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display (variable 1-120Hz) HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
108-megapixel (f/1.8), 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree), 10-megapixel (f/4.9, 10x zoom), 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom)
200-megapixel, 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree), 10-megapixel (f/4.9, 10x zoom), 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom)
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Phantom White,’ ‘Green,’ ‘Burgundy,’ and Samsung exclusive colours ‘Gray,’ ‘Light Blue,’ and ‘Red.’ & S Pen with 2.8 m/s latency
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Green,’ ‘Lavendar,’ ‘Creme’
6.8-inch Curved Dynamic AMOLED, 1,440 x 3,200 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display (variable 1-120Hz), HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
6.8-inch Curved Dynamic AMOLED, 1,440 x 3,200 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz display (variable 1-120Hz) HDR10+, 240Hz Touch Sampling in Games
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
108-megapixel (f/1.8), 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree), 10-megapixel (f/4.9, 10x zoom), 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom)
200-megapixel, 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree), 10-megapixel (f/4.9, 10x zoom), 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom)
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Phantom White,’ ‘Green,’ ‘Burgundy,’ and Samsung exclusive colours ‘Gray,’ ‘Light Blue,’ and ‘Red.’ & S Pen with 2.8 m/s latency
Colours: ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Green,’ ‘Lavendar,’ ‘Creme’
Cameras
Samsung says that photography and videography with the Galaxy S23 series is all about offering the user complete creative control in various situations, no matter what the subject is, the location or the time of day.
The selfie cameras for all three models now offer a 12-megapixel sensor, which is an upgrade from the S22 and S22+’s 10-megapixel front camera but a downgrade from the 40-megapixel S22 Ultra selfie cam. Further, SuperHDR is now applied on the selfie camera with 60fps to capture a more dynamic range of colour, according to Samsung.
The company also revealed the new “Contour Cut” camera housing around the lenses for all S23 series models that replaces the camera bump for a cleaner, more linear design.
S22/S22+ vs S23/S23+
Last year’s S22 and S22+ featured a 50-megapixel (f/1.8, wide) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, ultrawide) on the back, while a 10-megapixel (f/2.2) graced the front. The rear cameras on the new base S23 flagship and S23+ are identical to their predecessor. Both new devices feature a 50-megapixel (f/1.8, wide) + 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree FOV, ultrawide) camera.
As mentioned above, the selfie camera on the S22 and S22+ has received an upgrade. The S22 and S22+ featured a 10-megapixel front camera, while the new S23 and S23+ sport a 12-megapixel front shooter with AI Object-aware engine, Dual Pixel Auto Focus, AI stereo depth map and more for solid nighttime photography.
S22 Ultra vs. S23 Ultra
The new S23 Ultra can reportedly take the best nighttime photos of any Galaxy phone yet. The device features what Samsung calls a new “Adaptive Pixel Sensor.” Through Pixel Binning, it combines data from 16 pixels into one large pixel, allowing for brighter and more detailed shots in low-light situations.
Similarly, night portraits on the S23 Ultra’s selfie camera also shoot stand-out photos with visible depth and enhanced bokeh.
For nighttime videos, the camera features an advanced AI solution to reduce noise and enhance sharpness, while a new ‘Astro Hyperlapse mode lets users take clips of the night sky and capture the movement of stars without sophisticated equipment.
The main sensor on the S23 Ultra is a 200-megapixel one, a significant upgrade from the S22 Ultra’s 108-megapixel sensor. It features enhanced autofocus to ensure your subjects are always the highlight of the photo. According to Samsung, “by using four adjacent pixels to detect differences from left to right and top to bottom, it allows the camera to focus faster and more accurately because it has more points of reference.”
The other shooters on the rear include a 12-megapixel (f/2.2) ultrawide sensor, a 10-megapixel (f/4.9) telephoto 10x lens and a 10-megapixel (f/2.4) dual pixel telephoto 3x lens.
The S22 Ultra, on the other hand, featured a 108-megapixel (f/1.8) main sensor, a 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 120-degree) ultrawide lens, a 10-megapixel (f/4.9, 10x zoom) lens, and a 10-megapixel (f/2.4, 3x zoom) sensor.
Further, while the S22 Ultra could record 8K videos, it was capped at 24fps (frames per second), while the S23 Ultra can now record 8K videos at 30fps with a wider 80-degree angle and a bigger pixel size for a more cinematic video feel.
OS, Internals and Memory
All three S22 series devices launched with last year’s Android 12 with One UI 4.1 pre-installed. The new S23 series, inevitably, come with Android 13 with One UI 5.1 pre-installed. The S23 series support 5G, LTE and Wi-Fi 6E, similar to their predecessors, and features fingerprint (in-display), accelerometer, gyro, proximity and compass sensors.
Last year’s S22 and S22+ were both only available in 8GB RAM variants, and the same is true for the new S23 and S23+. Similarly, the S23 Ultra is available in 8GB and 12GB RAM variants, just like its predecessor.
The S23 is available in 128GB and 256GB storage variants, like last year’s base flagship S22. The S23+ is available in 256 and 512GB storage models, while its predecessor was limited to 128GB and 256GB models. Similarly, the S23 Ultra’s base storage now starts at 256GB, while its predecessor was available with 128GB base storage.
The most significant upgrade the new devices have received is the inclusion of the ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy’ chipset. The new processor gives the S23 Ultra ray-tracing capabilities while gaming, and according to Samsung, it provides 40 percent faster performance for GPU and NPU, when compared to predecessors, and results in more efficient battery life. Further, the new chip reportedly doesn’t throttle as much as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.
Samsung says the new chipset is the “fastest” and “most efficient” chip in a smartphone yet.
Battery
The S23 Ultra features an identical battery to its predecessor. Both Ultra devices feature a 5,000mAh battery. On the other hand, both the S23 and the S23+ feature bigger batteries than their predecessors. The S23 is powered by a 3,900mAh cell (3,700mAh on the S22), and the S23+ runs on a 4,700mAh cell (4,500mAh) on the S22+.
All three new devices offer Wireless PowerShare, and support Fast Charging 2.0. The S23 Ultra exclusively also supports Super Fast Charging 2.0
Colours and pricing
All three new models come in four colours, namely ‘Phantom Black,’ ‘Cream,’ ‘Green,’ and ‘Lavender.’ Galaxy S23 and S23+ also come in ‘Lime’ and ‘Graphite,’ which are exclusive colours available only on Samsung.com. Similarly, ‘Graphite,’ ‘Sky Blue,’ ‘Lime,’ and ‘Red’ are Samsung.com exclusive colours for the S23 Ultra.
Upon release, these were the prices for the S22 series:
- Samsung Galaxy S22: 8GB + 128GB — $1,099.99
- Samsung Galaxy S22: 8GB + 256GB — $1,169.99
- Samsung Galaxy S22+: 8GB + 128GB — $1,399.99
- Samsung Galaxy S22+: 8GB + 256GB — $1,469.99
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: 8GB + 128GB — $1,649.99
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: 12GB + 256GB — $1,789.99
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: 12GB + 512GB — $1,929.99
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: 12GB + 1TB — $2,209.99 (Samsung exclusive)
These are the prices for the new S23 series:
For more on Samsung’s Galaxy S23 line, check out our hands-on with the new smartphones and all of our Unpacked 2023 content here.
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Image credit: Samsung
Let’s quickly go over the S23 and S23+ before moving on to the higher-end smartphone. These two devices are nearly identical to last year’s models. For example, they offer the same 8GB of RAM and the rear-facing camera array. Regarding design, this year, the smartphones feature more squared edges, which pushes the device closer in line with Apple’s more recent squared-off iPhone look in some respects.
Now, let’s move to the S23 Ultra and its main new feature.
Besides superior picture quality under good lighting, the S23 Ultra now takes better nighttime photos. A section of Samsung’s demo area featured dim lighting, allowing us to test the smartphone’s low-light photography capabilities. And again, these pictures were noticeably better. In one of the photos I took, I could see that while the focal point of the image was brighter, the rest retained its darkness, making the picture more true-to-life. In contrast, the S22 Ultra makes the entire image brighter, which isn’t accurate to the real scene, and lowers the quality of the picture.
The S23 Ultra now has a 12-megapixel selfie camera, which is a notable downgrade compared to the S22 Ultra, S21 Ultra and S20 Ultra, which all sport a 40-megapixel front-facing shooter. Even though this is a downgrade on paper, the S23’s selfies look nearly the same as the 40-megapixel sensor in the S22 Ultra. Comparing the two, I could barely tell the difference between them. Sure, you won’t be able to blow up these selfies, but I doubt most people will do this.
The S23 Ultra looks nearly identical to its predecessor, but its display is a bit flatter, and its edges are a little less curved. This isn’t a massive change, but it makes the phone easier and more comfortable to hold. People seem to like flatter displays, so it should be a bonus for most users. I used to fanboy over curved displays as I believe it makes the experience more immersive, but the trend is dying out, and I’ve grown accustomed to flatter smartphone displays. The S23 Ultra also offers Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on its front and back, which should help better protect the handset from falls.
In my testing, the S23 Ultra’s camera array is overall better than the S22’s, and I’m excited to put it through its paces. Alongside its shiny new 200-megapixel camera, I’ll test out its other three sensors, put the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 through the wringer, alongside the 12GB of RAM and 5,000mAh battery.
Samsung talked a big game about the camera in the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but the S23 and S23+ didn’t get as significant an improvement. Both phones sport a 50-megapixel wide sensor, 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and 10-megapixel 3x telephoto shooter.
