Galaxy S23 Ultra Full Review
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of Samsung's flagships, designed to please with powerhouse performance, an outstanding display, and a versatile camera. The premium features of the phone make it a good fit for tech-savvy and power users. In this review, we have covered the specs, standout features, and overall user experience of the Galaxy S23 Ultra to find out whether it lives up to the hype it has created.
Galaxy S23 Ultra Key Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 3088 x 1440 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 / Exynos 2200, depending on the region |
| RAM | 8GB / 12GB |
| Storage Options | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Rear Camera | 200MP (wide) + 12MP (ultrawide) + 10MP (telephoto) + 10MP (periscope telephoto) |
| Camera Frontal | 12MP |
| Battery | 5,000mAh, 45W fast charging, 15W wireless charging |
| Operating System | Android 13, One UI 5 |
| Dimensions | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm |
| Weight | 234g |
DESIGN AND DISPLAY: IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE
The Galaxy S23 Ultra has more refined design language with a sleeker metal frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both the front and back. The edges of the phone have subtle curves, and it will be offered in various colors like Phantom Black, Green, Lavender, and Cream.
It is a treat to watch for QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X. It goes fitted with 3088 x 1440 pixels, thus supporting a refresh rate of 120Hz. With it, every scene and movement comes into view in vivid color and clear details. The adaptive refresh rate at work in Samsung modifies the refresh rate depending on the screen content and initiates battery life-which makes every session related to video-watching, gaming, or even scrolling memorable and plush.
Performance: Powerhouse Capabilities
It will contain the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or Exynos 2200 processor, depending on your region, under the hood. This is further combined with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, and this phone eats multitasking and heavy applications for breakfast. The Galaxy S23 Ultra further supports 5G connectivity, ensuring that you can enjoy fast download speeds and a seamless online experience.
For instance, it has shown performance at par, if not better, than many high-end benchmarks, making it a perfect bet not only for gamers but also for productivity-focused users.
Camera Setup: A Photographer's Dream
Samsung has increased manifold the camera setup on the S23 Ultra, making it one of the most advanced on the market:
Main Sensor: The highly detailed images taken by a 200MP main sensor maintain excellent color accuracy even in low light. Ultra-Wide Lens: Get the perfect landscape shot with a 12MP ultra-wide lens that enables a broader field of view without losing any image quality.
Distance and Periscope Telephoto Camera: The 10MP telephoto lens provides 3x optical zoom. This time around, though, the 10MP periscope telephoto camera provides an amazing 10x optical zoom. This also means that working together, these lenses offer up to 100x Space Zoom-faraway items clearly captured.
With the Nightography feature on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, it enhances low light photography and hence gives clearer images even when the light condition is not favorable. The AI-enhanced 12MP front camera further allows for better selfie portraits and video calls.
Battery Life and Charging: Built to Last
It's powered by a 5,000mAh battery that will keep the Galaxy S23 Ultra going throughout the busy day, even if you push it hard. Samsung's adaptive battery learns your habits to optimize how power is used. It supports 45W fast charging, letting the phone refill up to 50% in roughly 20 minutes to minimize downtime. The S23 Ultra supports 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, too, capable of charging other Qi-compatible devices.
Software and Features: All Bettered with One UI 5
Running with Android 13 at its core and Samsung's One UI 5 overlay, the Galaxy S23 Ultra features highly customizable, easy-to-operate interface software. Plus, with One UI 5, it features even more personalization features, an overhauled multitasking experience, and improved security. More importantly, Samsung will deliver at least four generations of software updates and five generations of security patches for the S23 Ultra to make it last longer.
Unique Software Features
- Samsung DeX: This allows for a PC-like experience when the phone is connected to a monitor or TV.
- S-Pen Support: Stealing the spotlight from the Galaxy Note series, S-Pen functionality has now made its way into the Ultra series. It's housed inside the device for the very first time, thus enabling users to take notes, draw, and interact with the phone in various ways.
- Multi-Window Support: Split the screen with your favorite apps with ease and have two of them working alongside each other, with the capability of running two apps simultaneously.
Some Pros and Cons of Galaxy S23 Ultra
Pros
lucent display with 120Hz refresh rate,
Processor performs well for seamless multitasking and gaming.
Camera setup - best in class with a 200MP sensor.
Long-lasting battery with support for fast charging.
Relatively strong software support with regular updates.
Cons
Bulky and heavy, therefore less comfortable to use with one hand.
Premium price may be too high for the budget-conscious consumer.
Unnecessary software bloat for some.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Competitors
The Galaxy S23 Ultra finds some really tough competitors in the likes of the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Google Pixel 7 Pro. Be it ecosystem integration with the iPhone or AI-driven camera performance on the Pixel, the S23 Ultra manages to keep its head high with its display quality, versatile camera, and support for the S Pen. If you are an Android user, it would be pretty difficult to get a more premium experience than what the Galaxy S23 Ultra has to offer.
Bottom Line: Should You Buy the Galaxy S23 Ultra?
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is indeed a powerhouse of a phone targeted at power users, gamers, and photography enthusiasts. Indeed, one of the best Android phones available in the market today, backed by an excellent display, an all-rounded camera layout, and high-end performance. Yes, the price tag could be exorbitant, but Galaxy S23 Ultra justifies the price tag with a variety of features that places it ahead of other flagship smartphones.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra simply sits in a class of its own for those who want uncompromised Android. If one needs a smaller-sized phone or higher simplicity in the camera, other choices may better fit the bill. Of course, if one is ready to invest in a premium device, one should definitely have the Galaxy S23 Ultra on their radar.