Samsung Galaxy S23 Review - Flagship performance, compact size

<ul><li><keyword id="10591" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="samsung" source="Orion">Samsung</keyword>'s new Galaxy S23 series looks similar to its predecessors, but there's a lot new in the cameras.</li><li>The new phones feature a new custom Snapdragon Gen 2 chipset.</li><li>The Ultra gets a big bump in the cameras.</li></ul>Samsung has kicked off the new year with the launch of its most awaited S23 series of smartphones at the Galaxy Unpacked event today. As expected, the three smartphones launched are the S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra. In addition, the company also launched four new laptops in its Galaxy Book3 range - The Galaxy Book3 360, Galaxy Book3 Pro, Galaxy Book3 360 Pro, and Galaxy Book3 Ultra. But we'll save the laptops for later and take a closer look at what the new phones offer this year. Samsung allowed us a brief time with the latest phones and also took us through what's new this time around. From the initial looks of it, the three phones come with incremental upgrades on the design front - they now use sustainable materials like recycled aluminum, recycled glass, and natural dye. All these materials are said to be recyclable, and even the Gorilla Glass Victus used for display protection can be recycled. <div type="image" title="Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra" msid="97532866" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <div type="image" title="The S23 Series follow a familiar design language from last year" msid="97533075" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The S23 Series follow a familiar design language from last year&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> They look more or less the same, but we're not complaining The line-up looks identical to the S22 series, but that's okay as they still look sleek, solid, and premium. However, there has been a slight change in the edges, and it now grips better. The phones come in the same soft-touch aluminum finish. <div type="image" title="You can have a better grip with the new edges" msid="97532922" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;You can have a better grip with the new edges&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <div type="image" title="Galaxy S23 is the smallest of the lot with a 6.1-inch display" msid="97532982" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Galaxy S23 is the smallest of the lot with a 6.1-inch display&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The S23 and S23 Plus have rounded corners and flat front and back, whereas the S23 Ultra has edgy corners and curved sides on both front and back. This differentiates the in-hand feel among the three, but they're all easy to use overall. The most obvious differentiator is the screen size - the S23 has a 6.1-inch display, S23 Plus has a 6.6-inch display, and the Ultra has the biggest 6.8-inch display. Apart from the size and resolution, there needs to be a distinction in display specifications on paper. For those unaware, the S23 Ultra is the most spec-heavy and high-end variant, while the S23 and S23 Plus are slightly toned down like their predecessors. The Ultra also comes with a stylus at the bottom, which adds the Samsung Note utility to it and lets you make the most of that large-screen real estate. The S-Pen experience is as smooth as it has been in the last two generations. Samsung impresses with the display, again <div type="image" title="The smartphones feature 2X AMOLED Infinity-O display" msid="97533048" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The smartphones feature 2X AMOLED Infinity-O display&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>After the design, the only thing that you can make opinions on in a brief time is the display. I have always loved Samsung's display tech on its flagship phones; unsurprisingly, it's the same on this one. They feature the same AMOLED 120Hz panel with 1750 Nits of brightness across. In addition, the Ultra has a QHD+, and the other two have an FHD+ resolution. The Galaxy S23 Ultra's display stretches at most parts of the front and has thin bezels. I do not have the exact measure of the bezels, but you can take a look at the pictures to get an idea of how immersive it is. It's crisp, very responsive, and ample bright. We had no complaints about the S22 Ultra's display; this is even better. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra gets a major camera boost <div type="image" title="The S23 Ultra has received a significant upgrade in the camera department" msid="97533035" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The S23 Ultra has received a significant upgrade in the camera department&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Of the three variants, the S23 Ultra receives a significant bump in the camera department. Although I did not get to test the cameras in detail, we were allowed to use them for an hour inside a closed hall. So details on camera will follow up in our full review. The S23 Ulra now has a 200MP ISOCELL HP2 sensor for the primary camera. That explains that it can capture a huge amount of data and allow long-range hybrid zoom capability (optical + digital). In addition, Samsung emphasizes a new Super Quad Pixel tech that is said to make the autofocus speed 1.5X faster. While I couldn't test it next to the S22 Ultra, it did seem quite snappy during my hands-on experience. The major overhaul comes to the front camera. It now has HDR, dual-pixel autofocus, selfie videos FHD at 60fps, 16-bit RAW selfies, and 2X wider OIS for better stability and noise reduction. There are also some new modes - Astrophotography, Astro-Hyperlapse, and Multi-Exposure. You can now click photos of the stars and galaxies, but again, we couldn't get a chance to use this for now. Strangely, the astrophotography mode wasn't available in the camera app during my experience. The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus cameras <div type="image" title="The S23 &amp;amp; S23 Plus features a similar camera set-up" msid="97533094" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The S23 &amp;amp;amp; S23 Plus features a similar camera set-up&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The primary camera on non-Ultra phones is 50MP with OIS. The ultrawide camera on all three variants is a 12MP sensor with an f2.2 aperture. The third lens is a 10MP telephoto with OIS and f2.4 aperture in non-Ultra phones, and Ultra has that too, but not just one but two with the second one with f4.9 aperture. Battery and performance get a boost <div type="image" title="The smartphones are powered by a customised Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SOC" msid="97533112" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The smartphones are powered by a customised Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SOC&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The S23 series features a custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. You get 8GB RAM options on the non-Ultra models and 8GB and 12GB RAM on the Ultra. The Ultra is said to do real-time ray tracing for mobile games and has a 2.7x larger vapor chamber. It is expected to perform better at gaming, but that's something we'll find out when we get the phone for a long-term review. Battery capacity varies as per the size - S23 has a 3900mAh, S23 Plus has 4700mAh, and the Ultra has a 5000mAh battery. Initial impressions As mentioned, there are few cosmetic changes in the S23 series, meaning nothing is fascinating about the design. However, I like the look and materials used, and if you liked last year's models, you'd like these as well. Looking at what Samsung told us, there is a serious upgrade in the camera department, especially in the S23 Ultra. And it dwarfs the other two models when you keep them side by side. A fair assessment is when the S23 and S23 Plus are used and tested away from Ultra's shadow. All three phones have impressive display panels and all the basic features like IP68 certification, snappy fingerprint reader, wireless charging, and more. The key areas where I want these to excel are performance, battery efficiency, and multitasking. With the custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, these changes are expected to arrive, but it's too early to pass a verdict. Stay tuned for our detailed review to find more answers.

First Impressions: Samsung Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra bet big on photography and gaming

<ul><li>Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has an aluminum frame and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on front and back.</li><li>Popular Youtube channel Phonebuff performed four rounds of drop tests on the S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max.</li><li>Although by a small margin, the Galaxy S23 Ultra won the drop tests to beat the top-end iPhone.</li></ul> In the battle of flagships, design, camera, charging speeds, and ecosystems usually grab the most attention. But another important factor which should get more prominence is built quality and durability. Samsung and Apple, the two behemoths in the smartphone game, always outdo themselves with their latest devices in terms of the material they use. While the S23 Ultra is Samsung’s flagship device, Apple has the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Both premium devices offer top of the line features and are generally compared around the aforementioned features. Until now, PhoneBuff, a popular Youtube channel, recently conducted a four round drop test pitting the flagships against each other. The results? Well a bit surprising for purists and general customers. <div type="Youtube" id="WGbrRoykAKg" title="Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max Drop Test!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WGbrRoykAKg/mqdefault.jpg"><url><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGbrRoykAKg&t=3s]]></url></div> Galaxy S23 Ultra &amp; iPhone 14 Pro build quality and specs Galaxy S23 Ultra features a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. The device is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back. It also comes with an IP68 rating dust and water-resistant rating. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max features a 6.7-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display. It is protected with a ceramic shield up front, while a dual ion exchange glass protects the back. The 14 Pro Max also comes with an IP68 dust and water resistant rating. Round 1 - Dropped flat on their backs It started with a simple drop test where both the devices were dropped flat on their backs. The Galaxy S23 Ultra registered two minor cracks on its corners. On the other hand, the 14 Pro Max's rear glass was completely shattered, and a dent appeared on its camera lens. Round 2 - Dropped on the concrete floor The second round saw both devices being dropped on the concrete floor. Here, the iPhone 14 Pro Max registered minor scratches on its curved metal frame. The Galaxy S23 Ultra received more damage on its aluminum corners. Round 3 - Dropped face-first on a concrete floor Both devices were dropped face-first on the concrete floor in the third round. The screen on both devices was completely shattered. However, the iPhone's face ID and S23 Ultra’s fingerprint scanner were still working. Round 4 (bonus round) - Dropping the devices face first on a metal surface In the 4th or bonus round, both devices were dropped face-first on a metal surface. On the front, both the devices looked similar to their condition after the third round. But, the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s back had suffered major damage. A part of its protective glass was missing, and its front and the rear camera started showing light flare. Conclusion After the drop tests, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra scored 38 points which were higher than the 36 scored by the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Both devices are well built and are more than capable of surviving minor bumps. However, given their price tag, we recommend putting on a protective case. See more - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/without-hbo-and-ipl-15-million-subscribers-could-flee-disney-hotstar-in-2023/articleshow/98517377.cms"></a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/without-hbo-and-ipl-15-million-subscribers-could-flee-disney-hotstar-in-2023/articleshow/98517377.cms">Without HBO and IPL, 15 million subscribers could flee Disney+ Hotstar in 2023</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/iit-kanpur-helps-this-organic-laddoo-business-grow-with-blockchain-technology/articleshow/98517428.cms">IIT Kanpur helps this organic laddoo business grow with blockchain technology</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-to-launch-galaxy-a34-a54-5g-smartphones-in-india-next-week/articleshow/98517232.cms">Samsung to launch Galaxy A34, A54 5G smartphones in India next week</a>

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Review - Flagship performance, compact size

Dhruv Mohan

First Impressions: Samsung Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra bet big on photography and gaming

Sudhanshu Singh

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra turns out to be more durable than the iPhone 14 Pro Max in a YouTube drop test video

Dhruv Mohan