Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Review

Your first look at Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is going to lead to confusion because it looks very similar to Galaxy S22 Ultra from last year. But, even though it does look and feel like its predecessor, there is no denying that Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of the best phones to have been made. Anyone looking for a device that has every conceivable smartphone feature cannot go wrong with this one.The phone starts at $1,999, but it gets more expensive, depending on storage.

Design and build

As mentioned above, the Galaxy S23 Ultra looks a lot like its predecessor, which means it weighs 234g and has glass on both sides. The edges have aluminum rails and corners are squared off for a rectangular screen. This kind of shape gives it a computer-ish and serious look. Just like the screen, the back of the phone is covered with Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which is the strongest phone glass.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra gives you a premium feel. It only has the power and volume rocker buttons on the right edge. There is a speaker grille, mic, dual SIM tray and USB-C port on the bottom edge, along with an S Pen, which is on the far left side. The phone also boasts excellent haptics, not just for alarms and calls, but also for within the system.

Screen and speakers

The best thing about the S23 Ultra is the display, as it is downright stunning. The 6.8inch AMOLED boasts a 3088 x 1440 WQHD+ resolution. As it has LTPO tech, the refresh rate can vary between 1Hz and 120Hz, depending on what you are doing with the phone. It also has dual studio speakers, which are some of the best ones you will find on a phone.

Specs and performance

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen, but it is a custom version that has been specifically tuned for the device. It reaches a higher clock speed than any other phone and delivers flawless operation when combined with the 12GB of RAM.

Camera and video

The main camera lens on the S23 Ultra is 200Mp f/1.7, but the jump in quality is only evident if you are shooting in full 200Mp mode. It does not use this by default because of pixel binning. Other than this lens, you will also find a 10Mp f/4.9 10x optical zoom, 10Mp f/2.4 2x optical telephoto and a 12Mp f/2.2 ultrawidelens.

The software portrait mode is also quite appealing. There is also a 12Mp f/2.2 selfie camera, which is downgrade from the 40Mp on the S22 Ultra. However, Samsung appears to have gotten clever with processing because the shots have better color and more details. Video is also impressive, as the rear camera offers about 8K at 30fps and the front offers UHD at 60fps.

Battery

Since it is a big phone, the S23 Ultra can easily fit a 5,000mAh cell and it can last all day without any issues. It may charge slower than other devices, but you can use the phone extensively and still have the battery last.