Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra specs
Starting: $1,199
OS: Android 13
Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform for Galaxy chipset with Adreno 740 graphics
RAM: 8GB, 12GB
Rear cameras: 200MP main (ƒ/1.5); 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.4)
Selfie camera: 12 MP (f/1.9)
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Size: 6.4 x 3.1 x 0.4 inches
Weight: 8.3 ounces
It’s that time of the year again. In the lead up to Mobile World Congress, Samsung is kicking off the year in grand fashion unveiling the Galaxy S23. And the company’s pulling out all the stops with the uber premium Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Sporting Qualcomm’s latest processor, a vivid captivating display, a 200MP camera (!?), and of course S Pen support, the Ultra seems to be the epitome of a flagship device. We just wish there were a few more generational leaps instead of incremental hops. I recently got a quick hands on with the S23 Ultra, and my excitement is at a fever pitch. Read on to see why.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra pricing and configurations
You want super flagship features, you’re going to pay super flagship prices. The base model of the S23 costs $1,199 which gets you a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform for Galaxy chipset with Adreno 740 graphics, 8GB of RAM with 256GB of onboard storage. The mid-tier configuration bumps you up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Finally, there’s the 1TB version which retains the 12GB of RAM.
If you take a lot of photos and video, read a bunch of books or have a rather large collection of mobile games, you’ll want to lean towards a model with a higher amount of storage.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra design
After a decade reviewing smartphones, my love of a massive device is no secret and the Ultra doesn’t disappoint. The S23 Ultra weighs 8.3 ounces and measures 6.4 x 3.1 x 0.4 inches. That’s identical to last year’s S22 Ultra’s dimensions and larger and heavier than the iPhone 14 Pro Max (7.3 ounces, 14 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches) — made from recycled aluminum, glass and plastic, the Ultra feels both substantial and premium.
The Ultra is available in Phantom Black, Cream, Green and Lavender. And if you purchase directly from Samsung, there’s a chance for a few site exclusive colors. While the phone looks great in Black and Cream, my eyes were drawn to the Green and Lavender iterations of the phone. It’s my personal preference, but in a world of black, gray and white devices, I prefer to go for a pop of color.
The sides of the phone are metallic with buttons for power and volume along the right, and the rear panel is made of durable Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Just like the S22 Ultra, the S23 has a series of five cameras jutting out the top left corner. At the bottom is the USB-C charging port and the S Pen silo.
Turning our attention to the front, you see a glossy 6.8-inch QHD+ panel made of more of that Gorilla Glass. A pinhole camera sits top center, a welcome departure from the iPhone’s notch. The right side of the display curves into a waterfall edge which is a polarizing decision, but I dig it.
Something else I dig is the durability. The S23 Ultra has an IP68X rating which means it can withstand being submerged in up to 4.9 feet (1.5 meters) of water and 30 minutes of protection from dirt, dust and sand. That’s great news, especially if you’re shelling out over $1,000.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra display
If Samsung does nothing else correctly, the company knows how to make an absolutely stunning display. In the case of the S23 Ultra, the smartphone has a 6.8-inch, Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. Although my demo was relatively short, that display and its extreme vividness and sharpness really stuck with me. I definitely want to see it next to the 14 Pro Max. The smartphone has a variable refresh rate that can ramp up to 120Hz.
That means when you’re playing an exceedingly taxing game, the refresh rate will increase. Paired with the 240Hz touch sampling rate, it eliminates lag and makes sure you get that kill shot. But when you’re reading or navigating homescreens, the display adjusts accordingly to ensure you’re always getting a seamless viewing experience.
Anticipating the amount of screen time you’re going to put in, Samsung has added a few measures to prevent eye strain and increase comfort depending on the lighting environment. There’s the proprietary Enhanced comfort feature that adjusts color tones and contrast levels, along with Vision booster that offers three levels of lighting in order to combat brightness and glare in daylight.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra performance
Due to the short timeframe of my demo, I can’t really speak too much to the S23 Ultra’s performance. Plus, the demo unit wasn’t available for benchmarking. What I can tell you, is that just like the S23 and S23 plus, the Ultra will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform for Galaxy chipset with Adreno 740 graphics.
We’re expecting significant gains over last generation’s chipset. However, what remains to be seen is how well this iteration of the chipset will hold up to the iPhone with its A15 Bionic chip. To date, the chip has kept the iPhone Pro Max 14 on the top of the heap. But it’s possible that Samsung might pull an upset and claim the throne. We’ll have to wait until we get the Ultra in for benchmarking.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra cameras
The S23 Ultra’s cameras are the smartphone’s claim to fame and there are 200 reasons for all the hub-bub. The S23 Ultra is the first Galaxy phone to feature a 200-megapixel sensor. The Adaptive Pixel sensor is designed to capture crystal clear photos no matter the lighting environment. However, Samsung is really playing up night photography, with a new AI-powered image signal processing (ISP) algorithm that enhances both details and color tone.
Still not impressed? Samsung’s also claiming that the Ultra will have the ability to do astrophotography, something that I’m chomping at the bit to try out. The phone will also feature the Expert RAW app — a Samsung exclusive that allows photographers to capture DSLR-style images that can be edited in RAW and JPEG. In terms of video, your camera can capture 8K video at 30 frames per second.
But the 200MP sensor isn’t the only one back there. You also have a 12MP ultrawide with f/2.2 aperture and a 10MP telephoto with f/2.4 aperture. In case you were wondering about the front-facing camera is a 12MP sensor. It’s also the first Super HDR selfie cam in the Galaxy line. Not only will you get beautifully colorful images, but with the sensor’s ability to jump from 30fps to 60fps and the fast autofocus, the images should be extra crisp.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra battery life
The S23 Ultra comes with a 5,000mAH battery, the same as its predecessor. Speaking of the S22 Ultra, the smartphone lasted 10 hours and 15 minutes on our battery test at 60Hz and 9:50 in adaptive mode. We’re hoping Samsung and Qualcomm have a trick or two up their sleeves as the iPhone Pro Max 14 lasted 10:42 with its 4,323mAH battery.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra software
Samsung flashed the Galaxy S23 Ultra with the latest version of its One UI software. It’s fast and responsive and chock full of Samsung features. Security-wise, Samsung Knox is there to keep your sensitive info under lock and key. Speaking of security, Samsung is promising five years of security updates and four generations of Android updates.
But the bigger news is that Samsung has made a concerted effort to make this latest generation of phones play nice with its new line of laptops. Similar to the Apple ecosystem, Samsung is employing deeper levels of connectivity including second screen capabilities and Multi Control, which lets you use the S23 line as a mouse or second keyboard with a Samsung PC or tablet. There’s also the ability to copy and paste between devices. And thanks to the S Pen, video conferencing can be even more collaborative. In a Google Meet call, you can now co-edit docs instead of looking at a static shared screen.
Bottom line
Incremental and generational progress. That’s what the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra brings to the table. On one hand, the $1,199 flagship doesn’t divert too far from its predecessor’s design. The phones even share the same dimensions and battery size. That doesn’t mean that Samsung has made a few leaps and bounds.
First, there’s the 200MP camera that Samsung is hyping up for its night photography capabilities. Then, you have the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform that I’m hoping will give Samsung an honest run at the iPhone’s powerful mobile chip. And finally, there’s Samsung’s focus on connectivity which is building an ecosystem similar to Apple.
It all sounds good on paper or even in a short demo, but until we get the Galaxy S23 Ultra in the lab for testing, I’ll be a hopeful optimist.
