Samsung has three new flagship smartphones to mark 2023—the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra. They’re obtainable for preorder proper now and formally go on sale beginning February 17. But must you improve? If you want a brand new telephone, which Galaxy S23 mannequin is finest for you? We break down what’s totally different between every mannequin, what’s new, and which one is best for you. We’ve additionally featured just a few of the most effective Galaxy S23 promotions from Samsung and cell carriers so you will get essentially the most out of your buy.
Be positive to try our Best Android Phones and Best Cheap Phones guides for extra suggestions. If you are snagging final yr’s Galaxy S22 as a substitute for affordable, properly, we’ve got accessory recommendations as well.
Special supply for Gear readers: Get a 1-Year Subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This consists of limitless entry to WIRED.com and our print journal (if you would like). Subscriptions assist fund the work we do every single day.
The New Tech in All 3 Phones
The Galaxy S23 sequence have an analogous design philosophy all through all three units, although the Ultra stands out for its squared edges. They all have the identical brilliant AMOLED screens, characteristic 120-Hz screen refresh rates, and have the fundamentals like wi-fi charging, strong 5G and Wi-Fi 6E help, in-display fingerprint sensors, and IP68 water resistance. They’re product of aluminum, and the glass defending the display screen and the rear is Corning’s newest Gorilla Glass Victus 2. You can get all of them in Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender, and you will find Lime, Graphite, Sky Blue, and Red coloration choices in the event you purchase them immediately at Samsung.com.
These telephones are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip with 8 GB of RAM—not simply within the US, however globally. The “for Galaxy” moniker signifies that the chips have a barely increased clock pace than the bottom Snapdragon chips, so they are a bit quicker, and there are further optimizations to make them extra environment friendly. The lineup additionally contains a redesigned cooling chamber that is two occasions bigger, which ought to maintain the telephone cooler when gaming for prolonged classes. Camera-wise, all three fashions share the identical 12-megapixel ultrawide, an analogous 3X optical telephoto digital camera, and a brand new 12-megapixel selfie cam.
All three S23 telephones will obtain 5 years of safety updates and 4 Android OS upgrades (they launch with Android 13), which is the most effective software program coverage you may discover with Android telephones. That’s nearly the place the similarities finish. Here’s how they’re all totally different.
The Galaxy S23 is the smallest of the lineup with its 6.1-inch display screen, so in the event you’re after a telephone you’ll be able to comfortably use in a single hand, this one’s the way in which to go. It’s additionally the most affordable, although under no circumstances is it “cheap.” It’s the one S23 mannequin that begins with 128 GB of inner storage—the opposite two now begin at 256 GB—however Samsung has upped the battery capability by 200 mAh over the Galaxy S22 to 3,900 mAh. This telephone is the one one within the group that is restricted to 25-watt charging speeds, so it isn’t as quick at recharging while you plug it in. (Remember, there isn’t any extra charging adapter within the field, so you may have to provide one your self.) The large change is the first digital camera, which makes use of a brand new 50-megapixel sensor for improved dynamic coloration vary.
The S23+ is the awkward center little one that is not as feature-filled because the Ultra, however not as distinctive from the usual S23 to warrant a $200 bump in value. Still, this telephone is bigger at 6.6 inches and has a much bigger 4,700-mAh battery capability than its predecessor. The inner storage begins at 256 GB, which is vital since Samsung stopped together with microSD card slots in its high-end telephones in 2021. Since the S23+ has the identical precise digital camera setup because the S23, the one fundamental distinction is charging pace—it helps 45-watt charging (charger not included) so it’s going to juice up somewhat quicker than the S23. In our prior expertise, the charging pace is not drastically totally different, so this actually should not issue into your resolution. Get it if you’d like extra battery or a barely greater display screen.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the crème de la crème of Samsung’s lineup. It retains the identical nice 10X optical zoom digital camera as its predecessor that allows you to take sharp photographs of topics distant. It additionally has a 3X optical zoom, and who does not love choices? If you are an S Pen fan, that is the one Samsung telephone with a built-in stylus that is accessible from the underside fringe of the machine. It’s the biggest telephone of the trio at 6.8 inches (and the heaviest), and whereas it has an adaptive refresh rate like the other two, it may shift between 1 and 120 Hz when wanted, that means it is somewhat extra battery environment friendly. It has a 5,000-mAh battery, and Samsung says it’s going to final 20 p.c longer than final yr’s S22 Ultra regardless of having the identical capability.
