Brilliance on a Galactic Scale: A Samsung Galaxy S23 Review

After more than a month of using the Samsung Galaxy S23 as our daily driver, we can confidently say that it has exceeded our expectations and is easily one of the most impressive smartphones on the market today. It’s a true masterpiece of design and functionality, fusing together top-of-the-line components with advanced features and premium materials to create a truly one-of-a-kind smartphone experience.

The Design

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 can be thought of as the perfect balance between its sibling – the larger, (and sometimes more cumbersome) S23+ and the higher-end, (but much more expensive) S23 Ultra. It’s positioned precisely in the Goldilocks zone, offering customers the best of both worlds – a comfortable size and price point without compromising on premium features or performance.

Measuring in at just 5.8 by 2.8 inches, it’s only slightly larger than a closed Galaxy Z Flip 4, which our team also recently reviewed. But don’t let the small size fool you because the S23 still packs the same exceptional engineering and exquisite aesthetics as its larger siblings. In fact, it’s only the size that separates it from the S23+, while the S23 Ultra has a slightly tweaked design to accommodate the S Pen.

At the end of the day, the S23 and S23+ are essentially two peas in a pod.

All three devices in the S23 lineup ship with the latest Gorilla Glass Victus 2 technology for their front and back panels, providing unmatched protection against scratches and cracks. And as if that weren’t enough, Samsung has also incorporated their proprietary Armor Aluminum material into the chassis, ensuring that these phones can withstand even the most rugged conditions. As a matter of fact, with an IP68 rating, these devices can withstand being immersed in 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes without missing a beat.

The Display

Samsung devices are known for their impressive screens, and the S23 is no exception. Equipped with a 6.1 inch AMOLED display, it offers a stunning viewing experience. Meanwhile, the S23+ takes things up a notch with a 6.6 inch screen. It’s also worth noting that both models boast a resolution of 2340 by 1080 FHD+. The more astute readers will have likely already figured out that this means the S23 has a slightly higher pixel density of 425 pixels per inch in contrast to the S23+, which comes in at 393 pixels per inch.

Moreover, this screen is sure to deliver crystal-clear and vibrant visuals, no matter the lighting conditions given that it possesses a normal brightness of 1,200 nits and a peak outdoor brightness of 1,750 nits. It’s truly best in class beating the iPhone 14’s 800 normal nits and 1,200 peak nits as well as the Pixel 7’s 1000 normal and 1400 peak.

As is common with most premium smartphones these days, the Samsung S23 flaunts a fluid and responsive refresh rate, ranging from a buttery smooth 120Hz for seamless, immersive gaming, to a power-saving 1Hz mode for those times when you’re not putting your device through its paces. It’s a small touch that makes a big difference to the overall user experience.

Nestled behind the screen, you’ll find a 12MP front-facing camera for facial recognition and a fingerprint reader. While these biometric access features are intended to provide top-notch security, Samsung admits that their facial recognition system isn’t as secure as the fingerprint reader, and unfortunately during our testing, the fingerprint reader doesn’t function reliably if you’re using a screen protector.

Performance, Specs, Battery

The powerhouse behind Samsung’s Galaxy S23 is none other than a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 system on a chip, designed exclusively for the Galaxy series. The chip contains an ultra-powerful, bleeding-edge octa-core Kryo CPU, which includes an Arm Cortex-X3 core clocking in at a staggering 3.36GHz, four performance cores reaching up to 2.8GHz, and three efficiency cores running at 2.0GHz.

In our rigorous testing, the Samsung Galaxy S23 performed remarkably well on the PCMark Work 3.0 benchmark, earning an impressive score just shy of 14,700. This puts the S23 among the upper echelon of smartphones that we’ve put through their paces, demonstrating Samsung’s continued commitment to delivering top-tier performance in their flagship devices.

The Adreno 740 GPU didn’t disappoint either during our graphics tests, as we put it through both scientific and not-so-scientific trials. On GFXBench, the S23 consistently clocked in at an impressive 59fps. But it wasn’t just benchmark numbers that caught our attention as we also put the device in real-world high-stress situations by loading up some of the most demanding mobile games on the market, such as Life is Strange, Call of Duty: Mobile, Asphalt 9, and Cover Fire, all set to their highest graphics settings. The S23 breezed through each game, delivering polished, velvety performance and consistent frame rates without any noticeable hiccups.

As for storage, the Samsung Galaxy S23 comes with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB options, providing ample space for all your files, photos/videos, apps, and games. The S23+ skips the 128GB variant and only offers the option to choose between 256GB and 512GB. Both the S23 and S23+ come standard with 8GB RAM max, although the S23 Ultra has options for 12GB or a whopping 18GB variant.

Samsung has managed to cram a 3,900mAh Li-ion battery into this handset, which is actually 200mAh bigger than the battery found in the S22. As the adage goes, bigger is often better when it comes to batteries and our power consumption tests confirm that the S23 does offer a longer battery life than the S22.

In our tests, we pushed it to the limits by binge-streaming all 10 episodes of “Greatest Events of WWII in Colour” on Netflix until the device shut down. To our surprise, the S23 outperformed its predecessor by a significant margin, clocking over 13 hours of continuous playback on the two separate occasions we ran the test. During a similar battery trial with last year’s S22, it failed to surpass the 9-hour mark.

One slight drawback concerning the S23’s battery, however, is that it still uses 25W charging which isn’t nearly as fast as the 45W they use for the S23+ and S23 Ultra.

In terms of connectivity, thanks to its top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 modem, the S23 features all the modern wireless standards, whether you’re in a 5G-covered area, relying on 4G, or accessing Wi-Fi6 / 6E, this device is ready.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Spec Sheet

CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
Operating System: Android 13 with One UI 5.1
GPU: Qualcomm Adreno 740
Memory: 8GB RAM max
Display: (S23) 6.1” AMOLED 2340 by 1080; (S23+) 6.6″ AMOLED 2340 by 1080
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Camera Setup: 50MP main sensor; 10MP 3x telephoto; 12MP ultra-wide; 12MP front-facing camera

Modem: Qualcomm Snapdragon X70
Networking: 5G, LTE, WiFi6 and 6E
Battery capacity: (S23) 3,900 mAh (S23+) 4,700 mAh
Dimensions: (S23 in inches) 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3; (S23+ in inches) 6.2 by 3.0 by 0.3;

Weight: (S23) 6oz ; (S23+) 7oz

Cameras

The camera system on the Galaxy S23 is practically identical to that of its predecessor, the S22. It features the same triple-stack array sporting a 50MP main sensor with optical image stabilization, a 10MP 3x optical telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. However, where the S23 truly shines is in its camera software updates, which some have dubbed “magical.”

All in all the camera setup on the Galaxy S23 is truly a marvel of engineering. Whether you’re an amateur photographer or a professional, the quality of the images captured on this device is sure to blow you away. The 50MP main sensor produces stunningly clear photos/videos, capturing every fine detail and texture. The 10MP telephoto camera is perfect for capturing distant subjects with incredible accuracy, while the 12MP ultra-wide is ideal for landscape and architectural shots.

What’s most impressive about the S23’s camera is its ability to perform in any lighting condition. Whether it’s bright and sunny outside or you’re in a dimly lit room, the camera delivers consistently stunning results. Nighttime performance, in particular, is truly remarkable, with the camera producing vibrant, clear images even in the darkest environments.

The high contrast and dynamic range on all three cameras are fantastic, too (although we feel that some colors are a bit oversaturated at times).

Even though Samsung has made tremendous strides in mobile photography, there are still some who find fault with their post-processing algorithms. Sometimes images may appear “too perfect” almost fake, lacking the subtle nuances of real-life scenes. But given the company’s reputation for photo trickery, this is not unexpected. They were recently called out online for using AI software to enhance images of the moon behind the scenes.

But this is only a minor issue and doesn’t detract too much from the overall greatness of the S23’s camera quality. Indeed, everything that makes the photography great on the S23 series also translates to video. You can record stellar content in 8K at 30fps, 4K at up to 60fps, 1080p at up to 240fps, or 720p at up to a mindblowing 960fps!

Price & Availability

With the S23 family currently available through all major retailers in the US as well as through the official Samsung website, now is a perfect time to upgrade!

Whether you choose the S23, S23+, or S23 Ultra, you’ll own a statement piece that will turn heads and capture attention. Your device can be configured with different storage options based on your needs and colorways including Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender, as well as Samsung.com exclusives Red, Lime, Graphite, and Sky Blue.

Retail prices currently start at $799 for the S23 and $999 for the S23+.But for anyone who wants the ultimate in power and performance, the S23 Ultra can be purchased for $1199.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t miss out on the phone of the year. Use our links to find the best deal on your Samsung Galaxy S23 and experience the power and beauty for yourself.

The final Verdict

All told, the Samsung Galaxy S23 (AFF LINK) is the epitome of excellence; a true flagship device that effortlessly surpasses the competition by seamlessly blending cutting-edge technology, premium design, and unmatched performance.

After using the phone every day for over a month, it’s clear that this is a top-tier smartphone experience that is sure to impress, whether you’re a casual owner or a power user. Considering its powerful processor, best-in-class display, exceptional battery life, and award-winning camera array, the S23 is a force to be reckoned with for sure.

For those who already own the S22, the S23 may not bring enough game-changing features to truly make it worth the upgrade. However, for anyone else in the market for a new smartphone – the S23 is a must-buy!

So go ahead and make your next move with confidence, knowing that the Samsung Galaxy S23 will exceed your expectations and elevate your mobile experience to new heights. Use our exclusive likes to find the best deals anywhere.