Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ brings a new design, big battery, starts at $799
The Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ have been unveiled alongside the Ultra version as well but there are no very big changes, nevertheless, there are some tweaks to the hardware and software too. One peculiarity of this generation of Samsung’s S-series is the fact that the series will be getting one chipset – the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset – globally unlike the Galaxy S22 series.
Features integrated with the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+
First off, the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ will be available in a few storage variants and as mentioned earlier, will be getting the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset (the biggest upgrade from its predecessor). The cameras have also been updated. It isn’t as significant an update as the Ultra, but there are some significant modifications behind the hood. The Camera RAW app, for example, can now shoot in 50MP quality (up from 12MP on the S22 series), taking full advantage of the primary camera.
That camera still has a 50MP sensor and can capture 8K video at 30fps owing to the upgraded chipset (up from 24fps last year). The 12MP super wide camera (120° FoV) and 3x 10MP telephoto camera are basically unchanged. One improvement is the addition of a 12MP selfie camera to all three versions. It now supports Super HDR at 60 frames per second while capturing video.
The screens, like the cameras, have been improved, but they still adhere to the same basic formula as last year. This translates to flat Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with FHD+ resolution and a refresh rate of 48-120Hz (240Hz touch sampling rate in Game Mode).
The smaller Galaxy S23 features a 6.1″ screen, while the larger Galaxy S23+ has a 6.6″ screen. Both feature centred punch holes for the selfie camera and a fingerprint reader hidden beneath.
This year’s new features include Vision Booster, which changes the colours and contrast to fit the ambient lighting conditions, and Enhanced Comfort, which does the same thing in the evening to alleviate eye strain.
The batteries in the Galaxy S23 and S23+ are 200mAh bigger than their predecessors, totalling 3,900mAh and 4,700mAh, respectively. Wired charging for the S23 is rated at 25W (30 minutes to 50%) and 45W (30 minutes to 65%) for the S23+. Of course, wireless charging and power sharing are still supported.
The new chipset enhances connection. This incorporates the latest 6GHz Wi-Fi 6E as well as Bluetooth 5.3 capability (up from the original Wi-Fi 6 and BT 5.2). The Galaxy S23 and S23+ have inherited the Ultra’s style for this iteration, deleting the Contour Cut camera housing and leaving only the three camera lenses. IP68 is the dust and water resistance certification (1.5m of water for 30 minutes like last year).
The phones are the first to use the new Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which is stronger and made from recyclable materials. Some of the plastics are also recycled, as is all of the paper used in the packaging. All four versions will be offered in four colours: cream, green, lavender, and Phantom black.
Samsung is currently taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S22 and S23+, and sales will begin in a few weeks. We will have more thorough pricing available soon, but for now, here are the beginning prices: S23 (8/128GB) costs $800/€950/₹80,000, while S23+ (8/256GB) costs $1,000/€1,210.
