To assist you in determining which model is the most suitable for your needs, we have compared the Samsung Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra.
On February 1st, Samsung unveiled its latest flagship smartphone lineup for 2023, the Galaxy S23 series, at the Galaxy Unpacked event. The lineup comprises three devices - the Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra, succeeding the 2022 Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra.
If you're looking for a new Samsung device, it can be difficult to decide which of the Samsung Galaxy S23 devices is the best choice for you. To help you make an informed decision, we have compared their specifications and highlighted the differences between them.
Price
Let's begin by discussing the pricing of the Samsung Galaxy S23 devices, as this factor may influence your decision based on your budget.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is the most affordable, with a starting price of $1,167 for the 128GB model. The Galaxy S23+ is the next step up in terms of pricing, starting at $1,435 for the 256GB model.
As expected, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the most expensive of the three, with a starting price of $1,688 for the 256GB model, which comes with 8GB of RAM.
Design
- Galaxy S23: 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6mm, 168g, IP68
- Galaxy S23+: 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6mm, 196g, IP68
- Galaxy S23 Ultra: 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9mm, 234g, IP68
The Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ have the same design except for their physical dimensions, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a slightly different appearance, similar to the Galaxy S22 series. The three devices have separate camera lenses at the back, similar to the S22 Ultra, with the S23 and S23+ also discarding the camera housing this year.
The S23 and S23+ have three lenses, while the S23 Ultra has additional sensors to the right of the three main lenses. Additionally, the S23 Ultra has a squarer frame and edges compared to the S23 and S23+ which have a rounder and softer appearance. Like the S22 Ultra, the S23 Ultra also features a built-in S Pen.
All three Galaxy S23 devices have an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance and a centralized punch-hole camera at the top of their displays. They come in four colors - Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender - with no differentiation in colors between the models. There are also special edition colors available for pre-order.
Display
- Galaxy S23: 6.1-inch, Full HD+, 48-120Hz
- Galaxy S23+: 6.6-inch, Full HD+, 48-120Hz
- Galaxy S23 Ultra: 6.8-inch, Quad HD+, 1-120Hz
The Samsung Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra differ in screen size, with the S23 having a 6.1-inch display, the S23+ having a slightly larger 6.6-inch display, and the S23 Ultra offering the largest 6.8-inch display. While the S23 and S23+ have Full HD+ resolutions, resulting in pixel densities of 425ppi and 398ppi, respectively, the S23 Ultra has a Quad HD+ resolution like its predecessor, resulting in a pixel density of 500ppi. Consequently, the S23 Ultra boasts the sharpest display among the three models. In addition, the S23 Ultra is equipped with a curved display and S Pen support, while the S23 and S23+ have flat displays and are not compatible with the S Pen. All three devices support HDR10+ and feature Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, and they all have a variable refresh rate, with the S23 and S23+ having an adaptable refresh rate between 48Hz and 120Hz (unconfirmed by Samsung), and the S23 Ultra having a range of 1Hz to 120Hz.
Hardware and specs
- Galaxy S23: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 8GB RAM, 256/512GB storage, 3900mAh
- Galaxy S23+: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 8GB RAM, 256/512GB storage, 4700mAh
- Galaxy S23 Ultra: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 8/12GB RAM, 256/512GB/1TB storage, 5000mAh
The three flagship devices in the Samsung Galaxy S23 series are powered by a custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which is slightly faster than the standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform. The S23 and S23+ come with 8GB of RAM and storage options of 128GB to 512GB, while the S23 Ultra has a choice of 8GB or 12GB of RAM and storage options ranging from 256GB to 1TB. It's important to note that none of the S23 models support microSD for storage expansion.
In addition to Dolby Atmos support, all three devices offer Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and an under-display fingerprint sensor. Only the S23+ and S23 Ultra support Ultra Wide Band, and all devices are eSIM compatible.
The S23 Ultra has a 5000mAh battery, while the S23+ has a 4700mAh capacity, both capable of 45W fast charging (exact charging speeds not yet disclosed). The S23 has a smaller 3900mAh battery with slower fast charging up to 25W, but this is understandable considering it has the smallest screen.
Cameras
- Galaxy S23: 50MP main, 12MP ultra wide, 10MP telephoto, 12MP selfie
- Galaxy S23+: 50MP main, 12MP ultra wide, 10MP telephoto, 12MP selfie
- Galaxy S23 Ultra: 200MP main, 12MP ultra wide, 2x10MP telephoto, 12MP selfie
The camera capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remain unmatched among the S23 series. Its 200-megapixel main camera with f/1.7 aperture and 85-degree field of view, 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor with f/2.2 aperture and 120-degree field of view, and two 10-megapixel telephoto lenses with f/2.4 and f/4.9 apertures, offer 3x and 10x optical zoom and 100x Space Zoom.
On the other hand, the S23 and S23+ come with a triple rear camera, which includes a 50-megapixel main sensor with f/1.8 aperture and 85-degree field of view, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor with f/2.2 aperture and 12-degree field of view, and a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 3x optical zoom capabilities.
All three devices share many of the same camera features, such as portrait and video portrait modes, and the ability to record 8K videos at 30fps. There's also a new AstroHyperlapse mode to capture moving stars and the ExpertRAW app can now produce 50-megapixel RAW files instead of just 12-megapixel files, as with the previous Galaxy S22 series.
For selfies, all three devices are equipped with a 12-megapixel front-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture and an 80-degree field of view, which is an improvement over the Galaxy S22 models.
