If camera quality is paramount to you and you're looking for the best photography and videography capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the superior option, with significantly higher camera quality, the ability to shoot in RAW, and HDR video support. It also offers a high-quality OLED display with a higher resolution, brightness, and a glass back. However, this comes with a premium price tag. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A23 is more budget-friendly, offers a decent camera system for everyday use, a respectable battery life, and retains the headphone jack, which is missing on the S23 Ultra. If you're looking to save money and are satisfied with good but not top-of-the-line features, the Galaxy A23 is a practical choice. Both phones run on Android, have 5G capabilities and offer expandable storage. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy A23
The Samsung Galaxy A23 has no clear advantages over the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Best in class for taking photos
Very good for recording videos
Best in class battery life
Best in class display quality
Excellent performance
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
4.7/10
9.2/10
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has excellent overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy A23 has poor overall camera quality.
The Samsung Galaxy A23's camera setup offers a poor photo and video experience across crucial aspects such as resolution, software, dynamic range, low light performance, versatility, and selfie quality, which are all highly important for overall camera performance. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra excels in these elements, boasting very good photo and video capabilities, including exceptional selfie quality, and the versatility afforded by its superior telephoto lens capabilities and integrated stylus enhances the overall user experience.
Photo Quality
4.7/10
9.5/10
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes best in class photos, while the Samsung Galaxy A23 takes poor photos.
The Samsung Galaxy A23 takes poor photos as it has low scores across photo software experience, dynamic range, low light performance, camera versatility, and particularly poor selfie quality. Conversely, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes excellent photos, excelling in the same categories with very good to the best ratings, and stands out with its superior selfie quality.
Video Quality
4.3/10
8.0/10
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes very good videos, while the Samsung Galaxy A23 takes poor videos.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra delivers superior video quality due to its higher video resolution and framerate capabilities, advanced stabilization, and higher dynamic range, as well as exceptional low-light performance and microphone quality. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy A23’s video quality is hindered by its lower video resolution and framerate, less sophisticated stabilization, narrower dynamic range, weaker performance in low light, and poorer microphone quality.
Battery
9.3 Hours
10.4 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy A23 has 9.3 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has 10.4 hours of battery life.
Cost
$350
$1,200
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Samsung Galaxy A23 has a price of $350 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra costs $1,200.
"With four years of security updates, a Snapdragon 695, and far and away the best display at this price point, the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is one of the best values in the budget category you're likely to see for quite a while. Buy it if you want a super long support life for your budget phone."
"The Galaxy S23 Ultra doesn’t just want a place at the top right now; it expects to stay there. Samsung’s excellent update commitment and connectivity standards will keep its flagship feeling fresh for years to come, and the high-end materials will put up with more than their share of wear and tear. It might be more than most users need in terms of size, power, and cost, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a glaring weakness."
Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy A23 or the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
About Samsung
Samsung is one of the most recognizable names in the smartphone industry, standing as the undisputed best-selling brand of Android smartphones in the United States for many years now. Samsung is known for offering a variety of smartphones in all available price points, as well as for implementing cutting-edge technology and innovative features in their flagship devices, ones that often shape the market going forward. The company offers its own unique spin on Android, called One UI, which focuses on offering a multitude of features and is heavily customizable, according to user preference.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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