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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is a good choice if you want a quality phone at a midrange price, with a smaller screen size and sufficient battery life for average use. However, if you're willing to pay more for a phone with a more advanced camera system, larger battery life, and a bigger screen, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is worth considering. The S23 Ultra has a significantly better overall camera quality and more screen real estate for an immersive experience, but it comes at a higher price. Both phones run on Android and have very similar performance capabilities, so the decision largely depends on your preference for camera and screen size versus cost. 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 S23
- The Samsung Galaxy S23 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
8.3
9.2
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has excellent overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 has very good overall camera quality.
Both the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offer very good selfie experiences, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra edges out with a 'best' rating in camera versatility which includes aspects like photo resolution, low light performance, and dynamic range. If these camera features are more important to you, the Ultra may be worth the higher price, otherwise, the Galaxy S23 provides excellent selfie quality and a comprehensive camera experience at a lower cost.
Photo Quality
8.3
9.5
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes best in class photos, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 takes very good photos.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes excellent photos with superior camera versatility including a very capable telephoto lens with 10x optical zoom, which contributes to its edge in camera performance, while both the Galaxy S23 and S23 Ultra offer comparably high selfie quality, ensuring selfies are sharp and detailed. When considering their photos software experience, dynamic range, and low light performance, both phones provide very good results, but the S23 Ultra slightly leads, offering the best performance in terms of versatility due to its additional camera features.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.4 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy S23 has 8 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has 10.4 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Samsung Galaxy S23 has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is 6.8 inches.
Cost
$700
$1,200
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Samsung Galaxy S23 has a price of $700 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
Video Quality
7.8
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to have very good videos, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 takes good videos.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes excellent videos thanks to its higher video resolution and framerate capabilities, providing more detail and smoother motion, along with the best video stabilization that ensures steady footage even when you're on the move. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S23 also delivers a very good video experience with a robust video software experience and good video dynamic range, ensuring clear footage with good contrast across various lighting conditions. Both phones offer HDR10+ support for rich color and detail in videos, as well as excellent microphone quality for clear audio recording.
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How the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $1,200 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Samsung | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 17, 2023 | February 17, 2023 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.1" | 6.8" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 3088 x 1440 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | Yes | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 422 | 501 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD8G2 | SD8G2 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 8.4/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 7.9/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto, Super Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 50 megapixels + OIS | 200 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 10.4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 3900 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | Yes (4.5 watts) | Yes (4.5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.76" x 2.79" | 6.43" x 3.07" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 oz | 8.25 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6e | 6e | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 270 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Pink Gold, Phantom Black, Cream, Lavender, Green, Lime, Graphite | Green, Phantom Black, Cream, Lavender, Graphite | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | No | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Samsung Galaxy S23
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Allison Johnson | February 2023
"The 6.1-inch S23 is the best reasonably sized Android phone on the market in the US, partly because almost every other Android phone sold here is gigantic. But it’s also a really good device, with a battery that gets through a full day more comfortably than its predecessor. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset responsible for some of that battery performance improvement is slightly different — and slightly faster — than the 8 Gen 2 in other Android flagships."
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
Ryan Haines | March 2023
"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 S23 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.
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Why trust us
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
68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
8
Proprietary Phones ratings developed
151,800
Recommendations made
86,020
Consumer hours saved
About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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