Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Review: a slight upgrade from it's predecessor

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: What’s New and How Is It Better Than Its Predecessor?

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the latest addition to the Galaxy S series, and it is truly a remarkable device that is designed to exceed your expectations. This phone boasts a stunning 6.8-inch Edge QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display (3088 x 1440) with HDR10+ certification, making it perfect for streaming high-quality content, gaming, and working on-the-go. With a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and Adaptive Refresh Rate technology, the S23 Ultra provides an incredibly smooth and seamless user experience.

One of the standout features of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is its camera system. It comes with a quad-camera setup on the rear, which includes a 200MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, a 10MP telephoto sensor, and a 10MP periscope sensor with 10x optical zoom. Additionally, the S23 Ultra features a 12MP front-facing camera, perfect for selfies and video conferencing. The camera system is designed to deliver stunning, professional-quality photos and videos, making it a great choice for content creators and photographers.

Although this model faces intense rivalry from phones such as the iPhone 14 Pro, Google Mobile Pixel 7 Pro and Sony Xperia 5 IV, it still stands out for its stunning features. 

Compared to its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S22, the S23 Ultra offers significant improvements in terms of display, camera, and performance. It also comes with enhanced trade-in value and a 50% off Care+ for Business 1-year Accidental Damage from Handling plan, making it a great investment for businesses. If you're in the market for a premium smartphone that offers top-of-the-line features and cutting-edge technology, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is definitely worth considering.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Specs

The table below shows the most prominent features of this model. 

Galaxy S23 Ultra Design

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a premium smartphone that boasts impressive design features. While the Galaxy S23 Ultra's design is quite similar to the outgoing model, there are some noticeable changes that make it stand out. Let's explore the design of this phone in more detail.

Appearance

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a sleek appearance with a metal frame and a glass back panel. The camera module at the back is quite large and protrudes a bit from the phone's body. The phone has a slim profile, and the edges are curved, giving it a comfortable grip. It also comes in different colours, including Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, and Phantom White.

Build

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a robust build quality, with a sturdy metal frame and Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back. The phone feels solid and well-built, and it can withstand accidental drops and scratches.

Weight and feel

The S23 Ultra is a large phone, measuring 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm, and it weighs around 228g, which is relatively heavy compared to other smartphones. However, the phone's weight feels well-distributed, and it feels comfortable holding it in one hand.

Compared to other Samsung models

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is quite similar in design to its predecessor, the Galaxy S22 Ultra. However, the S23 Ultra has some notable differences, such as a slightly larger camera module, and it lacks the signature curved screen edges, which were present in previous Samsung models. Overall, the S23 Ultra's design is an incremental improvement over its predecessor.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Display / screen

The Samsung S23 Ultra features a 6.8-inch Edge QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O display with a resolution of 3088 x 1440 and 500 pixels per inch (PPI). This display is HDR10+ certified and has a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The Infinity-O Display is a full-frontal, near bezel-less screen, and the screen size for the Galaxy S23 Ultra measures 6.1 inches in the full rectangle and 5.9 inches with the rounded corners accounted for.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has one of the best displays compared to other phones. The display is bright, bursting with colour, and has high contrast, making images and videos look stunning. The HDR10+ certification also ensures that the colors are accurate and vibrant. The 120Hz refresh rate makes for smooth scrolling and faster touch response, resulting in an overall smoother and more enjoyable user experience.

Compared to its predecessor, the Samsung S22 Ultra, the S23 Ultra has a slightly larger screen size, better resolution, and higher refresh rate. The S23 Ultra's display has a resolution of 3088 x 1440, a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and a screen size of 6.1 inches in the full rectangle.

Samsung S23 Ultra Performance

The Samsung S23 Ultra is a high-end smartphone with impressive technical specifications that make it a powerful device. Here is a breakdown of the device's performance details. 

• Battery: The S23 Ultra is powered by a 5000mAh battery. The battery capacity is sufficient to provide extended use of the device without requiring frequent charging. Additionally, the device supports 25W fast charging and 15W wireless charging, which allows for quick and convenient recharging of the battery.

• Storage: The Samsung S23 Ultra offers users a choice between 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of internal storage, which should be ample for most users' needs. The device also supports expandable storage of up to 1TB via microSD card.

• Charging speed: It supports fast charging technology, which should allow the device to charge quickly. The phone comes with high charging speeds that enable it to go from 0 – 100% in 57 minutes.

• Chipset, CPU, and GPU: The Samsung Galaxy S23 series comes with an overclocked version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset as its processor. It features an octa-core CPU with two Cortex-A710 cores clocked at 3.36GHz and six Cortex-A510 cores clocked at 2.81GHz. The GPU on the chipset is Adreno 730, which offers enhanced graphics performance and supports gaming and video playback at high resolutions.

• Audio: The Samsung S23 Ultra is equipped with stereo speakers and supports Dolby Atmos technology, which should provide users with high-quality audio.

Samsung S23 Ultra Camera specs

The Samsung S23 Ultra is a smartphone with a powerful camera, boasting impressive technical specifications for photography and video capabilities. Let's dive into the details of its camera specs and what they mean for you.

The S23 Ultra comes with a primary camera that supports a whopping 200MP resolution when shooting in RAW format with the ExpertRAW app enabled. While this resolution may not be achievable in all shooting conditions, it is an impressive feature that allows for highly detailed images. Additionally, the device has a telephoto camera with 10x optical zoom, a 10MP sensor, and an aperture of f/4.9.

The S23 Ultra also has a 12MP selfie camera with an aperture of f/2.2. This front-facing camera allows for high-quality selfies and video calls. When it comes to video recording, the S23 Ultra can shoot in 8K resolution at 30fps, 4K resolution at 60fps, and 1080p resolution at 240fps.

In terms of display, the S23 Ultra features a 6.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1750 nits and HDR capability. The device also has an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 48Hz to 120Hz, which helps to conserve battery life when the screen is not in use.

Samsung galaxy S23 Ultra price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra release date was on Friday 17, 2023. For the price, this phone is available for direct purchase directly from Samsung for varying prices based on storage space. The price for the model with 256GB storage and 8GB RAM is £1249.00 while the 512GB and 12 GB RAM goes for £1399.00. On the other hand, you can get the model with 1TB storage and 12GB RAM for £1599.00. 

If you are looking for a more affordable option, Back Market offers the best refurbished Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra at a cheaper price than many retailers. For only £914.93, you will be able to get S23 Ultra 256GB while the Galaxy S23 Ultra 512GB only costs £1199.00. If you want higher storage capabilities, Back Market sells the S23 Ultra 1TB for £1349.00 (at the time of writing this). 

Refurbished products are second-hand but fixed to work perfectly and offer zero compromise on performance. Back Market provides a 1-year warranty, similar to buying a brand new device, and a hassle-free returns period of up to 30-days. It's important to note that refurbished does not mean less quality; rather, it is more about sustainability and eco-friendliness. Therefore, buying a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from Back Market is a great option for those who want to save money while still getting a high-quality device with a warranty.

Final Thought

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is among the best phones currently available; beating its S series counterparts and most other competitors like the iPhone 14 Pro. 

In terms of performance compared to its predecessors, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is similar to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. It has an impressive camera system, with a 100-megapixel main sensor and a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor, and it is also powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon or Exynos chipset. It also features a larger battery and improved wireless charging capabilities compared to its predecessors.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is also a strong contender in the smartphone market, with impressive features such as its display and camera system, as well as the latest technology powering it. This is definitely a great phone which gives you ultimate user experience and technology which is recommended. However, if you are looking to save some cash, then we wouldn't hesitate to recommend going down a model to the S22 Ultra and still have an impressive smartphone for a much lower price! The choice is yours.