Samsung Galaxy S23 Series Officially Launched
February 2, 2023Samsung has officially introduced the new Galaxy S23 series. Choosing to take an evolutionary approach instead of a revolutionary one, the Korean smartphone maker has made subtle tweaks to each phone to allow for them to look more sophisticated with a minimalist design. Contrary to what some rumors suggested, we have the same trio as last year.
There’s the S23 Ultra playing the role of the halo phone of the three, while the S23+ and S23 fill the more affordable roles that their predecessors are known for. Samsung is leaning heavily into artificial intelligence (AI) for raw computing power and overall camera performance. At the heart of all three is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
This makes the phones about 30% faster than their predecessors. Their GPUs are also 41% faster than what we got with the S22 series. The efficient NPU has been optimized by 49% to balance performance and power while using AI algorithms for better use with photos and videos.
However, only the Ultra comes ready to support real-time ray tracing as and when it becomes available on the mobile platform. Samsung says that it will produce noticeably more lifelike renderings of scenes. The technology allows for more accurate simulations and tracking of light, which in turn produces more realistic video output.
All three phones get a larger vapor chamber for better cooling of their hardware. This should prove beneficial during lengthy video recordings or intense gaming sessions. More effective thermal solutions help phones operate at maximum levels for longer without having to be throttled. But we shall have to wait and see how well the new phones do in real world tests.
The S23 Ultra, S23+ and S23 use the same, 120Hz, dynamic AMOLED displays as their respective predecessors, but they are now protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Samsung says they are the first phones to feature the new glass, which uses 22% pre-consumer recycled content.
Samsung’s eye care software allows users to adjust color tones and contrast elves, to reduce eye strain. Vision booster is able to work at three level of lighting instead of two to adapt to brightness and glare during day time.
More of the components in the Galaxy S23 series phone are made from recycled materials, which puts them in line with Samsung’s goal of being environmentally conscious while pushing forward with better smartphone innovations.
Additional camera advancements include:
- Low-light or in situations that would normally create a blur, videos are stable with doubled optical image stabilizer (OIS) angles in all directions on Galaxy S23 Ultra.
- Recording videos feel more cinematic with enhanced 8K video at 30 frames per second with a wider angle.
- Advanced, object-based AI analyzes each detail in the frame, even down to minute facial features, such as hair and eyes, to carefully reflect a person’s dynamic characteristics.
- For an even more enhanced video experience, the new 360 Audio Recording feature on Galaxy Buds2 Pro creates multi-dimensional sound.
Samsung says that the new crop of phones gets enhanced image processing. Visual noise that usually degrades the quality of pictures taken in low-light, is corrected by a new AI-powered image signal processing (ISP) algorithm that enhances object details and color tone.
The front selfie camera now supports fast autofocus and Super HDR with a jump from 30 to 60fps. Users can expect extensive photo editing options through the use of the Expert Raw app. Available exclusively to Samsung Galaxy devices, it allows for editing of RAW and JPEG shots with much greater precision.
Galaxy S23 Ultra
The Galaxy S23 Ultra, like its predecessors, shares little in common with the S23+ and S23, in that it’s basically a Note series in a fancier frock. Compared to last year’s phone it looks a little less busy thanks to a more streamlined design. But the latter two have been spruced up as well because the omission of the contoured housing offers a more simplified overall look.
Though it has the same 6.8-inch screen as its predecessor, the display has a reduced curvature, which results in a flatter overall surface. It offers a variable refresh rate (1 to 120Hz), which changes based on what’s happening on screen.
Weighing 234g, it’s slightly heavier than the S22 Ultra, which may be due to the larger, 200MP camera hardware. It uses pixel binning to support multiple levels of high-resolution processing at once. Besides this, there’s also a 12MP wide, dual telephoto (F2.4, F4.9) and a 12MP selfie camera.
The phone can be had with three different storage options: 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. Regardless of which one you choose, all three come with 12GB RAM. This should be adequate to handle most tasks and workloads.
For power, the S23 Ultra gets a 5,000mAh battery that supports 45W fast charging, which allows you to get up to 65% of charge with just 30 minutes spent connected to the charger. There’s also 15W, fast wireless charging 2.0.
Galaxy S23+ & S23
Samsung chose to go for a nip & tuck with the new phones instead of a total revamp. They both maintain similar proportions and weight as their predecessors but are able to utilize more powerful AI for better camera abilities and overall performance.
The S23+ has a 6.6-inch dynamic AMOLED display while the smaller S23 gets a 6.1-inch one. Both get identical camera hardware, which includes a 12MP ultra-wide, 50MP wide and 10MP telephoto sensor. On the front, there’s a 12MP selfie unit.
Unlike the S23 Ultra, the S23+ and S23 get 8GB RAM, which is more than enough for most people. For the S23 you can choose to have either 128GB or 256GB of storage while for the S23+, you can have 256GB or 512GB.
Both phones receive a bump in the battery department. The S23 gets a 3,900mAh unit (200mAh more than S22) and the S23+ gets 4,700mAh one (200mAh more than S22+). The former supports 25W fast wired charging while the latter can work with 45W technology. However, both support 15W wireless fast charging.
The Galaxy S23 series comes in four matte hues: Phantom Black, Cream, Green and Lavender. All three phones will get four generations of OS upgrades and five years of security updates.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra retails from RM6,199 while the Galaxy S23+’s RM5,199 and Galaxy S23 RM4,199 recommended retail
