Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Review: The Best Of Android Just Got Better!
April 11, 2023Performance: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 5G, 12GB RAM
Main Display: 6.8-inch Edge QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x (3088 x 1440)
Weight: 234g
S Pen: Yes
Storage: 256, 512, 1TB GB
Battery: 5,000 mAh
Features: 8K / 4K UHD / 1080p / 720p HD video recording
Rear Camera: 12 MP Ultra-wide, 200 Wide, 10 MP Telephoto 1, 10 MP Telephoto 2
Front Camera: 12 MP, 4K Video recording
Price: 256 GB RM5,699/512 GB RM6,199
It’s difficult to imagine that the technology needed to put a man on the moon in the 1960s, which at the time required machines the size of refrigerators, now fits in the palm of my hand. Such is the case with the S23 Ultra, which is Samsung’s 2023 edition of the “Best We Can Offer”. It’s predecessor, the S22 Ultra served as a yard stick which we used to gauge a phone’s worth.
Such is the reverence many have, present company included, for last year’s flagship smartphone. This is probably why today’s S23 Ultra is a spitting image of the phone it replaces. it feels solid and well-constructed, just like its predecessor. Instead of making drastic changes, subtle tweaks were made where it matters.
The Looks
For example, the screen has a flatter surface area with a smaller portion of it arcing downwards as it meets the frame. This was done to allow for more usable screen real-estate, which one could use for general purposes or sketching. It’s nothing to write home about, but it is a welcome addition for those of us who make full use of the phone’s 6.8-inch display.
The glass is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which is supposed to be stronger than what’s protecting the S22 Ultra. This means durability and resistance to scuff marks should be “off the charts”. The reason being, I’ve used last year’s phone as my daily driver, since launch, without a screen protector and have yet to notice any scratches on the surface.
This is despite the fact that I constantly chuck it into my handbag when in a hurry and allow it to jostle about with the other contents like keys, makeup kit etc. It’s something I haven’t been confident to do with its predecessors as recently as the S21+.
Speaking of the display, it is the same vibrant and punchy Dynamic AMOLED 2x QHD+ unit used by the S22 Ultra. The variable refresh rate dips to as low as 1Hz and rises to 120Hz as and when needed. It’s great for binge watching your favourite series, editing Excel documents to playing graphically intensive games.
This makes the UI extremely responsive and well-adjusted to touch input. One UI 5.1, allows for slightly better customization options and when put to good use, does allow for unique personalization. However, to truly get the most out of this phone, you need to install Good Lock. It’s available in the Galaxy Store and helps extend Android functionality even further.
Performance
Unlike previous generation phones, the S23 Series is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. There’s no Exynos version that’s usually flogged to Asian markets. This means that every phone, no matter where it’s sold, will have the same performance. But that isn’t all, because the chipset is specifically tuned for these phones.
It’s branded as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, meaning it’s tuned to perform slightly better than the regular Vanilla version. And when compared to what powered the S22 Ultra, its CPU is 30% faster, NPU optimized by 49% and GPU is 41% faster. These boosts in power are significant considering how well the phone has performed in the past year.
These gains become evident when pushing the S23 Ultra to its limits. Let’s start with the regular day-to-day work. Launch as many apps as you’d like, whether that be messaging services, Office365 and Google Chrome. Cycling between them or running two at a time through the Multi-Window feature doesn’t burden the phone at all.
The same is true when editing photos and trimming video clips because there doesn’t seem to be a hint of hesitation throughout the process. Not only does this speak volumes of the Chipset’s capabilities but also points to the high memory ceiling limit. Unlike previous generation phones, All S23 Ultras come with 12GB RAM. There is no 8GB version like the S22 Ultra.
As such, there is more than enough memory to do just about anything. Apps launch instantaneously and continue to perform with buttery smooth responsiveness throughout the day. There hasn’t been an instance where I have had to wait for an app or chrome tab to do what I asked of it/them. Anything you want is only a finger tap away.
Gaming
Boost in GPU performance by 41% and NPU efficiency compared to the S22 Ultra makes for improved gameplay performance. This is evident in the way the phone copes with graphically intensive games without there being noticeable frame drops.
The Dynamic AMOLED 2x display provides vivid and immersive gameplay regardless of the title. This coupled with the responsive 120Hz refresh rate adds a sense of realism that the majority of phones cannot match. In addition to this, the phone is ray tracing ready, which is a technology that allows for light shine/travel more realistically, like it would in real life.
If and when mobile games are able to make use of this technology, the S23 Ultra will be ready for them. This is a future-proofing step that Samsung hopes will help bolster the appeal of the new phone.
Regardless of the game, you can keep playing till your heart’s content because of the improved cooling solution. Samsung has given the S23 Ultra a larger vapour chamber, which allows it to cope better with high stresses to both CPU and GPU without there being overheating issues. Based on our experience, the system is able to keep temperatures in check regardless of what is being done.
The Cameras
Samsung has given the S23 Ultra 200MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide and two 10MP telephoto lenses with different focal lengths. Though each sensor has its own set of uses, the one you’re going to be relying on the most is the 200MP one.
It’s a very capable sensor that uses pixel binning to produce more detailed pictures with as little noise as possible. During the day, it captures great pictures with a somewhat neutral color tone. Each shot feels perfectly detailed for both the foreground and background. This is made possible by both hardware and software working hand in glove to produce the intended effect.
This year’s phone relies heavily on AI for producing great photos and videos, which is why the overall quality is great for both night and day. When you click the shutter button, the camera captures a series of images at different brightness levels then uses multi-frame processing (MFP) technology.
What happens here is that the tech analyzes said images, then removes frames with noise or blur. The remaining frames are merged into a single clear shot with HDR. the AI-powered ISP algorithm on NPU then enhances the color, tone and details. This is why details pop in just about any shot that’s taken.
The technology’s credibility becomes apparent at night. Where most cameras tend to increase brightness to the detriment of image quality, the S23 Ultra’s sensor is able to capture, well exposed, low noise and detailed shots without much effort. That’s because the phone can increase brightness while keeping attributes like noise and saturation in check.
Samsung’s team was able to harness the power of the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in order to use pipeline optimization and AI model acceleration to achieve faster processing but by using less memory than was needed by the S22 series. This is probably why the phone seems far more responsive when a shot is taken.
It’s a similar story for videos. The phone is able to capture crip footage with very little stability problems. This is thanks in part to well-balanced optical image stabilization that can iron out most of the micro shakes when you move around. It’s quite impressive, and allows just about anyone to take captivating footage without putting in much effort.
As for the selfie camera. It’s now a 12MP shooter instead of the larger 40MP that was used by its predecessor. But thanks to better software and support for HDR, you will still be able to capture detailed and somewhat vibrant selfie shots with ease. Video calling is quite decent too but it wasn’t as smooth as we’d hoped.
Charging & Battery Life
In terms of battery life, the S23 Ultra is a powerhouse. Its 5,000mAh battery latest for slightly more than a day with light to moderate usage. A power user might only experience about a day’s worth of the charge but that’s only if you push it with 4K recording, prolonged gaming sessions or binge watching your favourite shows for hours.
But when the need comes to recharge the phone, you’ll be happy to know that the phone’s 45W fast charging capability. Through the use of a compatible charger (45W) the phone can be charged to 65% in just 35 minutes. Since the said charger isn’t included in the box, you’ll need to already have one or purchase a new unit.
Though not as impressive as OPPO’s bonkers SUPERVOOC charging capability, the S23 Ultra’s fast charging tech should be more than enough for anyone. For me, each day ended with about 35% charge remaining and as such, I’ve only needed to plug in the phone when I wake up each morning. And by the time I’ve showered and dressed, it’s already at 100%.
This is how I imagine it would be for most people. I found it incredibly difficult to deplete the charge to about 15% without resorting to extreme videography sessions or binge watch an entire season of Emily in Paris. Software efficiency may play a part in ensuring that the phone uses as little charge as possible. It’s something that was less evident on the S22 Ultra.
Though the battery capacity being the same as its predecessor, the S23 Ultra, despite having a more powerful chipset, is able to last longer on a single charge. It goes to show how important clever power management can be for flagship devices.
Wireless charging is still pegged at 15W, which isn’t great by 2023’s standards but will prove useful if you have a charger at your desk or nightstand. As someone who relies on wireless chargers most of the time, I find the 15W limit a little inadequate at times.
Should You Buy It?
Yes, if you’re looking for a phone that can do everything you want, and then some. It has a fantastic display, decent battery life, stylus support and provides decent battery life. As good as the S22 Ultra was, its successor is simply better in every way. Though the “enhancements” in each area are incremental at best, they add up to a substantial overall improvement.
This makes the phone significantly faster than its predecessor at most tasks, better at both night and day photography, and thanks to a larger vapour chamber can keep the phone relatively cool when playing games or capturing 4K footage for a lengthy amount of time.
Though this may seem premature to say especially nice this is only the fourth month in the year, but I think this could be the phone to beat in 2023.
