Indeed, it's the phone that has everything, including a new, custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset that makes it just a bit faster than the rest of the Android flagships, a new AMOLED display that goes between 1Hz and 120Hz, and a 200MP main camera sensor for better zoom and better low-light performance.
I got to play with all three phones, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra is where the biggest changes are. Unfortunately, I couldn't actually test those. Pretty much the only condition to my hands-on time was that I couldn't export anything off of the device, which meant I couldn't take a picture and send it to myself. Naturally, benchmarking the new processor was off the table as well. The good news is that XDA will have loads of great content in the coming weeks to go deep into all of that stuff.
In the meantime, here are my first impressions.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of the best phones on the market, packing an all-new 200MP sensor, a refined design, a custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, and One UI 5.1.
- Brand
- Samsung
- SoC
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- Display
- 6.8-inch QHD+ Edge, Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display, Super Smooth 120Hz refresh rate (1-120Hz), 240Hz touch sampling rate in gaming mode
- RAM
- 8GB, 12GB
- Storage
- 256GB, 512GB, 1TB UFS 4.0
- Battery
- 5,000mAh
- Operating System
- Android 13 / One UI 5.1
- Connectivity
- 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
- Dimensions
- 3.07x6.43x0.35in
- Colors
- Cream, Green, Lavender, Phantom Black
- Camera
- 200MP f/1.7 wide angle, 10MP f/2.4 2x zoom, 10MP f/4.9 10x zoom, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, 12MP f/2.2 front camera
- Weight
- 8.25oz
- Charging
- 45W
- IP Rating
- IP68
- Price
- Starts at $1,199
The Galaxy S23 Ultra's design has subtle yet meaningful changes
Here's a fun fact. When I took pictures for comparisons, I tried to use similar colors. But when I put the S22 Ultra and the S23 Ultra side by side, I used my Phantom Black S22 Ultra and the Cream S23 Ultra, because otherwise you wouldn't be able to tell them apart from the rear. The cameras look the same, and indeed, it's in the S23 and the S23+ where the layout changed. They were made to look more like the S22 Ultra.
The big change comes from the curvature on the sides. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is much flatter on the sides, whereas its predecessor was completely curved. Personally, I like the change, and I think people who buy the phone will too. I didn't like how curved the phone was last year; it felt harder to grip than a phone with a curved back that comes to an edge on the side.
The bottom is flat, unsurprisingly, and that's where you'll find the S Pen. Indeed, while the Ultra is probably best known for having the best camera chops, this is also the best Samsung offers for productivity, from the S series at least. Last year, it officially replaced the Galaxy Note series.
There's a new 6.8-inch display on there, which ranges from 1Hz to 120Hz. However, there is a 0% chance that you'll notice a difference from its predecessor, or even from the S21 Ultra. The fact that it goes all the way down to 1Hz will save you battery though, so while it doesn't change anything for you visually, it does improve the experience. In the past, you've had to choose between a high refresh rate and good battery life, but dynamic refresh rates are fixing that.
There are two other things I really want to note about the design. One is that this phone is still a big boy. It always has been, and it always will be. This phone is not for everyone, nor is it designed to be. You're paying for the best of the best, and you'll get the biggest device too. I think that for more mainstream users, however, you'll want to go with the S23 or the S23+, which are probably still going to be the best in their respective categories.
The other thing is that Cream is the clear winner in your choice of colors. Obviously, that's totally subjective, and to be totally clear, I'm talking about the four colors that are generally available. I haven't even seen a picture of the four that are exclusive to Samsung.com yet. I got to see Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender. They all look great, but I love the chrome finish on the Cream model's frame.
One UI 5.1
The other new features to talk about all come as part of One UI 5.1, although this is all coming to a Samsung Galaxy phone near you. After all, the Korean firm now promises four years of major software updates and five years of security updates.
One thing that's new is broader availability of a feature where Bixby can read a text to a caller. If someone is calling you, you can have Bixby answer the phone, it will translate what the caller says to text, and you can type your response, which Bixby will say out loud.
Camera settings on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra with quick access to Expert RAW
One minor new feature is that you can access Expert RAW from the Camera app. It still needs to be downloaded, and it will still download a separate app.
Aside from that, Samsung Notes is getting co-authoring, something I couldn't get to work in the demo area. That should be pretty cool though, and it makes me wonder if the company is planning a broader push to get its note-taking application adopted beyond people who have its devices.
There's a bunch of other stuff that Samsung is touting, such as a Smart Suggestions widget, using videos on your lock screen, and lock screen customization options. This stuff is all great, but it's already avilable on current devices with One UI 5.
Without a doubt, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is going to be one of the best Android phones in the US this year. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is available for pre-order now, and it will ship beginning on February 17. Samsung is offering $100 in instant credit for anyone that pre-orders, and that's on top of the up to $100 that you could get if you reserved. Of course, there are trade-in deals as well, where you can get up to $1,000 off.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of the best phones on the market, packing an all-new 200MP sensor, a refined design, a custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, and One UI 5.1.
- Brand
- Samsung
- SoC
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- Display
- 6.8-inch QHD+ Edge, Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display, Super Smooth 120Hz refresh rate (1-120Hz), 240Hz touch sampling rate in gaming mode
- RAM
- 8GB, 12GB
- Storage
- 256GB, 512GB, 1TB UFS 4.0
- Battery
- 5,000mAh
- Operating System
- Android 13 / One UI 5.1
- Connectivity
- 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
- Dimensions
- 3.07x6.43x0.35in
- Colors
- Cream, Green, Lavender, Phantom Black
- Camera
- 200MP f/1.7 wide angle, 10MP f/2.4 2x zoom, 10MP f/4.9 10x zoom, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, 12MP f/2.2 front camera
- Weight
- 8.25oz
- Charging
- 45W
- IP Rating
- IP68
- Price
- Starts at $1,199