Last updated: May 23, 2023
A device that’s the evolution of the Samsung’s best phone of 2022 – is it enough to become the best smartphone for 2023?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the flagship smartphone in the Galaxy S23 series. This device features some slight evolutive improvements over the previous flagship smarthphone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G. While the S22 Ultra was already considered one of the best devices of 2022, the polishing and refinement in the S23 Ultra might be enough to make it a top contender for the best phone of 2023 – even if it’s not breaking any new grounds!
This phone features a 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 3088 x 1440 and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The design of the S23 Ultra is very similar to its predecessor, but with subtle improvements for a more comfortable in-hand feel. The front and back of the phone are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The performance of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is exceptional, thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, which is customized by Samsung in order to squeeze every last bit of performance out if it. The device also comes with either 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, depending on the storage option you choose, and a fast and powerful UFS 4.0 internal storage backed by options of 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB.
The camera system of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of its standout features, and the greatest evolution compared to the previous S22 Ultra. It includes a new (and impressive) 200MP primary sensor, along with two 10MP sensors for optical zoom and a 12MP ultrawide sensor. The phone also features improved optical image stabilization (OIS) and Dual Pixel technology for the front camera, which is now 12MP. The camera software provides various shooting modes and customization options, including Expert RAW mode for advanced photography.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra runs on the Android-based One UI 5.1. The interface has been improved over previous versions, offering a more user-friendly experience. The phone comes with an S Pen that slots into a silo on the phone, and the S Pen design has been updated slightly. This S Pen is the major differentiating factor in the market, and it is a great tool for both productivity and gaming.
The base model of the Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at $1,199 and offers 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Higher storage options of 512GB and 1TB come with 12GB of RAM. The phone is available in four colors through retailers and four additional colors directly from Samsung.
Overall, the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers top-of-the-line hardware, a stunning display, exceptional performance, and an impressive camera system, making it a strong contender for the title of the best Android phone of the year. Stay tuned to read the full specs and the pros and cons of this device!