At today’s 2023 Unpacked event, Samsung properly introduced the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and the large Galaxy S23 Ultra. Pre-orders for the phones are currently being accepted, and shipping will begin on February 17.
What’s new with the Galaxy S23 and its larger sibling, the Galaxy S23 Plus? Read on to find out!
Flat, cleaner and more minimalist design Galaxy S23/S23 Plus
There are several lovely, fun hues available:
- Cream
- Green
- Lavender
- Phantom Black
Refresh rates of 120Hz for AMOLED displays
The Galaxy S23 Plus, as its name suggests, has a slightly larger screen at 6.6 inches while the smaller, original Galaxy S23 features a 6.1-inch screen with very narrow, symmetrical black bezels.
Since the sizes are the same as last year, S22 users should have no trouble adjusting to the new S23. The panels on both versions are FHD+ (1080p), Dynamic AMOLED 2X-enabled, and include changeable refresh rates ranging from 48 to 120 Hz. So both of our phones have a 120Hz refresh rate.
Gamers might be surprised to discover that for an incredibly responsive mobile gaming experience, they can even employ a 240Hz Touch Sampling Rate option. Notably, this will speed up touch response time but not screen refresh rate.
As we already reported, the screens of the Galaxy S23 are also protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the most recent version of the popular protection material. We’ll definitely find out soon enough if this is actually the case.
We still don’t have any fancy under-display cameras, as we’ve come to expect, but hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t change it! The displays still have a selfie camera hole punch at the top centre.
Everyone gets the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2!
8GB of RAM is also included in the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus, which makes it possible to run more background apps. Additionally, you can obtain up to 500 GB of storage, which is regrettably not extensible.
- 512GB
- 256GB
- 128GB
- 512GB
- 256GB
As we can see, the base storage for the Galaxy S23 is 128GB, while the base storage for the Galaxy S23 Plus is 256 GB. No matter whatever storage option you select, 8GB of RAM is the sole choice.
More good news includes larger batteries and quicker charging
The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus both have 3,900 mAh batteries, whereas the S23 Plus has a 4,700 mAh battery. Both of those are a little bit larger than what we received with the previous generation, which is good news for those who value longer battery life.
Watch for our comprehensive reviews where we measure how much extra battery life that boost provides. Speaking of the battery, one difference between the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus is the charging rates.
While the Galaxy S23 Plus has faster 45W wired charging, the Galaxy S23 offers slower 25W wired charging. Both phones support Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, though it’s unclear whether this entails 10W or 15W wireless charging rates at the moment.
Battery life of two days?
Last but not least, let’s talk about batteries and charging. Unlike most major smartphone manufacturers today, we don’t receive a charger in the package, but at least we do receive a charging cable. Yes, that is something.
The triple camera system is the same for both the S23 and S23 plus
Galaxy S23 and S23+ cameras:
- 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera (F2.2, 120-degree FOV)
- 50 MP Wide Camera (F1.8, FOV 85)
- Telephoto Camera 10 MP (3x Optical Zoom, F2.4, FOV 36)
- 12MP Front Camera (F2.2, FOV 80Ëš, can film at up to 4K, 60FPS)
We have a 12MP super wide camera with a 120-degree field of view in addition to the 50MP primary camera for those times when a wider shot is required. On top of that, just like last year, there is a telephoto camera with a 3x optical zoom if you ever need to focus on a faraway object or scenery.
Although every phone in the Galaxy S23 lineup can now capture 8K video at 30FPS (frames-per-second), which is smoother than before, this is perhaps the most interesting and future-proof camera enhancement. And because iPhones don’t yet support 8K video capture, Samsung is outpacing its primary rival, Apple.
Fair enough, not many people currently own 8K TVs, which explains why there aren’t many 8K videos available on YouTube or elsewhere, but hey – again, this is some wonderful, early futureproofing. 8K 30FPS today, 8K 60FPS perhaps in 2019?
Additionally, the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus can video in lower resolutions that require less storage space, like 4K at 60 frames per second and FHD at 120 frames per second. There is even a 960 FPS super slow-motion video recording mode for those who want to try something new!
Speaking of camera features, Samsung is relying on “Advanced Nightography,” which from what we’ve seen so far, produces pretty stunning Night Mode pictures. If you were to take some nighttime photos of your friends, the results would often be a blurry, black jumble with scarcely discernible human forms. However, it appears that the improved night mode can virtually convert nights into days.
Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus pricing
Galaxy S23
- 8GB + 128GB: INR 74,999 (around $917)
- 8GB + 256GB: INR 79,999 (around $979)
Galaxy S23+
- 8GB + 256GB: INR 94,999 (around $1,162)
- 8GB + 512GB: INR 1,04,999 (around $1,285)