Samsung has no intention of relinquishing its status as the premier Android phone.
Recently, Samsung announced its Galaxy S23 lineup, which includes the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 — all available on February 17. While Samsung’s price points are among the highest of Android phones in the U.S. — the base model for the Ultra is $1,200 — top-notch cameras, gaming features, and longer battery life justify the premium price.
Still, spending that much money on a phone can be nerve-wracking. To help sift through the features and perks of Samsung’s new S23 lineup, Inverse has highlighted the pros and cons of each model and which phone might be right for you.
GALAXY S23 ULTRA
Camera
One of the S23 Ultra’s most anticipated features is its 200-megapixel main camera, the Galaxy’s most advanced image sensor to date.
The S23 Ultra has a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, another 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 10x optical zoom (capable of reaching 100x Space Zoom), and a 12-megapixel selfie camera.
Other top camera features include:
- Super HDR selfie camera for higher quality 60 fps video and better night shots
- Improved optical image stabilization compared to the Galaxy S22
- Expert RAW integration that allows users to set white balance, shutter speed, and other camera settings
Gaming
The S23 Ultra’s massive 6.8-inch screen makes it easier for gamers to take in more detail, with a display that boasts a 120Hz refresh rate.
The battery size is the largest among the S23 series and the same as the S22 Ultra at 5,000 mAh. The S23 Ultra, however, lasts for over 12 hours in adaptive mode, while the S22 Ultra lasts around 9 hours and 50 minutes.
Last year, Samsung introduced ray tracing through its Exynos 2200 chip. This model is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip, a slightly overclocked version of the standard mobile chip, which could give it the edge for gaming. A larger vapor cooling chamber helps keep temperatures cool when playing taxing 3D games.
Notetaking
The S23 Ultra has a built-in S Pen, which can take photos and convert handwriting to text. If you’re the type of person that likes to write out physical reminders for yourself, this could be a great option. Stylus pens in general have become lifesavers for creative professionals like tattoo artists and fashion designers that sketch clothing on their tablets.
Storage, colors, price
The S23 Ultra costs $1,199 and has three different storage options: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
Colors include green, Phantom Black, lavender, and cream wherever the S23 Ultra is sold. The phone is also offered in exclusive colors like lime, sky blue, graphite, and red only on Samsung’s website.
Specs
- Display: 6.8-inch, 120Hz, AMOLED, QHD+, 500 ppi, 1,750 nits peak brightness
- Ram/Storage: 8GB RAM + 256GB storage / 12GB RAM + 128GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
- Battery: 5,000 mAh
- Chip: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy
- Colors: Phantom Black, cream, green, lavender
Who should buy an S23 Ultra?
If you’re an avid photographer or need a good camera to take video from the nosebleed section at the upcoming Beyoncé concert you might want to go with the S23 Ultra. It’s the most versatile camera system with the largest screen, so you can pretend you have closer seats at Bey’s world tour (I won’t tell anyone).
For gamers, any of these models would be good options, but once again, if you want a larger screen go with the S23 Ultra. This model has the longest battery life, so you can spend hours and hours playing.
If you’re a graphic designer or artist, the S23 Ultra might be a great option because of the larger screen and built-in S Pen.
GALAXY S23+
Camera
The other two Galaxy S23 phones don’t have as many cameras as the S23 Ultra, but have a 50-megapixel main camera, a 10-megapixel 3x optical zoom, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 12-megapixel selfie camera.
Like the S23 Ultra, the S23+ has the night selfie and night video mode and the Expert RAW feature.
Storage, colors, price
The main difference between the three phones is the display size. The S23+ has a 6.6-inch display compared to the S23 Ultra’s 6.8-inch display. Like the S23 Ultra, this model has an adaptive 120Hz display.
The S23+ comes in two storage options, starting at 256GB and the largest at 512GB. The phone starts at $1,000 for the smaller storage size.
The S23+ has a 4,700 mAh battery, which can last up to 27 hours of video playback and comes in lavender, cream, phantom black, and green. You can get the S23+ in lime and graphite exclusively through Samsung’s website.
Specs
- Display: 6.6-inch, 120Hz, AMOLED, FHD+, 393 ppi, 1,750 nits peak brightness
- Ram/Storage: 8GB RAM + 256GB or 512GB storage
- Battery: 4,700 mAh
- Chip: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy
- Colors: Phantom Black, cream, green, lavender
Who should buy an S23+?
If you simply don’t need the 10x optical zoom lens on the S23 Ultra and still want a moderately large display, the S23+ fits the bill.
Naturally, the S23+ lacks other perks found in the S23 Ultra: it doesn’t have an S Pen, has less RAM and storage options, and packs a smaller battery. Choose wisely.
GALAXY S23
Camera
Many features on the S23 are similar to the S23+.
The S23 has the same exact camera as the S23+ including the same three cameras on the back of the phone and the selfie camera. It has all of the night modes and the RAW features.
Storage, colors, price
The S23’s 6.1-inch display is a pretty noticeable drop in size compared to the S23 Ultra’s huge screen. As for storage, the S23 has two options like the S22: 128GB or 256GB. The base Galaxy S23 starts at $800 with 128GB.
Like the S23 Ultra and the S23+, the S23 has an adaptive 120Hz display. The S23 has a 3,900 mAh battery that lasts up to 22 hours of video playback on the S23.
The S23 comes in the same lavender, cream, phantom black, and green. You can get the phones in lime and graphite exclusively through Samsung’s website.
Specs
- Display: 6.1-inch, 120Hz, AMOLED, FHD+, 425 ppi, 1,750 nits peak brightness
- RAM/Storage: 8GB RAM + 128GB or 256GB storage
- Battery: 3,900 mAh
- Chip: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy
- Colors: Phantom Black, cream, green, lavender
Who should buy an S23?
If the bells and whistles don’t move you and you want the most bang for your buck, the S23 is the way to go. If you’re like me and don’t update your phone until it's on its last legs, it’ll likely feel like a big leap forward.
The one issue I always run into when buying a new phone is storage space. I want the most basic model, but as much storage as possible. On that front, Samsung is offering (for a limited time) the 256GB base S23 for $799 instead of the typical MSRP of $859.
