Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Revisited: The Good And The Bad Six Months Later
Ryan Hines / Android Authority
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra arrived as a prime alternative at Coachella or Lollapalooza in early 2023, and we rewarded it with a rock and roll comparison that ran throughout any of the aforementioned festivals. We won't be revisiting our Springsteen focused review of the original Galaxy S23 Ultra, but it's time to see how some of Samsung's finer points have stood the test of time. After all, the Galaxy S23 Ultra now faces a different kind of competition than it did in February. Let's see if the "Android Boss" (last link, I promise) remains number one in our Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review.
Even though I haven't installed a SIM card in the Galaxy S23 Ultra in the past six months (I have several devices to test!), it's a phone that never leaves me. I'd still prefer a smaller device and, if I'm lucky, a mirrorless device, but I've come to see what Samsung's flagship beast has to offer. With some summer plans on the horizon, I've swapped my SIM card from the Galaxy Z Flip 5 to the Galaxy S23 Ultra and have reacquainted myself with the S Pen.
What else is good Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Samsung's flagship withstood our early review period, earning five stars and an outstanding Editors' Choice award. The cameras, build quality, and overall performance varied, but it was fair to wonder how the Galaxy S23 Ultra would stand the test of time while outperforming the many competitors in the market. It is safe to say that it ages like a fine wine. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has topped several of our top lists, including our list of the best Android phones, and Samsung's flagship just keeps getting better over time with frequent software updates.
cameras
Ryan Hines / Android Authority
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has quickly climbed into the list of best camera phones, but that should come as no surprise. Its predecessor was on top for a long time, and the S23 Ultra's mirrorless quad-camera setup may look familiar, but it's still one of the most flexible devices you can buy. However, Samsung's camera strength isn't just in copying and pasting, at least not entirely.
While three of the four cameras on the Galaxy S23 Ultra are the same as those on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the updated fourth sensor is the star of the show. Samsung has replaced its tested and trusted 108MP primary camera with a new 200MP camera with smaller pixels but better connectivity for better low-light shots. In addition to plenty of new sensors, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has two 10MP telephoto lenses and a 12MP ultra-wide lens, which helps it remain one of the best zoom packages on a smartphone. Another change from Samsung concerns the selfie camera, which is no longer 40MP, but 12MP with larger pixels.
Samsung's quad camera setup continues to set the standard for smartphone zoom.
We've got a lot of detailed comparisons between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and its closest competitors, so I'll highlight some of my favorites. I took this photo of the frog on the left while walking with my family and I didn't have to use night mode to take it. The greens could be washed a bit, but the frog details are great and the tongue is pink.
My shot in the middle is a stylized travel shot that attempts to capture life above the clouds and tall trees at night. Both show colors and details as I remember them, with some trees catching the red-orange glow of the campfire below. I am particularly pleased with the stone photo (or perhaps more of the stone) taken while in Boulder. The fine detail of the stone is excellent and separates well from the trees in the background.
Oh, and I'll remind you how amazing the Galaxy S23 Ultra's zoom capabilities are. I included photos of the seat-side stone letters in my original review, but the best use case is meeting the balloon pilot in person. I probably wouldn't post pictures on social media less than 30 or 100 times, but it's great to see the logo on the driver's hat and to clearly see the passenger behind the basket. The details aren't perfect, but Samsung deserves a lot of credit for the image it produced, because I've never installed a Galaxy S23 Ultra on it.
Create and show quality
Ryan Hines / Android Authority
When you're spending over $1,200 on a smartphone, it's only fair to expect high-quality materials to match a great camera system. Samsung understands this and has designed the Galaxy S23 Ultra accordingly. No matter how you feel about the simple, slab-like design, you can't deny that the Victus 2's Gorilla Glass and Armor Aluminum are a winning combination.
Galaxy S23 Ultra's premium material mix isn't just for show. Its IP68 rating makes it very comfortable against water and dust, and our review unit has gotten its fair share of abuse over the past six months. It fell apart before I even got it in my hands, but the small scratches on the case are almost invisible and don't interfere with daily use.
The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and Galaxy S23 Ultra's aluminum body has aged beautifully.
Samsung's color options for the Galaxy S23 Ultra have matured a bit this year, unless you're going for one of the Samsung Store exclusives, but we're still fans of the Phantom's matte finish. This generation's dark green version is the perfect color combination without being too bright, and I just couldn't get enough of the look after about six months.
Then there is the screen. Samsung's large 6.8-inch panel complements the Galaxy S23 Ultra's premium design and delivers an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, 1,750 nits brightness and Quad HD resolution. Of course, the Galaxy S22 Ultra had the same specifications, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra replaced the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 panel with a Gorilla Glass Victus Plus panel for more durability.
Battery life and charging
Robert Triggs/Android Authority
It's no secret that the Galaxy S22 Ultra consumes battery quite a bit. The hot Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset quickly drained the 5,000mAh battery, forcing us to charge it a bit more than we wanted to. Fortunately, that chipset is no longer responsible, as it has been replaced by Qualcomm's more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor.
While we can go back to the performance of Qualcomm's latest chipset in a minute, more importantly, battery life is no longer a concern. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra no longer heats up like an egg on a hot Arizona day after a few minutes of use, so the battery doesn't drop like a stone under load. While the Galaxy S22 Ultra was lucky to get a day and a half of use, it's easier to push the Galaxy S23 Ultra close to two full days. I use a hybrid definition: that includes social networking, light gaming, lots of music streaming and navigation, and I've had no durability issues other than a four-hour drive that relied heavily on GPS.
When I finally used the 5,000mAh battery, the Samsung 45W Wireless Charger was back in the driver's seat. This is the fastest way to restore your Galaxy S23 Ultra as long as you have a compatible USB PD PPS charger. During my time with the phone, it took about 75 or 80 minutes to fully charge, just like the previous generation. Samsung is also working with 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. It's nice to have both, but it takes longer to get up and running.
performance
Ryan Hines / Android Authority
The previous Galaxy S22 Ultra actually worked great, but as mentioned above, it struggled to turn on the light. Now re-engineered for the Galaxy device, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset stays cooler under load and allows it to shine brighter in everyday life. Six months later, the Galaxy S23 Ultra continues to see everything I send, including mixed use as described above and often asks for more. Yes, long drives with GPS still give the Galaxy S23 Ultra some benefits, but that level of use is enough to heat up any device and cause it to lag.
You can pair the recently upgraded Samsung processor with 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, which should be more than enough for most people. We'll come back to the base, limited RAM configuration later, but it's nice to see Samsung remove the 128GB option from the lower end of the price list. You may find that you can get by with 256GB of storage, but the 512GB version is worth considering because it has more RAM.
Samsung is also setting the connectivity standard for wireless payments with support for Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC. The Galaxy S23 Ultra's stereo speakers are among the best in the world, but it's loud enough that I don't need a dedicated Bluetooth speaker when I'm in the shower.
updates
Ryan Hines / Android Authority
Praising Samsung's update policy is like letting Babe Ruth play soccer, at least among Android OEMs. Four years of Android updates and five years of security support is impressive, and Samsung is delivering on its commitment, at least at first. So far, we have regularly received Galaxy S23 Ultra containing patches and the July 1, 2023 security patches in the June 1, 2023 Play Store update.
Samsung also doesn't put its updates under the "bug fixes" umbrella. An update in early April made some tweaks to the camera app and made taking photos easier and faster. You can now press the shutter button before the Galaxy S23 Ultra is fully centered and delete photos before processing is complete. Along with other settings, Samsung changed the stabilization when shooting in Full HD at 60 fps.
There isn't much on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Our five-star Editors' Choice device doesn't have many downsides, but it does. In this case, the Galaxy S23 Ultra's shortcomings are something Samsung can't fix with a quick fix or monthly update. We're not going to mention the lack of a headphone or charger jack, but there are a few minor things worth noting.
design
Ryan Hines / Android Authority
There is no doubt that the Galaxy S23 Ultra is a premium phone made of high-quality materials. We've likened the traction of its predecessor to a tank, and it's hard to get excited about recreating the tread with the same design.
The Victus 2's Gorilla Glass and aluminum panel remains uncharacteristic, offering just a few new color options to set it apart from its predecessor. Its size and shape are still taken from the Galaxy Note line, and the camera setup (save for the updated main sensor) is the same as the Galaxy S22 Ultra and even the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Of course, Samsung can't separate the S Pen from the edge of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but it would be nice to see minor changes from year to year.
Handling a simple rectangle of glass couldn't be easier.
While I could accuse Samsung of copying and pasting the design of previous generations, they've made a welcome development: flatter side rails. The flat bezel moves pins away from the screen's curved edges, reducing typos and accidental taps in the process. I did notice some random clicks, but not as much as the previous generation. Unfortunately, those side bars are still shiny, so they collect fingerprints and smudges all day long.
As someone who has never been to phablets, I don't agree with the Galaxy S23 Ultra's design, but you might see it differently. Maybe you miss the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and want to put the S Pen back in your pocket. If so, the powerful and well-polished Galaxy S23 Ultra might be just what you're looking for.
RAM and storage options
Ryan Hines / Android Authority
No matter how you feel about the design, it's easier to admit that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a bit limited in its base configuration. While the standard 256GB of storage is respectable and double the Apple standard, 8GB of RAM just isn't enough for a $1,199 phone. When you're spending over a thousand dollars on a new device, it's not an exaggeration to say that premium Android software should come with 12GB of RAM as standard.
Some of Samsung's closest competitors would agree. Android flagships like the Pixel 7 Pro offer 12GB of RAM across the board, and the OnePlus 11 offers 256GB of storage for a few hundred dollars less than the Galaxy S23 Ultra. In contrast, you'll need to upgrade to 512GB of storage to get 12GB of RAM on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which brings the full US price to $1,379.
Even if you consider yourself a power user who needs more storage, close to $1,400 is a lot of money to spend on a phone that you'll only have for a few years.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review verdict: Still worth the money?
Ryan Hines / Android Authority
It's safe to say that six months after Samsung introduced the Galaxy S23 Ultra, it's doing better than bad. The flagship of the Galaxy S23 family entered 2023 not with a one-off wonder, but with an excellent lineup packed with premium features. Sure, it would be nice to see more mainstream RAM and an updated design soon, but it's hard to argue with what Samsung has accomplished.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is a versatile workhorse that easily meets the performance needs of power users and goes beyond battery life by replacing the overclocked Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for the Galaxy device. It's made from premium materials that combine Gorilla Glass Victus 2 with Armor Aluminum and offers a durable IP68 rating. Samsung's long-term commitment to optimizations and flexible cameras set the benchmark for its Android competitors, despite its superior price tag.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is still the flagship Android flagship, as long as you're willing to spend.
Perhaps the biggest problem with the Galaxy S23 Ultra's dominance is its asking price. We said you no longer need $1,200 to get a great flagship in 2022, and that statement was proven true only last year. The Google Pixel 7 Pro ($589.98 at Amazon) is a great example, starting at under $1,000 and combining a clean Google Pixel user interface with Tensor G2-powered image processing. There's also the OnePlus 11 ($1,296 at Amazon), a nod to what made the brand popular in the first place. It has an improved Hasselblad camera and 80W wired charging, even if you need to work without wireless charging. It even enters the affordable flagship segment with the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) at a great price. Although the latest Edge Plus only has 8GB of RAM, it offers 512GB of internal storage as standard and offers 68W wired charging without wireless interruption.
Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in six months?
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Then there is Apple's approach. The iPhone 14 Pro ($999.99 at Best Buy) and Pro Max ($1,099 at Best Buy) are priced close to the Galaxy S23 Ultra and offer the best iOS experience you can get. Apple replaced the long-standing notch with a Dynamic Island, and now the Pro models are the only way to get the latest and greatest (for now) the A16 Bionic chipset. While you won't get much RAM and battery in any iPhone, Apple's unique optimizations allow you to get more out of your hardware.
After all, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remains one of the best Android smartphones more than six months after its release. The key questions to ask yourself are if you have more energy in your pocket than you need… and are you willing to spend that much?
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
New 200 MP main camera • Beautiful screen • S Pen functionality
The 2023 Ultra edition of Samsung's flagship line
Powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor as the lower models in the series, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offers more storage space and a larger 200MP camera. With S Pen support and a 6.8-inch Ultra display, it's perfect for taking notes on the go.
