Samsung S23 Release Date (2023)

FAQs

Is Samsung S23 worth the wait? ›

The upgrade is worth it if you're looking to replace a phone you've had for several years, ideally one that's more than two years old. Even the Galaxy S21, which launched in 2021, likely still has enough life left to make it through another year. Buying decisions will always vary depending on your needs and budget.

It's worth holding onto your Galaxy S22 Ultra for a while longer before upgrading. With the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Samsung improved the areas that its Ultra phones are known for: camera quality and performance. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is Samsung's first phone capable of shooting photos at a 200-megapixel resolution.

It will get its first major update to Android 14 later this year, which will be the first of four software updates to which Samsung has committed. That will take the Galaxy S23 software updates through until 2027, including a year on the final version.

The most powerful chipset in a Galaxy:

The upgraded Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy on the S23 Ultra makes for an immersive gaming experience with an upgraded 40% faster GPU and NPU¹. Real-time ray tracing gives gamers the ultimate digital realism on a mobile device!

Samsung has promised 4 years of major Android OS updates and 1 additional year of security updates for a total of 5 years worth of updates.

Memory and other components make up the remaining costs. So, why does the Galaxy S23 Ultra cost so much? The answer is simple: it's a premium device that's packed with cutting-edge technology. The high-performance SoC, large and bright display, and powerful camera system all contribute to the high price tag.

As such, the S23 Ultra does feel like a big phone; it fits in my pockets, but just barely. I've always liked big phones, but others may find it too large. It's pretty much the same size as the S22 Ultra, though a little heavier.

Like the processor, the camera in the S23 Ultra is also getting some key upgrades over the S22 Ultra. First up, you're getting a bump up to a 200MP camera vs the 108MP camera on the S22,. The selfie camera is also getting upgraded from 10MP on the S22 to 12MP and can shoot in Super HDR 60FPS.

The three models of the Galaxy S22 are available in various storage configurations, and with the release of the Galaxy S23, Samsung dropped the base price for the Galaxy S22 by $100.

The software experience should also be nearly identical, as Samsung will ship these phones with One UI 5.1 (its take on Android 13). Once again, Samsung is offering four OS updates and five years of security updates, so the S23 and S23+ will have some decent support in the future.

Is S23 a good upgrade? ›

If you're looking to upgrade your phone, swapping your S21 for the new S23 won't disappoint you. The screen is brighter, the camera array performs a little better, and when pushing the phone to its limits, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the most powerful Android chip on the market.

According to the press release for the Galaxy S23 series, all three smartphones in the series will receive “four generations of OS upgrades and five years of security updates” just like their predecessors.

If you're going with the Samsung Galaxy S23

While 128GB storage is more than enough for a lot of users, it is worth noting that the size of apps and games continues to increase, and the 128GB storage variant may not be sufficient for heavy users who require ample storage space.

The Bottom Line

Premium specs, good battery life, and an above-average camera make the Samsung Galaxy S23 one of the best compact Android phones you can buy. PCMag editors select and review products independently.

With the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 chipset on the S23, you can now unlock higher frame rates and enjoy sharper, more vivid graphics. Along with the boosted 3,900mAh battery, there's a new and improved cooling system in place which is two times larger than that found on the Galaxy S22.

Without a doubt, the Galaxy S23 is the best small Android phone in 2023. This uniqueness makes it a more appealing option compared to the S23 Plus. As I mentioned earlier, the Galaxy S23 offers almost all the same hardware as the S23 Plus, but in a more compact and affordable package.

With more screen space than the S23 but a considerably lower size and weight than the Ultra, the S23+ is the perfect phone for the most demanding users. Its performance and user experience are unrivaled, and its drawbacks are minor and few.

Samsung S23 verdict

It's one of the best iPhone alternatives you can buy in 2023, and gives the Google Pixel some mighty competition when it comes to simple phone photography.