The World of Samsung Galaxy S23 Android Phone

Samsung Galaxy S23

The Samsung Galaxy S23 stands out as a compact phone, boasting similar high-end specs and performance as its bigger siblings—the medium-sized Galaxy S23+ and the massive Galaxy S23 Ultra.

It brings improved battery life compared to its predecessor and packs the most power you can find in a “small” Android phone.

While it falls short in charging speed and lacks ultra-wideband support present in its larger S23 counterparts, it provides a great alternative for those seeking a small-hand-friendly option, competing with the Apple iPhone 14 and Google Pixel 7.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Design

Let’s take a closer look at the Galaxy S23, which may seem like a mere replica of its predecessor, the Galaxy S22, with a slightly less appealing camera design.

However, there are noticeable exterior changes worth discussing.

Firstly, the single metallic camera module has been removed, and the phone’s edges have become sharper.

Unlike the Galaxy S22’s mostly flat frame, the S23 features straightened edges, giving it a more minimalist and practical appearance while still exuding a luxurious feel.

The phone maintains a slim curvature that ensures a comfortable grip, and the Armor aluminum frame’s ultra-shiny finish beautifully reflects light.

Holding the S23 for extended periods, even with just one hand, feels effortless due to its ergonomic design.

However, it would have been preferable if Samsung had chosen a textured finish instead of the shiny chrome look, as it would have provided better grip and reduced the visibility of accumulated oil smudges.

The buttons on the phone also have a glossy appearance, and while some may appreciate the raised power keys, the placement of the volume keys is somewhat inconvenient.

They sit diagonally across from the camera lenses, making it challenging to use them as camera shutters without accidentally including a fingertip in the shot.

Camera Layout

The minimalistic approach of the Galaxy S23 is further enhanced by its new floating camera design, though it does come with a few drawbacks.

One primary concern is the absence of a camera module, which can make it difficult to judge the proximity of your fingers to the lenses until it’s too late.

As someone with less steady hands, I often find myself using both hands to hold the phone while taking portrait photos, inadvertently placing my fingers near the lens, especially the lower 3x zoom lens.

Thankfully, most cases have a raised edge around the camera area to address this issue.

Another issue arises from the independent protrusion of each camera, which makes them prone to gathering dust and lint over time, similar to what was observed with the Galaxy S22 Ultra last year.

Additionally, the gap between the cameras can give most cases a slightly messy appearance unless they are precisely designed to accommodate each of the three cameras.

However, it’s important to note that this concern primarily affects case manufacturers rather than Samsung itself.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Display

The flat screen on the Galaxy S23 measures 6.1 inches in a full rectangle, but when you round off the corners, it becomes 5.9 inches. These curved corners don’t actually reduce any usable space, but they do make the top corners of the screen easier to reach when using the phone one-handed.

The standout features of this 2340 x 1080-pixel panel are its brightness and refresh rate.

While the screens on the Galaxy S23 Ultra and S23+ remain virtually unchanged from last year, the Galaxy S23 saw an upgrade from a fixed 120Hz to a variable 40–120Hz framerate.

The brightness, which was 1000 nits last year (up to 1500 nits in max auto-brightness), has also been updated to match the S23+ and Ultra at 1200 nits and a maximum of 1750 nits.

You might not easily notice the refresh rate—I personally find it challenging to distinguish between 90 Hz and 120 Hz just by looking—but that added brightness becomes quite useful when using the phone outdoors.

Even under the bright Florida sunshine, the phone remains easy to read, especially with dark mode turned on.

Samsung’s screens consistently rank among the best in the industry. If you spend a lot of time on your phone every day, the S23’s screen is sure to impress.

Be sure to get a reliable Galaxy S23 screen protector.

After six months, the included protector is starting to peel a bit, and my greasy fingers have worn away its oleophobic coating over time.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Software

The software on the Galaxy S23 model has undergone minimal changes, similar to its hardware. However, the introduction of One UI 5.1 does bring a few enhancements compared to One UI 5.0.

These include a more streamlined setup process and refinements to the gallery and camera apps.

It appears that Samsung didn’t feel the need to make significant additions, as One UI already offers a plethora of features, sometimes overwhelming users when searching for specific settings or functions.

Despite having both admirers and critics, One UI undeniably excels in terms of stability and robust functionality.

Switching between multiple resource-intensive apps is seamless. The extended gaming sessions also remain smooth, except in cases where there is an excessive number of 3D objects to render simultaneously.

Even after years of using Galaxy phones, there are still pleasant surprises in the form of small yet crucial features.

For instance, the temporary mute function and the integration between sleep mode and the morning alarm have proven to be invaluable.

As someone who often mutes their phone for podcast recording or meetings but forgets to unmute it for extended periods, missing important calls and updates, the temporary mute feature has been a lifesaver.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Performance

Samsung has made a big change in the Galaxy S23 models all around the world by choosing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform over the Exynos.

The chipset, or the brain of the phone, can really affect how well your phone works, and we saw problems with it last year in the Galaxy S22.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 had issues with battery life and overheating.

This year, Qualcomm fixed those problems, and the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 not only makes the Galaxy S23 a powerful phone but also one that will last much longer.

We’ll talk more about the battery life in a bit.

The Galaxy S23 can still get warm when you use it a lot, like during long Webtoon reading or playing Merge Dragons all night.

However, it doesn’t get as hot as the S22 or S21 did.

This is great news for people who use their phones a lot and have heavy-duty cases, which can trap heat.

In the past, we’ve seen phones slow down or get too hot, but with the Galaxy S23, even after taking lots of photos and videos in 90-degree weather this summer, it didn’t have to slow down to cool off.

This is a big improvement from my experience with the Galaxy S21 and every Pixel I’ve had in the last four years.

Note

Here’s one small thing to keep in mind: the Galaxy S23 we reviewed had 256GB of storage and used UFS 4.0 storage technology.

The base model with 128GB uses UFS 3.1, which is a bit slower and uses more energy than the 4.0.

If you’re going for the 128GB S23, you probably won’t notice a big difference in speed or performance compared to the 256GB version.

However, it’s something to be aware of. If you can spend an extra $60, it might be a good idea to go for the higher storage, especially since the Galaxy S23 doesn’t have a slot for a microSD card to add more storage later on.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Battery

Typically, small phones struggle with battery life due to the limited space for a larger battery.

However, Samsung has managed to include a 3,900mAh battery in the S23, which is larger than the 3,700mAh battery in the S22.

In our tests, we connected the phone to Wi-Fi, turned the brightness to the maximum, and played a YouTube video at 1080p in a continuous loop.

The S23 lasted for an impressive 13 hours and 12 minutes, performing better than the OnePlus 11 5G (11 hours and 13 minutes) and the Pixel 7 (12 hours and 10 minutes).

Compared to last year’s S22, which lasted just 9 hours and 5 minutes, Samsung has made significant improvements.

Furthermore, I’ll admit, this phone doesn’t eat up battery like crazy, even when playing games.

Thanks to a screen-saving feature that almost turns off the screen after X minutes, I managed to get 4–6 hours more game time with Merge Dragons on a single charge compared to the Pixel 7 or Galaxy Z Flip 4.

The battery holds up well during processor-intensive sessions with lots of multitasking, except for two notable situations.

The only days when my battery runs out quickly usually involve hours of wireless Android Auto use or extensive camera testing.

While photo safaris can drain the battery on most smartphones, the S23 handles it well, especially with night photography.

On regular weekdays, I usually end the day with 30–40% battery left, which is a relief because recharging the Galaxy S23 is one of its few downsides.

Charging Speed

However, there’s a trade-off when it comes to charging speed. Despite the smaller battery, the S23 charges at a slower rate of 25W, while the S23+ and S23 Ultra support faster charging at 45W.

In our tests, charging the S23 took 81 minutes, which is decent but not as fast as some competitors.

For example, the OnePlus 11 5G boasts incredibly fast 80W charging and even includes a power adapter (which is not included with the S23).

If you prefer wireless charging, all S23 models support the Qi standard at up to 15W.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Camera

The camera setup of the Galaxy S23 is identical to that of the S23+.

This means you’ll find a 50MP main sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS) at f/1.8, a 10MP 3x optical telephoto camera at f/2.4, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera at f/2.2.

These specifications are quite similar to the cameras found on the S22.

By default, Samsung captures photos at 12 MP using the primary lens, but you have the option to capture at the full 50 MP resolution if desired.

The selfie camera has been upgraded from 10 MP on the S22 to 12 MP on the S23, resulting in more detailed selfies.

If you prioritize camera performance when choosing a phone, the S23 Ultra might be worth considering, as it offers an impressive 200MP main camera and a secondary 10x optical zoom telephoto camera.

However, for most people, the standard S23 performs admirably in terms of camera capabilities.

It captures excellent photos in various lighting conditions, delivering clear and detailed results. Like other Samsung cameras, the S23 enhances colors, resulting in vibrant images that might sometimes appear overly vivid.

If you prefer more natural color reproduction, alternatives like the Pixel 7 or iPhone 14 might be better suited to your preferences.

Video

However, the camera experience is not just limited to capturing photos. Samsung allows you to record videos at resolutions up to 8K/30fps for high-resolution results or down to 1080p/960fps for ultra-smooth slow-motion footage.

Creative modes such as portrait video and features like tracking auto-focus make it a solid choice for video creators.

Additionally, there is a wide range of modes available for capturing photos and videos.

These include Adaptive Pixel (which reduces image file size while retaining detail) and Director’s View (utilizing multiple lenses simultaneously).

There are also modes like High-Resolution Photo, Multi-Exposure, Nightography, and Selfie Night Portrait.

Lastly, there’s the Super HDR mode, which merges multiple shots to create a detailed composite image.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Phone Update

Samsung stands out in the Android world when it comes to keeping your phone up-to-date.

When you choose the S23, you’re in for a treat—you’ll receive four operating system upgrades, taking you all the way to Android 17, along with a generous five years of security updates.

To put it in perspective, even Google’s Pixel phones offer one less OS upgrade.

Out of the box, the phone runs on Samsung’s One UI 5.1 skin for Android 13.

This version introduces a fresh widget system for your home screen and a new video lock screen option, giving you more ways to personalize your phone.

While One UI 5.1 isn’t quite like the stock Android experience found on Pixel or OnePlus phones with OxygenOS, Samsung ensures it’s visually consistent and performs seamlessly.

Just keep in mind that you might want to uninstall some default Samsung and Microsoft apps if you prefer a cleaner interface without unnecessary extras.

Final Note

The Samsung Galaxy S23 stands out as a compact flagship, offering many of the fantastic features found in the larger Galaxy S23+, all at a more budget-friendly price—$200 less, to be exact.

However, it falls a bit short compared to the S23+ when it comes to charging speed and UWB support.

Neither the S23 nor the S23+ can match the imaging excellence of the S23 Ultra, which boasts a remarkable 200MP camera.

This makes the S23 Ultra the top choice and our Editors’ Choice winner.

But, considering not everyone prefers a phone of that size, the Galaxy S23 is an excellent option for those who want a smaller Android device.

If you’re looking to save some money, the Pixel 7 is a decent alternative, although it doesn’t pack the same power.

On the other hand, the iPhone 14 is a strong competitor at a similar price, but keep in mind that you’ll be trading Android for iOS.

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