Galaxy S23 Ultra Intro

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is right around the corner as Samsung has already set an official February 1st date for the big reveal, but we don't have to wait until than as rumors and leaks have painted a nearly complete picture of the upcoming device and even Samsung has already dropped some teasers.
 
Leaked photos have revealed the design of the S23 Ultra and while it looks very similar to the previous model, and it will come with the familiar S Pen inside, as well as the large 5,000mAh battery we are used to, there are some changes on the inside.
 
So what's new? In this article, we round up all we know about the Galaxy S23 Ultra and see how it has changed over the previous S22 Ultra.
 
Galaxy S23 reservations are already open at Samsung.com! Reserve a Galaxy S23 series phone and get $50 Samsung Credit, or reserve a phone and a Galaxy Book and get $100 Samsung Credit right now!
 

What's new about the S23 Ultra:

  • All S23 Ultra models across the globe to ship with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (no more Exynos versions)
  • New 200MP main camera
  • Improvements to the other cameras
  • Slightly more refined design
  • Brighter screen
  • 256GB base storage (double than before)
  • Improved loudspeaker quality
  • Possible satellite connectivity
  • Same battery size, same charging speeds 
  • Same charging speeds

Table of contents:
- Models
- Design
- Display
- Camera
- Performance
- Battery & Charging
- Audio
- Competitors
- Summary

Galaxy S23 Ultra specs

Let's kick this off with an overview of the Galaxy S23 Ultra specs highlights and see how it compares against its predecessor:

Galaxy S23 Ultra models: Snapdragon vs Exynos

The Galaxy S23 Ultra will put an end to one of the most controversial Samsung practices in recent years: the division of the flagship phone series in two versions, one with a Snapdragon processor and another one with an Exynos chip.
 
The S23 Ultra is expected to launch with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip everywhere across the globe.
 
With no Exynos on the Galaxy S23 series, and no other major phone maker using Samsung's chip, this might also mean the end of Samsung's efforts in this area. It's too early to tell whether this will benefit consumers in the long term or not, but at least in the near future, it is a welcome move. The Snapdragon chip that will be used in the Galaxy S23 Ultra is more powerful and power-efficient than any Exynos counterpart.
 

Galaxy S23 Ultra Design, Colors and S Pen

So similar, you can hardly tell it apart from its predecessor

(Image Credit - @UniverseIce) The S23 Ultra features a thicker frame and slightly bigger buttons that are now a bit lower for easier reach and comfort

Design-wise, the Galaxy S23 Ultra looks so similar to the S22 Ultra that most people will have a hard time telling the two apart.
 
The new S23 Ultra features roughly the same 6.8-inch size, the same look with sharp corners, the same S Pen housed in the phone, and even the same camera arrangement with every individual lens separated on the back of the phone. It will also use the same materials: glass on the front and back and an aluminum frame in between, and it will also have the same IP68 water and dust protection rating.
 
However, even if subtle, there will be differences. One is the flatter sides of the phone, which will make it a bit more iPhone-like and easier to grip when it's laying on a table. Every individual camera lens will also be larger, so S22 Ultra cases will not fit.
 
Another nice little touch is the bigger buttons for the power and volume, which will now be positioned just a bit lower for easier reach.
 
As for the Galaxy S23 Ultra colors, leaks predict the following:
 
  • Phantom Black
  • Cotton Flower
  • Mystic Lilac
  • Botanic Green
As you can see, a plain white version is missing from this list, but we do appreciate having something new like a green option.
 
Last but not least, the S23 Ultra still comes with an S Pen built inside for your convenience. Expect to see further improvements to the latency of this new S Pen for more of a pen-to-paper feel. We don't know much about the new S Pen features just yet, but will be updating this as soon as we learn more about it.
 

Galaxy S23 Ultra Display

 
Samsung is the market leader in display technology, but interestingly other phone makers have already adopted its latest E6 OLED panel, so the Galaxy S23 Ultra will kind of catch up here because of its later launch.
 
Still, you will get the latest and greatest here in a 6.8-inch size. Samsung calls the S23 Ultra screen Dynamic AMOLED 2X and it has a 1440p resolution and LTPO technology for variable refresh rate that goes from 1Hz to 120Hz. Samsung sticks with a punch-hole style front camera for a discreet look, so nothing new there.
 
Thanks to the switch to the new Samsung E6 OLED panel technology (the S22 Ultra used an M11 OLED panel), we should also see improvements in screen color cast and peak brightness.
 
In terms of biometrics, the S23 Ultra comes with an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, which has proven to be quite reliable and fast enough. The phone will also support image-based face recognition with the front camera. Keep in mind that this is still not as secure as 3D face recognition like Apple's Face ID, but it also doesn't take up as much space as that system. Trade-offs!

Galaxy S23 Ultra Camera

New 200MP main camera is the big highlight

(Image Credit - OnLeaks)

With a main camera, an ultra-wide camera and two zoom cameras on the back, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will keep its position as one of the most versatile smartphone cameras on the market.

This year, the main camera gets the big upgrade. After three generations of using the 108MP sensor, Samsung is making the jump to an even more impressive 200MP sensor. The number here surely has an effect on buyers, but don't forget that you will still get 12MP photos out of it and it is the actual technology that matters. Thanks to improvements in the quality of the sensor and with pixel-binning, the idea is to get cleaner shots in low light and more detail.
 
A leaked photo of a Galaxy S23 Ultra case shows that each individual camera has also grown larger in size, which adds more excitement.
 
Here is a quick overview of the expected S23 Ultra camera specs:
 
  • 200MP main camera, 23mm
  • 12MP ultra-wide, 13mm
  • 10MP 3X zoom
  • 10MP 10X zoom
  • 12MP front camera

Galaxy S23 Ultra leaked camera sample (left) vs S22 Ultra (right)

It's way too early to know specifics about image quality, but this leaked camera samples is extremely promising and shows a huge increase in the amount of captured detail.
 
We are also excited about RAW photo capture. You should be able to capture 200MP RAW files, but those might just be too gigantic for most users, so a rumored new 50MP RAW option will be a great middle ground for enthusiasts who want the flexibility and detail of RAW, combined with a reasonable file size.
 
Samsung leakers also say the phone will capture much better night time photos and videos, which is also very encouraging.
 
The phone will also now support 8K video recording at 30fps, an upgrade from the 8K 24fps on the previous model. 

Galaxy S23 Ultra Performance & Benchmarks

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in all markets

 
As we've already mentioned, the S23 Ultra will come with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (SM8550) everywhere in the world, ending the unfair split of a higher-powered Snapdragon model reserved for the US, and a lower-powered Exynos processor shipping to the rest of the world. So that's great news for international buyers.
 
Insiders claim the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is an absolute beast of a chip. Built on the latest and most efficient 4nm technology, it is rumored to surpass the GPU performance of market leading Apple A16 chip. It is said to come with a CPU with one high-power X3 core running at up to 3.2GHz, two mid A715 cores at 2.8GHz and 2x A710 cores at 2.8GHz, plus finally 3x power-efficient A510 cores running at up to 2.0GHz
 
While the chip enables all sorts of fancy tech like Wi-Fi 7 and 4K120 video, not all of them will actually make it to the Galaxy. For example, it is expected to come with Wi-Fi 6E and 4K60 support.
 
But good news is that in at least some markets the base storage of the phone now comes with double the storage at 256GB. Here are the storage versions leaked for the French model before the launch:
 
  • 8GB RAM + 256GB storage
  • 12GB RAM + 512GB storage
  • 12GB RAM + 1TB storage
 
Having a 1TB option is a great thing for power users, but the impact of a 256GB base model will be far greater for the everyday user, so we are really excited about that.
 
One curious rumor claims that the Galaxy S23 Ultra may support satellite connectivity, just like the iPhone 14 series. This feature will be a welcome addition as it can be a lifesaver if you get lost in a distant place with no cellular signal.
 

Galaxy S23 Ultra Android version

The S23 Ultra will run on the latest Android 13 version with Samsung's One UI 5.1 on top of it.
 
Expect to see the familiar Samsung-style interface and icons, as well as all of the features that One UI is known for.
 
The best thing about buying a Samsung-made Android flagship is that you get the longest software support. Samsung promises 4 years of major updates and 5 years of security updates for its flagships, more than even Google offers for its Pixel phones.

Galaxy S23 Ultra Battery

No change in battery size

 
The S23 Ultra will come with a 5,000 mAh battery size, same as last year and a number which has become the de facto standard for high-end Android phones.
 
We don't expect big changes in battery life, but with the more efficient processor, a slight improvement is possible, and those coming from an Exynos model will probably notice an even bigger boost.
 
We will be updating this section with more details and our independent battery tests, but so far this is all we have.

Galaxy S23 Ultra Charging Speeds

 
Another area left unchanged is charging.
 
The S23 Ultra is expected to support charging speeds of up to 45W with a cable, and just like with previous models, there will be no charger included in the box. Do keep in mind that if you want these fast charging speeds, you need to buy pair Samsung's 45W charger with a special 5A USB-C cable (thicker than the average USB-C cable). While 45W charging speeds are fine, Samsung is not doing anything to catch up with rivals out of China that now come with 100W or faster charger that allow a full top-up in less than half an hour.
 
The S23 Ultra will also support wireless charging at up to 10W speeds, and it will be able to reverse wireless charge other devices when you place them on its back (you could top up wireless headphones, a smartphone or another phone for example).
 

Galaxy S23 Ultra Audio Quality and Haptics

The one area we really want to see Samsung improve is audio quality.
 
Previous Galaxy Ultra models lacked in bass and depth, and we expect more out of the loudspeakers on a flagship smartphone. Leaks now claim that Samsung will adopt better speakers with Dolby Atmos support in the S23 Ultra, so fingers crossed
 
And for those few that are still wondering whether a 3.5mm headphone jack will make a comeback in the S23 Ultra, the answer is a "no".

Galaxy S23 Ultra Competitors

In the US and most Western countries, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will face competition from two big players.
 
The arch-rival is of course Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max. The iPhone comes with industry-leading battery life which the Galaxy will find hard to match, plus it has iOS and the whole wide Apple ecosystem. However, it lacks the zoom capabilities, the openness and multi-tasking of Android, and the S Pen.
 
Another worthy option is the Google Pixel 7 Pro, a phone with a clean Android build, faster updates than the Galaxy, and clever Google AI features built in, but one that would not match the Ultra in terms of performance, zoom quality, video quality, and S Pen.
 
There are quite a few other flagship phones that will compete with the Galaxy, but the one worth mentioning the most is probably the OnePlus 11, which stands out with a lighter and more manageable physical size, the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 firepower, much faster charging and an improved Hasselblad branded camera.

Galaxy S23 Ultra Summary

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is without a doubt one of the most important phones of 2023.
 
After all, it is Samsung's very best flagship that does not fold.
 
With a new Snapdragon heart for all models and double the storage, it has way better chances to sell well, plus that new 200MP camera is promising.
 
We are excited about the S23 Ultra, but there is one last piece of the puzzle that we know nothing about: the price. Will Samsung follow the industry trend and raise the price of the S23 Ultra? We are yet to see, but be sure that we will be updating you with the latest on the phone as the news comes in.
 
 
Source - Phonearena