This story is a part of Samsung Event, CNET’s assortment of reports, ideas and recommendation round Samsung’s hottest merchandise.
Samsung hasn’t been shy about flaunting the cameras on its new telephones. It even wrangled endorsements from acclaimed administrators Ridley Scott and Na Hong-jin throughout its Galaxy S23 announcement. However, in a considerably shocking transfer for Samsung, the digicam performs second fiddle to battery and efficiency upgrades within the new Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus. The Galaxy S23 ($800, £849, AU$1,349) and Galaxy S23 Plus ($1,000, £1,049, AU$1,649), which can be found as we speak alongside the $1,200 Galaxy S23 Ultra (£1,249, AU$1,949), really feel like a half-generation improve in comparison with final 12 months’s Galaxy S22.Performance is quicker, and battery life is fortunately a bit longer, which addresses the largest criticism I had concerning the Galaxy S22. But in contrast to the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s cameras, which have noticeable enhancements in colour tone and dynamic vary together with a brand new 200-megapixel sensor, the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus’ cameras largely really feel the identical as final 12 months.And that is OK. We’re previous the purpose of revolutionary annual upgrades, and the Galaxy S23 is the right instance of that. Instead, Samsung targeted on making sensible refinements to one of many areas that issues most in a telephone: how lengthy it lasts on a single cost. Still, you should not improve to the S23 or S23 Plus except your telephone is greater than two years outdated since it is not a radical change. One of the Galaxy S23’s largest drawbacks, nevertheless, is not a flaw with the telephone itself, however quite the robust competitors from Google. The $899 Pixel 7 Pro falls in between the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus pricewise and provides a stellar digicam that bests Samsung’s in some situations. Samsung, nevertheless, does supply compelling trade-in bargains that might make the S23 lineup extra compelling.
LikeEngaging design4 generations of Android OS updatesLonger battery life than the Galaxy S22Quick performanceMore storage within the base S23 Plus
Don’t LikeCameras are principally the identical as final yearExpensiveNo enhancements to quick chargingRegular Galaxy S23 lacks base storage improve
Overall, the Galaxy S23 is right for Android followers that prioritize quick efficiency, stable cameras and having a spacious and shiny display screen in a compact package deal. The Galaxy S23’s cameras do not all the time measure as much as Apple’s and Google’s, however they’re nonetheless ok to suit most peoples’ wants. Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus get a battery improveThe Galaxy S23 has a much bigger battery than its predecessor.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Like the Galaxy S22, the 6.1-inch Galaxy S23 stays a best choice for Android followers that desire smaller telephones. But there was only one downside with the Galaxy S22: Its battery life generally felt too quick to get via a full day. It seems to be like Samsung took these issues to coronary heart. Both the common Galaxy S23 and the bigger 6.6-inch Galaxy S23 Plus get an extended battery life in comparison with their predecessors. The Galaxy S23 has a 3,900-mAh battery, up from the Galaxy S22’s 3,700-mAh capability, whereas the Galaxy S23 Plus has a 4,700-mAh battery as an alternative of the S22 Plus’ 4,500-mAh battery. The new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor contained in the Galaxy S23 sequence, which has been optimized for Samsung’s new telephones, also needs to carry some enhancements to energy effectivity.Even although I’ve solely used the brand new telephones for a couple of days, these upgrades are already noticeable. When I used the 6.1-inch Galaxy S22 as my every day smartphone for roughly a month, I seen that the battery dipped right down to between 30 and 40% by 9 p.m., particularly after an extended day within the workplace. With the Galaxy S23, the battery was right down to 46% by 9:45 p.m. after a day of heavy utilization (operating benchmark efficiency checks, taking plenty of images and movies, and so on.). With mild utilization after a day that began at 10 a.m, I had 64% left by the point I went to sleep simply previous 12:30 a.m. The Galaxy S23 Plus had 73% of its battery left by bedtime (round 11 p.m.) after a full day within the workplace.Of course, battery life will fluctuate relying on how you utilize your machine. Tasks like making video calls and recording video will drain the battery sooner, and settings reminiscent of display screen brightness sometimes influence battery life. During my checks, I often had the display screen set between 25% and 50% of the telephone’s most brightness; since Samsung’s telephones have pretty shiny screens, there’s often no have to set it any increased. I additionally examined the battery life by placing every telephone via a 45-minute endurance take a look at to see how rapidly the battery drains after routine duties like scrolling via social media, watching YouTube movies, enjoying video games and making a video name. The Galaxy S23 dipped to 91% after that take a look at, whereas the Galaxy S23 Plus decreased to 95%. Both scores signify a light enchancment over the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus, which reached 89% and 92%, respectively. To get a extra thorough sense of the Galaxy S23’s battery life, I additionally ran a three-hour YouTube streaming take a look at through which I cranked the show brightness all the way in which up whereas watching a video and measured the battery stage at each hour. As you may see within the desk under, the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus fared higher than their predecessors throughout these checks, particularly by the top of the third hour. Both telephones additionally beat the Galaxy S22 Ultra on this take a look at, and the Galaxy S23 matched the efficiency of the $599 Pixel 7.
Three-hour battery take a look at
1 hour
2 hours
3 hours
Galaxy S23
95%
88%
81%
Galaxy S22
91%
81%
71%
Galaxy S23 Plus
95%
90%
84%
Galaxy S22 Plus
93%
87%
79%
Galaxy S23 Ultra
95%
89%
82%
Galaxy S22 Ultra
93%
86%
80%
Pixel 7
95%
88%
81%
While battery life improved, the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus have the identical charging speeds as final 12 months. The Galaxy S23 helps 25-watt fast-charging and 45-watt fast-charging for the Galaxy S23 Plus. But in apply, these charging speeds did not really feel that completely different. The Galaxy S23 went from 47% to 86% after 30 minutes, whereas the Galaxy S23 Plus went from 59% to 94%. While charging velocity is not a deal-breaker when shopping for a brand new telephone, it might have been good to see Samsung push ahead on this space. That’s very true contemplating rivals like Xiaomi and OnePlus proceed to shorten the time it takes to replenish their respective telephones’ batteries. Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus’ new processor is quickThe Galaxy S23 (left) and S23 Plus are the identical dimension as final 12 months’s S22 and S22 Plus.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus really feel snappy and quick in on a regular basis use, as telephones of their worth vary ought to. Playing video games with the graphics and body price on the highest settings felt clean, and apps launched immediately. All three new telephones have an adaptive refresh price that reaches as much as 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations, which additionally contributes to the gadgets’ peppiness. The one space the place the brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor appears to make a distinction in on a regular basis use is exporting video. The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus each exported a 30-second 4K video to 1080p sooner than the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro. The iPhone 14, nevertheless, was the quickest of the bunch. The Galaxy S23 lineup runs on a particular custom-made model of Qualcomm’s newest cell chip that is been optimized for these telephones, that means it is completely different from the model contained in the OnePlus 11.
Video export take a look at
Export time (in seconds)
Galaxy S23
14.3
Galaxy S23 Plus
13.9
Galaxy S22 Ultra
16.9
iPhone 14
12.2
Pixel 7 Pro
24.9
Benchmarks meant to check basic computing (Geekbench 5) and the way a processor handles excessive efficiency in brief bursts (3DMark) instructed an analogous story. The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus carried out properly in comparison with the Galaxy S22 and Pixel 7 Pro, and even outperformed the iPhone 14 on most checks. The OnePlus 11 was their closest competitor, which is not shocking contemplating it has an analogous processor. But the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus did outpace the OnePlus 11 within the take a look at meant to judge a processor’s single-core efficiency, which is smart contemplating Samsung overclocked one of many CPU cores.
Benchmarks
Legend:
Galaxy S23
Galaxy S22
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Pro
Pixel 7 Pro
OnePlus 11
Note:
Higher scores are higher
3DMark frames per second
Legend:
Galaxy S23
Galaxy S22
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Pro
Pixel 7 Pro
OnePlus 11
Note:
Higher scores are higher.
That mentioned, real-world utilization issues greater than benchmarks. Other than the sooner video export speeds, I did not expertise something on the Galaxy S23 lineup that felt unusually quick in comparison with most different telephones in the identical worth vary.Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus digicam is just like the S22The Galaxy S23’s digicam is similar to the Galaxy S22’s.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus every have a triple rear digicam that consists of a 50-megapixel essential digicam, 12-megapixel extremely large and a 10-megapixel telephoto. Thanks to a method known as pixel binning, you may select to shoot images on the full 50-megapixel decision or 12 megapixels relying on the state of affairs. The 12-megapixel choice, for instance, is often higher for poorly lit circumstances because it teams a number of pixels collectively to function a bigger pixel for gathering extra mild. Samsung additionally integrates the controls from its Expert Raw app proper into the primary digicam, making it extra handy for many who need easy accessibility to the complete, uncompressed model of a picture. This digicam system is essentially the identical because the one on the S22, though Samsung has made some processing enhancements, significantly with regards to low mild pictures. That’s the largest distinction I seen throughout my time testing the brand new telephones towards the Galaxy S22. Check out the images of my husband in a dim restaurant under. His face is brighter and his beard is extra detailed.Still, I most popular the iPhone 14’s and Pixel 7 Pro’s pictures, largely as a result of they captured extra correct pores and skin tones. The Galaxy S23’s photograph is brighter and extra detailed than the Pixel 7 Pro’s, however it additionally makes his face look slightly washed out.The Galaxy S23 performs properly in dim situations total, which is not shocking contemplating low-light pictures has been a giant space of focus for Samsung lately. Even although the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7 Pro carried out higher within the examples above, the S23 simply challenges Apple and Google in different low-light pictures situations, like taking images of pets and nonetheless objects.In the images of a e book stack under, for instance, the Galaxy S23 did an incredible job at retaining element and colour. The iPhone 14’s photograph is not as colourful and has some noise in comparison with Samsung’s, though the Pixel 7 Pro’s picture was a detailed competitor.Otherwise, there is not something that feels new or shocking concerning the Galaxy S23’s digicam. While the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus can each seize crisp and clear pictures, there have been situations through which colours both regarded exaggerated or blown out in comparison with the identical images taken on the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7.You can see an instance of the exaggeration on this photograph of my husband under. The shade of blue in his denim jacket is brighter than it regarded in actual life, whereas the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7 Pro’s images look extra pure.But as I mentioned in my assessment of the S23 Ultra, this is not all the time a nasty factor. It could make sure images pop and look extra engaging total, as is the case with the photograph under. The pink flowers look extra colourful and vibrant within the S23’s photograph in comparison with the remaining.Samsung additionally upgraded the Galaxy S23’s selfie digicam with a 12-megapixel sensor in comparison with the S22’s 10-megapixel entrance digicam. However, I did not discover a lot of a distinction underneath regular circumstances. But Samsung’s telephones simply took higher selfies in low mild in comparison with the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7 Pro. The images from Google and Apple’s telephones are each noisier and grainier than Samsung’s, which I seen when evaluating the images on a big monitor. The Galaxy S23’s selfie can be a bit clearer than the S22’s, however the distinction is not as dramatic.The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus have a 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom, identical to the S22 and S22 Plus. You’ll have to splurge on the $1,200 Galaxy S23 Ultra to get the 10x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom. But the S23 and S23 Plus nonetheless have extra to supply than the $799 iPhone 14, which has a 1x optical zoom and a 5x digital zoom. Samsung is often the king of zoom, however on this state of affairs Google takes the cake. The Pixel 7 Pro has a 5x optical zoom and a 30x digital zoom that appears far crisper than Samsung’s, as proven under.As far as video recording is worried, the S23 and S23 Plus can file at 8K decision as much as 30 frames per second. When recording video on the highest supported decision and body price for every telephone (4K at 60 frames per second for the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7 Pro), I seen the Galaxy S23’s footage had extra correct colour tones in comparison with the Pixel 7 Pro. The iPhone’s video, nevertheless, regarded a bit crisper.I additionally seen that video stabilization improved barely on the Galaxy S23 in comparison with the Galaxy S22, enabling it to higher compete with Apple’s Action Mode.The Galaxy S23’s digicam is not a leap ahead, however it’ll really feel vital to these upgrading from a telephone that is a number of years outdated. Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus have a barely new designThe Galaxy S23 (left) and Galaxy S23 Plus.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus have largely the identical look and really feel because the Galaxy S22. And that is a great factor for my part, as a result of I beloved the Galaxy S22’s glossy and colourful look. The essential distinction is that Samsung did away with the digicam island on the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus, as an alternative choosing standalone lenses that sit organized in a vertical column on the again of the machine. It’s the identical aesthetic because the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and it makes the S23’s design really feel extra constant. Otherwise, the telephones can be found in new colour choices that embody lavender, black, cream and inexperienced. All three telephones are available in the identical dimension choices because the S22 lineup. There’s the 6.1-inch Galaxy S23, 6.6-inch Galaxy S23 Plus and 6.8-inch Galaxy S23 Ultra. Samsung does a greater job than most at squeezing spacious screens into small gadgets. The Galaxy S23 Ultra nonetheless feels large, however the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus really feel surprisingly petite for his or her dimension. The Galaxy S23 Plus, for instance, solely feels barely bigger than the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 regardless of the quantity of additional display screen area it supplies. The Galaxy S23 can be one of many few Android telephones with a 6.1-inch display screen apart from the Pixel 6A, making it a compelling selection for many who desire compact gadgets. All three new Galaxy telephones launch with Android 13 and the One UI 5.1 overlay. Samsung additionally supplies 4 generations of Android OS model upgrades, which is noteworthy contemplating Google solely commits to 3 generations of updates on its Pixel telephones. That means your Galaxy S23 will final for not less than 4 years from a software program perspective, so it should not really feel outdated anytime quickly. Consistent with Samsung’s theme of constructing sensible adjustments this 12 months, the Galaxy S23 Plus and S23 Ultra now begin at 256GB of storage quite than 128GB. That means you get double the storage capability for a similar worth as final 12 months’s gadgets. While it is an incredible worth for Samsung’s pricier telephones, I’m dissatisfied Samsung did not do the identical for its entry-level Galaxy S23. It would have been a great way for Samsung to additional justify the Galaxy S23’s increased worth in comparison with the $599 Pixel 7 whereas additionally giving potential Pixel 7 Pro customers one more reason to think about Samsung as an alternative. Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus: Buy or skip?The Galaxy S23 (left) and S23 Plus.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
The Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus are average enhancements over the Galaxy S22, bringing quality-of-life enhancements like longer battery life, extra base storage for the Plus and sooner efficiency. Since this is not a significant replace, I do not advocate upgrading except you’ve a telephone that is greater than two years outdated on the very least. Those who’ve an older telephone will get the advantages that got here with final 12 months’s digicam improve and redesign, together with the S23’s higher battery life.If you are procuring within the $900 worth vary, the Pixel 7 Pro can be price contemplating. The digicam usually captures extra correct colours and crisper zoom photographs than Samsung’s and also you get a barely bigger display screen for a less expensive worth than the Galaxy S23 Plus. However, simply keep in mind that Google solely provides three generations of Android OS updates for the Pixel 7 line, so that you would possibly need to improve sooner. Both Samsung and Google present 5 years of safety updates for his or her higher-end gadgets, so you may nonetheless have years earlier than the telephones could also be prone to vulnerabilities.The Galaxy S22 can be a tempting choice at its new worth of $700. But for those who can afford it, I’d advocate going for the Galaxy S23 due to its longer battery life and newer processor. Let’s face it, your telephone’s battery is not going to get any higher over time, so that you would possibly as properly spend money on a tool that can last more.How we take a look at phonesEvery telephone examined by CNET’s opinions crew was truly utilized in the true world. We take a look at a telephone’s options, play video games and take images. We look at the show to see if it is shiny, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and construct to see how it’s to carry and whether or not it has an IP-rating for water resistance. We push the processor’s efficiency to the extremes utilizing each standardized benchmark instruments like GeekBench and 3DMark, together with our personal anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution movies and enjoying graphically intense video games at excessive refresh charges.All the cameras are examined in a wide range of situations from shiny daylight to darkish indoor scenes. We check out particular options like evening mode and portrait mode and examine our findings towards equally priced competing telephones. We additionally take a look at the battery life through the use of it every day in addition to operating a sequence of battery drain checks.We consider extra options like assist for 5G, satellite tv for pc connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus assist, quick charging speeds, foldable shows amongst others that may be helpful. And we in fact stability all of this towards the value to provide the verdict on whether or not that telephone, no matter worth it’s, truly represents good worth.
Galaxy S23 lineup specs
Galaxy S23
Galaxy S23 Plus
Galaxy S23 Ultra
Display dimension, tech, decision, refresh price, brightness
6.1-inch AMOLED; 2,340×1,080 pixels; 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate
6.6-inch AMOLED; 2,340×1,080 pixels; 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate
6.8-inch AMOLED; 3,088×1,440 pixels; 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate
Pixel density
425 ppi
393 ppi
500 ppi
Dimensions (inches)
2.79 x 5.76 x 0.3 in.
3 x 6.21 x 0.3 in.
3.07 x 6.43 x 0.35 in.
Dimensions (millimeters)
70.9 x 146.3 x 7.6 mm
76.2 x 157.7 x 7.6 mm
78 x 163.3 x 8.9 mm
Weight (grams, ounces)
168 g (5.93 oz.)
196 g (6.91 oz.)
234 g (8.25 oz.)
Mobile software program
Android 13
Android 13
Android 13
Camera
50-megapixel (large), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (telephoto)
50-megapixel (large), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (telephoto)
200-megapixel (large), 12-megapixel (ultrawide) 10-megapixel (telephoto) 10-megapixel (telephoto)
Front-facing digicam
12-megapixel
12-megapixel
12-megapixel
Video seize
8K
8K
8K
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
RAM/storage
8GB RAM + 128GB; 8GB RAM + 256GB
8GB + 256GB; 8GB + 512GB
8GB + 256GB; 12GB + 256GB; 12GB + 512GB; 12GB + 1TB
Expandable storage
None
None
None
Battery/charging speeds
3,900 mAh (25W wired charging)
4,700 mAh (45W wired charging)
5,000 mAh (45W wired charging)
Fingerprint sensor
In-display
In-display
In-display
Connector
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
Headphone jack
None
None
None
Special options
5G (mmw/Sub6), IP68 ranking, wi-fi PowerShare to cost different gadgets
5G (mmw/Sub6), IP68 ranking, wi-fi PowerShare to cost different gadgets, UWB for locating different gadgets
5G (mmw/Sub6), IP68 ranking, wi-fi PowerShare to cost different gadgets, built-in S Pen, 100x Space Zoom, 10x Optical Zoom, UWB for locating different gadgets
US worth off-contract
$800 (8GB/128GB)
$1,000 (8GB/256GB)
$1,200 (12GB/256GB)
UK worth
£849 (8GB/128GB)
£1,049 (8GB/256GB)
£1,249 (12GB/256GB)
Australia worth
AU$1,349 (8GB/128GB)
AU$1,649 (8GB/256GB)
AU$1,949 (12GB/256GB)