Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, S23+, and S23 hands-on review

Samsung Galaxy S23+ and Galaxy S23 design and handling

The Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ are the simpler of the new S23 series. But that may not be a bad thing. For one, they're smaller and neatly fit into the reasonably-sized territory. At 6.6-inch, the S23+ is on the smaller end of big phones, while at 6.1-inch, the S23 s on the larger end of small phones.

The pair doesn't have the same precision-engineered feeling as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but they're very well made nonetheless. Gone are the days when the smaller S series phone had plastic instead of glass. This year, both the Galaxy S23 and S23+ are clad in the same Gorilla Glass Victus 2 as their Ultra counterpart.

This year, Samsung decided to remove the contoured camera island from the back of the Galaxy S23, and S23+, which the company says makes the design linear across all three models. The three phones are even color matched in the same Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender color schemes. People who like a simple and clean design will love the S23 and S23+.

Perhaps Samsung should go even further and make the Galaxy S24 and S24+ (if the series is kept intact) square like the Ultra - it will be like the Galaxy Note10 and Galaxy Note10+ pair all over again.

As it stands, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a flat top and bottom frame and a contoured, thinner side frame, while the Galaxy S23 and S23+ have an equally-wide frame that curves ever so slightly down to meet the front and rear glass panels.

Like the Ultra, the S23 and S23+'s rear panels are matte instead of glossy. We wholeheartedly agree with Samsung's decision on the finish. It's better at keeping smudges away and it looks better too.

On a less positive note, the new Galaxy S23+ could be mistaken for a Galaxy A13 from a distance - they have the same 6.6-inch display and a seamless rear panel with just the camera lenses protruding on top.

Under the hood, the pair of phones come with the same premium Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, specially tuned for Galaxy. It makes for a lovely zippy experience that's a notch above the older S22 series and levels above the S21. The phone blazes through any task with immediacy and the fast 120Hz panels convey that lightspeed accordingly.

We expect the 200mAh bump in battery capacity to prove meaningful, especially in conjunction with the efficient chipset.

Elsewhere the updates are less notable. You're essentially getting the same display and camera configuration as on last year's S22 and S22+ models. Those were already good enough, perhaps, but potential upgraders will need some convincing.

Wrap up

So let's try and summarize everything. Say you're the owner of a Galaxy S22 or Galaxy S22+, and you're looking at this pair and wondering if you should upgrade. The pre-booking campaign didn't offer enough in the way of discounts to really make a difference.

The slight spec differences are also not enough to coax people into an upgrade. Well, perhaps disgruntled owners of the smaller Galaxy S22 might seek refuge in the Galaxy S23's potential battery improvement but that may be an edge case.

The outlook isn't as grim for potential buyers of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Whether you own a Galaxy S22 Ultra or are in the market for the best possible smartphone, the S23 Ultra has something to entice you.

We're banking on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to bring a tangible difference to both performance and battery life. The new 200MP camera has the potential to be much better than the stalwart 108MP.

Still, you should wait for our full review before you make the jump on either S23 phone, just to be sure. Stay tuned!