This article is related to an affiliate advertising program, and Outlook journalists were not involved in producing this article.
Please note that the prices may vary.
Being one the largest players in the Android smartphone game, Samsung has amped up its range even more with three new flagship phones this year. Launched in February 2023, the Samsung S23 is the youngest child in the family. The device is backed with higher frame rates, smoother video quality, and greater customisation and personalisation.
Follow along with this Samsung S23 review so that we can help you navigate the waters and assist in deciding if it’s worth investing in this much-hyped device or not. We’ll have a detailed analysis of all the specs of this smartphone, highlight its positives and negatives, and unleash some of its top competitors in the market by the end of this write-up.
Display
- Sporting a dynamic 6.1-inch HDR10+ always-on display, as usual of the Dynamic AMOLED variety, with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a touch sampling rate of 240 Hz, the Samsung S23 is geared toward users who prefer something a bit more petite. The display is just as glorious as Samsung's flagship AMOLED screens usually are!
- With its superb contrast and peak brightness level of 1,750 nits, the device delivers vibrant visuals, an sRGB-grade of colour accuracy and makes everything super-clear even under direct sunlight.
- Furthermore, the display delivers a decent sharpness of ~425 ppi by 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution. Overall, the Galaxy S23 definitely checks all the boxes for a flagship-grade smartphone display in early 2023.
Camera
- Featuring three standalone lenses, the Samsung S23 exudes a more premium appeal.
- The phone boasts a 50MP wide-angle primary camera flanked by an additional 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 10MP 3x optical zoom telephoto camera. Though the phone doesn’t feature any superfluous macro or depth sensors, it works hand-in-hand with a powerful chip to give a hi-resolution image output.
- As far as the selfie camera is concerned, the Samsung S23 features a 12MP lens with Dual Pixel technology that focuses faster and more accurately, even in low light. Both cameras deliver authentic colours and sharp details.
Battery and Charging
- As far as the battery is concerned, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is backed with a 3900 mAh, non-removable Li-Ion battery, which supports 25W wired charging, 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.
- The battery capacity and charging speeds are relatively low at this price point. However, the device delivers fair performance and packs enough power for demanding tasks.
- Also, the phone doesn’t include a charger in the box. It only comes with a USB Type-C to Type-C cable.
- On one charge and heavy usage, including gaming, the battery lasts for about 17 hours, which isn't that bad.
Software & Connectivity
- The Galaxy S23 runs on Android 13, comes with One UI 5.1 and will get four OS updates and five years of security updates.
- Furthermore, the device is equipped with a Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) chipset, promising faster performance than its predecessor and offering a maximum clock speed of 3.36GHz.
- The phone has support for several 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.3 A2DP, NFC, USB Type-C port, Ultra Wideband (UWB) and support for the usual satellite navigation systems.
Memory & Storage
- The Galaxy S23 keeps it simple with a consistent 8GB of RAM across the board with two storage configurations available, viz. 128GB and 256GB, with no microSD card slot for further expansion.
- The phone's performance is efficient and lag-free, but with the missing 12 GB RAM and 1 TB storage, this phone is not ideal for power users.
Design and Build
- Available in fresh new colours inspired by nature viz. Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite and Lime, the Samsung S23 5G is forged from a polished and super durable Armor Aluminum metal frame and features a thin bezel around the flat display on the front.
- The phone’s flattened display and flat glass back make it super comfortable and lightweight to carry, and it can easily slip into tight pockets and compact slings.
- Moreover, the front and the back glass are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The device is crafted with recycled glass and PET film and provides high durability and reliability against accidental drops and scratches. Furthermore, the phone is geared with a full-fledged IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
- As far as the camera and back panel design is concerned, each lens on the Galaxy S23 gets its dedicated camera lens cutout which gently sticks out of the back and makes for a very neat and tidy exterior design. The design is quite simple and unsophisticated, but definitely in a classic way.
- Aside from that, the Galaxy S23 remains a pretty well-rounded standard phone, with stereo speakers on board, an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner baked into the display, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, and a SIM tray that can hold two nano-SIM cards. The top frame features a microphone that delivers crystal-clear audio.
- However, there is no microSD card slot or a 3.5mm audio jack available.
- Also, unlike the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the S23 version neither comes with an in-built S Pen nor is it compatible with it.
Price
- The Samsung S23 price starts at Rs. 74,998 in India, and the base variant comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The second variant, offering 256GB of storage, is available for Rs. 79,999.
- Since the phone is not so new now, you can grab it for around Rs. 60k at many leading online shopping portals.
Weight and Thickness
- The Galaxy S23 weighs a mere 168 grams and measures 163.1 x 74.1 x 8.5mm. Trimmed down on all fronts, the device’s smaller size makes it very lightweight and easy to carry.
Positives
- Clean and simple design
- Pocketable and lightweight
- Nice Gorilla Glass upgrade
- Outstanding OLED display
- IP68 certification
- Superb stereo speakers
- Great connectivity options
- Excellent camera setup
- High-quality video recording
- Bright and accurate display
- Lag-free gaming performance
- The brand promises four generations of Android upgrades and five years of security updates
Negatives
- No charger in the box
- Not compatible with S Pen
- No dedicated microSD slot
- No UltraWideBand support
- Relatively slow charging speed
- Comes with plenty of bloatware
- 128GB uses UFS 3.1 instead of UFS 4.0 memory chips
Difference Between Samsung S23 in India 2023 And Its Previous Version
- The previous version of the Samsung Galaxy S23, the Galaxy S22, made its entry into the Indian smartphone market on 25th February 2022 in India.
- Both devices are quite identical but vary in their specifications. At first glance, both models look small and feature Dynamic AMOLED 2X and FHD+ displays, providing exceptional clarity and brightness.
- The Galaxy S22 and S23 both have the same weight and are backed with almost the same display type. However, the former has a peak brightness of 1300 nits, whereas the latter has a peak brightness of 1750 nits.
- As far as the chipset is concerned, the Galaxy S22 has a maximum clock speed of 2.8 GHz, whereas the S23 offers higher performance with a maximum clock speed of 3.36 GHz.
- The rear camera setup is pretty similar, but the S23 has better video stabilisation and a more advanced selfie camera.
- Last but not least, the Galaxy S23 offers a slightly larger 3,900mAh battery than its predecessor, which was 3,700mAh.
User Feedback
- Despite its premium pricing, users seem to love the Samsung Galaxy S23 for its clean looks, impressive display, and of course, the incredible camera. However, the device's low battery capability, slow charging speeds and loads of bloatware are disappointing for most of them.
Our Product Testing Expert's Opinions and Observations
- Overall, the Galaxy S23 is a full-specced flagship smartphone that offers tons of premium features without going at an extravagant price range.
- The brand’s relatively light touch design approach and excellent looks do not just make it a good choice at first glance, but its chipset and display quality are quite impressive too.
- The phone has plenty of third-party apps that throw spammy notifications, which is quite disappointing at a mind-boggling price point of Rs. 70k and upwards. However, luckily, most of these Samsung-branded apps can be uninstalled.
- Though the phone does a better job at improving the battery capacity as compared to its predecessor, it is still not the most impressive upgrade ever.
Who Should Buy This?
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S23 does a great job from design, display, camera and performance point of view, but we'll only recommend it if you're willing to adjust with smaller screen size and lesser battery capacity.
Helpful User Testimonial
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is a practical choice for anyone who prefers portability over huge screen sizes. I love its build, camera quality, of course, far-reaching zoom capabilities, display quality and powerful SoC. However, I really wish the battery life was higher and the charger was also provided with the device.
5 Phones In Similar Price Range & How Are They Better Or Worse Compared To This Model
In terms of specifications, the Samsung Galaxy S23 doesn’t really have a lot of real competitors. However, these are some flagships that can qualify as the device’s competitors:
The same primary lens and processor with a much more efficient front camera, battery life and charging speed. The display is bigger too, but slightly heavier than the S23.
Both phones are equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, but the OnePlus 11 has a bigger battery while the Samsung Galaxy S23 offers a 3x telephoto zoom. The OnePlus 11 offers you a mere 2x telephoto zoom sensor.
Though both phones offer the best of their worlds with similar dimensions, display size and maximum clock speeds, the Galaxy S23 features a 50 MP + 12 MP + 10 MP triple rear camera setup, whereas the iPhone 14 is backed with a 12 MP + 12 MP dual camera. Moreover, the S23 has a higher battery capacity and RAM of 3900 mAh and 8 GB as compared to the 3279 mAh battery and 6 GB RAM of the iPhone 14.
Costlier than the S23, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 can give strong competition to the device in terms of camera and display quality.
Though the display is not similar, overall, the Pixel 7 Pro is a worthy competitor to the Galaxy S23 in terms of primary camera, connectivity, RAM and internal storage configurations, etc.
What's in the Box?
The Samsung S23 retail package comes in a box made of recycled paper and paper-based protective film. Moreover, the device is equipped with the following items:
- The smartphone itself
- A user manual
- SIM card ejection pin
- Data Cable (USB C to C)
Samsung S23 Review: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are our answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphone.
1. What are the advantages of the S23?
The Samsung S23 price over the Plus and Ultra variants is one of the biggest advantages because the users get their hands on plenty of impressive features at a much lower price.
2. How long does the S23 battery last?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 battery lasts for about 17 hours and 40 minutes with strenuous multitasking and gaming on a single charge.
3. Is the S23 waterproof?
Yes. The Samsung Galaxy S23 is waterproof as well as dust resistant, and highly durable against accidental drops and scratches.
4. Will S23 be a big upgrade?
Yes. The S23 is a big upgrade over the S22, majorly in terms of its speed and performance.
5. How does the phone perform after extended use? Does it slow down significantly over time?
Over extended use, the device performs impressively without much lags and performance issues. However, the battery capacity may degrade after some time.
6. How effective is the manufacturer's after-sales service? Are repairs and replacements handled quickly and efficiently?
Samsung’s after-sales service is commendable and quick, with efficient repairs and replacements for devices under warranty.
The Bottom Line
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy provides almost everything one might possibly desire in a premium flagship smartphone. However, a couple of areas where users ask for some improvement are the charging speeds, battery capacity, and bloatware. Overall, the phone does a great job with its excellent build quality, vivid high-refresh-rate display, impressive set of cameras and snappy performance.
To contact the Outlook team regarding product recommendation articles, please drop an email to - affiliate@outlookindia.com
We will reach out to you within the next 48 business hours.
