introduction
The Galaxy A series smartphones are known for their 4G/5G segmentation. We thought 2022 would mark the end of all this, and indeed it did for the A33, A53 and A73. The entry-level Galaxy A13 and Galaxy A23, however, still get this treatment, and today we’re going to be looking at the 5G version of the Samsung Galaxy A23.
The Galaxy A23 5G is the same smartphone as its LTE counterpart, which is not often the case with these versions. Samsung used the Snapdragon 695 5G chipset instead of the Snapdragon 680, which in addition to the 5G modem, allowed the GPU to draw the interface up to 120fps for smoother action on the 6.6-inch 1080p PLS LCD screen.
We appreciate the 120Hz refresh as it can make things smoother, especially with the new One UI 5 update (with Android 13) already available on this phone. The panel still has the same old-school teardrop-shaped notch, which may look dated but isn’t a big mistake in our books.
The phone shares an identical no-nonsense design with the rest of the Galaxy A phones with a flat Gorilla Glass front, plastic bezel, and matte plastic back reminiscent of the higher-end Galaxy S22 series. There is no water protection on the Galaxy A23 5G model, something that is reserved for the Galaxy A33 with AMOLED packaging and above.
Even though the Galaxy A23 5G is aimed at the entry-level market, we appreciate its camera equipment: It has quad cameras on the back, starting with a 50MP OIS primary, then comes a 5MP ultrawide, a 2MP macro camera and finally, there is a 2MP depth sensor. However, the 8MP selfie camera is a pretty basic piece of kit.
Other notable specs include the three-card slot with a microSD tray, the 3.5mm audio jack, NFC, and the large 5,000mAh battery with support for 25W wired charging.
The specifications of the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G at a glance:
- Body: 165.4×76.9×8.4mm, 197g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back.
- Screen: 6.60″ PLS LCD, 120Hz, 1080x2408px resolution, 20.07:9 aspect ratio, 400ppi.
- chipsets: Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6nm): Octa-core (2×2.2GHz Kryo 660 Gold and 6×1.7GHz Kryo 660 Silver); Adreno 619.
- Memory: 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
- Operating system/software: Android 12, One UI 4, Android 13 with One UI 5 update out now.
- Rear camera: Broad (main): 50MP, f/1.8, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 5MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 1/5″, 1.12µm; Macros: 2MP, f/2.4; Depth: 2MP, f/2.4.
- Front camera: Broad (main): 8 MP, f/2.0 – United States; Broad (main): 8 MP, f/2.2 – International.
- Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
- Battery: 5000mAh; 25W wired.
- Various: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); NFC; 3.5mm jack; Virtual proximity sensing.
The most notable omissions, if you’ve been following recent Galaxy A phones, are the OLED panel and ingress protection. There are other oddities, too: virtual proximity sensing remains as controversial as ever, and the lack of an actual ambient light sensor is baffling. Also, there is no charger in the box.
Samsung Galaxy A23 5G unboxing
The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G ships in a small paper box, which contains the phone itself and a white USB-C cable. That’s all.
There are no chargers, screen protectors or headphones.
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