Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ arrive with a new design, bigger batteries

The Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ are the latest refinement in the long-running S-series formula. Yes, refinement: Samsung has improved key hardware and software features, but there are no radical changes.

Samsung Galaxy S23

The biggest update for this generation is that all S23 phones sold worldwide will exclusively use a bespoke Qualcomm chipset, officially known as Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (you can hear the applause coming from Europe). This offers higher clock speeds than other 8 Gen 2 chipsets available. The phones come in different storage configurations, but RAM is pegged at 8GB (same as last year and the previous year).

The cameras have also been renewed. It’s not as big an update as the Ultra, but there are some impactful changes under the hood. For example, the Camera RAW app can now shoot at 50MP resolution (up from 12MP on the S22 series), making full use of the main camera.

That camera still has a 50MP sensor, which (thanks to the new chipset) can record 8K video at 30fps (up from last year’s 24fps). The 12MP ultra-wide-angle (120° FoV) camera and 10MP 3x telephoto camera remain essentially the same.

One upgrade is the move to a 12MP selfie camera, which is shared across the three models. Its video recording capabilities now include support for Super HDR at 60fps.

Like the cameras, the displays have been improved but still follow the same general formula as last year. That means flat Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with FHD+ resolution and 48-120Hz refresh rate (240Hz touch sampling rate in game mode).

The smaller Galaxy S23 has a 6.1″ screen, the Galaxy S23+ has a 6.6″ screen. Both have centered holes for the selfie camera and have a fingerprint reader hidden underneath.

New additions this year are Vision Booster, which adjusts colors and contrast based on ambient lighting conditions, and an Enhanced Comfort feature, which does the same in the evening to reduce eye strain.

The batteries in the S23 and S23+ are 200mAh larger than their predecessors, bringing the totals to 3,900mAh and 4,700mAh, respectively. Wired charging for the S23 is rated at 25W (30 minutes to 50%), for the S23+ at 45W (30 minutes to 65%). Wireless charging and wireless power sharing are still supported, of course.

Samsung Galaxy S23+

The new chipset offers better connectivity. This includes support for the new 6GHz Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 (vs. the original Wi-Fi 6 and BT 5.2).

For this generation the Galaxy S23 and S23+ have adopted the style of the Ultra by removing the Contour Cut camera housing and leaving only the three camera lenses. The dust and water resistance grade is IP68 (1.5m of water for 30 minutes like last year). The phones are early adopters of the new Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which is stronger and includes recycled materials. Part of the plastic is also recycled, as is 100% of the paper used for packaging.

All four models will be available in these four colors: Cream, Green, Lavender and the traditional Phantom Black.

Samsung is already accepting pre-orders for the Galaxy S22 and S23+, with sales starting in a couple of weeks. We’ll have more detailed pricing shortly, but here are the starting prices: The S23 (8/128GB) costs $800/€950/₹80,000, the S23+ (8/256GB) is $1,000/€1,210.

If you want to know more about the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ we suggest you take a look at our Galaxy S23 series where you can find live photos and first-hand impressions.