Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Review

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S23 Series is live!

The S23 series consists of the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+ and S23 Ultra and launched on Feb 17, 2023.

In this article, I share my initial impression on the much-awaited beast of Samsung phones – the new Galaxy S23 Ultra.

You can also check out the Galaxy S23 review and Galaxy S23 Plus review for more in-depth phone information.

Did you know you can get your Galaxy S23 Ultra on an eligible SIM plan with Optus and enjoy interest free payments via Optus Pay. Check out options to buy the S23 Plus on a plan. 

You can also check out how the S23 Series does vs S22 Series or read how the S23 phones compare with each other.

Contents

• Galaxy S23 Ultra – Summary
• Galaxy S23 Ultra top features
• Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S22 Ultra quick comparison
• Galaxy S23 Ultra Price
• Galaxy S23 Ultra Review: Physical design, look and feel
• Galaxy S23 Ultra Review: Display
• Galaxy S23 Ultra Review: Camera
• Galaxy S23 Ultra Review: Performance and processor
• Galaxy S23 Ultra Review: Battery
• Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra technical specifications

I need to say this again - The Galaxy S23 Ultra is a total BEAST of a Samsung phone. It has really great features – some new, with the rest continuing from the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

My first impression of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is it’s a sleek phone with sharper edges as compared to the other S23 and S23+ devices (although it does retain the S22 Ultra curve). With 6.8-inches in display size, it’s definitely a big phone.

The phone features improvements over its predecessor like processor, long lasting battery¹ and design.

Topping this off are some massive camera improvements – it doesn’t get any better than the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S22 Ultra quick peek

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Price 

You can get your Galaxy S23 Ultra on an eligible SIM plan with Optus and enjoy interest free payments using Optus Pay over 12, 24 or 36 months.

At 6.8 inches, it is a mammoth phone and needs two hands to function. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is slightly bigger than the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 6.7 inches.

It is built on similar lines as the Galaxy S22 Ultra and does not have a separate housing area for the rear camera system. “Powerful” is how I would describe the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

As with the other Galaxy S23 series phones, the S23 Ultra has an armour aluminium frame and is available in Phantom Black (black), Lavender (a beautiful lilac colour), Cream and Green (a dark seaweed green shade).

Galaxy S23 Ultra Design pros:

• 6.8-inch screen; a definite positive for content creators and gamers
• Sleek design
• Aesthetically pleasing colours

Yes, the S23 Ultra features an S-Pen, just like with the S22 Ultra.

My experience with the S-Pen is it greatly enhances the usability of the phone. One of my favourite things to do is use the pen like a wand, waving it in circles to zoom in or out or tap pics (basically show off a lot). 

With an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz, this could be a great phone if you’re into serious gaming. and helps make phone use smoother especially when playing games or scrolling.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra continues to use some of S22 Ultra’s best features like the Vision Booster that automatically adjusts screen brightness depending on whether it’s really sunny or dim.

Offering a 6.8-inch Quad HD+ screen, the S23 Ultra also offers Dynamic AMOLED 2X infinity-O Display. I saw some trailers during my brief interaction and immediately noticed the richer colours and screen brightness. More on this to come when I get my hands on this delightful device.

Galaxy S23 Ultra Display pros:

• 120Hz refresh rate
• Vision Booster to improve auto-adjust display outdoors
• Infinity-O display

Samsung has outdone itself in the camera department with the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Let’s dive right into it:

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 12MP front camera, down from the S22 Ultra’s 40MP.

Bonus: You can also access Pro Mode now from the front camera.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra features a 12MP ultra wide camera lens, two 10MP telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x zoom capabilities and…wait for it.. a 200MP wide camera lens.

The combination of the telephoto lenses and ultrawide lenses give you great zooming capabilities.

Low light photography: This is where the Galaxy S23 Ultra absolutely steals the show. Samsung’s put in some real hard work in this feature. 

I was part of a demo with the Galaxy S23 Ultra taking pictures in low light conditions and noted the following:

• When light goes from dim to bright to dim again, Galaxy S23 Ultra camera sensors work in real time to ensure the same amount of light gets captured throughout.
• Galaxy S23 Ultra maintains not only photo colour, light, contrast in low lighting but also maintains detailed capturing of the object, that you can then zoom in to see.

In the demo, we proceeded to check how the Galaxy S23 Ultra works in almost no light. I have to say I was blown away. We borrowed a colleague’s Galaxy S22 Ultra and the improvement in photo quality was dramatic.

There is so much more to talk about here. Keep a lookout for some great photo capturing:

Galaxy S23 Ultra Camera pros:

• 200 MP wide angle camera
• Seriously great low light photography 

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is powered by the latest Qualcomm SM8550 Pro Octa core commonly known as Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. Announced in November 2022, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a step up from Galaxy S22 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and would add plenty of nitro power to the phone.

Samsung claims the new chipset will help boost phone performance. Are you listening, gamers?

RAM options on the Galaxy S23 Ultra include 8GB and 12GB with storage options ranging from 256GB (8GB RAM) and 512GB and 1TB (12GB RAM). This is an improvement over Galaxy S22 Ultra that featured a 128 GB with 8GB RAM. The 12GB RAM version does not have a 256GB storage option.

Lastly, the Galaxy S23 Ultra features the Android 13 Operating System. Launched in August 2022, Android 13 adds more opt-in permission prompts.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Processor pros:

• New Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip
• Improved graphics (great for gaming)
• Great RAM and storage options
• Android 13 Operating System

The S23 Ultra continues with a 5000 mAH battery. I am interested in seeing what a combination of great display, processor capabilities, superior camera capabilities do to battery life.

How is the Galaxy S23 Ultra for gaming?

With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, display prowess, battery performance, and you could be looking at a formidable phone for gaming.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is a great option for gaming led by the following features:

• Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor: The latest processor on the S23 Ultra facilitates epic graphic rendering, power efficiency and performance.
• High-resolution display: S23 Ultra offers a Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with a 3088 x 1440 resolution which makes for a much smoother and immersive gameplay.
• Good battery size: A 5000 mAH battery³ will add points to battery life and is an important factor for gamers.*
• High-refresh rate: The 120Hz refresh rate on the S23 Ultra is one of the best in industry and will help reduce latency. It’ll also make the overall experience more responsive.
• RAM and Storage: The S23 Ultra offers RAM options so that the phone can handle multiple tasks and games with ease.

More information on the S23 Ultra to follow soon. Keep watching this space!

Operating System
Android 13

Display Size 
6.8” Infinity-O Display, Quad HD+ (3088 x 1440), Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Adaptive 1~120Hz Refresh

Processor 
Qualcomm SM8550 Pro Octa core

RAM
12GB (1TB, 512GB), 8GB (256GB)

Internal Memory
1TB / 512GB / 256GB

Expandable Memory
No

Main Camera Resolution (in MP)
200MP (Wide, F1.7)
10MP (Telephoto, F2.4) 3x
10MP (Telephoto, F4.9) 10x
12MP (Ultra Wide, F2.2)

Front Camera Resolution
12MP (F2.2)

Video Capture
UHD 8K (7680 x 4320) | @24fps

Dimensions (L x W x H)
163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9mm

Weight
234g

SIM Type
Single SIM + eSIM

Battery Capacity (in mAh)
5,000mAh (Typical)

Fingerprint Sensor
Ultrasonic In-screen Fingerprint

Mobile innovation never stops, with the latest Galaxy S25 Series finally landing in Australia. The new Galaxy S25 Series features new Galaxy AI tools, as well as upgraded processors and camera lenses. Check out the Galaxy S25 Ultra for a look at Samsung’s newest flagship phone.

Angelique Thakur works with Optus. She loves to play around with gadgets and is a dog lover. She also enjoys going on hikes and annoying her partner.

^{[1] [2] [3] * Rated (minimum) capacity is 4855mAh for Galaxy S23 Ultra. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors. Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard.}