REVIEW: Galaxy S23 Ultra maintains design but improves functions
Table of Contents
Launched in February 2023 in the United States and starting to be sold in Brazil on the same day – a record for Samsung itself, by the way – o Galaxy s23 ultra remains similar in design, but improves many of its internal hardware aspects. Among the new features are the new 200MP camera, longer battery life and a complete astrophotography mode. Come and understand what has changed!
In addition to the article, you can also check out our video review:
Design
Beautiful, elegant and rectangular. Following the concept of being great and honoring the extinct line Galaxy Note, Galaxy s23 ultra it's ideal for those who love bigger screens, great for browsing the web, using apps, and especially enjoying movies and games. I, particularly, am one of those people who really like the style of the Ultra line, now more square and with a nicer footprint, but it's important to remember that this model is big, okay?
put on and take off S23Ultra Pocket size isn't a problem either, as I'm used to devices with screens larger than 6 inches. If you have a slightly smaller model, it may take some getting used to. But that's the thing: once you move to a bigger model, you don't go back.
The sides or edges are made of Samsung's special aluminum, which prevents scratches from possible falls. Both the USB-C input for charging, the tray for the GSM chip and the S Pen are at the base Galaxy s23 ultra, along with one of the speakers.
A Samsung sent us the variant in red color, but it was also released in green, cream, black and violet. There is no denying that it is quite beautiful no matter what color you choose. The fingerprint sensor under the screen helps in day-to-day use and here's the tip to register your two thumbs for easy access to the system.
The official weight reported by the Korean company is 234 grams, but using it on a daily basis it seems much smaller. So you can play multiple games of Fortnite, Asphalt 9, Mortal Kombat and more, without getting sore hands after a while.
Fabric
With the screen of 6,8 inches and maximum resolution QHD+ / WQHD (1440 x 3088 pixels), the display Super AMOLED dynamic 2x manages to deliver the best visual experience ever seen on a smartphone.
The screen has a refresh rate of 120Hz, which works great for a variety of activities: Fortnite, browsing social networks and, of course, watching videos on YouTube. The brightness peak had a gain of 250 lumens – compared to last year's model – for the screen to adapt to the most diverse types of environments. The brightness adjustment is done in just a few seconds and it is possible to see the processor working in real time.
Another feature of the screen is eye comfort, a feature often seen in gamer monitors. As it can also be considered a smartphone for games, due to its configurations, this was quite a success by Samsung. To save battery life, you can also change the resolution to: HD+ (1544×720), FHD+ (2316×1080) and of course QWHD+ (3088×1440).
When watching videos on YouTube, you can see how far the model can reach with its screen (tip: remember to pinch outwards to enlarge the video). And we can't help but talk about even better drop protection, the Corning Gorilla Glass Victory 2, so the screen doesn't accidentally crack or break.
Battery
This is a section I was excited to comment on, as resetting the battery Galaxy s23 ultra it was a real challenge. With the same 5.000 mAh of the previous generation, this battery yields much more. This is due to the combination of new software optimizations and Qualcomm's new processor, which is more economical here. You can get to the end of the day with battery, with the greatest peace of mind.
But, remembering: use can vary greatly from user to user and the time we reach here can be longer or shorter, depending on how you use the smartphone.
O S23Ultra support chargers up to 45W, but despite that, it comes with a 25W charger in the box, meaning you'll need to buy an even more powerful one if you want to charge the device faster. The average loading time is 01h30.
Performance
A Samsung has a longstanding partnership with Qualcomm, which resulted this year in the development of the first exclusive processor for the whole line Galaxy S23. O Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy it has 30% more CPU power, 40% more graphics power (GPU) and more than 40% processing in artificial intelligence tasks (NPU).
Leaving the alphabet soup, these specifications are more than enough for you to make use of several applications at the same time, without having to worry about a crash or system overload. Incidentally, the processor S23Ultra it is accompanied by 12GB of RAM memory, for the user no defect.
The Virtual RAM feature “RAMPlus” is also available here and up to 8GB (in addition to 12GB) can be used for better performance. In other words: this is a device that will never let you down in this regard, regardless of what you are doing.
after playing Fortnite for more than an hour and using the camera for another hour, I noticed that the part of the screen where the front camera is located started to heat up. But it's nothing that's a big nuisance and you'll still be able to use your phone just the same.
For those who like games, the Snapdragon Game Post Processing AcceleratorAccording to Qualcomm, works as a special filter that adds brightness, depth of field and motion blur without loss of performance. play games of Fortnite with this feature it was a very immersive experience.
System and interface
O Android 13 comes factory installed with the One UI 5.1 from Samsung, which has special features like Modes (which allow you to program settings on your smartphone so that you can focus on some activity) and other improvements.
You can have control of connected devices through the SmartThings, and best of all is that through machine learning (AI), the operating system will become increasingly adapted to your style of use.
Oh, and it's worth remembering that the Samsung ensures line system updates S23 until 2028, that is, until the arrival of the Android 17.
Frontal camera
We started talking about one of the main points of the Galaxy s23 ultra. For the launch of its new premium smartphone, Samsung put a 12MP f/2.2, 25mm wide front lens.
Note that, curiously, there was a downgrade of the total megapixels, since the Galaxy S22 Ultra had a 40MP camera. Even so, and proving that total megapixels are no guarantee of quality, the camera's additional hardware and software optimizations make selfies look better here.
Portrait mode is pretty smart and even shows details you wouldn't want to see (but you can smooth it out in the camera settings). It is worth noting that, after registration, it takes about five seconds for the image processing to be done and you have access to the final images, which look great. It is also possible to change the background to 9 options:
- Defocus;
- Studio;
- High monochrome;
- Low monochrome;
- Bottom;
- color point;
- Large circle;
- To spin;
- Zoom
The details that camera you can capture are really amazing and if you are a person who records a lot of portraits e Stories from Instagram like the Showmetech.bru here, you will certainly be satisfied with the quality of the front camera of the S23Ultra.
Use at night is also impressive: the smartphone can identify that you are in a place with low natural light and lights up the screen for the best selfie capture. This is a feature that was present in previous generations of the Galaxy S line.
O video in portrait mode is also present here and it is possible to change the background through four options. The 12 MP front camera also does a good job and manages to deliver high quality videos that can be posted right away.
Rear cameras
The rear camera set now gains a 200 MP sensor. Besides it, there is a lens 10 MP periscopic telephoto and 10x optical zoom, One 10 MP traditional telephoto and 3x optical zoom and a 12MP Ultra Wide. An infrared sensor, for recording depth, is also present here.
This amount of cameras and lenses gives the user the widest range of options for taking photos and recording videos on the market. Note that, in what they are similar, the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Galaxy s23 ultra compete on an equal level. But there are camera aspects that only the S23Ultra has, like the second 10x optical zoom telephoto lens (with good results even at 30x digital zoom). You know that object in the distance? only the S23Ultra it will register fine. Its use guarantees impressive photos! Look:
Os 200MP main lens also need to be remembered. Although you can record 200MP photos with them, their real benefit is in the technology that gathers several pixels from the sensor into one, to improve the light received in the photos. This ensures better-lit images with less noise, even at night.
Furthermore, Samsung is getting better at developing the software and artificial intelligence technologies that improve the photos and videos recorded with the smartphone. And it is also possible to save the photos in RAW format for editing later.
Other features that were present in previous generations of the Galaxy S line are also here:
- Director mode: which allows use of front and rear cameras at the same time;
- Pro Mode;
- Panoramic photo;
- Slow motion;
- Timelapse;
- Single Take.
This photo below was taken using the traditional telephoto lens with a 3x zoom:
The night mode of the rear camera, which takes the name of nightography, has been improved for the year 2023, and is another great hit by Samsung. It won't do any good if the smartphone you buy ends up disappointing in capturing content at night, right? And Samsung knows it.
It serves as a “flashlight” that makes photos clearer and captures details previously impossible in this type of lighting condition.
In a nutshell: the Galaxy s23 ultra unifies the best of both worlds for anyone who needs a smartphone to capture content. Check out more photos taken during the night:
There is also an astrophotography mode. To use it, you'll need to download the camera app. RAW Expert and access the function indicated in yellow in the image below. The cool thing about this new mode is that it even includes a map of stars and planets to help you photograph them. And you can choose between 4 to 10 minutes of exposure, for impressive results!
A 8K recording is the great success of Galaxy s23 ultra, although it is difficult for the user to have an 8K TV to test it.
Audio
O Galaxy s23 ultra it has two stereo audio outputs, which manage to deliver excellent sound quality. And there is also support for the standard Dolby Atmos, with spatial audio (if you use it with a headset Galaxy Buds2 Pro).
When listening to music on Spotify without a Bluetooth headset connected, the sound is quite clean and not scratchy when more bass is playing. By placing it in an environment, the sound manages to fill the entire room without effort or the need for the volume to be turned up too high.
Price and Availability
O Galaxy S23 Ultra 512GB can still be found on sale, for the price of BRL 8.549.10 (at Magazine Luiza). With purchase, you also get a headset Galaxy Buds2 Pro. And the charger is part of the package (important detail these days).
There are models with greater capacity, but we recommend that you buy only the 512GB one, which will already meet the needs of almost everyone.
Conclusion
O Galaxy s23 ultra it could be considered a refinement of what we've already seen on the S22 Ultra, released last year. There are few changes, but they make a difference. If you value processing speed and camera quality, you won't be disappointed with this model. And if you're already a Samsung user, you're going to love the increased battery life here, right?
O Galaxy s23 ultra has, as its main feature, its set of cameras at the rear and border that do a great job, regardless of the situation they are put to the test.
In addition to these advantages, the new custom processor makes it an even faster smartphone that heats up less in the hands. It manages to deliver a complete experience for gamers, executives and more.
Perhaps an exchange Galaxy s22 ultra to a Galaxy s23 ultra not so much worth it, but if you have models from previous generations, this will be a worthwhile investment. Of course, if a smartphone worth more than 8 thousand reais fits in your budget.
Comparisons:
| change the Galaxy S22 or 22+ by the S23Ultra | yes it's worth it |
| change the Galaxy S21, S21+ or S21 Ultra by the S23Ultra | yes it's worth it |
| change the Galaxy s22 ultra by the S23Ultra | It's not worth it, little changes |
| Between iPhone 14 Pro Max (or lower) e Galaxy s23 ultra | Yes, I prefer the S23 Ultra |
Technical specifications
| Córdoba | Galaxy s23 ultra SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS |
| Networks | GSM/CDMA/HSPA/EVDO/LTE/5G |
| GSM chip | Nano-SIM or e-SIM |
| Dimensions | 78.1 X 163.4 X 8.9mm |
| Weight | 234 gr |
| Composition: | Front: Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Rear: Gorilla Glass VIctus 2 Sides: aluminum |
| Resistance | IP68 (water and dust), submersion up to 1,5m in fresh water for up to 30 minutes |
| Fabric | 6,8 inch display Resolution: QHD+ / WQHD (1440 x 3088 pixels) 2X Dynamic AMOLED vision booster Enhanced Comfort Super Smooth 120Hz refresh rate (1~120Hz) 1750 nits (~501ppi density), Screen Ratio: 89,5%. |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 by Qualcomm for Galaxy |
| GPU | Adreno 740 |
| Frontal camera | 12 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), PDAF |
| Rear Cameras | Home: 200 MP, f/1.7, 23mm (wide), 1/1.3″, 0.6µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; periscopic telephoto: 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm, 85″, 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; UltraWide: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF; Infrared depth sensor. |
| Institutional | 8K at 24 / 30fps 4K at 30 / 60fps 1080pa 30/60/240fps 720p to 960fps HDR10 + Stereo sound recording gyro-EIS |
| System | Android 13 with One UI 5.1 |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6E |
| RAM and Internal Memory | 12 GB RAM + 1 TB internal 12 GB RAM + 51 2GB internal 12 GB RAM + 256 GB Internal |
| Memory card | No |
| Colors | Black, Cream, Green and Violet Special colors: Red and Blue |
| Price | Starting at R $ 9.499 |
| Availability in Brazil | As of February 01, 2023 |
Do you have any questions about using the model? Tell us us Comment!
See also other features
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Which to buy?
reviewed by Glaucous
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