Samsung Galaxy S23+ review – GSMArena.com reviews

Introduction

Time is definitely passing. Just yesterday we were celebrating the New Year, and now it’s already time to welcome this year’s Samsung Galaxy S23 flagships. Right from the start, there are no major changes in the range and its structure. We still have a vanilla S23, a slightly larger but very similar in spec S23+, which we’re reviewing today, and an S23 Ultra, which continues in the footsteps of the S22 Ultra and, in turn, what once was the Galaxy Note line.

Another thing that hasn’t changed much is the Galaxy S23+, compared to its predecessor. This year, Samsung is pushing a small incremental update rather than something major. You’ll have to look at the Ultra and its new 200MP camera for that.

Instead, the S23+ offers a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset for Galaxy, a new 12MP selfie camera, and a slightly larger 4,700mAh battery. Those are pretty much all the major changes from the S22+, with a few other minor details here and there that we’ll cover in the review.

Samsung Galaxy S23+ features at a glance:

• Body: 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6mm, 196g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame; IP68 dust and water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes), Armor aluminum frame with increased resistance to drops and scratches (advertised).
• Display: 6.60″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak), 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 393ppi; Always-on display.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm): Octa-core (1×3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 740.
• Memory: 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
• Operating System/Software: Android 13, a 5.1 user interface.
• Rear camera:Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.94″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120 degrees, 1/2.55″ 1.4 µm, Super Steady video.
• Front camera: 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), dual pixel PDAF.
• Video capture:Rear camera: 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound recording, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 4700mAh; 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min (advertised), 15W wireless (Qi/PMA), 4.5W wireless reverse.
• Various : Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); NFC; stereo speakers; Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support), Bixby natural language commands and dictation, Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified), Ultra Wideband (UWB) support.

Naturally, the S23+ has a new look, but just like its spec sheet, it’s not radically different from last year’s design. This year, the camera island is gone, and each snapper stands alone on the back of the phone. This is much closer and in line with the Ultra design, making the whole S23 range much more cohesive in terms of design.

Galaxy S22+ next to S23+

Prices for the S23+ haven’t changed much either. In the US, you can get one starting at $1,000, which is the same as the S22+’s launch MSRP. Only this time, Samsung has decided to increase the phone’s base storage to 256GB instead of 128GB. A bargain even before any other Samsung bonuses and discounts are on the way. In Europe, however, the S23+ saw a price hike over the S22+.

Overall, we don’t expect any big surprises from the S23+. It presents itself as a solid refresh of last year’s model and therefore a “safe choice”. So, without further ado, let’s dig in.

Unpacking

Let’s eliminate the retail package first. Samsung’s packaging is once again minimalist. The slim, two-piece box the phone comes in is made from 100% recycled paper, except for the shrink-wrap vinyl and the seal label. The screen protector glued to the screen of the phone and the sheet protecting the back of the phone are also made of 100% recycled paper.

We’ve come to expect little in terms of accessories from Galaxy S devices, and the S23+ is no different. Inside the box, you get a USB Type-C to Type-C cable, a SIM eject tool, and a slim getting started guide.

The days of bundled chargers are long gone, so be prepared to grab one separately if you don’t have a decent power unit of at least 45W, preferably with PPS.