How to Preorder Samsung’s Galaxy S23—and Which Model to Buy
Samsung has three new flagship smartphones to mark 2023—the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra. They’re out there for preorder proper now and formally go on sale beginning February 17. But must you improve? If you want a brand new cellphone, which Galaxy S23 mannequin is finest for you? We break down what’s completely different between every mannequin, what’s new, and which one is best for you. We’ve additionally featured just a few of the very best Galaxy S23 promotions from Samsung and cell carriers so you may get probably the most out of your buy.
Be positive to take a look at our Best Android Phones and Best Cheap Phones guides for extra suggestions. If you are snagging final 12 months’s Galaxy S22 as a substitute for reasonable, nicely, we have got accent suggestions as nicely.
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The New Tech in All 3 Phones
The Galaxy S23 collection have the same design philosophy all through all three units, although the Ultra stands out for its squared edges. They all have the identical vibrant AMOLED screens, characteristic 120-Hz display refresh charges, and have the fundamentals like wi-fi charging, strong 5G and Wi-Fi 6E help, in-display fingerprint sensors, and IP68 water resistance. They’re product of aluminum, and the glass defending the display and the rear is Corning’s newest Gorilla Glass Victus 2. You can get all of them in Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender, and you will find Lime, Graphite, Sky Blue, and Red shade choices if you happen to purchase them straight at Samsung.com.
These telephones are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip with 8 GB of RAM—not simply within the US, however globally. The “for Galaxy” moniker signifies that the chips have a barely greater clock pace than the bottom Snapdragon chips, so they are a bit sooner, and there are further optimizations to make them extra environment friendly. The lineup additionally incorporates a redesigned cooling chamber that is two occasions bigger, which ought to preserve the cellphone cooler when gaming for prolonged classes. Camera-wise, all three fashions share the identical 12-megapixel ultrawide, the same 3X optical telephoto digital camera, and a brand new 12-megapixel selfie cam.
All three S23 telephones will obtain 5 years of safety updates and 4 Android OS upgrades (they launch with Android 13), which is the very best software program coverage you will discover with Android telephones. That’s nearly the place the similarities finish. Here’s how they’re all completely different.
The Galaxy S23 is the smallest of the lineup with its 6.1-inch display, so if you happen to’re after a cellphone you may comfortably use in a single hand, this one’s the best way to go. It’s additionally the most cost effective, although certainly not is it “cheap.” It’s the one S23 mannequin that begins with 128 GB of inside storage—the opposite two now begin at 256 GB—however Samsung has upped the battery capability by 200 mAh over the Galaxy S22 to 3,900 mAh. This cellphone is the one one within the group that is restricted to 25-watt charging speeds, so it isn’t as quick at recharging if you plug it in. (Remember, there isn’t any extra charging adapter within the field, so you will have to provide one your self.) The huge change is the first digital camera, which makes use of a brand new 50-megapixel sensor for improved dynamic shade vary.
The S23+ is the awkward center youngster that is not as feature-filled because the Ultra, however not as distinctive from the usual S23 to warrant a $200 bump in worth. Still, this cellphone is bigger at 6.6 inches and has an even bigger 4,700-mAh battery capability than its predecessor. The inside storage begins at 256 GB, which is vital since Samsung stopped together with microSD card slots in its high-end telephones in 2021. Since the S23+ has the identical actual digital camera setup because the S23, the one major distinction is charging pace—it helps 45-watt charging (charger not included) so it can juice up somewhat sooner than the S23. In our prior expertise, the charging pace is not drastically completely different, so this actually should not issue into your resolution. Get it if you would like extra battery or a barely larger display.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the crème de la crème of Samsung’s lineup. It retains the identical nice 10X optical zoom digital camera as its predecessor that permits you to take sharp pictures of topics distant. It additionally has a 3X optical zoom, and who would not love choices? If you are an S Pen fan, that is the one Samsung cellphone with a built-in stylus that is accessible from the underside fringe of the gadget. It’s the biggest cellphone of the trio at 6.8 inches (and the heaviest), and whereas it has an adaptive refresh fee like the opposite two, it could shift between 1 and 120 Hz when wanted, which means it is somewhat extra battery environment friendly. It has a 5,000-mAh battery, and Samsung says it can final 20 p.c longer than final 12 months’s S22 Ultra regardless of having the identical capability.
