1/8
Galaxy S23 Ultra is the best non-folding phone that Samsung makes in 2023. It might just be the best smartphone to get, period, at the time of writing if budget is not a constraint. Samsung literally rewrote the Galaxy S script last year merging the lineup with the Galaxy Note to bring you the best of both worlds. This year, the upgrades are more under the hood, resulting in a package that’s more value, and that is the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s biggest strength. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is available with 12GB/256GB for Rs 1,24,999, 12GB/512GB for Rs 1,34,999, and 12GB/1TB for Rs 1,54,999.
2/8
Samsung has gone for a relatively flatter back in the Galaxy S23 Ultra that bodes well for ergonomics, though you should know that it is still a hefty package weighing in at 234g. It still has the S-Pen note stylus, built in. The real change is coming by way of build materials. Samsung says the Galaxy S23 series uses more recycled material than any Galaxy smartphone to date with the Galaxy S23 Ultra in particular using it for as many as 12 internal and external components (versus 6 in the S22 Ultra). The retail packaging is also said to be made of 100 percent recycle paper.
3/8
More specifically, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is made of two sheets of Corning Gorilla Victus 2 joined together by a metal frame. The phone has an ultrasonic fingerprint reader for biometrics and IP68-rating for water and dust resistance.
4/8
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 6.8-inch 1440p Dynamic AMOLED 2X LTPO display with a variable 1Hz-120Hz refresh rate, that seems virtually unchanged from last year. There wasn’t much to complain there, there isn’t now either. It’s a top-shelf display is what it is.
5/8
The customary chip upgrade brings Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but with a slight twist. Samsung has partnered with Qualcomm to get first dibs on what it’s calling a Snapdragon optimised exclusively for Galaxy. Graphics and machine learning upgrades seem at the top of the list and when paired with some intricate vapour cooling, Samsung says the Galaxy S23 Ultra will be able to pull “faster and smoother gaming performance” over the S22 Ultra. You can get the S23 Ultra in 12GB/256GB, 12GB/512GB and 12GB/1TB configurations.
6/8
Running the show is Android 13-based One UI 5.1. The phone is guaranteed to get 4 major OS and 5 years of security updates.
7/8
The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a new 200MP camera sensor that sits behind an f/1.7 aperture lens. There are three more cameras in this phone, a 12MP ultrawide, joined by two more 10MP telephotos – one for 3x and another for 10x optical zoom- that seem more like do-overs from last year. The 40MP selfie camera seen in the S22 Ultra has been swapped with a seemingly more mundane 12 MP shooter, though Samsung is promising “enhanced nightography” in both photo and video (including better stabilisation) modes.
8/8
Powering the Galaxy S23 Ultra is a 5,000mAh battery with 45W fast wired and 15W wireless charging. (Photos credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)