The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the top model of the 2023 Galaxy S lineup. Samsung announced it on February 1, 2023, and it went on sale on February 17, 2023. The US launch price was $1,199.99 for 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Samsung no longer sells it in the US, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra succeeded it.
Design and display
The phone has a 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a 3088 x 1440 resolution. The refresh rate can drop to 1 Hz and rise to 120 Hz. Peak brightness is 1,750 nits. The edges curve less than on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which leaves a flatter surface.
A built-in S Pen slides into the bottom of the frame. Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covers the front and back, and the frame is aluminum. The phone is IP68 rated. It measures 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm and weighs 234 grams.
Performance
The Galaxy S23 Ultra uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, in a version tuned for Galaxy phones. The 4 nm chip has a 3.36 GHz main core and an Adreno 740 GPU. Samsung used this chip in all regions, so no Exynos version exists.
Memory options are 8 GB or 12 GB of RAM. Storage ranges from 256 GB to 1 TB, all using UFS 4.0. There is no microSD slot.
Cameras
The main camera uses a 200 MP sensor with an f/1.7 lens and optical stabilization. A 12 MP ultrawide camera adds a 120-degree view. Two 10 MP telephoto cameras cover 3x and 10x optical zoom. The 10x camera is a periscope design.
Rear video reaches 8K at 30 fps. The 12 MP front camera records 4K video at up to 60 fps.
Battery and charging
The battery has a typical capacity of 5,000 mAh. Wired charging reaches 45W, which gives about 65% in 30 minutes. Wireless charging reaches 15W with a Samsung charger, according to Android Authority and PhoneArena. The phone can also charge accessories with Wireless PowerShare. No charger comes in the box.
Software and updates
The Galaxy S23 Ultra shipped with Android 13 and One UI 5.1. Samsung promised four Android upgrades and five years of security updates.
The phone also has an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint reader, stereo speakers, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 and UWB. Its USB-C port runs at USB 3.2 speeds. There is no headphone jack.
Should you buy the Galaxy S23 Ultra?
The Galaxy S23 Ultra suits buyers who want long zoom, a stylus and a large QHD+ screen. Its 5,000 mAh battery and long update promise add to that appeal. The phone is heavy at 234 grams, though. It is also no longer produced, so new units are rare. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the direct successor.
