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On February 1, 2023, Samsung announced the next evolution in the Galaxy S series. That’s the Galaxy S23. This new lineup consists of the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra. In this article, we will share everything you need to know about the Galaxy S23 lineup and which model is the best option for you.
The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ are both essentially the same phone, apart from their sizes. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is essentially a merger of the Galaxy S and Note smartphones. So it has a more boxy shape, and of course, the S Pen is built-in.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Specs
Here are the specs for the Galaxy S23 lineup.
| Galaxy S23 | Galaxy S23+ | Galaxy S23 Ultra | |
| Display | 6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Adaptive 120Hz |
6.6-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Adaptive 120Hz |
6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Adaptive 120Hz |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy |
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy |
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB/12GB |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB | 256GB/512GB | 256GB/512GB/1TB |
| Battery Capacity | 3900mAh | 4700mAh | 5000mAh |
| Charging Speeds | Wireless Powershare, Super Fast Charging, Fast Wireless Charging |
Wireless Powershare, Super Fast Charging, Fast Wireless Charging |
Wireless Powershare, Super Fast Charging, Fast Wireless Charging |
| Software | Android 13, OneUI 5.1 | Android 13, OneUI 5.1 | Android 13, OneUI 5.1 |
| Rear Cameras | 50MP wide 10MP telephoto 12MP ultrawide |
50MP wide 10MP telephoto 12MP ultrawide |
200MP wide 10MP telephoto1 10MP telephoto2 12MP ultrawide |
| Front Camera | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Dimensions | 2.79 x 5.76 x 0.3in | 3 x 6.21 x 0.3in | 3.07 x 6.43 x 0.35in |
| Weight | 5.93oz | 6.91oz | 8.25oz |
| Price | $799 | $999 | $1199 |
| Colors | Phantom Black Cream Green Lavender |
Phantom Black Cream Green Lavender |
Phantom Black Cream Green Lavender |
| Available | February 17 | February 17 | February 17 |
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE was announced on October 4, 2023, later in the year. It’s meant to be a cheaper option that still sports a pretty large display. It sports a 6.4-inch FHD+ 120Hz display, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 8GB of RAM, and either 128GB or 256GB of storage to boot. It also has a pretty hefty 4500mAh capacity battery.
We reviewed the Galaxy S23 FE in November of 2023 and found that it’s a great alternative to the Galaxy S23’s higher price tag. Giving you a lot of the same experiences as the regular Galaxy S23 but at a much lower price. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is priced at $599 for the 128GB and $699 for the 256GB model.
How much does the Galaxy S23 series cost?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 series is keeping the same price, at least in the US. So we’re not seeing any price increases here. That means that the following is the pricing for the Galaxy S23 series:
- Galaxy S23: $799
- Galaxy S23+: $999
- Galaxy S23 Ultra: $1,199
To get the higher storage, there will be a $50 increase for the Galaxy S23 and S23+ and a $100 increase for the Galaxy S23 Ultra. So, a 1TB Galaxy S23 Ultra will cost you $1,399. It’s quite pricey, but that is still cheaper than a 1TB iPhone 14 Pro Max (by quite a bit, actually).
What trade-in offers are available at launch?
Carriers will be offering their own trade-in offers, and you can check out the latest deals for the Galaxy S23 by clicking here.
However, Samsung is going to offer up to $1,000 or the cost of the phone (if you get a Galaxy S23) for a trade-in. Now, depending on what you trade in, you might get the full $1,000, or it might be less. Typically, the newer the phone, the more you’ll get on the trade-in. Samsung.com allows you to trade in multiple devices on a single order, which makes this even easier.
What pre-order bonuses is Samsung offering?
Samsung typically offers some bonuses for pre-ordering their new phones. Well, this year, they have brought back one of their more popular bonuses. And that is a free storage upgrade. This means that if you are pre-order a 128GB Galaxy S23, you’ll get upgraded to the 256GB model for the same price. The same goes for the 256GB models and the 512GB Galaxy S23 Ultra model. So you could actually get the 1TB Ultra for around $1,299. And, of course, that is before any sort of discount from trade-ins.
Where can I buy the Galaxy S23 series?
Samsung will have the Galaxy S23 available at all of the usual retailers and carriers. These include:
- Amazon
- AT&T
- Best Buy
- Samsung.com
- T-Mobile
- Verizon
And many more. Keep in mind that Samsung’s pre-order bonuses are available everywhere. However, BOGOs and trade-ins may differ by retailer and carrier.
What carriers support the Galaxy S23?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 will be supported by AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, along with any MVNO that runs on their networks. That includes Boost Mobile, Cricket, MetroPCS, Straight Talk and many others.
What colors is Samsung selling the Galaxy S23 in?
This year, Samsung is keeping it simple. We offer the Galaxy S23 models in all of the same four colors. Those are:
- Phantom Black
- Cream
- Green
- Lavender
Now, Samsung will offer its own exclusive colors for these phones as well. Those colors are listed below:
- Lime
- Graphite
- Sky Blue
- Red
Samsung Galaxy S23 Updates
Samsung has been pretty good with updates for its Galaxy smartphones over the last few years, and with the Galaxy S23, the company is promising four years of software updates and five years of security patches.
Updates
June 11, 2024: Samsung began rolling out the June update in the US, while Europe received the May update, for the Galaxy S23 series. The Galaxy S23 FE started receiving the June update on June 17, 2024.
May 24, 2024: Samsung began rolling out a second May update for the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which included many bug fixes. This included a fix for the video rattling issue that many users were reporting.
May 16, 2024: The May 2024 security update began rolling out to the Galaxy S23 series in the US.
April 12, 2024: In April, Samsung began rolling out a new security patch to the Galaxy S23 series in the US.
March 27, 2024: Samsung began rolling out the March 2024 Security Update in the US.
February 9, 2024: The February 2024 Security Update began rolling out in the US.
January 12, 2024: The January 2024 Security Update begins rolling out.
December 6, 2023: Samsung begins rolling out the December 2023 update to Galaxy S23 models in the US.
November 13, 2023: Second Android 14-based update rolls out to Galaxy S23
November 10, 2023: Android 14 update begins to roll out to Galaxy S23 worldwide.
October 16, 2023: Samsung starts to roll out the October 2023 Security update to Galaxy S23 models.
September 7, 2023: Galaxy S23 models begin picking up the September 2023 Security Update.
August 7, 2023: Samsung rolls out a massive update to the Galaxy S23 series, which includes the August Security Patch.
July 3, 2023: Samsung rolls out the July 2023 Security Update to all Galaxy S23 models.
June 26, 2023: Big update rolls out to Galaxy S23 models, including the June 2023 security update.
May 2, 2023: The May 2023 Security Update rolls out to Galaxy S23 models.
April 11, 2023: Samsung starts pushing out the April 2023 Security Update to Galaxy S23 models.
March 7, 2023: Samsung pushes out a new security update with over 60 patches to Galaxy S23.
February 24, 2023: Samsung starts to push out the very first update to Galaxy S23 models, with the February 2023 security patch.
What new features does the Galaxy S23 sport?
Samsung is bringing some new features to the Galaxy S23 this year, which includes a new 200MP camera on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. As well as some new gaming features. And, of course, the entire lineup has been better optimized for video and social media apps.
Worlds-first 200MP camera
On the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Samsung has included a 200-megapixel main sensor for the camera. This is a world-first, but it likely won’t be the only one with it this year. Thanks to this new high-resolution sensor, a new AI-powered image signal processor, and some other software tweaks, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is going to take some very detailed images. Virtual noise has been reduced as well. This 200MP sensor won’t really be taking 200MP pictures. Instead, it will be lowered down to 12.5 megapixels. So basically, every 16-megapixel is one with this sensor.
Samsung has also doubled its optical image stabilizer so that videos are even more stable on the Ultra. There’s also enhanced 8K video recording available, with 30fps. For an even wider angle. Along with advanced object-based AI.
The future of mobile gaming
This year, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has some new gaming enhancements. For instance, it is now running on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, which allows the Ultra to last about 20% longer when gaming. While the graphics performance is about 40% better, and its AI performance is also optimized by than 40%.
This is all going to work to give you a better gaming experience on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, along with that impressive 6.8-inch QHD+ 120Hz display that’s on board.
Better optimized for video and social media apps
One of the big things that people complain about on Android is how laggy some social media apps are. Like Snapchat, which makes it very obvious that you’re using an Android smartphone. That’s because Snapchat doesn’t use the camera API, instead it takes a screen recording of your camera. But with the Galaxy S23 series, that’s not an issue anymore.
For a few years now, Samsung has been touting that it is optimizing its phones for video and social media apps, like Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and others. So you’ll experience a much better experience there.
What cases are available?
There are plenty of cases available for the Galaxy S23 series, and we have a roundup for each model. You can check those out here:
But we are also listing a few popular cases here, one for each model.
Samsung Silicon Cover
Costing $30, the Silicon Cover is a good option for a lot of people, even though it is rather expensive. It’s a pretty simple case for most people. It’s just a Silicon cover for your Galaxy S23, but Samsung does offer it in a lot of colors, which is really nice to see.
Samsung Leather Cover
The leather cover is similar to the silicon cover but is more expensive and made of leather. It’s a really good feeling case in the hand. And the big thing it has over the Silicon Cover here is that it is not a soft-touch material. So it won’t attract dirt and dust as much as the silicon model does.
Samsung Rugged Case
Now this is a new case this year. But it’s a rugged case, and it appears to only be available on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. It has a built-in kickstand, as well as reinforced edges and corners. So it can take a drop or two without damaging your phone.
Which Galaxy S23 model should I buy?
More than ever before, Samsung is really trying to differentiate the three models. The small Galaxy S23 only comes with 128GB of storage, and the others with 256GB at the base, along with the Ultra getting a 1TB model and, of course, the S Pen. Our recommendation would be the Galaxy S23 Ultra since it has the S Pen, a larger battery, and an incredible display. It also has the best camera setup of any smartphone right now.