Today, it seems like Samsung can do no flawed. The Korean model is in a dominant place within the foldable class, and the Galaxy S portfolio options among the greatest Android telephones you may get in the present day. The Galaxy S23 Extremely particularly is a terrific telephone that units a excessive normal for flagships in 2023, and whereas the inner {hardware} clearly performs a giant half, Samsung is doing all the fitting issues with One UI 5.1.
As a lot as I just like the S23 Extremely, it may be cumbersome to make use of at occasions on account of its dimension, and that is the place the Galaxy S23+ is available in. Like earlier years, the S23+ is the center baby in Samsung’s portfolio, and it has the identical design because the vanilla S23 whereas selecting up a couple of options from the S23 Extremely — all in a manageable dimension.
It would not have the 200MP digital camera that adorns the again of the S23 Extremely, however for those who’re after a telephone that is comfy to carry and use whereas nonetheless providing a premium really feel, the Galaxy S23+ may be the perfect alternative for you.
Samsung Galaxy S23+: Pricing and availability
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S23+ alongside the usual Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23 Extremely on February 1, 2023. The telephone is now obtainable globally, and retails for $999 within the U.S. for the 256GB model and $1,119 for the 512GB mannequin. As all the time, Samsung has very beneficiant trade-in offers going as much as $750, and the 512GB mannequin is already right down to $999 — the identical because the 256GB version.
The S23+ retails for £1,049 ($1,297) within the U.Ok. for the 256GB mannequin and £1,149 ($1,421) for the 512GB model, and over in India you will have to shell out ₹94,999 ($1,155) for the 256GB mannequin and ₹104,999 ($1,276) for the 512GB version.
Samsung Galaxy S23+: Design
If Samsung simply shrunk the S23 Extremely and known as it the S23+, it will have been one of many best-looking telephones of the 12 months. I actually like what Samsung did with the Extremely; regardless that it is a huge telephone, it feels significantly better to carry and use than the S22 Extremely, and a giant a part of that’s right down to the decreased curvature across the display screen.
Nevertheless, the S23+ would not have a lot in the way in which of resemblance with its Extremely sibling, with Samsung as a substitute opting to go along with flat sides that make the telephone look cumbersome. The usual S23 additionally has the same aesthetic with flat sides, and Samsung has been doing this for a couple of years now, with the Extremely variant getting the curved display screen with the opposite two fashions that includes a flatter look.
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Samsung is not the one model doing this both; Xiaomi went with the same model with the Xiaomi 13 Professional and the usual mannequin this 12 months. And as for the S23+, whereas I do not want telephones with flat sides, the design is polished, and the cream colour variant I am utilizing seems premium. That stated, the edges have a shiny end that takes away from the upmarket look, and Samsung ought to have used a matte texture right here. There are not any such points on the again, and the frosted glass panel seems nice and is comfy to carry and use.
On that word, Samsung nailed the size of the S23+, and also you get a big display screen with out sacrificing usability; as a lot as I just like the S23 Extremely, it will get cumbersome with prolonged use, and that wasn’t an issue on the S23+. And like all Samsung flagships within the final seven years, the Galaxy S23+ affords IP68 mud and water resistance as normal.
The again additionally has a minimalist design for the digital camera housing, with the three modules encased in rings. Samsung deserves credit score for not going overboard right here, in contrast to its Chinese language rivals — the Xiaomi 13 Professional and Discover X6 Professional have huge digital camera islands that dominate the eye. Elsewhere, you will discover the SIM card tray on the backside, and it holds two SIM playing cards (one in North America) and also you get the flexibility to make use of eSIM.
Whereas I am not a fan of telephones with flat sides, it is inarguable that the Galaxy S23+ is a well-rounded package deal that holds its personal in opposition to different flagships. Samsung continues to do an excellent job with a cohesive design language throughout generations, and the S23+ feels acquainted and trendy on the similar time.
Samsung Galaxy S23+: Display
What I notably like concerning the Galaxy S23+ is that it has a flat 6.6-inch panel, so for those who’re not a fan of curved screens, that is the most suitable choice in Samsung’s portfolio. The AMOLED display screen itself is among the many greatest you will discover on a telephone in the present day, going as much as an insane 1,750 nits for HDR content material. There are zero points with colour vibrancy or distinction, and the S23+ holds up extremely nicely for gaming and streaming TV exhibits and films.
The display screen does an awesome job dynamically adjusting the refresh price from 10Hz all the way in which to 120Hz, and you will not discover any slowdown in any way on this space. There’s good customizability relating to colour administration as nicely, and whereas the always-on mode is not as feature-rich as ColorOS 13, you get a good set of choices.
The Galaxy S23+ additionally excels at gaming, and is ready to play video games on the full 120hz for titles that permit it. This has been a limitation on a couple of telephones I used this 12 months — just like the OnePlus 11 — so it is good to see Samsung unlocking the total potential of the display screen right here. There’s stereo sound as nicely, and whereas it is not as detailed because the Xiaomi 13 Professional, it makes a distinction in day by day use.
The entrance and rear panes of glass are coated by a layer of Corning’s newest Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and I’ve little question that it’s going to show to be simply as resilient as final 12 months. I do not use a case with any of my gadgets, and within the three weeks I used the S23+, the telephone weathered the occasional tumble with none points.
Samsung Galaxy S23+: Efficiency and battery
Samsung overhauled its technique this 12 months, putting off dual-sourcing Qualcomm and Exynos and as a substitute utilizing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 as normal globally. It is a enormous deal for the Korean producer, and what’s much more attractive is that it’s utilizing a barely overclocked model of Qualcomm’s newest chipset, dubbed Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.
Proper off the bat, what’s evident with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is that it delivers significantly better sustained efficiency than final 12 months, and which means you get lag-free gaming even throughout prolonged classes. In truth, the custom-made model of the chipset within the Galaxy S23+ is the quickest you will discover on an Android telephone in the present day, and it’s the closest Qualcomm has come to difficult the would possibly of the A16 Bionic.
| Class | Samsung Galaxy S23+ |
|---|---|
| OS | One UI 5.1 primarily based on Android 13 |
| Show | 6.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED (2340 x 1080), HDR10+, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 1 x 3.36GHz Cortex X3, 2 x 2.8GHz Cortex A715, 2 x 2.8GHz Cortex A710, 3 x 2.0GHz Cortex A510, Adreno 740, 4nm |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB UFS 4.0 |
| Rear digital camera 1 | 50MP f/1.8, 1.0um pixels, OIS, 8K at 30fps, 4K at 60fps |
| Rear digital camera 2 | 10MP f/2.4 telephoto, 1.0um pixels, OIS, 3x optical zoom |
| Rear digital camera 3 | 12MP f/2.2 wide-angle, 1.4um pixels, 120-degree FoV |
| Entrance digital camera | 12MP autofocus, 4K at 60fps |
| Ingress safety | IP68 mud and water resistance |
| Safety | In-screen ultrasonic fingerprint module, face unlock |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6e, Sub-6 5G (world), mmWave 5G (NA), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC |
| Audio | Stereo sound, USB-C, 32-bit/384kHz, AptX HD |
| Battery | 4700mAh, 45W wired charging, 15W wi-fi charging, 4.5W reverse wi-fi charging |
| Dimensions | 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6mm, 196g |
| Colours | Black, Cream, Inexperienced, Lavender |
There is a noticeable distinction in fluidity versus final 12 months, and there are not any slowdowns in any way in day by day use. Contemplating the S23+ makes use of Qualcomm {hardware} globally, it’s the ultimate improve path for these utilizing Exynos variants of Samsung’s telephones.
One other change with this era is that the bottom mannequin comes with 256GB of storage, and it picks up the newest UFS 4.0 storage module. The S23+ can be bought in a 512GB configuration, with each fashions that includes 8GB of RAM — greater than satisfactory for Android in its present state.
The ultrasonic module is bigger than earlier years, however it nonetheless is not fairly as quick as its optical counterparts. That stated, it’s higher than final 12 months, and aside from an infinitesimal delay to authenticate, it’s dependable in day by day use. There is not a lot lacking on the {hardware} facet of issues, with the S23+ providing Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.3 with LE, dual-band GPS, NFC, AptX HD codecs, and UWB.
As for battery life, the 4700mAh battery simply manages to final nicely over a day, and I did not have any battery anxiousness within the three weeks I used the Galaxy S23+. This has been the case with all telephones powered by Qualcomm’s newest silicon, and even with heavy use you’ll get to the top of the day with some cost left over.
And when it’s worthwhile to cost the machine, there’s 45W wired and 15W wi-fi charging. Samsung continues to be being conservative relating to charging tech, and that is comprehensible given the model’s historical past. Though the S23+ takes longer to cost than its Chinese language rivals, it hits 60% in half-hour, and that needs to be greater than satisfactory if it’s worthwhile to cost the machine in the midst of the day.
Samsung Galaxy S23+: Cameras
Samsung is not one to tweak a profitable components, and because of this the Galaxy S23+ makes use of the same digital camera array as final 12 months. You will discover a 50MP major digital camera with OIS that makes use of Samsung’s S5KGN3 imaging module, and it’s joined by a 10MP Samsung S5K3K1 telephoto lens that has OIS and goes as much as 3x optical zoom and a 12MP wide-angle Sony IMX564. Up entrance, you will discover a new 12MP selfie digital camera with autofocus.
Provided that nothing has modified on the {hardware} facet of issues, the S23+ shoots pictures in the identical 12MP decision as final 12 months, and the interface itself is equivalent. Samsung has among the best Professional modes obtainable on any machine, and it offers you far more flexibility relating to modifying pictures taken on the telephone. All three sensors work with Evening mode by default, and may shoot 4K video at 60fps.
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Though the digital camera {hardware} hasn’t modified, you will discover a definite distinction within the pictures taken by the Galaxy S23+. The resultant photographs nonetheless have Samsung’s signature distinction look, however it’s toned down versus earlier generations, and also you get pictures which are far more correct. That is notably true of pictures taken outside, with the sky rendered precisely — final 12 months’s gadgets tended to spice up saturation ranges to the purpose the place it felt like there was a filter in use.
As you’d think about, the S23+ has no issues in any way in daylight situations, delivering pictures with loads of dynamic vary and element. There is no seen noise, and foliage would not look too mushy — one other uptick over earlier fashions. The telephoto lens additionally does an excellent job in daylight conditions, producing pictures of the identical caliber at as much as 3x. It will possibly go as much as 30x, and whilst you miss out on the insane 100x issue that the S23 Extremely can deal with, the digital 30x mode delivers usable pictures.
In the same vein, the wide-angle lens does a terrific job retaining colour steadiness and accuracy, and I do not actually have any negatives on this space. All three cameras fare rather well in low-light conditions as nicely, with Evening mode kicking in mechanically as soon as ambient lighting going below a threshold. Total, the S23+ has implausible cameras throughout the board, and whereas Samsung did not change the {hardware}, it made the required tweaks to its imaging algorithms to deliver the machine as much as par with the Pixel 7 Professional and the Xiaomi 13 Professional.
Samsung Galaxy S23+: Software program
I’ll maintain this part comparatively quick as there is not a lot so as to add that my colleague Nick hasn’t already coated in his Galaxy S23 Extremely overview. Samsung deserves loads of credit score for modernizing its UI, and One UI 5.1 feels trendy and fluid whereas nonetheless retaining loads of the legacy options.
Samsung built-in all the brand new options Google launched with Android 13, and whereas you do not get the identical Materials You aesthetic, most of its salient components are intact — together with the dynamic colour picker. Whereas there is not a lot new in Android 13 itself, I like that notifications are opt-in by default; apps can not ship notifications after they’re put in, and you will see a dialog field searching for notification entry upon first launch. This builds on the work Google is doing with notification administration with the likes of notification channels, and it is good to see that function obtainable in One UI 5.1.
Elsewhere, you will discover a taskbar itemizing any app that is operating within the background, however it has been pushed to the overview menu as a substitute of the notification shade. There may be nonetheless loads of customizability, and the largest distinction in my use case is the overall fluidity. I seen this on the S23 Extremely as nicely, and Samsung did a superb job optimizing the interface to be smoother throughout common navigation.
One other space the place Samsung is doing all the fitting issues is software program updates. The Galaxy S23+ will get 4 assured Android model updates and 5 years of safety updates, and the model has persistently proven that it is ready to ship platform updates on time. The S22 Extremely picked up the secure Android 13 replace in below two months of Google introducing the model, and Samsung continues to be the one model aside from Google to ship month-to-month safety patches to its telephones.
Samsung Galaxy S23+: The competitors
The Galaxy S22+ continues to be a implausible machine in 2023, and contemplating simply how little has modified with the S23+, it’s the ultimate different. You get the identical vibrant AMOLED panel, related design, similar caliber of cameras, equivalent software program, and related connectivity. The S23+ lasts somewhat longer and is better-suited for prolonged gaming, however the S22+ isn’t any slouch on this regard, and it manages to final all day with out breaking a sweat. So in order for you a greater worth, get the S22+.
The Pixel 7 Professional continues to be dominant, delivering excellent cameras in a chic design. The telephone will not get as many updates because the S23+, however it’s first in line to get new Android releases, and I just like the Materials You aesthetic. It would not miss out in any key areas, and because it has been available in the market for a couple of months now, you’ll be able to choose it up for a couple of hundred {dollars} lower than the S23+.
One other machine to think about is the Xiaomi 13 Professional. Xiaomi nailed the fundamentals this 12 months, and the 13 Professional seems and feels fabulous. It holds its personal in opposition to the perfect Android telephones relating to the cameras, and whereas MIUI 14 hasn’t modified an excessive amount of, it’s fluid. The one situation with the Xiaomi 13 Professional is that it’s going to not get the identical variety of updates because the S23+, and Xiaomi has been lackadaisical in rolling out well timed platform and safety updates.
Samsung Galaxy S23+: Must you purchase it?
You can purchase this if:
- You need a flagship that is straightforward to carry and use
- You are in search of a vibrant display screen with loads of customization
- You want a strong telephone that is terrific for gaming
- You need dependable cameras that shoot nice pictures and movies
- You are in search of all of the extras
You should not purchase this if:
- You need Samsung’s newest digital camera tech
- You want a telephone with a MicroSD slot
Finally, the Galaxy S23+ would not differ an excessive amount of from its predecessor, with Samsung tweaking issues in a couple of areas as a substitute of constructing wholesale modifications. Whereas this technique clearly works for Samsung, I might have favored to see the S23 Extremely’s 200MP digital camera on the S23+, as it will have made the telephone that rather more alluring.
Not everybody would need a huge telephone, and having used the iPhone 14 Professional for an prolonged period this 12 months, I am unable to assist however really feel that Samsung must go the same route and provide a tool with the identical digital camera {hardware} because the S23 Extremely in a smaller chassis. That is not the case this time, however even then, the S23+ strikes the perfect steadiness in Samsung’s flagship portfolio, and is a viable possibility in order for you a telephone that is somewhat simpler to make use of.
In fact, for those who’re within the U.Ok. or every other European nation, you will wish to contemplating switching because of the Qualcomm {hardware}. Samsung historically provided the Exynos model of its telephones within the area during the last seven years, and having used these Exynos-powered telephones, I can say with some confidence that the Qualcomm model is considerably higher. So for those who’ve held out on shopping for a brand new telephone, now’s the perfect time to modify.
The Galaxy S23+ would not introduce groundbreaking new options, however it has a sophisticated design and would not miss out on a lot. For those who’re after a high-end telephone that is comfy to carry and use, that is the perfect alternative.
