Samsung doesn’t know the crisis

Samsung announced its latest ultra-premium smartphones early February, just like every year. Its stars will be the Galaxy S23 Ultra, S23+, S23 Ultra in 2023.

Samsung isn’t changing its roadmap, just like Apple. The Korean company is banking on continuity with minor modifications, at least in paper. After a conclusive testing of the Galaxy S23 Ultra we were able to equip ourselves with the Galaxy S23 (plus version) for a few more weeks. Here’s our complete review.

We take (almost), what we have and start over

The Galaxy S23 Ultra (and its “Plus”) version is identical to the Ultra version. It does not change much over the previous generation. It is only a few thousandths off a millimeter smaller than the Ultra version, but it has the same dimensions, weight, and lines.

Its camera module is the only significant change that is immediately apparent. Samsung has abandoned the two-tone format and replaced it with a rectangular corner camouflaging its optics. This year, The sensors are inserted directly from the chassis to create a minimalistic, elegant result.

The front is unchanged with the exception of the decision to a 6.1″ panel a little brighter (Dynamic Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED Full HD+, 1750nits maximum, refreshrate 488-120Hz) Compared to the previous generation. There’s nothing to brag about, with the Galaxy S22’s screen already being very popular. Samsung has mastered the recipe, and continues to refine it over time for a seductive end result.

Hand in hand The Galaxy S23 still feels goodFor those who prefer compact smartphones, Samsung can be commended for believing in such a format even though Apple dropped its iPhone mini this year. Although the Galaxy S23 may not be as small as the iPhone 13 Mini, it is small enough to be an endangered species.

Although we love the convenience of this format, we have to admit that the display and typing experience (on the virtual keyboard), are less pleasant in daily life. But tastes and colors…

Finally, more powerful and longer-lasting

Small, but powerful. Like its bigger brothers, the Galaxy S23 inherits a new chip from Qualcomm. I dubbed the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. We will not dwell too much on figures that have reached new heights. It ranks at the top of the basket without having to rub shoulders with market references (Pixel 7 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro). The Galaxy S23 is able to do everything quickly and well.

Samsung can correct the major problem with previous generations’ autonomy by integrating the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chips.

It was difficult for a “classic model” to survive the day of use under the Exynos era. The optimization work by Qualcomm and Samsung engineers combined with the integration a larger battery (3.900 mAh against 3.700 mAh for S22) has paid off. In versatile use, the Galaxy S23 lasts for a day and a bit. By using the power saving modes, those less connected can expect to last for two days. The most geeky will have to endure the late-night charging process.

We wish that we had been as passionate about charging. Alas, Samsung caps charging speed at 25W This increases the charging time. It takes approximately 1h30 to fully recharge the battery. To reach 50%, take longer than 30 minutes. We can talk about counter-performance for a model at this price.

Photos still great, but…

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Samsung has placed the package on the 200 Mpxl Ultra version’s sensor. The Galaxy S23+ & S23+ both have the same hardware specs as their predecessors. A camera module is made up of:

• A sensor of 50 Mpxl (1/1.57″; 1 µm) with wide-angle lens (f/1.8 – 85° field of view), optical stabilization
• a 12 Mpxl sensor (1/2.55″; 1.4µm) with ultra wide angle lens (f/2.2 – 120° field of view)
• a 10 Mpxl sensor (1/3.94″; 1 µm) with telephoto lens (f/2.4 – 3x zoom), optical stabilization, Dual Pixel AF

Samsung claims that software optimization improves photographic quality, especially in low light. But it doesn’t. It is impossible to see any difference with the naked eye The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22 were used in the photos.

We will not be disappointed every day. The images are clear, the colorimetry between the three lenses is uniform, and the contrasts well controlled. The portrait mode is still a success, but it is still a step behind what Apple offers with the iPhone 14.

The Galaxy S23’s night vision is not as good as its predecessor. While the main sensor performs well, the other sensors (ultrawide angle and telephoto), quickly show their limits. The Galaxy S23 can compete against an iPhone 14 in these conditions but is still a step below the Pixel 7, and much more affordable.

There is no big difference in video. Galaxy S23 can shoot 8K at 30 frames a second Without optical stabilization. We recommend shooting 4K at 60 frames per second with optical stabilization. This is especially important because 8K video uses a lot of storage space. The S23 has only 256 GB of internal memory.

Exorbitant price

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Samsung seems to not have grasped the current economic situation, just like Apple. Samsung prefers to raise its prices significantly, rather than accept lower margins and absorb inflation.

Thus, The Galaxy S23 is available for purchase starting at 959 Euros (128 GB version), this is the a Increase of 100 euro Comparable to the previous model. The 256GB version will cost 1,019 Euros, which is 110 more. Samsung swaps the UFS 4.0 for the cheaper UFS 3.1 memory in the 128GB version. We are speechless at the level of penny-pinching.

Inflation can also affect manufacturers. However, the Galaxy S23 has many components and technologies that were used in the S22. These components and technologies can be reused here. If technical advances had made the game more interesting, this price increase could have been passed. However, a price hike is not justified from a technological standpoint.

Samsung, like Apple is taking the risk of posting dilettante numbers in 2023, after a dull 2022 for the sector. Partly due to low development and rising costs, the smartphone market had its worst year yet. The refurbished market also exploded. It was quite the surprise!

Our opinion about the Galaxy S23

Technically, the Galaxy S23 smartphone is a success. It is powerful, elegant, and great in photography. This smartphone has all the elements of a premium smartphone but with a small footprint. Samsung has also integrated a Qualcomm chip which addresses the main shortcomings of previous generations, including the autonomy.

The Galaxy S23 looks more like the Galaxy S22 S than an actual evolution. Samsung is not content with its success and charges a large sum for its flagship model. Despite the recycling of many parts, the Galaxy S23 doesn’t escape price hikes (under the guise inflation, obviously).

We don’t recommend you jumping ship if your Galaxy S22, S21, or S20 is in good condition. You might last another year. You won’t be disappointed if your smartphone is older. However, you will need to be willing to put your money down.