If you are a Samsung fan, then you must be aware of the Galaxy S series which is majorly known for its powerful cameras and the S Pen (stylus which comes with the device. Last year, it was the Galaxy S22 Ultra which got huge appreciation for its camera quality. This year, Samsung has brought success with the name Galaxy S23 Ultra. We reviewed the device for a couple of weeks and here is our quick review to understand how the device works.
Looks: Very similar to the predecessor
It looks just like the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which was launched last year. I received a graphite-coloured review unit which looks very pretty. The major difference between the predecessor and the recently launched Galaxy S23 Ultra is the camera setup panel, which is bigger than the predecessor.
Although the device is big, and for me, operating with one hand was a task. But it is certainly one of the best devices which are available in the market which comes with great looks- certainly premium. The handset is sleek and looks flawlessly beautiful.
We have the volume rockers and power buttons on the right panel, and on the lower panel, we have an S Pen, speaker vent, Type-C port and a sim tray.
I like the look of Galaxy S23 Ultra- which is big yet thin, with less curvy. Also, unlike the previous version, this one is not that slippery- so do not have to worry about its big size- it will not fall.
Display
Samsung never lets you down when it comes to the display and colour vibrancy. The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED display with a 1,440 x 3,088 pixels resolution.
As I used it thoroughly, the device has a very vivid colour. I used the device under bright sunlight, low light, and no light condition and the device did all the justice. Watching videos, playing games, scrolling day and night or using social media- every experience was great as the colours were true and bright. Overall, it's a great display with very vivid and vibrant colours.
Performance
The new galaxy device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 processor which has been designed for a realistic experience and ‘flawless’ is the word which describes the device when it comes to performance.
I have done photography, videography and gaming heavily on the device, and it worked without any lag. The HD videos delivered great quality and even when gaming, the graphics were sharp and vivid. It was fun to play the game, with the big screen and flawless touch screen- I tried Asphalt9, Relic Run, Smash Hit and a couple more, and it was just fun. I played the game for around 30-50 mins, and the device did not heat at all. Also, while binge-watching, it worked flawlessly.
Also, talking about the call experience, the smartphone worked perfectly, without any voice breaking issues and when connected to the internet with a 5G network, the internet also worked smoothly. I avidly use Zoom meeting, Google Meet and WhatsApp video calling features, and there was no connectivity issue with the device, at all. It was indeed a great experience with the device- handling multitasking well and without lag.
The S Pen which comes accompanied with the device, the Galaxy S23 Ultra makes it certainly a perfect device for anyone who has been working and need to review and sign documents. Also, if you are an artist and love to do creative work, then this device gives you enough strength to pull out your creativity through your smartphone. And for many new S Pen users, this is your surprise that the device comes with the ability to click group selfies easily, with an easy click- which was impressive indeed!
Photography
The handset comes with a Pro-grade Camera which is capable to capture brighter photos and video. It comes with an intelligent pixel sensor which can easily adapt the low light with Nightography and the camera lens tones down flare for clearer captures.
The major highlight of the device has been the camera of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, as it comes with a 200-megapixel primary shooter which is coupled with LED flash. Now if I will take you back to its predecessor which won the title of being the best device in 2022, the company has worked hard to justify its legacy and bring out even better performers than its previous Galaxy S22 Ultra.
The new Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a slightly bigger camera setup, and the reason is obvious- for improved camera quality and performance. Talk about low light photography, bright day photography or even clicking the moving objects- this device has all the modes to make it perform the best.
And if you love the night sky, then this device will surprise you with its astrophotography muscles which will enable you to capture the best night sky along with the stars and planets captured with its super zooming capabilities will let you take the best shot- all you need is a stable hand, which can certainly be possible with a tripod. And certainly, the result is brilliant.
Battery
With 5000 mAh, the device could last for a day easily with basic usage, and even if you drain out the battery with too heavy usage, then the device is capable to charge the device faster with 45W fast charging. But there is no complaint when it comes to the battery life as it can let you do your day-to-day job easily, from calling, to video calling, messaging, using WhatsApp rigorously, shooting videos randomly, watching OTT like Netflix, Prime Videos, Disney+ Hotstar and more. My device, which I used for almost a month did all the justice and was a great performer indeed.
Verdict
Overall, the new Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with the latest processor and comes a major upgrade when it comes to performance front- from calls to gaming, photography, binge watch, and everything you need to do every day. This is a go-to device with a decent battery which can last for a day easily with a single charge. The device comes with slight change when it comes to the design but it certainly feels new and has a less curvy screen. The camera improvement is much visible as it is the major highlight of the device, next to the performance. Also, if you are a music buff, then the device supports loudspeakers which can let you enjoy and vibe the music on the speaker easily.
On the storage front, the device comes with 256 GB storage on the base model, which certainly is good to store everything important to your device.
Talking about the shortcomings, the RAM was a concern with the base model, which is 8GB RAM- because the device is having every capability of being the best gaming device. Also, with the market being flooded with super fast charging devices, the new Galaxy S23Ultra supports average fast charging with 45W- we expected it to be slightly better like the ones we have seen in the OnePlus, Xiaomi and more devices. We do get too many updates on the device, which is a good thing, but during my usage, it got several updates, which was a little annoying at times when I was using the device.
The device is priced above Rs 1 lac which is almost next to Apple iPhone 14, and indeed it has a lot of interesting features. But still, we think that the pricing is something which Samsung could have worked upon. But when it comes to exclusivity on the camera front and performance, then the device is a decent performer and some might find it to have value for money too.
