Samsung Galaxy S23+ review: A solid phone that’s probably not worth the upgrade

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Despite what corporations would love you to consider, you don’t have to get a brand new cellphone yearly or two. So whereas Samsung’s 2023 lineup of its Galaxy S flagship telephones could seem underwhelming when in comparison with the final technology, it’s not a nasty factor that these gadgets supply little purpose to improve. It’s simply that after having mentioned the identical factor in regards to the 2022 fashions, in addition to competing telephones from Apple and Google, it feels onerous to be enthusiastic about non-folding smartphones anymore.

Like many of the competitors, Samsung has targeted on tweaking the S23 collection’ digital camera and software program options, alongside small changes to show and design. We’ve additionally acquired the everyday processor improve and promised battery life enhancements, that are objectively good issues on paper, however in actuality don’t impression your each day use that a lot.

We’ve already reviewed the S23 Extremely which, due to a big display, onboard S-Pen and 200-megapixel digital camera, is aggressively focused at energy customers. For everybody else seeking to get a brand new Android cellphone, there’s the S23+ or the S23. Samsung hasn’t made the smallest mannequin accessible to assessment but, so we’re specializing in the Plus mannequin right here. In case you’re contemplating Samsung’s center baby, it’s in all probability solely price it in the event you’re presently utilizing one thing at the least three years previous or in the event you’re outdoors the US.

Design

One of the crucial noticeable adjustments between the S23+ and its predecessor is that this 12 months’s cleaned up look. The 2 telephones are principally the identical, save for the shiny digital camera housing on the again of the older mannequin, wrapping across the prime left nook. Samsung launched this “contour lower” housing on the S21, and I grew to love the aesthetic, particularly on the lavender and pink variations.

Wanting on the S22+ and S23+ aspect by aspect, I’m ambivalent – they’re each inoffensive. Whether or not you like the cleaner look depends upon your private style. Functionally, nothing is just too completely different between the 2 designs — the S23+ wobbles barely much less, however that was by no means an enormous deal on the S22. I favored the lavender shade of our assessment unit, in addition to the inexperienced model I noticed at Samsung’s hands-on occasion, however the cream and black choices bore me.

When it comes to bodily dimensions, the variations between the 2 generations are negligible. They’re virtually the identical weight, width and size and precisely the identical thickness. The S23+ is slimmer and lighter than the Pixel 7 Professional and iPhone 14 Plus, although these two have bigger shows.

Show and audio

Talking of, one space that Samsung did considerably enhance on the S23+ is its display. Sure, it’s largely the identical as earlier than, with the identical measurement, identical FHD+ decision and an as much as 120Hz refresh price. By now you in all probability have heard reviewers like myself extol the virtues of screens with excessive refresh charges and the way nice they’re for scrolling your Instagram or Reddit feeds. The S23+ is not any exception.

But it surely’s now able to hitting as much as 1,750 nits when outside in comparison with 1,200 nits earlier than, that means it ought to be simpler to learn in daylight. There haven’t been many sunny days lately, so it’s been onerous to place this to the check. However, the S23+ nonetheless affords a vibrant, colourful display as is typical for Samsung’s cell merchandise. 

In the meantime, relating to audio, the Galaxy S23+ is pretty much as good as any flagship smartphone. That’s to say it affords clear vocals and ample quantity, however is barely missing in bass. Voices of The Weeknd, SZA and Rihanna all sounded clear within the songs that I listened to, although the devices within the latter’s cowl of Love On The Mind sounded a bit messy.

Cameras

The triple rear digital camera system on the S23+ is similar as earlier than. That’s to say, its fundamental 50-megapixel sensor is accompanied by a 10MP telephoto and a 12MP ultrawide. Up entrance, although, the S23+ has a brand new 12MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 80-degree area of view.

As an expert pixel peeper (™), I may make out simply the slightest distinction in sharpness between selfies taken with the S22+ and S23+, particularly within the highlighted strands of my hair. There was some distortion within the footage taken with the older cellphone, whereas the identical traces had been tack sharp on the 12MP model. Total, although, barring some normal shade temperature variations, it was onerous to inform the 2 pictures aside.

In comparison with the Pixel 7 Professional and the iPhone 14 Professional, the S23+ has a slight benefit in retaining element, due to its dual-pixel autofocus as nicely. I shot some selfies with a good friend as we had been cackling maniacally one night time, and Samsung’s flagship was the one one which retained the attractive greens, purples and blues in her hair, whereas capturing each particular person strand of her eyelashes. You can even see the feel of the pigmentation in her purple eyeshadow.

The Pixel’s 10.8MP entrance digital camera managed to seize the hues in her hair too, however its image merely wasn’t as detailed or clear. In the meantime, the iPhone’s 12MP picture barely confirmed any of the colours in my good friend’s tresses.

Although they continue to be unchanged, the S23+’s rear cameras are nonetheless fairly succesful. In most conditions with enough gentle, they ship footage which might be comparable in high quality to the Pixel 7 Professional and iPhone 14 Professional. My pictures of the New York cityscape one overcast day all confirmed barely completely different coloring. The S23+ had the deepest, brightest blue, whereas the Pixel was probably the most impartial. Samsung’s 3x telephoto lens let me get the closest to faraway buildings and nonetheless get crisp pics, although Google’s algorithms nonetheless made for clear outcomes.

In low gentle, nonetheless, the Pixel constantly outdid the S23+, with higher publicity and retention of readability in my quite a few pictures of mouth-watering meals. Whether or not it’s a shiny fried shrimp or a plate of tantalizing scallops, the Pixel delivered extra even highlights than the S23+. Google’s portrait mode additionally constantly saved topics in focus, though now and again the S23+ would produce a photograph with surprisingly correct outlines of my topics.

Whereas it’s not on the identical degree as Google’s or Apple’s flagship cameras, the S23+ isn’t lagging far behind and affords some versatility for these seeking to take pictures from a distance.

Efficiency and battery life

This 12 months marks the primary time Samsung is utilizing a Snapdragon processor in all variants of the Galaxy S collection, no matter the place they’re purchased. Meaning in the event you had been relegated to utilizing a model with Samsung’s personal Exynos chip previously, getting an S23 can be a much bigger improve for you than somebody within the US. Exynos fashions have been criticized for efficiency and battery life drawbacks in comparison with their Snapdragon counterparts, so buying and selling your S22 in for an S23 would make extra sense in Europe or Asia than within the US.

The S23 collection is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, which is a personalized model of Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line cell processor. It has barely greater clock speeds than the common version, so if that is the one deciding issue for you when selecting between a Galaxy and, say, a OnePlus, then know that this distinction is extraordinarily slight.

In each day use, the S23+ felt as zippy as any of the brand new telephones I’ve examined recently. Whether or not I’m dragging and dropping my face between apps, studying Japanese on “Hey Japan,” mindlessly scrolling on Instagram or attempting to get into Genshin: Affect, the S23+ by no means hiccuped. I usually anticipate fairly clean efficiency out of latest telephones like this, so I can’t say I’m particularly impressed, and it’s in all probability extra life like to judge efficiency after a couple of months with the cellphone.

I can, nonetheless, speak about how spectacular the battery life has been. Normally the S23+ has matched the Pixel 7 Professional that I additionally carried round whereas testing their cameras, and each gadgets caught round for longer than two days with out a cost. Granted, I wasn’t closely utilizing both throughout that point, largely whipping them out to take photographs and movies all through the day.

On our video rundown battery check, the S23+ clocked a whopping 25 hours, which beats just about each cellphone we examined in 2022, in addition to the Galaxy S23 Extremely and OnePlus 11.

Wrap-up

It’d really feel like nitpicking, however with so few significant adjustments, the S23+ doesn’t really feel prefer it’s price upgrading to in the event you’re utilizing an S22 or S21. That’s, at the least, in the event you’re within the US. Those that reside with an Exynos model of an older Galaxy flagship will probably discover a better enchancment in efficiency and battery life, making it a extra worthy improve.

However simply because the S23+ isn’t chock filled with surprises and updates doesn’t imply it’s not a great cellphone. It nonetheless ranks up there as top-of-the-line Android telephones round. Samsung has constantly delivered succesful telephones with considerate software program and options in the previous few years and with the S23+, it continues to be a critical contender for these searching for a superb Android cellphone.

Samsung

Galaxy S23 Plus

Simply because the S23+ isn’t chock filled with surprises and updates doesn’t imply it’s not a great cellphone. It nonetheless ranks up there as top-of-the-line Android telephones round.