Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Best Android Phone Overall

And at $700, it costs hundreds less than other Android phones that won’t last as long or perform as well (though we don’t love Google’s decision to raise the prices of its latest Pixel models across the board).

The Pixel 7a runs on Google’s Tensor G2 processor and has an improved 64-megapixel camera sensor, wireless charging, Face Unlock, and an upgraded 1080p display with a smooth 90 Hz refresh rate. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has the biggest, brightest screen of any smartphone you can buy, and the included S Pen can help you take notes, mark up documents, and create art in ways you can’t do on any other phone.

It offers the best build quality of any Android phone we’ve tested, with a custom aluminum-alloy frame that wraps around the edges and matte glass that repels fingerprints.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review: is it worth an upgrade?

It’s big, powerful and beautifully designed, and after going hands-on with the handset for a few weeks we’re flitting between delight and déjà vu. We continue to love the crisp display, built-in stylus, versatile camera system, smooth software and polished glass frame, but we’re not convinced that this iteration warrants an upgrade — at least until runs dry. The glass back feels premium, although you’ll want to invest in a to protect it from marks or scratches and to add extra grippiness. That’s right: This effectively turns the smartphone into a mini tablet — letting you scribble notes, sketches, drawings and annotations.

You’re getting an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz for smooth scrolling on apps, loads of brightness and great haptic feedback when you press down with your fingertips. Unsurprisingly, given the OLED tech, colours and detail were stunning, with deep blacks of space contrasting against the bright green clashes of the lightsaber.

The S23 Ultra takes the same approach as the Pixel 7 Pro by placing a pinhole gap for the front-facing camera in the middle of the screen. It looks neat and was never a distraction on test, although it’s a bit of a shame that there’s no Android alternative to Apple’s innovative “Dynamic Island” to be found on this new flagship.

And unlike Apple, Samsung phones continue to lack full-blown 3D face recognition from the front camera.

The rest of the system on the new flagship remains the same as last year, however, with a 12MP ultra-wide, two 10MP telephoto lenses and a 12MP selfie camera up front. We found the S23 Ultra’s images retain lots of small details in bright and low light. Our outdoor shots show accurate colours in buildings and the sky in both sunny and overcast weather, and close-ups have loads of detail.

Testing the Samsung S23 Ultra’s zoom on this Citi Bank logo at Canary Wharf, London. There aren’t many surprises for anyone who has used Android before, but the settings do contain some nice advanced features — including a one-handed mode that creates a small mirror of the display so you can flick around without stretching your fingers. There’s a capable 5,000mAh battery in the S23 Ultra, and while that’s the same size as last year’s model, it’s now more efficient due to the new processor that’s powering the phone. Aside from the camera upgrade, Samsung has thrown into the S23 Ultra a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor instead of the Exynos chip from the previous model.

That probably won’t mean anything to most users, but what it translates to is more speed when loading apps, smoother performance when scrolling through menus and better efficiency in how power is distributed. On test, the earbuds appeared and connected in seconds, and we added a widget to the home screen that shows the battery of the buds and the case in real-time.

There’s no way around it: The S23 Ultra is a big, heavy phone, so it may not be suitable if you prefer more lightweight and portable handsets like the iPhone 13 mini or the Pixel 6a, or if you have smaller hands. And while we appreciate that Samsung makes some smaller improvements under the hood, we aren’t convinced it justifies all the renewed fuss and marketing.

The upgraded cameras and the highly efficient processor are welcome updates to this hulking handset, making it the most powerful that it’s ever been. But we can’t shake the fact that, as with 2022’s minor iPhone 14 ‘upgrades’, there have been so few changes from last year’s model offering despite the asking price going up.

Best Android phones 2023

But other additions to our best Android phones picks include lower-priced flagships and even midrange models that cost less than $500 but don’t skimp on features. If that winds up being a wide array of premium features from fast refreshing displays to top performing cameras, be prepared to pay up for a flagship. If you’re in that boat, or simply thinking about upgrading you existing device, you can read on to find out which Android phones fared the best in our testing. This flagship wows with its 200MP camera, which can not only product poster-size prints but lets you crop in and reframe your shots while still delivering very good detail. The Google Pixel 8 Pro shows how AI can be integrated into your daily smartphone experience to make everyday tasks run smoother. Proofreading and summary tools also benefit from the expanded machine learning powered by the Pixel 8 Pro’s new Tensor G3 silicon.

A Magic Editor lets you change everything about your shot — lighting composition, even where the subject of the photo appears — with just a few taps. For just $499, you can get a phone that still packs in some premium features like a 90Hz display, wireless charging support and the same Tensor G2 processor found in the Pixel 7 flagships.

We also like that the battery life on the Pixel 7a is much improved over its predecessor, albeit with the fast-refreshing display feature disabled. Among Android phones, the OnePlus 11 gives the Galaxy S23 Ultra some much needed competition, and certainly beats everything else out there at the moment. With its incredible battery life, performance that gives the iPhone 14 Pro Max a run for its money, and the best OnePlus cameras to date, this phone is awesome. Google swapped in a new display that’s brighter than before, and the main camera has a wider aperture, improving performance in low-light settings.

For $449, the Galaxy A54 offers a long-lasting battery, a bright display and cameras that are the best you can find on a budget phone. You’ll also appreciate the colorful 6.4-inch panel on the Galaxy A54 and its ability to ramp up its refresh rate to 120Hz when on-screen activity would benefit from smoother scrolling. That’s an awful lot of impressive features for a phone that won’t put too big of a dent in your wallet.

That not only means a performance boost over previous Galaxy S phones, it also helps the S23 turn in a time on our battery test that tops the average smartphone. Competition is heating up in the world of foldable phones, but the OnePlus Open emerges from the crowd by going big. Maybe that’s not a big difference, but it gives the OnePlus Open an edge that its impressive specs and feature set take advantage of.

Motorola Edge Plus (2023) A long-lasting flagship alternative Our expert review: Average Amazon review: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Specifications Display: 6.7-inch pOLED (2400 x 1080) CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 RAM: 8GB Storage / Expandable: 512GB / No Rear cameras: 50MP (f/1.8) main; 50MP (f/2.2) ultrawide; 12MP (f/1.6) portrait Front camera: 60MP (f/2.2) Weight: 7.1 ounces Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 15:47 (auto), 13:18 (165Hz) Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (Black) Reasons to buy + Outstanding multi-day battery life + Expansive screen + Matches performance of other top Android flagships Reasons to avoid – Inconsistent camera performance – Curved edges of screen prone to accidental touches Motorola gets a whole lot of things right here, starting with the price — the Edge Plus costs $200 less than the Galaxy S23 Plus while comparing very favorably to Samsung’s big-screen phone.

But as it stands, this phone offers a tempting blend of premium features at a more affordable price, making it a good choice if you’re looking beyond the usual suspects for your next handset. Motorola Razr+ Best flip-phone foldable Our expert review: Average Amazon review: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Specifications Display: 6.9-inch pOLED (2640 x 1080) inner, 3.6-inch pOLED (1066 x 1056) outer CPU: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 RAM: 8GB Storage / Expandable: 256GB / No Rear cameras: 12MP main (f/1.5), 13MP ultrawide (f/2,2) Front camera: 32MP (f/2.4) Weight: 6.6 ounces Battery life: 9:58 (high); 9:55 (standard) Today’s Best Deals Check Amazon Reasons to buy + Gorgeous design + Speedy battery recharging + Detailed external display Reasons to avoid – Underwhelming low-light camera performance – Not every app scales well on the outer display What makes the Motorola Razr+ stand out isn’t necessarily the interior 6.9-inch screen — though we like its 165Hz refresh rate and bright appearance — but the 3.6-inch cover display. While its Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip isn’t the newest silicon available, it still delivers solid performance, and the $999 price puts this foldable in reach for more shoppers.

We really like what Asus did with the software too, which takes Android and gives you faster access to important settings and apps. The cheapest Android phones cost under $200 and offer mostly the basics for using apps, taking pictures and staying connected. As you move up to under $450, you’ll find more compelling handsets, touting better processors, higher-grade materials and more camera lenses.

Jump into the $700-and-up range, and the best phones offer flagship-caliber performance along with cutting-edge computational photography and special features. The Motorola Razr+ joins the Galaxy Z Flip 5 on the cheap end of foldable phones with a $999 starting price. Every smartphone Tom’s Guide evaluates is tested for several days in real-world use cases and benchmarked with a gamut of performance-measuring apps.

We also use our own video editing test in the Adobe Premiere Rush app to see how long it takes to transcode a clip, which we run on both Android phones and iPhone to compare performance. We run a web surfing test over 5G (or 4G if the phone doesn’t have 5G support) at 150 nits of screen brightness until the battery gives out.

Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus Review: It’s All About the Battery Life

Editors’ note, Nov. 1: With its sleek design, vibrant screen, improved battery life and versatile camera system, Samsung’s Galaxy S23 is a top choice for Android fans in search of a premium smartphone. It even wrangled endorsements from acclaimed directors Ridley Scott and Na Hong-jin during its Galaxy S23 announcement. However, in a surprising move for Samsung, the camera plays second fiddle to battery and performance upgrades in the new Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus.

Performance is faster, and battery life is thankfully a bit longer, which addresses the biggest complaint I had about the Galaxy S22.

Instead, Samsung focused on making practical refinements to one of the areas that matters most in a phone: how long it lasts on a single charge. The $899 Pixel 7 Pro falls in between the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus pricewise and offers a stellar camera that bests Samsung’s in some scenarios.

Overall, the Galaxy S23 is ideal for Android fans that prioritize fast performance, solid cameras and having a spacious and bright screen in a compact package. The new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor inside the Galaxy S23 series, which has been optimized for Samsung’s new phones, should also bring some improvements to power efficiency. When I used the 6.1-inch Galaxy S22 as my daily smartphone for roughly a month, I noticed that the battery dipped down to between 30 and 40% by 9 p.m., especially after a long day in the office. With the Galaxy S23, the battery was down to 46% by 9:45 p.m. after a day of heavy usage (running benchmark performance tests, taking lots of photos and videos, etc.). While charging speed isn’t a deal-breaker when buying a new phone, it would have been nice to see Samsung push forward in this area. That’s especially true considering rivals like Xiaomi and OnePlus continue to shorten the time it takes to replenish their respective phones’ batteries.

Playing games with the graphics and frame rate at the highest settings felt smooth, and apps launched instantly. All three new phones have an adaptive refresh rate that reaches up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations, which also contributes to the devices’ peppiness. Benchmarks meant to test general computing (Geekbench 5) and how a processor handles high performance in short bursts (3DMark) told a similar story.

But the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus did outpace the OnePlus 11 in the test meant to evaluate a processor’s single-core performance, which makes sense considering Samsung overclocked one of the CPU cores.

Other than the faster video export speeds, I didn’t experience anything on the Galaxy S23 lineup that felt unusually fast compared to most other phones in the same price range. Thanks to a technique called pixel binning, you can choose to shoot photos at the full 50-megapixel resolution or 12 megapixels depending on the scenario.

Samsung also integrates the controls from its Expert Raw app right into the main camera, making it more convenient for those who want easy access to the full, uncompressed version of an image. The Galaxy S23 performs well in dim conditions overall, which isn’t surprising considering low-light photography has been a big area of focus for Samsung in recent years. Even though the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7 Pro performed better in the examples above, the S23 easily challenges Apple and Google in other low-light photography scenarios, like taking photos of pets and still objects. In the photos of a book stack below, for example, the Galaxy S23 did a great job at retaining detail and color. The iPhone 14’s photo isn’t as colorful and has some noise compared to Samsung’s, although the Pixel 7 Pro’s image was a close competitor. While the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus can both capture crisp and clear images, there were instances in which colors either looked exaggerated or blown out compared to the same photos taken on the iPhone 14 and Pixel 7.

The Galaxy S23’s camera isn’t a leap forward, but it’ll feel significant to those upgrading from a phone that’s several years old. The main difference is that Samsung did away with the camera island on the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus, instead opting for standalone lenses that sit arranged in a vertical column on the back of the device.

The Galaxy S23 Plus, for example, only feels slightly larger than the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 despite the amount of extra screen space it provides.

The Galaxy S23 is also one of the few Android phones with a 6.1-inch screen other than the Pixel 6A, making it a compelling choice for those who prefer compact devices. That means your Galaxy S23 will last for at least four years from a software perspective, so it shouldn’t feel outdated anytime soon. Consistent with Samsung’s theme of making practical changes this year, the Galaxy S23 Plus and S23 Ultra now start at 256GB of storage rather than 128GB. Those who have an older phone will get the benefits that came with last year’s camera upgrade and redesign, along with the S23’s better battery life. The camera generally captures more accurate colors and crisper zoom shots than Samsung’s and you get a slightly larger screen for a cheaper price than the Galaxy S23 Plus. However, just remember that Google only offers three generations of Android OS updates for the Pixel 7 line, so you might want to upgrade sooner.

We push the processor’s performance to the extremes using both standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark, along with our own anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution videos and playing graphically intense games at high refresh rates.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review: the best Android phone yet

Don’t get caught up in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s admittedly high price tag; instead, think about the value it represents. I (Andy Boxall) revisited the Galaxy S23 Ultra at the end of November 2023 and updated our review accordingly, plus added a new section right below covering how it operates today. The prompt update to Android 14 and One UI 6 definitely helps, as does the fact the S Pen and the brilliant, fun 10x optical zoom continue to be unique in the market. Over the past months, we’ve shown how the camera can take incredible photos in the right hands and how much difference there is between it and a $450 phone like the Samsung Galaxy A54.

Returning to it only emphasized that it has lost none of its camera magic, not even when compared to the latest Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. The camera isn’t perfect, but it’s so versatile and capable in most environments you’ll quickly forgive it should it get something wrong.

If you’re coming from a phone that isn’t nearly 9mm thick, 78mm wide, and 233 grams in weight, you’re really going to notice how much of a handful the S23 Ultra is. You will get used to the S23 Ultra’s size and weight, but if you’ve got small hands, the width and thickness make singlehanded use very difficult, which is far harder to overcome. It’s still that familiar all-business look, with curved sides to the chassis and the screen, tiny bezels, and five circular camera modules on the back. The S23 Ultra has an IP68 water-resistance rating, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and Samsung’s latest Armor Aluminum chassis material. The weight means putting it in a case will protect it in the event of a fall onto something hard, but there’s a degree of reassurance that comes from Samsung’s commitment to durability that’s missing from many of its competitors. This also applies to Samsung’s use of recycled materials, and its lengthy software update commitment, which, when combined with the durability and performance of the phone, adds up to it being a device you’ll be happy to keep for years.

The standard Phantom Black, Lavender, Cream, and Green models are widely available, but if you order directly from Samsung you can choose one of four exclusive colors. Green is an on-trend color for smartphones, with everything from the iPhone 13 Pro to the OnePlus 11 tackling the tricky shade. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s telephoto cameras take photos that are impossible to replicate on any other smartphone, at least with the same quality. Most of the time, the colors are amped up by just the right amount, but it can slip into oversaturation when faced with reds and blues in some situations. It takes considerably brighter photos than the iPhone 14 Pro and exposes more detail in the shadows too, but this comes at the expense of a natural color palette. It also tied with the much newer Apple iPhone 15 Pro’s camera in this test, showing it hasn’t lost any of its ability since launch.

Pay through the app, and Lightroom Premium costs $5 per month, and it comes with an extended two-month free trial. The Lightroom for Samsung app adds a great deal to the overall camera experience, and retains that all-important hands-on approach to editing images that’s disappearing due to the use of AI.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s versatility makes it really desirable, and I feel confident I will be able to take any photo I want with it — and that’s something other phones can’t quite provide.

I continue to adore the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s camera for stills; it’s so incredibly versatile that I rarely feel it can’t capture the shot I want.

To find out, I took the phone with me on a short trip away and made a point to shoot as much video as possible, instead of mostly taking still photos as usual. I play games, use apps, make calls, use Bluetooth and Samsung DeX, take 200-megapixel photos, and shoot some 8K video.

Playing Asphalt 9: Legends for 30 minutes doesn’t cause any noticeable temperature increase apart from a tiny bit around the top edge, but nothing that you’d call hot, or even that warm. Recording a 15-minute Hyperlapse video caused the phone to heat up more around the camera module –not so it was burning, but definitely hot to the touch. Apps start and refresh in seconds, and even Google Maps grabs a signal and loads the local area faster than other phones I’ve used. This time, Samsung hasn’t made an Exynos version of the Galaxy S23 Ultra for global markets. Buy the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and be safe in the knowledge you’ll have to work pretty hard to reach its limits. Peak brightness is 1,750 nits, and even walking around Manhattan on a (surprisingly) sunny February morning, Section Editor Joe Maring could still see the screen perfectly.

I love the wide viewing angle too, so even when the phone is flat on a desk, video still looks excellent and just like you’re watching it straight-on. When playing games, though, your palm does tend to cover the lower speaker unless you hold the phone “upside down” when the buttons get in the way and are less natural to press.

For example, did you know you can change the lock screen clock, notification layout, and add filters to the wallpaper? Samsung’s DeX system is a good example, as the phone can be connected to a monitor or PC to provide a big-screen PC-like experience. It’s another crucial aspect of the device’s longevity, and a reason to buy and keep using your phone for years to come. I’d put it up against Android on the Pixel 7 in terms of speed, and although it’s not quite as simple to use as Google’s version, it’s more intuitive and fun than OxygenOS 13 on the OnePlus 11.

It’s securely held in place, and the tiny internal battery powering the Bluetooth is charged while it’s docked, ensuring it’s always ready to go. There’s no question it’s well-engineered and is more versatile than a passive stylus, but whether you use it regularly or not depends on your eagerness to take handwritten notes or sketch on your phone.

Once it is fully charged, it’s capable of lasting for more than two days with moderate use, and a lot of its ability comes from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s increased efficiency.

On a day with over an hour of playing Marvel Snap and browsing Twitter, then watching YouTube videos for 45 minutes, plus regular use of Google Chrome, Reddit, Duolingo, and more, the S23 Ultra ended a nearly 16-hour day with 5 hours and 20 minutes of screen-on time and 24% battery still remaining.

The price puts it in competition with the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung’s own Galaxy Z Fold 5. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is so powerful and has such a versatile camera, mega battery life, impressive durability, and long-term software support that it will likely outlast many other devices, purely because of its outright ability.

There’s a real pleasure in using a phone that puts ability ahead of gimmicks and keeps a sensible, yet stylish and recognizable design over needlessly changing it up to try and attract buyers. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is Samsung at its most confident, and it’s the sensible, mature buying decision for anyone wanting the pinnacle of Android performance and ability. It’s the current big thing, and because it’s not advancing the fundamentals over what we’re used to seeing already, it’ll stay relevant and usable for more people over many years.

You’re going to pay a lot of money for the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but it’s worth every penny, and in three or even four years’ time, when it’s still a great phone, you’ll look back and see what good value it actually was.

The best Android phones to buy in 2023

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Review

The company takes the kitchen-sink approach with the S23 Ultra; it has pretty much every feature a flagship phone shopper could want, including high-quality hardware, an outstanding display, blistering performance, and top-notch cameras. Its oversized footprint and price give us some pause, but many buyers are likely to look past these compromises for such a capable phone. If you don’t need the stylus or the extra cameras, the slightly smaller and more affordable Galaxy S23+ (starting at $999.99) might better serve you. The S23 Ultra features an Armor Aluminum frame that partially integrates recycled materials.

Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 adds front and back protection against drops and scratches. Samsung offers the phone in four main colors: Cream, Green, Lavender, and Phantom Black.

If those don’t appeal, Samsung’s website offers exclusive colors such as Graphite, Lime, Red, and Sky Blue. From left to right, it houses the S Pen slot, a downward-firing speaker, a USB-C port, and a SIM card tray.

If you prefer facial recognition methods, a simple photo-based face ID tool sits above the screen. In all, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra might be too large for some buyers, but we can’t fault the otherwise top-notch hardware.

Though Samsung made only minimal improvements to the display compared with last year, it delivers an excellent experience just the same. Samsung opts for a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O screen with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, which helps balance power and performance.

The screen can dynamically alter its refresh rate from 1Hz up to 120Hz depending on the activity to conserve battery or enable smooth scrolling. I held the S23 Ultra and the 14 Pro Max next to one another outside under direct sunlight and the iPhone does look slightly brighter, but not enough so to give it a serious competitive edge.

You can also take advantage of adaptive brightness, blue light settings, color profiles, text and icon sizing, Samsung’s Edge panels (app shortcuts), the navigation bar (for gestures), touch sensitivity, and screen savers. The selfie camera interrupts the screen at the top, but the bezels between the display and the metal frame are so thin that they are practically nonexistent. Display competition is tight at the top of the market, but the S23 Ultra impresses and performs well against its chief rivals. A utility button on one side enables a range of actions, such as advancing PowerPoint slides or triggering the camera shutter (this is really helpful).

It’s an incredibly fluid experience, and the small tip has a solid feel when you write on the glass. Specifically, more text fields in Google apps such as Gmail, Chrome, and Maps support S Pen input.

In practice, many of the text fields you might want to write in are small and require an extra tap to enable the feature.

However, if you’re deep in stylus mode and don’t want to put the S Pen down to enter text in certain fields, this could be helpful. Perhaps more interestingly, Samsung worked with Qualcomm to tweak the CPU and GPU output of the chip and give it a competitive edge. It’s worth noting that the S23 and S23+ top out at 8GB of RAM, so it’s possible their benchmark scores are slightly slower even though they have the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy SoC.

We tested the S23 Ultra against a wide array of apps, including some hard-hitting games like Genshin Impact. Running the game at the highest settings resulted in excellent gameplay without any lag or frame drops. Given the huge storage options and flexible screen settings, the phone is an excellent companion for mobile gaming.

The modem works hand-in-hand with the 8 Gen 2 SoC to manage 5G, Wi-Fi, and other connections to ensure the best possible performance.

When we tested in areas with weak T-Mobile coverage, download and upload speeds dropped to maximums of 19Mbps and 8Mbps, respectively. Whether the signal was strong or weak, however, we were always able to connect calls on the first attempt and didn’t experience any drops during testing. In terms of real-world performance, the phone downloaded apps and games larger than 1GB in less than a minute in most instances. It supports advanced audio codecs including AAC and AptX; music sounded outstanding through the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones.

I was able to hear callers even in moderately loud environments such as subway platforms, and those with whom I spoke had no trouble understanding me. If you’re interested in playing music directly through the phone rather than wireless headphones, the downward-firing speaker and earpiece work together to create stereo sound. The phone won’t replace a Bluetooth speaker, but it does just fine for listening in an average room by yourself. In our battery life test, which entails playing a YouTube video on loop over Wi-Fi with the phone’s brightness set to the max, the S23 Ultra lasted 13 hours and 11 minutes.

In more anecdotal terms, the S23 Ultra easily plowed through a full day of intense use with plenty of charge left in the tank. Samsung generally reserves its best camera technology for the Galaxy S series, and the S23 Ultra takes things to a new level.

The main lens has an aperture of f/1.7 and benefits from both optical image stabilization (OIS) and laser autofocus.

Samsung says it enlarged the area in which the sensor can travel during phone movement to account for a greater range of stabilization. The new sensor, together with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, powers several shooting modes such as Adaptive Pixel, Auto Framing, Director’s View, High-Resolution Photo, Multi-Exposure, Nightography, Selfie Night Portrait, and Super HDR. If you really want to get fancy, you can use the Pro mode to take full control of aspects like shutter speed, exposure, and ISO, as well as Expert Raw to shoot photos with more detail for advanced editing in post.

The expanded OIS features of the phone are helpful, though not quite as good as the iPhone 14’s Action Mode when it comes to stabilization. You might prefer the simpler functionality of Google’s or Motorola’s versions of Android, but you cannot deny the vast array of features available from the S23 Ultra and One UI 5.

A range of features allows Samsung’s phones and laptops to talk to one another for things such as copying and pasting text, syncing web browser history and passwords, seamlessly connecting via mobile hotspot, and sending text messages from your laptop. The phone has an outstanding display, some of the fastest performance we’ve seen, a long-lasting battery, powerful software with S Pen stylus integration, and a top-notch set of cameras.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 4.5 Editors’ Choice See It $1,164.99 at Amazon MSRP $1,199.99 Pros Large, bright display Big, heavy build The Bottom Line The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is large and pricey, but an exceptional mix of features, performance, and quality makes it the best high-end Android phone you can buy.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review

You also get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip for Galaxy for the fastest speed on Android, stellar battery life and smart One UI 5.1 upgrades. Why you can trust Tom’s Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what’s best for you.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra wants to take smartphone photography to the next level with its massive 200MP camera and other improvements. The sensor can combine 16 pixels into one for brighter, more detailed shots, or you can shoot in full 200MP mode, which gives you a lot more freedom when it comes to cropping in and reframing your pics. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra arrived in February with a starting price of $1,199 / £1,249 / AU$1,949 for 256GB of storage. Swipe to scroll horizontally Galaxy S23 Ultra Price $1,199 / £1,249 Display 6.8-inch QHD AMOLED Refresh rate 1 – 120Hz adaptive Rear cameras 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 10MP 10x telephoto Front camera 12MP selfie Chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy RAM 8GB/12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Battery 5,000 mAh Charging 45W wired/10W wireless Water/dust resistance IP68 Size 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9mm (6.4 x 3.0 x 0.35 inches) Weight 233g (8.2 ounces) Colors Phantom Black, Cotton Flower, Botanic Green and Mystic Lilac

The cameras on the back are even bigger this time around compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra and the display is flatter. I know some would prefer a totally flat design, but I hold the S23 Ultra in my hand the curve does give it a slightly more premium feel.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is built to be tougher, too, as it’s the first phone with Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which promises to protect the front and back better from scratches and drops. The YouTuber JerryRigEverything has conducted some durability tests, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra fares quite well when it comes to scratching and bending.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes in four colors, including Phantom Black, Green, Cream and Lavender. It’s worth noting that the S23 Ultra still features a SIM card slot, unlike the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is located on the bottom of the device.

Samsung is touting the eco-friendliness of the S23 Ultra’s design, as the company is using more recycled materials for the phone. When watching the trailer for The Mandalorian season 3, the shiny helmets popped off the screen, and I enjoyed wide viewing angles.

Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 – Cell 0 Galaxy S23 Ulra iPhone 14 Pro Max HDR brightness (average) 1225 nits 1275 nits DCI-P3 color 112.2% (Natural) / 193% (Vivid) 83.2% Delta-E (lower is better) 0.3 (Natural) / 0 (Vivid) 0.26

The Galaxy S23 Ultra also includes an advanced Vision Booster feature, which is designed to let you adjust color and contrast of the image to ambient lighting conditions.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the first flagship phone in the U.S. to pack a 200MP camera, and Samsung says this sensor can deliver poster size prints. For this photo I wanted to see how the Galaxy S23 Ultra could capture a skating rink while dealing with the sun directly off to the right. I snapped this photo of bumper cars on the ice rink to see how well the S23 Ultra handles lots of colors. In this case I think the punchy yellow, red and blue plays to Samsung’s advantage, although I prefer the higher contrast and slightly better definition from the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

It’s the brightest image of the bunch and does the best job exposing the area right underneath the top part of the fountain, which kind of gets lost in the shadows on the iPhone and Pixel.

In this photo of a fish market at night, the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s image is brighter overall, from the walkway and parking lot to the car to the right.

The S23 Ultra is brighter than Pixel but Google’s phone produces more natural looking colors in the bottles. The Galaxy S23 Ultra fell a bit flat in low light with this photo of a sleeping dog.

Photographing fire or candles is tricky for most camera phones, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra renders the frames well here as well as the soot below. The Galaxy S23 Ultra snapped a brighter shot but the iPhone 14 Pro Max delivers more detail in the wicker chairs and has the edge here. I was really impressed when I turned the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s camera on the moon, especially since all I could get out of the iPhone 14 Pro Max was a blurry bright blob. The 100x space zoom photo shows darker and lighter spots on the surface; it’s almost like having a telescope in your pocket.

Since our review was initially published, a Galaxy S23 software update brought more refinements to the camera system, including the option to take photos faster. Since everyone is making a big deal about image stabilization these days, I started with a test running up a small incline at a park trail.

And with the 10x optical zoom feature on the S23 Ultra (something the iPhone lacks), I could get closer to Mike without losing detail. The zoom mic also kicked in, which was a bit jarring as the music got instantly louder, but it definitely works.

Samsung promises that this processor can deliver even higher clock speed than the standard version of the chip, going as high as 3.36 GHz. Whether I was sliding down a mountain to ambush an opponent or blasting away enemies or punching them, the S23 Ultra never slowed down. The previous Galaxy S22 Ultra lasted only 10 hours and 18 minutes in the Tom’s Guide battery test, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max endured for an even longer 13:39. Running on top of Android 13, the new One UI 5.1 software for Galaxy S23 Ultra offers a number of handy improvements.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review: practically peerless

Until someone invents radically improved battery technology or holographic displays, that’s just going to be the case for the Ultra for the foreseeable future. And a couple of small tweaks — the phone’s slightly reshaped side rails and screen — have a big impact on the device’s likability. There are some familiar sore spots with Samsung software, like its insistence on including its own app store in addition to Google’s. And although the camera system can produce stunningly good images, it occasionally makes weird choices and comes up with a photo that’s just downright bad.

But if you can stomach the price and the occasional weird photo, then I think you’ll find the S23 Ultra’s maximalism highly rewarding. It’s a slightly different version of the company’s top-shelf processor that’s a tiny bit faster than the garden-variety 8 Gen 2.

The new chipset also runs much cooler than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 — after downloading Genshin Impact install files for 10 minutes with the loading animation playing (and the phone resting on a heat-insulating couch cushion), it was only slightly warm to the touch. My typical day includes about four hours of screen-on time, and the S23 Ultra usually got me to the evening with somewhere around 30 percent left. If you plan on doing a lot of processor-heavy stuff like gaming or, I don’t know, measuring every room in your house in VR, then you’ll probably still need to recharge before the day is done. The S23 Ultra is armed with no shortage of connectivity features, including the much-improved DeX for Windows PC integration, Samsung’s SmartThings app for smart home, and a feature called Smart View to quickly mirror your device to a Samsung TV. From the SmartThings app on the phone, I have control of all the basic functions of the TV, like volume, channel, and source. There are no major updates to the S Pen or its features this time around, though the slightly flatter screen edges are designed to provide more surface area for writing.

With the S22 Ultra’s curvier edges, you’re more likely to accidentally run the stylus off the side of the screen as you’re writing. At the risk of giving Samsung’s very slight redesign too much credit, I think this is partially because this phone is more comfortable to hold than the last one.

I’m also on a mission to reorganize my life, and I found it genuinely useful to replicate some of my running IRL to-do lists with digital ones pinned to my home screen.

But it feels like a happy medium between the convenience of an app-based to-do list and the tactile experience of jotting down a note.

It’s a pretty light update to the One UI 4 that the S22 series launched with, and it includes new emphasis on setting up modes and routines, as well as more lockscreen customization options. It remains a maximalist experience, with two pages of quick settings in the notification shade by default and Samsung’s own app store, virtual assistant, and web browser alongside Google versions of these things. That’s a little short of Apple, which tends to offer OS upgrades for upwards of five years and the stray security update for much longer, but it’s definitely one of the best policies you’ll find among Android makers. I took a picture of the top of the Space Needle from street level standing over half a mile away, and I can make out details like the elevators and people on the observation deck.

It can get into trouble turning the saturation or HDR up to 11 once in a while, and unless you’re taking a photo of the actual moon, you should just stay away from the digital 100x “Space Zoom” setting because it looks like pixelated garbage. Tap a couple of menu options, press the shutter, and bam — 200 million pixels at your disposal.

As long as the lighting is good, you’ll find a ridiculous amount of detail when you zoom into those photos. In bright light, the sensor uses something called a re-mosaic algorithm to mimic a traditional color filter pattern and use pixels individually and capture more detail.

Even when you’re in the default shooting mode, which downsizes images to 12 megapixels, you should see the benefits of all that extra detail capture. If I’m hard-pressed, I think I see a little more detail in the S23 Ultra’s images compared to the iPhone 14 Pro’s, which uses a pixel-binning sensor with a lower 48-megapixel resolution.

The iPhone goes for a little harder contrast, while Samsung embraces more saturated colors and brighter shadows, occasionally straying into HDR-gone-wrong territory. The S23 Ultra (left) tries to bring some blue to the sky while the iPhone 14 Pro (right) lets the highlights blow out.

In between these two focal lengths and beyond 10x, the phone uses AI-powered Space Zoom to fill in the gaps (read as: to make an educated guess about what’s there). Low-light photos are generally fine, though I saw a couple of weird things happen in particularly challenging situations.

In back-to-back portrait photos of my toddler taken at a Mexican restaurant, he looks distinctly orange in one and incredibly pale in the very next shot. Maybe the colored walls and light sources threw the camera for a loop, but whatever the reason, it took the photo seriously off the rails.

It’s hands down the winner when it comes to subject isolation and manages to hang on to incredibly fine details like individual hairs. Indoors, I saw a tendency to flatten dynamic range in a way that turns bright whites slightly gray.

But it’s more than good enough to grab clips of a very active toddler, and I didn’t hear any complaints about video quality from his grandparents. But it lacks all of the optical zoom power of the Ultra, the stylus, and — surprisingly — comes with one less year of Android OS upgrades.

The Best Android Phones

A fast processor, a huge screen, class-leading camera hardware, and a stylus make the Galaxy S23 Ultra the most full-featured Android phone available. The 7a offers a better display, an improved camera, Face Unlock, and Google’s custom Tensor G2 processor in a plastic body. The Pixel 8 offers the best version of Android, with guaranteed security updates through fall 2030, and it has one of the best smartphone cameras we’ve ever tested. And at $700, it costs hundreds less than other Android phones that won’t last as long or perform as well (though we don’t love Google’s decision to raise the prices of its latest Pixel models across the board). The Pixel 7a runs on Google’s Tensor G2 processor and has an improved 64-megapixel camera sensor, wireless charging, Face Unlock, and an upgraded 1080p display with a smooth 90 Hz refresh rate. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has the biggest, brightest screen of any smartphone you can buy, and the included S Pen can help you take notes, mark up documents, and create art in ways you can’t do on any other phone. It offers the best build quality of any Android phone we’ve tested, with a custom aluminum-alloy frame that wraps around the edges and matte glass that repels fingerprints.

Best Samsung Phone of 2023

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. Foldable models come in various selections: the Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 are the newest Samsung devices in this category. The Galaxy S23 has a very capable triple rear camera setup that is versatile in capturing both bright outdoor scenes and candid moments inside under mixed lighting. Overall, the Galaxy S23 is ideal for Android fans who prioritize fast performance, solid cameras and a spacious, bright screen in a compact package.

If you want the largest screen available on a standard Samsung phone, enjoy note-taking with a stylus and need a camera with a significantly closer zoom, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the right choice. There’s also a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that’s been optimized specifically for Samsung’s phones, which brings faster performance compared with the Galaxy S22 Ultra. But those willing to pay more for a giant screen and a high-quality, versatile camera won’t be disappointed. The S23 Plus’ 6.6-inch screen is large enough to satisfy those who prefer larger phones, but it doesn’t feel as gargantuan as the 6.8-inch Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Compared with the Galaxy S22 Plus, the S23 Plus has a new processor, a bigger battery and more storage in the base model, although the camera is more or less the same. If you want a phone with a big screen that doesn’t feel gigantic, a high-quality camera and an attractive design, the Galaxy S23 Plus is the way to go. The Galaxy S23 comes with routine upgrades, like a fresh processor (a version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that’s been optimized for Samsung’s phones), a slightly new design and a higher-resolution selfie camera. Samsung has significantly expanded the size of the cover screen located on the outside of the device, meaning you can look up directions, take photos and send messages without opening the phone.

It’s this combined with the Z Flip’s solid battery life and sturdy design that makes it a top pick. If you’re looking for a phone that can double as a tablet for viewing work-related documents, running multiple apps on screen at once or watching movies, the Z Fold 5 is our top choice.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5’s $1,800 price is still hard to swallow and puts it out of range for most people.

It looks pretty, too, and it’s one of the few remaining phones that let you expand the built-in storage using microSD cards. It’s a great all-round budget phone, although generally, we found that the Pixel 6A offers better camera and processor performance, and it costs less than the Samsung. Even though it’s at a budget-friendly price, this Samsung phone includes 5G support for faster data and NFC for contactless payments using Google Wallet. Yet despite its issues, the features it does include make it an easy recommendation if you are buying the phone outright or if it’s offered for free with a carrier subsidy deal. Good software and security update timeline Cons: Sluggish performance

Lisa Eadiciccio/CNET We test every phone in real-world scenarios focusing on its features, design, performance, cameras, battery life and overall value. We assess how long a phone lasts during a typical day of use, and note how it performs during more focused sessions of video calls, media streaming and gaming. We also conduct a video playback test, which isn’t always included in the initial review and is added later in an update. We also look at how quickly the phone switches between horizontal and vertical orientations and how fast the camera app opens and is ready to take a photo.

We perform processor-heavy tasks like editing photos, exporting videos and playing games. We evaluate whether a newer version of a particular phone includes enough features to make it worth upgrading from older models.