This review is for those who wish to know more about the Samsung Galaxy S23. However, after only four days of use, it is too soon to draw firm conclusions about the phone. However, sure of the most crucial issues have enough information available to make some assertions. That is why I want to have a brief first impressions discussion with you.
A lot of criticism surrounded the introduction of Samsung’s newest S series. A glance makes it challenging to argue with the criticism the corporation has received for the lack of innovation compared to the previous generation. Having three independent rings stick out from the housing instead of one lensed island is hardly revolutionary.
Alternatively, the battery capacity might be raised by an additional 200 mAh. The Asus Zenfone 9, a smartphone with an even smaller screen, has 4300 mAh. The 3900 mAh still needs to be more. We have a camera set up that is nearly identical to theirs. Furthermore, the lowest 8/128 version is PLN 600, more expensive than it was a year ago, which could be better than the others since it uses older UFS 3.1 memory rather than the more modern 4.0.
There is just one thing that must be remembered. It’s the first Samsung flagship to use a Qualcomm CPU rather than Samsung’s own Exynos. Can you explain the distinction? This situation is similar to a cage combat between two players. One is a walking mountain of muscle who looks like a bodybuilder.
The second is a well-trained athlete who competes in eastern martial arts. The first impression of the first one will quickly fade. If he fails to make a swift flail, he will quickly get out of breath, flush, and lose consciousness. And the other will circle him until the fourth or fifth round when he knocks him out with a devastating blow.
It was expected that Exynos, which has consistently “tightened its muscles,” would be a worthy competitor to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors. However, they failed to “provide” as promised. They overheated lost power rapidly and ricocheted off the batteries.
It is also common knowledge that although some markets utilized Snaps, others, like ours, utilized Exynos. For the first time, all devices will use the same high-quality Qualcomm CPU. How does this affect the functionality of the tool? The battery life of smartphones, on average, how long can you go between charges?
Galaxy S23 – specification
- Dimensions: 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6mm
- Weight: 168g
- Construction: front and back Gorilla Glass Victus 2, aluminium frame
- Display: 6.1 inch, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, maximum brightness 1750 nits, HDR10+, FHD+ 1080 x 2340 pixels, 422 PPI, 19.5:9 aspect ratio,
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (Samsung version), Adreno 740
- Pamięć: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, UFS 3.1; UFS 4.0
- Additionally: NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, IP 68, aptX HD, stereo speakers, GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
- Cameras:
- główny 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS;
- tele 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.94″, 1.0µm, PDAF, 3x optical zoom;
- 12 MP wide angle, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55″ 1.4µm, Super Steady video;
- selfie 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF.
- Battery: 3900 mAh, 25W charging, 50 per cent. In half an hour, wireless charging
The screen of the Galaxy S23: my thoughts
To that extent, it is flawless as well. The screen is flat (unfortunately, there is no protective film on it). The remarkable maximum brightness may be increased to a whopping 1750 nits in bright light. During my smartphone photography stroll, I was fortunate enough to experience a couple of periods of pleasant weather.
Sunlight visibility was also perfect, allowing me to evaluate the cameras without any issues. The colours are vivid, and the viewing angles are wide. Both sides should have identical frames, so the effect is balanced. Animations of programs shutting and opening look beautiful, and the screen can be updated in adaptive mode at up to 120 Hz, making the overall experience incredibly fluid.
In the past, we’ve relied on Always On Display, which required extensive setup and displayed notifications from every app. Facial recognition and fingerprint reader are included in the screen and perform admirably. The selfie cam is front and centre.
The Galaxy S23: My Opinions on Its Build
It’s the same thing. And it’s mostly for show; the island’s connection to the edge has been severed, leaving behind simply lenses in a steel frame. Every new Samsung phone looks just like the Ultra from a year ago. Whether one likes it or not, it’s entirely subjective. Nonetheless, construction flaws are impossible to find.
The smartphone has a relatively modest screen (6.1 inches on the diagonal), making it easy to hold in one hand. To the manufacturer’s credit, they express disappointment that no charger is included. S23 models have Corning’s newest Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which can withstand drops from higher heights and is less likely to scratch. Thankfully, I didn’t have to take the test. The device’s gently rounded edges also make it easier to hold.
Galaxy S23 Processing power and score
The figures come first. The phone now holds the third spot in AnTuTu Benchmark, scoring 1145116. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 version that was optimized for Samsung is flawless. The phone is well-oiled, and I haven’t seen any of the usual rough edges in the UI associated with this brand. Nothing slows down the process, and everything works fine.
Though I have yet to try it out for gaming, I have used the phone’s navigation features on many occasions with no issues. I immediately noticed the high quality of the calls; I could hear my conversation partners more clearly than I had on other devices I’ve been using lately. Both Voices over Wi-Fi and Voice over LTE may be used successfully. We need not worry that bookmarks will be lost after a short period on the phone since it retains them extremely effectively in memory.
In a later comprehensive review, I’ll go into detail about the software, but for now, know that the smartphone ships with Android 13 and have received four significant system upgrades. Because of this, Android 17 will be included in it. There will be security updates for the phone over the next five years.
Galaxy S23 Battery Capacity
This significant drawback has yet to be discovered regarding compact devices. Also, a major issue with last year’s model was the phone’s tiny battery, and Exynos meant it barely made it from morning to evening, even under light use.
Luckily, things change in S23. Naturally, the battery needs time to settle down and get to know our routines; as a result, I will only risk making definitive statements after the 4-day mark has passed. Nonetheless, I’ve been able to log more than five hours of screen time thus far. Therefore, it’s unexpectedly satisfying. On the other hand, watching movies or TV shows on my phone during the weekend helped me get a good SoT. So, we’ll see how things pan out next time, but for the time being, I’m pleasantly pleased.
The loading time took me by surprise, and I enjoyed it. Yes, I was aware it was 25W because I own a Samsung charger that provides that power, but I’ve recently become accustomed to other standards. More than an hour has passed, and I still need to see an indication on the screen that charging is complete.
Sitting at home is okay if we don’t have to move. The problem arises, however, when we have to leave quickly in the morning and our phones aren’t charged the night before. It’s not the end of the world; we must consider it. Here, a quarter of an hour of charging doesn’t get us very far, but that same amount of time could get us several hours of use with faster charging. So far, I’m satisfied with the battery, but I’m not thrilled about the charging process.
Galaxy S23 Camera power
The same goes for this. A lot of individuals rank Samsung highest in this field. The photographs were “turned up” so loudly that they drew my attention, which can grow sickeningly sweet after a while. You also can’t complain about the range or dynamics of the tones, and the colours seem almost equal across all three lenses. Lovely portrait mode.
This time, the firm is concerned about the quality of the nighttime photographs they produce. And the fact — in the dark, the program can extract a lot of information, and you can see a surprising amount in such images. In addition, the contrast, saturation, and sharpness of photographs taken in urban lighting are enhanced, allowing for a clear depiction of finer details without overexposure. Therefore, I am pleased with the moment, but we shall see.
Even better, we can record videos in both 4K and 8K resolutions (rear and front, respectively), allowing you to switch lenses mid-recording. The company provides sophisticated Expert RAW and Pro modes for photography and videography, with directional sound settings and portrait orientation options.
Conclusion
I have two main issues with the phone: cost and charging. While the former may be countered with a buy-back program and other initial discounts, the latter is more difficult to overcome; in this case, acceptance and tolerance are the best strategies. With all the benefits of this smartphone, though, losing service is hardly the end of the world. On the other hand, this has only been the case for a short time. After giving it a go for two weeks, I’m eager to see what I think.