Samsung Galaxy S23 hands-on evaluate: Smaller is healthier

Regardless of its dimension, the Samsung Galaxy S23 finds itself in a considerably distinctive place. With equivalent specs to the S23 Plus – minus the larger battery and display – it’s each bit a contemporary flagship smartphone, besides it has the additional advantage of being the most affordable of Samsung’s three new fashions.

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However that’s not all. In some methods, the S23’s smaller design additionally works in its favour. With each the Plus and Extremely launching as a pair of actually monstrous handsets, Samsung’s new entry-level flagship is a correct pocket-sized machine and is a breath of contemporary air because of this.

Samsung Galaxy S23 evaluate: Key specs, UK value and launch date

• 6.1in, 120Hz HDR10+ FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X show
• Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 2 for Galaxy
• 128GB or 256GB of storage
• Triple rear digital camera: 50MP, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto
• Selfie digital camera: 12MP
• 3,900mAh battery
• IP68 waterproofing
• Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• Colors: Phantom Black, Cream, Inexperienced and Lavender
• UK launch date: Preorder from 1 February, accessible from 17 February
• UK value: £849 (128GB), £899 (256GB)

Samsung Galaxy S23 evaluate: Design, key options and first impressions

It may not be a Plus or an Extremely, however the entry Galaxy S23 nonetheless has lots going for it. It has a brand new design (though this is perhaps controversial), contemporary internals and a collection of recent digital camera options.

Let’s begin with the design. The place final 12 months’s mannequin included a singular ‘Contour Lower’ digital camera housing, the Galaxy S23 has ditched the digital camera block solely. The lenses this 12 months have merely been positioned on the again in a vertical line.

I respect Samsung’s new “clear and linear design” (their phrases, not mine), however I feel the S23 has misplaced a little bit of its character because of this. It now appears to be like like some other trendy smartphone, and we’re already struggling to inform the distinction between telephone producers as it’s.

I do just like the S23’s compact kind issue, nonetheless. Positive, greater screens serve a serious objective, particularly in case your telephone is your main content material consumption machine, however the little S23 means it could possibly slot in tinier jean pockets, and smaller palms. It’s additionally nowhere close to as heavy as the opposite two.

The 6.1in display is one other AMOLED affair, with a 120Hz refresh price, FHD+ decision and help for HDR10+ playback. That’s the identical as final 12 months, besides it’s now coated in a protecting layer of Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which Samsung says isn’t solely extra sturdy than the earlier era, however can also be constructed utilizing a median of twenty-two% pre-consumer supplies.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is model new, after all, but it surely additionally has the ‘for Galaxy’ designation, which basically signifies that it’s a particularly tweaked model of Qualcomm’s top-end cellular chipset. Qualcomm says that the first “efficiency core” has been overclocked to three.6GHz, up from 3.3GHz on the bottom model.

The S23’s battery has additionally acquired an improve, rising in dimension from 3,700mAh to three,900mAh. Which may not sound like lots, however each little helps within the stamina stakes. We didn’t evaluate the common S22 final 12 months, however right here’s hoping the battery life is at the very least barely improved this 12 months. Software program-wise, we’re getting Android 13 from the get-go, with the most recent model of Samsung’s One UI interface, 5.1.

As for the cameras, there’s not a lot right here that’s modified. The 50MP most important digital camera stays, alongside a 12MP ultrawide unit and a 10MP telephoto. The front-facing 12MP selfie is now the identical throughout all three fashions, up from 10MP. There are new taking pictures modes, after all, akin to Astro Hyperlapse and Astrophoto, however that’s about it.

Samsung Galaxy S23 evaluate: Early verdict

The Galaxy S23 is portray an analogous image as final 12 months. The most cost effective of the three new Samsung flagships, it’s nonetheless shaping as much as be a cultured handheld, with some important tweaks to each efficiency and general design.

In fact, it might have been good to see just some extra modifications. In spite of everything, the S23 does value extra this 12 months, beginning at £849 for the 128GB mannequin and £899 for the 256GB model. That’s a rise of £80, bringing it in keeping with the iPhone 14.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 and its siblings can be found to preorder at present, with a launch date scheduled for 17 February.