Today, Samsung has revealed the Galaxy S23 series of devices. During its annual keynote, the company revealed details on the new flagship devices encompassing the Galaxy line. This year, Samsung is pleased to announce the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and the premium Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The new series of Galaxy phones iterates on its predecessors while presenting new design features and improved specs. During the Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung outlined each device. All three devices are made with eco-conscious choices in mind. Samsung is aiming to continue minimizing its environmental impact while not compromising on its quality. The new phones and packaging are manufactured using recycled materials including aluminum, plastic, and more.
Leading the charge are Samsung’s new flagship entries in the Galaxy family. The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ are being touted as the “ultimate premium experience.” The entry-level Galaxy S23 features a 6.1-inch AMOLED display while the Galaxy S23+ supports a 6.6-inch AMOLED screen. Both devices use Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus, making them the first smartphones to feature the protective glass. Both phones feature Samsung’s ‘Intelligent Display’ feature, which adjusts colours and contrast automatically depending on the lighting conditions. This feature is designed to make the screen easier on the eyes throughout the day.
Looking at the rear camera array, the S23 series maintains the vertical alignment of the lenses. However, Samsung has removed the Contour Cut surrounding its cameras in order to provide a more clean aesthetic. Both devices feature a 12MP selfie camera on the front, a notable upgrade from the S22 series. The company also claims that the devices utilize Super HDR with up to 60FPS support.
On the interior, the Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset. The company boasts that the series is the “ultimate mobile gaming machine.” In order to help support this, Samsung is increasing the battery on both devices by 200mAh. This places the entry-level at 3,900mAh and the Galaxy S23+ at 4,700mAh.
The S23 series once again provides support to use the Expert RAW app. Last year the S22 series enables users to shoot in 12MP mode. However, this year, Samsung is providing the ability to shoot in 50MP. Helping to bolster its photography department, Samsung’s Astrophoto feature enables users to capture the night sky in beautiful fidelity without “specialized equipment.” However, a tripod is required.
The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ are available in Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender. The Galaxy S23 128GB model will be available for $1,099.99 in Canada and $1,179.99 for the 256GB model. The Galaxy S23+ starts at $1,399.99 for 256GBs of storage and $1,559.99 for 512GB.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra features a bold 6.8-inch AMOLED display spanning the entirety of the device. Samsung has developed the device to feature a new, larger flat design, wrapping around the edges of the Ultra.
Much like the S23 and S23+, The S23 Ultra also features a new camera housing array comprised of a 3x telephoto lens, a 10x telephoto lens, a wide, and an ultra-wide lens. Once again, Samsung drops the Contour Cut for a “clean and linear” design. The camera array of the premium model features Samsung’s first-ever 200MP sensor, delivering ultra-fine resolution and “millions of colours.” Additionally, the Super Quad Pixel support enhances autofocus on the camera. Filming on the Galaxy S23 Ultra supports up to 8K videos at 30FPS with a wide angle of 80 degrees. The Galaxy S23 Ultra supports a 5,000mAh battery. However, this is the same battery capacity as the S22 Ultra so no discernible difference has been made.
Samsung claims it’s prioritizing pro-grade Nightography capabilities of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, providing further support in low-light environments. In order to achieve this, the device supports a new Adaptive Pixel 200MP Sensor. The new sensor combines 16 pixels into one larger pixel in order to improve lighting. Night Portrait mode on the front-facing camera supports the bokeh effect and analyzes hair, skin, and eyes separately.
Videos captured at night utilize Adaptive VDIS image stabilization. Plus, the optical image stabilization (OIS) of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is doubled compared to its predecessor. Samsung is also leaning on Noise Reduction Technology to enhance the sharpness and reduce noise when taking videos at night. Of course, for those star gazers, the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s new Astro Hyperlapse enables users to capture star movements and trails using a 300x setting in Hyperlapse mode. This mode requires no additional equipment.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is once again shown to be Samsung’s productivity machine. In highlighting its efficiency, Samsung states the device pairs the use of Samsung Notes and S Pen with Google Meet to enable users to co-edit documents. In addition, Samsung notes its prowess on the gaming side. Running Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, the device offers 40 percent faster GPU and NPU. Plus, the S23 Ultra features real-time ray tracing. The device also features up to 12GB of RAM
In Canada, the Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at $1,649.99 for the 256GB model. The 512GB is available for $1,889.99 while the 1TB options runs for $2,209. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is also available in Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender colour options. Preorders start today with the launch set for February 17th.
During the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, the company also revealed its new lineup of Galaxy Book3 laptops.
