Over the last few weeks since launch, I’ve had the pleasure of using two of the smart phones in the Samsung Galaxy S23 series, the S23+ and more recently the S23 Ultra which is quite easily the best Android phone I have ever used. The device packs some of the most modern mobile phone features, backed by powerful processing capabilities thanks to the Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. I’ve seen several of my fellow reviewers mention that this is one of the best Android phones in the market and I agree with them fully.
“The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the most complete, most versatile Android smartphone you can buy. It’s a big purchase in more ways than one, but it’ll last you for years.” – Digital Trends.
Here are some of my thoughts on the phone. These are quick features but this device has so much more to offer, and there are new things to discover and tinker with every other day with regular use until the phone is completely in synch with the user.
Design
I had used the Samsung Galaxy 23+ just a few weeks prior to this one so the physical design was not too new to me. At first, I found the 23 Ultra rather weighty at 234g given that my current regular phone is 179g, but I wouldn’t consider that a problem at all. The phone has a high-quality glass and aluminum build for great looks, safety, and longevity. It also has an impressive 5000mAh battery, and all these are small weight prices to pay for the kind of service that it offers. Within the first few days of use I was already at home with it. One would feel the weight more if they are shooting video content for hours on end, but this is where a good gimbal comes in.
My piece came in a beautiful cream colour but Samsung has other options of phantom black, lavender and green.
Display
As mentioned in previous reviews, Samsung remains the king of displays and the S23 Ultra is quite easily at the top. The device comes with a 6.8” AMOLED display, 1440*3088-pixel resolution and 1750 nits. These features give 23 Ultra users a stunning screen with incredibly vibrant visuals, making it great for work and lifestyle and offering a pleasurable user experience for video calls, content streaming, photography, video recording and gaming. I’ve had a particularly good run with Netflix which is usually among the first apps I download when a new phone checks in. I enjoyed a high-resolution viewing experience and good sound from the phones loudspeakers though most of the time I use Bluetooth buds. But the phone comes equipped with noticeably good loudspeakers that do not distort sound into an annoying shrill even at high volumes.
Here are some photos I took with the phone as we move along with the review.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with Android 13 right off the box, and a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. Combined with 256GB of internal storage and 8GB RAM, this is a formidable device even for the most ardent multitaskers and will move through apps without any glitches or lags. It gives users the confidence to put it to full use without anxieties. One would barely exhaust the 256GB of ROM but if need be, and especially with uses like 8k video content, it is only prudent that the phone has memory expansion capabilities and Samsung has seen to this.
Cameras
So many features impressed me in the Samsung S23 Ultra that I’m not sure what to point out as an absolute stand out. But what I made most use of at the time I was testing the phone was the cameras for video and photos. For these, the Samsung S23 ultra easily has the best cameras I have ever used. Coming in with 200MP back camera, supported by 12MP Ultrawide, 10MP telephoto, and 10* optical zoom, never once did I see a terribly fuzzy photo or video even in different light conditions. The cameras also come with presets through AI scene detection and a Pro section where professional photographers will have a field day tweaking the features with photography knowledge on their side. For selfie lovers, Samsung got you covered with a 12MP front camera with 4k video and dual video capabilities.
Some more photos with the phone…
Battery
My friends and I shot video for a full day without the battery going down once until evening, by which time we had tonnes of footage and only needed a little more push for sunset content. That is the only one day I ever used a power bank with this phone, and only because we were mostly out at sea with no power source. This gives a clear indication of what the massive 5000mAh battery is capable of and with a 45W charging capability, users are guaranteed 0-100% charge in slightly over an hour. For a device this heavy in features, I really commend Samsung for giving it a corresponding good battery and charging system.
Conclusion
There is so much to this phone that this article is only a summary of the basics. The price can be considered rather steep at Ksh.199,000/- give or take but I feel that this corresponds with a remarkable device that ticks just about every box in terms of looks, power and features.
