The Samsung Galaxy S23+ isn’t much different from the standard Galaxy S23 it was released with. We covered the latter in great detail in this full review and conclude that this is a supremely capable compact handset. Of course, the S23+ can’t be classified as a compact phone and costs a lot more than the S23. However, with basically the exact same specs, it’s likely that my opinion of the device is going to be similar to the + model. In this review, let’s talk about whether the Galaxy S23+ is the flagship smartphone for you.
Decision
The Samsung Galaxy S23+ and S23 are almost identical in terms of design, cameras, and performance. The only difference is in display size and battery capacity, which makes the former slightly more expensive. However, the S23+’s curvy looks and prowess to click great pictures, coupled with its penchant for strong processing capabilities, make it an attractive high-end option.
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- In terms of its overall design, the Galaxy S23+ is largely similar to last year’s S22+. The main difference is the removal of the camera housing in favor of three standalone lenses arranged horizontally. I would be remiss to say that the previous iteration did more to remove the feeling of premium-ness but the S23+’s implementation is more minimalistic and clean. The frame made of polished aluminum stays put and glistens in the sunlight. There are several color options for the S23+ and I received the Cream variant, which is a very light, pearlescent shade. The rails on each side embody this color scheme and provide an overall soothing look to the device.
- For the rest, the handset sports the same stereo speaker setup along with the USB Type-C port at the bottom. The button placement of the volume rocker bar is on the top left and can be a bit difficult to reach with the thumb. However, the power button is in the right place just below it. The device weighs a little under 200 grams and is quite sleek with 7.6mm of thickness. Of course, there’s also an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. Overall, the Galaxy S23+ impresses on the outside and has all the makings of a luxury, premium offering.
- Display-wise the S23+ gets a bigger 6.6-inch screen as compared to the 6.1-inch of the regular S23. It uses the same Dynamic AMOLED panel and offers one of the best viewing experiences on a modern-day smartphone. The resolution remains FHD+ (1,080 x 2,340) and the display refreshes at 120Hz. The screen is protected by the latest Gorilla Glass Victus 2, although I managed to spot a few minute scratches on the surface. As for visual quality, the S23+ display clearly excels in terms of color reproduction, dynamic range and contrast levels. The phone has HDR10+ certification for OTT content and brightness levels that can reach up to 1,700 nits. The bezels around the display are trim and uniform while the top has a punch hole for the selfie shooter.
- The optical setup on the device is also no different from the Galaxy S23. There is a 50MP primary shooter, 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP telephoto with 3X optical zoom. Image quality is expected from a phone that costs only Rs 1,00,000. Pictures are crisp, highly detailed and have controlled exposure in a variety of lighting conditions. The overall tone in the shots is warm but the camera app has a variety of filters that can fine-tune the final image to your liking. While focus speed was decent, shutter speed remained slow, a familiar experience on previous Galaxy S series phones.
- Apart from this, the ultra-wide and telephoto sensors remain suitable for everyday use. The color temperature of the final output remained the same between primary and ultra-wide shooters, a fact I appreciate. Also, the dedicated night mode works on all three lenses but with different utility. In general, images in low light were sharp and had clearly defined highlights and a good amount of detail in shadows. However, the slow shutter speed again comes into play as the slightest hand movement can result in an out-of-focus shot. Even though the primary sensor has OIS, there can be instances of soft focus in very low light scenarios. Lastly, there is the 16MP selfie camera which, like many of the previous generation S series phones, can click sharp images with good facial detail.
- The chipset under the S23+ is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 which has been optimized by Samsung to offer slightly higher clock speeds than usual. The performance levels on the device are easily up to the required standards and the benchmark numbers back up this claim. The phone easily broke Antutu’s 1,000,000 barrier and scored above 4,500 in Geekbench 6’s multi-core test. In terms of processing under continuous load, the phone maintains 77 percent of its peak performance, which is quite good. Long story short, the S23+, like the S23, can handle any type of task with ease, including GPU-intensive games.
- There are two storage options in the phone. 256GB and 512GB UFS 4.0, coupled with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM. There’s no option to expand the storage and there’s no precedent for virtual RAM swapping with the internal storage. Other key features of the phone include a very capable stereo speaker setup with clear highs and deep lows. The fingerprint sensor works very well and gets registered even with a wet finger. 5G services on the device will operate as expected in Jio’s Noida circle.
- Android 13-based OneUI 5.1 is the software skin of choice on the device. Anyone who has used a Samsung phone over the years will be familiar with the overall approach and interface of OneUI as it hasn’t changed much. I’ve always enjoyed the user-friendliness and customizability on offer with skins. Also, I’m not a fan of pre-installed bloatware. Nevertheless, the UI experience remains better than most custom OEM skins in the market.
- For battery needs, the Galaxy S23+ houses a 4,700mAh cell that supports charging speeds of up to 25W. It is also important to note that there is no charger included with the phone and will have to be purchased separately. Still, the battery life of the phone negates the need for frequent charging. I consistently topped out at six hours of screen-on time, which I think is optimal for any moderate level of use. Also, any Qi-compatible wireless charger can juice up the phone at 5W, but it will take a long time to do so.
final call
The Samsung Galaxy S23+ is a solid high-end offering that shares most of its specs with the standard Galaxy S23. The sleek and minimalistic approach of the phone should attract the target audience. Other notable features include a capable stereo speaker setup and solid performance. While the S23+ is definitely more expensive than the S23, it’s an excellent option for those looking for a bigger display and good battery life.
Editor’s rating: 4/5
Pros:
- clean and minimalistic design
- Superb performance
- best cameras
- good battery life
Shortcoming:
- Can only charge at 25W
- some shutter lag
Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus 5G Price
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