The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is here, sporting a chassis reminiscent of the Note (like the S22 before it) and a powerful new camera.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the ultimate device of the range, with a great big screen, an integrated stylus, and the most advanced camera system the company has ever put into a phone.
We’re going to explore the Galaxy S23 Ultra below, but you can read up on the Galaxy S23 and S23+ over here.
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra
Samsung’s range of flagship phones in 2023 follow the same approach as the range in 2022. There are three models, with a standard cheap model (representing the base model), an upgraded model (with slightly improved specs) and an ‘Ultra’ model, with the biggest screen/chassis size, a stylus and the most powerful camera system of the three (with the most noticeable change).
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra specs
- Size: 163.4 mm x 78.1 mm x 8.9 mm
- Weight: 233 grams
- Display: AMOLED 6.1-inch FHD display with a 120hz refresh rate, 3088 x 1440, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Cameras: 200MP main , 12MP ultrawide, 10MP periscope elephoto, 12MP selfie, up to 8K video recording at 30fps
- Battery: 5,00mAh with 45W fast charging, 10W wireless charging
- Storage: 256GB (8GB), 512GB (12GB) and 1TB (12GB)
- Resistance: IP68
- Colours: Black, Green, Cream, Lavender
While an 8GB version of the 512GB version is available in some markets, it’s not available in Australia.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a lot of grunt
To be honest, most of the excitement surrounding the 2023 Galaxy S range goes to the S23 Ultra. The 200MP camera allows for some incredible zoom (up to 100x with 10x optical zoom, 10x digital zoom and AI super-resolution), while retaining a lot of photo quality along the way (though some image quality may drop off past 10x). This camera is improved by a new adaptive pixel HDR and a detail enhancer, along with stability improvement for more zoomed-in shots.
There’s also a noticeable battery life upgrade over last year’s model, along with the upgrade to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (with 40 per cent faster GPU and NPU performance). On the gaming front, the S23 Ultra now also allows for real-time ray tracing.
Like the Galaxy S23 and S23+, the Ultra is also receiving night photography improvements, with an AI object-aware engine in low-light environments.
Each device now also supports 8K video recording at 30fps, along with native photo controls (including zoom controls) via Samsung smartwatches. Each phone is also receiving Astrophoto support, letting users snap beautiful shots of the stars in the night sky, and object-based AI, which enhances details in the frame down to facial features like hair and eyes, to reflect a person’s characteristics.
The range has also received a 30 per cent processing boost, thanks to a redesign of the CPU microarchitecture, and a new cooling vapour chamber.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Australian pricing
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at $1,950 in Australia for the 256GB model, going up to $2,250 for the 516GB model and $2,650 for the 1TB model.
Samsung Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra availability
Pre-orders begin from today (February 2, 2023), and the devices will be available from February 17. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone will sell the device attached to phone plans.
Cheapest 24-month Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (256GB) plans
Cheapest 36-month Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (256GB) plans
