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Performance Redefined: Small But Mighty Samsung Galaxy S23

Over the past few years, Samsung's base Galaxy S model has enjoyed the exclusive status of being the only compact Android flagship. This year, Samsung has elevated its game by incorporating a slightly modified Qualcomm SoC for the Galaxy S23 series. Nevertheless, a significant portion of the features in the Galaxy S23 closely resembles those of the previous year's model. So, the question in 2023 is whether the idea of a 'small, powerful flagship' still holds, or if you might find better options among competing brands. This review will help us reach a conclusion on this matter.

The S23 has a longer battery life than its predecessor and delivers the best performance in a "compact" Android device. It can't compete directly with its bigger S23 counterparts because of its slower charging speed and lack of compatibility for ultra-wideband. 

Premium Build and Design in the Galaxy S23

Despite its smaller size, the S23 retains the premium design and strong build quality found in its larger sibling models. Its construction includes Gorilla Glass Victus 2 panels on the front and back, and it features Samsung's Armor Aluminum chassis for added protection. With an IP68 rating, it is capable of surviving submersion in water up to five feet deep for up to 30 minutes.

However, with the Galaxy S23, Samsung has retained much of the previous model's design, except for replacing the contour camera module with three separate cutouts for each camera, similar to the Ultra model. Samsung refers to this as its 'floating camera' design. 

The phone's feel in hand remains largely unchanged compared to the earlier model, and, in fact, the Samsung Galaxy S23 maintains nearly identical dimensions to the S22. While the altered rear camera design does provide a visual distinction between the two models, it doesn't contribute to the S23's premium appeal, especially when Samsung's new mid-range offerings like the Galaxy A54 and Galaxy A34 showcase a very similar design.

Designed for smaller hands, the Galaxy S23 has compact dimensions, measuring 5.8 by 2.8 by 0.3 inches (HWD) and weighing 5.9 ounces. It's noticeably smaller than the S23+ and the Pixel 7, but it's in the same size range as the base iPhone 14. Moreover, the compact size of S23 also allows for more convenient one-handed operation, a feature not commonly found in high-end Android devices.

Camera Setup in the Galaxy S23

The camera setup in the Galaxy S23 remains quite similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy S22, featuring a 50MP wide-angle lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP 3x zoom telephoto camera, complemented by a 10MP selfie camera. However, let's get into these cameras from a consumer's perspective, without going too deeply into the technical details.

The primary 50MP camera performs admirably, especially in well-lit conditions. Furthermore, Samsung's image processing tends to divert from a more realistic representation when it comes to color and brightness. This aspect largely depends on personal preference, but Samsung's photos often exhibit oversaturated colors and heightened brightness, which can make images appear somewhat flat and artificial.

In our evaluation, the Galaxy S23's camera system emerges as a strong contender, especially when considered independently of other phone features. It offers a more diverse set of lenses compared to the iPhone 14 and the Pixel 6a. The rear camera array includes a 50MP wide lens, a 10MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultrawide lens, making it one of the most powerful camera setups available in this price range.

Premium Screen Features in the Samsung S23

The Samsung S23 features a premium 6.1-inch AMOLED display with the same 2,340-by-1,080-pixel (FHD+) resolution as its larger counterpart, the S23+. This results in a higher pixel density of 425 pixels per inch (PPI), compared to the S23+'s 393 PPI. 

The screen is exceptionally bright, featuring a typical brightness of 1,200 nits and a peak outdoor brightness of 1,750 nits, ensuring clear visibility even in direct sunlight. The Galaxy S23 excels in viewing angles, and its colors appear vivid due to the screen's wide contrast ratio and support for HDR10+.

Similar to many contemporary flagship smartphones, the Samsung S23 incorporates a variable refresh rate that adjusts dynamically between 1Hz and 120Hz based on your activity. This high refresh rate delivers smooth scrolling and gaming performance, while the lower rate conserves power and enhances battery life.

Real-World Performance Of Samsung Galaxy S23

The Samsung S23 maintains strong performance, largely owing to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip. This processor is notable for its 4nm process and an octa-core Kryo CPU, featuring a powerful Arm Cortex-X3 core clocked at up to 3.36GHz, four high-performance cores at up to 2.8GHz, and three efficient cores reaching up to 2.0GHz. Additionally, it includes an Adreno 740 GPU for graphics processing.

The device comes with 8GB of RAM, similar to the S23+, but there are variations in storage options. The S23 offers 128GB (UFS 3.1), 256GB, and 512GB (UFS 4.0) configurations, whereas the S23+ only provides the latter two options. Notably, neither model supports a microSD card slot. While the 128GB storage option may be slower, it doesn't significantly affect real-world performance.

In benchmark tests, the Galaxy S23 demonstrated its capabilities. In the PCMark Work 3.0 test, which simulates everyday tasks, it achieved a score of 14,682, comparable to the S23+ and outperforming the Pixel 7. On the GeekBench 5 test, it posted scores on par with the S23+ and S23 Ultra, surpassing the Pixel 7. The OnePlus 11 5G, which uses a different Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, fell slightly behind the Galaxy S23.

In terms of graphics performance, the S23 handled the GFXBench Aztec 1440p test smoothly, slightly beating the S23+ and the OnePlus 11 5G. Overall, the S23 provides a seamless experience for launching and playing games, handling basic and graphically demanding apps with ease.

Although the S23 doesn't feature the same 12GB of RAM as the high-end S23 Ultra, its benchmark scores and real-world performance highlight that the entry-level model in this series offers ample power for most tasks.

Physical Features

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is offered in several colors, including Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender. In Pakistan, it's available in Phantom Black, Cream, and Green, although Lavender is currently out of stock. Please be aware that color availability can vary depending on your location and the carrier.

In terms of physical features, the phone has a volume rocker and power button on the right side, while the top and left sides remain simple. At the bottom, you'll find a SIM card slot, a USB-C port, and one of the two speakers. The other speaker is situated at the very top where the glass and metal frame meet.

Samsung provides two biometric security options—facial recognition and an in-display fingerprint scanner. In testing, the fingerprint scanner proved faster and more reliable than fingerprints. It's worth noting that Samsung acknowledges the face scanner as being less secure compared to the fingerprint reader.

Outstanding Connectivity

The Samsung Galaxy S23 excels in the connectivity department. It offers seamless connectivity options, including 5G, 4G, and Wi-Fi, due to its Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 modem. It covers all the essential 5G bands (1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, and 261). Notably, the S23 supports the Wi-Fi 6E standard, which enhances Wi-Fi performance. In a test comparing it to the iPhone 14 Pro Max (which supports Wi-Fi 6), the S23 achieved faster download speeds, reaching 819 Mbps compared to the iPhone's 702 Mbps. Even at the edge of Wi-Fi range, the S23 maintained good speeds.

One thing to note is that the S23 doesn't offer satellite messaging, so if you frequently venture to areas with no cell coverage, the iPhone 14 might be a better choice. However, Samsung hasn't given up on satellite connectivity entirely.

Call quality on the Galaxy S23 is impressive, whether you have a strong or weak signal. Both the earpiece and speaker deliver clear and sufficiently loud audio.

On the downside, the S23 doesn't support ultra-wideband (UWB) connectivity, which is particularly useful for precise indoor GPS information. If you're interested in using the AR finding feature with Samsung Galaxy SmartTag+ trackers, you'll need to consider the S23+.

However, the S23 features Bluetooth 5.3 for excellent connections with wireless headphones and speakers, and it supports NFC for mobile payments. Keep in mind that there's no 3.5mm headphone jack, so wireless options are the primary choice beyond the built-in speakers. Speaking of which, the built-in speakers offer decent audio quality, even handling tracks with heavy bass elements well.

Average Battery Performance

The Samsung S23 delivers a full day's worth of battery life, because of its 3,900mAh battery, which is slightly larger than the 3,700mAh battery in the previous year's model. There are no significant concerns regarding its endurance or charging speed. It's worth noting that the device supports wireless charging at speeds of up to 15W, making it convenient to place on a Qi charging pad for a quick recharge.

For wired charging, it can go up to 25W, although like most recent flagship phones, it doesn't come with a wall plug in the box; only a USB-C cable is provided.

Furthermore, one drawback is that the S23's charging speed is not as fast as its larger siblings. Despite having a smaller battery, it charges at a rate of 25W, whereas the S23+ and S23 Ultra support faster 45W charging. 

Leading the Way

Samsung stands out in the realm of Android upgrades. When you opt for the S23, you're entitled to four major operating system updates, taking you up to Android 17, along with a commendable five years of security updates. 

Out of the box, the phone runs on Samsung's One UI 5.1 skin, built on Android 13. This version introduces an enhanced widget system for the home screen and a new video lock screen feature, enhancing the personalization of the device.

Samsung ensures a visually consistent appearance and smooth performance, although you may need to uninstall numerous default Samsung and Microsoft apps if you prefer a bloatware-free experience.

Storage Options And Limitations

Samsung provides the S23 with a maximum configuration of 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It's important to note that the faster UFS 4.0 storage is exclusive to the top-end model, while the 128GB variant comes with UFS 3.1 storage. The SIM card tray is designed for two nano-SIM cards, and the phone is equipped with multiple 5G radios, enabling dual-5G standby. However, it's essential to be aware that there is no option for expandable storage in the Galaxy S23.

Compact Yet Powerful

The Samsung S23 delivers on its fundamental promise of providing high performance within a compact design. It stands out as a compelling alternative to the iPhone in 2023 and offers stiff competition to the Google Pixel, particularly in the world of straightforward phone photography. This device is both portable and powerful, ensuring swift performance, and it comes with a commitment to receive software updates for an extended period.

Notably, the S23 is the most budget-friendly model within the latest S-series. However, those who are willing to forgo the absolute latest chip and design can opt for the previous year's model, saving a significant amount. This trend of offering prior models alongside new releases has been prevalent in the 2023 flagship smartphone market, effectively leading to Samsung competing with itself.

Pricing And Availability

Samsung officially released the Galaxy S23 on February 1, 2023, and it became available for purchase worldwide starting on February 17.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 can be purchased in Pakistan at the following price points:

128GB storage: Priced at Rs. 224,999

256GB storage: Available for Rs. 239,999

512GB storage: Offered at a price of Rs. 259,999

You can buy the Galaxy S23 through the official Samsung Pakistan website or from authorized retail outlets.

It's important to remember that the real price may vary based on the store and the device's selected storage capacity.