The new Samsung Galaxy phone is here bringing with it a number of exciting upgrades, but how does it compare to last year’s model, the Galaxy S22?
Keep reading to find out what’s new on the Samsung Galaxy S23.
The Galaxy S23 is powered an exclusive Snapdragon chip
The Galaxy S23 is the first Samsung phone to carry the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, a special version of the chipset that Samsung says will improve gaming performance with a higher clocked CPU at 3.36GHz to the standard 8 Gen 2’s 3.2GHz and an upgraded Adreno GPU for better performance and power efficiency.
Not only that, but Samsung is going all in on Snapdragon this year, with no Exynos chip in sight for European phones.
The 8 Gen 2, which was announced by Qualcomm in November, also offers improvements across the board, including areas like camera, audio, gaming, connectivity, security and AI.
The Galaxy S22 was powered by the Exynos 2200 in Europe and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 outside of the continent. We found the Exynos to be a very strong processor, delivering high scores across the board for both CPU and GPU and giving the base S22 model just as powerful a performance as the S22 Ultra.
The Galaxy S23 has a new 12MP selfie camera
This year, Samsung has upgraded its front camera on all three models with a new 12-megapixel f/2.2 sensor with a 80-degree FOV.
This is also Samsung’s first Super HDR selfie camera with a jump from 30fps to 60fps for better images and videos with the front shooter.
The S22 had a 10-megapixel f/2.2 front camera which we found to be sharp and bright, so we’re excited to see how the image quality improves on this year’s model.
The rear camera has also been given a new look on the S23 as the contour housing is taken away, though the Ultra is where the biggest photography advancements have been made.
The Galaxy S23 has a bigger battery
Another key upgrade coming to the Galaxy S23 this year is its bigger battery. Each model has been given a boost in this respect, from the base S23 to the top-end S23 Ultra.
The Galaxy S23 now packs a 3900mAh battery, up from the 3700mAh one in the S22.
We actually found the battery life on the S22 to be pretty underwhelming. In fact, it was our biggest cause for concern regarding the phone. We found the S22 rarely made it to the end of the day without needing a boost, meaning our reviewer was forced to use the phone in Power Saving mode on a typical day, thus restricting other features on the device such as the performance and screen brightness.
Hopefully, the additional 200mAh will be enough to improve the battery life this time around.
The Galaxy S22 is cheaper
While many of the specs have seen subtle upgrades on the S23, the price has also seen an increase.
Where the S22 cost £769 at launch, the S23 will set you back £849, meaning you’ll need to pay £80 more for the newer model. Factor in the likelihood that the S22 will see a discount this year, and you may want to consider opting for the 2022 model if you’re on a budget.
You might like…
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
