Samsung Galaxy S23: what we already know

Samsung is expected to unveil its new Galaxy S23s at the Unpacked event scheduled for February 1. Usually, a good part of their secrets are already revealed. This year again, the high-end South Korean offering will be available in three devices: the Galaxy S23, S23 + and S23 Ultra.

The first two should once again share a large part of their technical sheets, while the Ultra version intends to strengthen its place in the premium segment.

Subtle changes

This new range should not offer significant changes in dimensions and design. The Galaxy S23 will still opt for a 6.1-inch screen, while the Plus model will retain a 6.6-inch panel. Both will display a definition of 2340 x 1080 pixels.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra remains the most impressive with a diagonal of 6.8 inches displayed at 3080 x 1440 pixels. Its screen should also be particularly bright, as rumors suggest a peak of up to 2200 nits, thus surpassing the iPhone 14 Pro. It should also benefit from some exclusive technologies such as LTPO 4.0 (1 Hz to 120 Hz) and compatibility with the S-Pen stylus, which will be inaugurated in 2022 in the S series (Galaxy S22 Ultra).

Photos shared on the site WinFuture suggest a similar appearance. The main change remains the loss of the photo island to highlight each sensor individually.

Snapdragon for everyone?

For years, Samsung has offered two versions of its high-end smartphones. One is equipped with Snapdragon chips made by the American Qualcomm and intended for the North American and Asian markets. The second embeds an Exynos chip made by Samsung’s semiconductor division and intended for Europe. This version was often criticized as it failed to provide similar performance and sometimes suffered from more limited battery life.

Due to this dissatisfaction, Samsung has gradually phased out Exynos chips in certain models, but not in the latest Galaxy S22. This generation should mark the definitive transition to Qualcomm’s SoC. We think the South Korean will choose the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the chipsets top of the foundry range, to animate its three new smartphones. It’s also possible that Samsung will use a personalized version of the Qualcomm chip, branded “Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy” and slightly overclocked to 3.36 GHz (compared to 3.2 GHz for its standard version).

Also note that according to outsider Ice Universe, Samsung will not make UFS 4.0 flash memory yet. Which then means that the Galaxy S23, which is likely to be equipped with an internal storage of 128 GB, is limited to UFS 3.1, unlike the other two smartphones in the series. However, the various storage options chosen by the Korean manufacturer remain to be confirmed.

A 200 Mpx sensor in the pipes?

As we explained to you recently, the Galaxy S23 Ultra should have a main sensor of 200 Mpx. It is not expected that the Isocell HP1 or Isocell HP3, which were announced earlier this year. It is likely to be equipped with the new Isocell HP2, a sensor that obviously uses the method of pixel binding, which makes it possible to combine several photosites (0.6 µm) for brighter shots. Such a definition is not, however, synonymous with better images, since it is the main work of the algorithms that make the difference. And at this point, the first night images that were probably captured with a Galaxy S23 Ultra suggest a particularly advanced work of algorithms to compensate for the lack of light.

This 200 Mpx sensor will be joined by three others, including a 10 Mpx telephoto lens with x3 optical zoom, a 10 Mpx periscope sensor with x10 zoom and a 12 Mpx ultra wide-angle.

The Galaxy S23 and S23+ should keep the same configuration as in 2022. Thus, we will find a triple camera module consisting of an ultra wide-angle module (12 Mpx), a main sensor of 50 Mpx and an optical zoom x3 (10 Mpx sensor ). Again, using the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 can make a difference (in photo and video) to the previous generation.

More generous battery

Samsung also aims to improve the autonomy of the entire range. To do this, the manufacturer decided to increase the capacity of the batteries of each device. According to the website Galaxy Clubthe Galaxy S23 will have a 3900 mAh accumulator (against 3700 mAh for the S22), while the S23+ will opt for 4700 mAh (4500 mAh in the predecessor).

The S23 Ultra will retain its predecessor’s large 5000 mAh battery. The S22 will still support a charging power of 25 W. Same observation for the other two, which will still enjoy 45 W. A semi-disappointment for a standard model intended to be high-end.

The combination of these new accumulators, One UI 5 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 can have a positive effect on daily consumption.

Rising prices?

According to RGcloudSsent by TechRadar, the list price of the Galaxy S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra should be stable or slightly increased. So the Galaxy S23 with 128GB storage can be priced at $799, and the 256GB version at $849. On the Galaxy S23 Plus side, buyers across the Atlantic should expect a price tag of $999 for the 128GB version and $1049 for the 256GB storage.

Finally, the starting price of the Galaxy S23 Ultra should be established at $1249 in the 256 GB version, $1349 with 512 GB and $1499 for the 1 TB version. As a reminder, the S22 Ultra is presented from $1199 for 128 GB. Elements relayed on January 24 by journalist Roland Quandt, however, suggest an increase in prices in Europe, starting at €959 for the S23, €1,209 for the Galaxy S23+ and €1,409 for the Galaxy S23 Ultra , that is, an increase of one hundred euros compared to the Galaxy S22.

Four colors should be available for each model: matte black, forest green, lilac and cotton white.

It’s only two weeks until the three devices are revealed in detail, but new information should still be trickling in during that time.