Samsung Galaxy S23

Samsung announced Galaxy S23 on 1 February 2023 alongside S23+ and S23 Ultra, and it went on general sale on 17 February 2023 at $799.99. It was the last compact Galaxy S before Samsung’s 7-year update promise, and that now matters more than most of its specs.

Galaxy S23 or S23+?

The two share a chip, cameras, memory and update promise. The Plus buys a bigger screen and battery and faster charging.

Spec	Galaxy S23	Galaxy S23+
Screen	6.1-inch FHD+, 48–120Hz	6.6-inch FHD+, 48–120Hz
Weight	5.93 oz	6.91 oz
Battery	3,900 mAh typical (3,785 rated)	4,700 mAh typical (4,563 rated)
Wired charging	25W, 50% in about 30 minutes	45W, 65% in about 30 minutes
Memory and storage	8GB; 128GB or 256GB	8GB; 256GB or 512GB
Rear cameras	50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP 3x	Same
Chip	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy	Same
Updates	4 OS upgrades, 5 years of security	Same
US launch price	$799.99	$999.99

Pick the Plus if battery and charging speed come first: it has the bigger battery and reaches 65% in the time S23 takes to reach 50%. Otherwise the difference is screen size and price. More on the bigger phone in Galaxy S23+.

S23 Ultra, S24 and later

Galaxy S23 Ultra is the different phone in the 2023 lineup: a 200MP main camera, 10x optical zoom, S Pen support and 12GB of memory on its 512GB and 1TB models, from $1,199.99.

Galaxy S24 launched at the same $799.99 and is the more useful comparison. It measures 70.6 × 147 × 7.6 mm, against 70.9 × 146.3 × 7.6 mm here, and brings a 4,000 mAh battery, a screen that drops to 1Hz, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Galaxy AI and 7 years of OS upgrades and security updates. S24+ was also the first Plus to match the Ultra’s QHD+ resolution. Galaxy S25 moved to Snapdragon 8 Elite and 12GB, and Samsung’s current Ultra is Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Screen

The 6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel measures 5.9 inches once you account for the rounded corners. It adapts between 48Hz and 120Hz, samples touch at 240Hz in Game Mode, and adds Samsung’s Vision booster and Enhanced comfort. Samsung gives no brightness rating or exact resolution.

Cameras

Camera	Galaxy S23
Ultra-wide	12MP, F2.2, 120° field of view
Wide	50MP, F1.8, 85° field of view
Telephoto	10MP, F2.4, 3x optical, 36° field of view
Front	12MP, F2.2, 80° field of view

Battery and charging

Mode	Galaxy S23
Typical capacity	3,900 mAh
Rated capacity	3,785 mAh (IEC 61960)
Wired	50% in around 30 minutes with a 25W adapter and 3A USB-C cable; QC2.0 and AFC
Wireless	Fast Wireless Charging 2.0; Wireless PowerShare; WPC

Samsung gives no video-playback rating for S23, so capacity is the only battery figure to compare across the range.

Software and updates

S23 launched on Android 13 with One UI 5.1, and Samsung promised 4 generations of Android upgrades and 5 years of security updates, with availability depending on model and market.

Design and connections

Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covers the front and back, and Samsung says recycled materials go into 11 internal and external components. Beyond its IP68 water rating, Samsung says it’s protected from dust, dirt and sand. Colors were Phantom Black, Cream, Green and Lavender, plus Lime, Graphite, Sky Blue and Red from Samsung.com. It has 5G, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, and charges over USB-C.

Price

Galaxy S23 started at $799.99 in the US with 128GB, with a 256GB version above it. Pre-orders ran from 1 to 16 February 2023 and general sale began on 17 February 2023. It now sells used or refurbished, so prices vary; check before you buy.