Samsung Galaxy S23 review: A compact phone without compromise!

A superior edge reserved for high-end big phones – smaller phones, including both the Android and iOS sides, have suffered. Not only has it become increasingly difficult to find flagship phones that don’t compromise on specs, user experience and battery life, but over time, the few phones that do have prices have risen. However, Samsung has hit a home run with the launch of the Galaxy S23 series. Despite being smaller than the Galaxy S23 Plus and the top-of-the-range Galaxy S23 Ultra, the smaller (compact by today’s standards) holds true – in every possible way – be it cameras, display or even battery life.

In this Galaxy S23 long-term review, we’ll see if Samsung’s latest compact flagship deserves a place in your pocket and takes the crown of the best compact flagship of 2023.

Design and Display: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

Using the design of last year’s Galaxy S22, the Galaxy S23 retains the boxy, squared-off look — while making enough changes to give the phone a new identity — with a new, minimalist camera bump. The body of the phone is made of polished aluminum and the back is glass as expected, with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front as well.

When it comes to durability, I rate Samsung’s latest flagships very highly. During my two months of testing, the phone has held up well – with little or no micro-scratches and hardly any marks on the frame. Still looks brand new.

The bezels surrounding the stunning 6.1-inch FHD+ display are also symmetrical, giving the phone a premium feel. The pinhole camera opening on the front also fits well, without visible distortion.

Speaking of the display, the 6.1-inch panel looks incredible and stays true to the well-known roots of Samsung AMOLED panels. Thanks to the peak brightness of 1750 nits, the screen remains easily visible even in strong sunlight, and watching TV programs and movies in HDR mode is a real joy on the panel.

And speaking of aesthetics, I have the cream one with me and honestly it looks great. It’s not completely white, and it’s not quite a warm shade either, it just looks right, and combined with the matte finish, the phone feels classy and quite luxurious.

Performance and battery life: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 brings sophistication and reliability

The Galaxy S22 was infamous for heating issues and poor battery life – caused by the poorly optimized Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. But now with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 all these issues are fixed and honestly the performance is the best. i have seen on android phone. It has truly become a gold standard.

Also, underrated things like bare idle, great standby time and in-app performance are great. Switching between apps, keeping them in memory, and editing photos and videos is the best I’ve seen on an Android phone. This applies to other models – the larger Galaxy S23 Plus and S23 Ultra.

Gaming is also a joy on Galaxy S23 series smartphones. Check out our gaming review of the Galaxy S23 Ultra; it’s all about the base Galaxy S23.

Battery life has also improved significantly from the previous generation. Now it easily lasts all work day and I have more than 20% battery left. So if you use it judiciously, it can last you a day and a half. On a good day, when Mobile data and Wi-Fi were balanced, the Galaxy S23 gave me about 7 hours of screen time and all-day use.

However, I can’t say anything good about the download experience. Despite calling it “Super Fast Charging”, Samsung has limited charging to 25W on the Galaxy S23 and allows the more expensive S23 Plus and S23 Ultra to charge at a faster 45W. It’s really confusing to see this. But yes, using 25W charging , you can charge the Galaxy S23 from zero to full in about an hour and a half.

Camera: A reliable camera system with a few inconsistencies

Unlike the Pixels and iPhones of the world, Samsung decided to include a third telephoto sensor on the vanilla model, and I really appreciate the brand not skipping the lens. Besides me, I know many people who would rather have a telephoto lens than an ultra-wide angle lens, but it’s always good to have everything. So the camera setup consists of a 50MP wide-angle camera, a 3X telephoto lens and a 0.6X ultra-wide-angle lens – making the camera quite versatile – even compared to its closest competitor.

Images from the main camera are excellent – with phenomenal dynamic range, sharpness and minimal noise in low light. The lens also controls flare, which was a notable problem with previous Galaxy flagships. Colors and skin tones are reproduced well even in natural lighting, but in artificial lighting the camera tends to emphasize yellows – especially in skin tones – and this makes the skin look yellow. I believe a software update can fix this and shouldn’t stop you from enjoying an overall excellent camera system.

Portrait mode is also pretty solid with the Galaxy S23 – with solid edge detection and natural bokeh. I especially like portrait mode shots using the 3X telephoto lens, which creates background compression similar to an 85mm full-frame lens. Even compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, the edge detection is phenomenal and works consistently well.

For some time now, Samsung has included Pro modes – for both photos and videos, and here you can edit the images as you like. And even get high-resolution photos at 50 megapixels – for those who want maximum detail.

However, the biggest problem with Samsung’s flagship cameras has been the infamous shutter lag for some time, and unfortunately it returns on the Galaxy S23. It’s not as bad as it used to be, and most users won’t even notice it, but if you’re into shooting fast-moving subjects like kids, pets, and more, you’ll consistently end up with soft-looking photos.

And speaking of video capabilities, 4K60 and 4K30 videos are excellent, almost creeping up to iPhone standards – with great dynamics, fine highlight reproduction, accurate color reproduction and minimal low-light noise. I’m also a fan of the Portrait Video feature, now in its fourth generation. It holds the focus and offers a natural looking focus.

Overall, the Galaxy S23’s camera system is one you can trust, and it’s sure to offer a dynamic and versatile setup that anyone would enjoy in their pocket.

Here are more camera samples:

Attention to detail: Masterstroke!

Speaking of freaking gross, the Galaxy S23 impressed me here as well. Samsung has left no stone unturned to ensure a premium user experience just how good the haptics are thanks to the great vibration motor. OneUI 5.1 is also a significant improvement over the previous few iterations.

The animations are smooth, and other features like Quick Share ensure a seamless experience if you’re in the Galaxy ecosystem. I’ve also used the Galaxy Book3 Pro alongside the Galaxy S23, and let me tell you that the experience is just as good as Apple’s. Copy-paste, drag-and-drop images, and even use mobile devices as a secondary display—it all comes together!

Verdict: The reliable compact Android flagship you’ve been waiting for

The Samsung Galaxy S23 features a sleek and robust design with a gorgeous 6.1-inch FHD 120Hz display that’s bright, symmetrical, and features a hole-punch front camera. Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the phone offers exceptional performance without the heating or battery issues that the previous model had.

In addition, the battery life has been significantly improved, providing all-day use and 7 hours of display on a single charge. However, the charging experience is limited to 25 watts. The camera system is also reliable, producing excellent images with a versatile set of lenses, although there are some inconsistencies in artificial lighting.

Overall, I’d rate the Samsung Galaxy S23 pretty highly, and if you’re looking for a compact Android flagship phone that doesn’t compromise on specs and overall user experience, look no further than the Galaxy S23.

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