The right stuff
Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone retains its small stature but gains much more power with the new Snapdragon chip and a larger battery for more playtime. If you can get past the dull colors, this may be your next small Android phone.
For
- Clean design
- More durable
- Powerful new Snapdragon chip
- Larger battery
- Higher-resolution selfie camera
Against
- Dull colorways
- Only 25W charging
- Not many upgrades over S22
Looks aren’t everything
The Galaxy S22 is a great-looking smartphone with plenty of power and great cameras, although it suffers from poor battery life and some thermal issues when gaming. Might be worth a look if found at a very deep discount.
For
- Great performance
- Fantastic cameras
- Small and pocketable
- Long software support
Against
- Poor battery life
- Gets hot
- Slow camera shutter
- No microSD support
Another year, another flagship. Samsung has one-upped itself again by releasing its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S23. Its last flagship series was impressive enough, and despite a few hiccups and some shortcomings, it didn’t seem there was too much to improve on with this new series.
That said, did Samsung actually listen and make the improvements we asked for? Well, it’s tough to say without actually using the Galaxy S23. However, on paper, it looks like Samsung may have beefed things up a little on the inside while paring things down on the outside.
Here, we’ll compare the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S23 to see which one is a better fit for you and help determine whether or not an upgrade is in order.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. S22: Design
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After mostly copy/pasting the S21 design into the Galaxy S22, Samsung opted for a fresher take on the Galaxy S23. It got rid of the camera island on the top corner of the phone and instead opted to have the three camera modules individually protruding out of the rear panel. The effect is pretty clean, and it’s very much giving LG Velvet but without the raindrop effect.
It’s clear Samsung was trying to give the Galaxy S23 series a more cohesive design, and it pretty much nailed it. The result is a flatter back that likely won’t wobble as much and, overall, a seemingly cleaner look.
Samsung appears to be adopting a similar design across its smartphone lineup.
Although interestingly, Samsung has also gone with this same exact design for its new mid-range/budget smartphones, such as the Galaxy A14 5G, and it’s rumored that Samsung may be doing the same with the A-series smartphones down the line. If that’s the case, it may simplify things for Samsung in terms of design, but it makes the Galaxy S23 look less distinctive against its budget smartphones.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S22 still manages to stand out with its unique camera island. Not only that, but the Galaxy S22 has some nice colors, like our favorite green or the newer Bora Purple. The Galaxy S23 mixes it up and even goes for a different hue of green, but somehow they don’t seem to stand out as much.
Other than the cameras and colors, the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22 look largely similar. This includes the 6.1-inch display with a hole-punch selfie camera, a slightly curved aluminum frame, and placement of the ports and buttons.
For extra peace of mind, Samsung slapped on the new Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the new Galaxy S23 series. What this means is that it should be able to withstand drops onto uneven surfaces like concrete.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. S22: Specs
The devices don’t just look different on the outside, but there are some notable differences on the inside, too. For starters, the Galaxy S23 is now powered by a snapdragon chip globally. That’s a big plus for fans in countries where Exynos variants were sold.
The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy features a more powerful prime core than its predecessor, and it’s also clocked much higher than the standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, meaning it should be able to perform better. The Galaxy S22 was no slouch, although it suffered from some early throttling and thermal issues. Qualcomm seemed to learn with the introduction of the 8+ Gen 1, and we expect similar improvements with this new chipset.
In our chip comparison, we see that the 8 Gen 2 seems to offer noticeable improvements in performance and battery life, which is a good sign.
| Category | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S22 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display (1080×2340), 120Hz refresh rate (48-120Hz), Up to 1,750 nits | 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display (1080×2340), 120Hz refresh rate (48-120Hz), Up to 1,300 nits |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Exynos 2200 |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB |
| Memory | 8GB | 8GB |
| Rear Camera 1 | 50MP Wide-angle, f1.8, 85° | 50MP Wide-angle, f1.8, 1/1.56″, 1.0μm (12MP 2.0μm), 85° |
| Rear Camera 2 | 12MP Ultrawide, f2.2, 120° | 12MP Ultrawide, f2.2, 1/2.55″, 1.4μm, 120° |
| Rear Camera 3 | 10MP Telephoto (3x), f2.4, 36° | 10MP Telephoto (3x), f2.4, 1/3.94″, 1.0μm, 36° |
| Selfie Camera | 12MP, f2.2, 80° | 10MP, f2.2, 1.22μm, 1/3.24, 80° |
| Battery & Charging | 3,900mAh, 25W wired, 15W wireless | 3,700mAh, 25W wired, 15W wireless |
| Connectivity | 5G (sub-6, mmWave), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6E | 5G (sub-6, mmWave), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6 |
| Protection | IP68, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | IP68, Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
| Dimensions | 70.86 x 146.3 x 7.62mm, 168.1g | 70.6 x 146 x 7.6mm, 167g |
| Colors | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender | Phantom White, Phantom Black, Green, Pink Gold |
When it comes to battery life, this was something that the Galaxy S22 suffered with. In my experience, the phone can barely last through half the day without needing to be charged. Fortunately, Samsung appeared to have heard us and gave the S23 more juice. The extra 200mAh may not seem like a lot, but it can make a big difference in the long run.
Display brightness wasn’t among my complaints, but Samsung has made improvements here, too. Instead of the smaller phone pulling the short end of the stick, Samsung has upped the peak brightness from 1300nits on the Galaxy S22 to 1750nits on the Galaxy S23, matching that of the S23 Plus and S23 Ultra. This should result in better outdoor visibility.
Wi-Fi 6E is also present in the Galaxy S23, allowing it to tap into more consistent speeds. This is oddly present on the Galaxy S22 despite being on the other models in the series. Unfortunately, neither come with UWB onboard.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. S22: Cameras
As far as the camera department goes, there isn’t much difference between the two, at least when you look at the raw specs. Both feature 50MP primary sensors, 12MP ultrawide cameras, and 10MP telephoto sensors. Samsung also touts enhanced Nightography capabilities on both, thanks to IOS and AI processing. In my time with the Galaxy S22, it’s performed admirably in low-light situations with both images and video, even coming head-to-head with the Pixel 7.
With a new chipset and newer software, the Galaxy S23 may have the S22 beat, but it’s not clear by how much. I’ll have to wait to get my hands on the device to decide whether the S23 offers a big enough jump in camera quality, but my guess is that it doesn’t.
On the other hand, selfies are likely to see some improvement thanks to the higher 12MP resolution. According to Samsung, it’s capable of fast autofocus, “Super HDR,” and 4K60 video recording.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. S22: Which should you buy?
If you’re trying to decide between purchasing the Galaxy S22 or Galaxy S23, the choice seems fairly clear to me. The S23 seems to address just about everything that I found wrong with the Galaxy S22, and there weren’t many things on that list. The Galaxy S22 is plenty powerful, but the S23 takes it up a notch with the new chipset. And for most people, a longer-lasting battery is a big deal, especially if you’re not trying to be tethered to your charger.
As far as design goes, it’s really a matter of preference, but I like the simplicity of the S23, even if I prefer the color options of the Galaxy S22.
Of course, pricing is always a factor, and while the Galaxy S23 starts at $799, the Galaxy S22 will now be sold at a new price of $699, which may make it a bit more enticing for buyers.
Upgrading from the Galaxy S22? Maybe wait another year.
If you’re deciding to upgrade from the Galaxy S22, it’s not as easy a decision. If you can find some great trade-in deals, then go for it, but aside from the older chipset and poor battery life, the Galaxy S22 is still a great device with a phenomenal camera and was one of the best Android phones of 2022. You may be good just sticking with the S22 for another year or so and getting your money’s worth. And just like the S23, the Galaxy S22 gets four major OS upgrades and five years of security updates, so you’ll receive support for years to come.
Of course, I have yet to get my hands on the Galaxy S23 myself, so all of this is really just based on what I know of the phone. Once I can get my hands on it and put it through its paces, I’ll be sure to update this with my experience and full thoughts on these two phones.
New kid on the block
The Galaxy S23 is Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone. It’s powered by an exclusive new Snapdragon chip, has a bright AMOLED display, and comes with a larger battery that can help you get through more of the day.
The Galaxy S22 is a gorgeous phone with plenty of power to handle just about anything you need. It’s small enough to fit in just about any pocket, while being big enough to enjoy all your favorite games and content on the sharp 6.1-inch AMOLED display.
