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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Snapdragon for all
The S23 Ultra finally brings Qualcomm’s chips to the rest of the world
The Galaxy S23 Ultra isn’t a massive upgrade over its predecessor, but it makes the right changes in the right places. All models come with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with the Exynos model nowhere to be seen. Pair that with a brand-new 200MP primary camera, and you’ll have a well-rounded phone.
Pros- Snapdragon in all markets
- Flatter display and sides
- Improved battery life
Cons- Heavier than last year’s model
- Incompatible with previous phone’s accessories
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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
A nearly flawless 2022 device
The S22 Ultra first bridged the gap between S and Note
You shouldn’t ignore the S22 Ultra just because a shiny new model has just been released. This phone, so long as you get the Snapdragon version, is a powerhouse to be reckoned with, thanks to its inherited Galaxy Note features and impressive display.
Pros- Frequent deals
- Iconic design
- Excellent performance and camera
Cons- Display is more curvy than S23 Ultra
- Both Snapdragon and Exynos variants run hot
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is Samsung’s latest phone to bear the name “Ultra.” As such, it has a spec sheet that can make even the most casual tech fan’s mouth water. Even so, that doesn’t mean you should forget about the Galaxy S22 Ultra just because it’s a year old. As one of the best Samsung phones, it’s an exceptional device that will likely see significant discounts now that the replacement has arrived. Not sure which Ultra to buy? Let’s break down the differences between them.
Pricing, availability, and specs
Samsung sells its phones in dozens of countries, both unlocked and on most major carriers, so if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance both phones will be available. Both of these phones have the same launch price of $1,200 (though there are great S23 deals around if you’re looking), but it should be noted that the S23 Ultra starts with double the storage at 256GB. While the Samsung Store still lists the S22 Ultra at the full price, Amazon and Best Buy have reduced the phone to $800.
While tech specs don’t tell the whole story, you can see a full breakdown of both phones here:
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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Display 6.8″ QHD+ curved-edge AMOLED, 1~120Hz refresh, 240Hz touch sampling 6.8-inch 1440 x 3088 AMOLED @ 120Hz (variable) RAM 8GB or 12GB 8GB, 12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Battery 5,000mAh 5,000mAh Ports USB-C, S Pen silo 1x USB Type-C Operating System One UI 5.1 w/ Android 13 Android 12 with One UI 4.1 Front camera 12MP f/2,2 40MP f/2.2, 26mm Rear cameras 200MP f/1.7 OIS main, 12MP f/2.2 wide (120°), 10MP f/2.4 OIS zoom (3x), 10MP f/4.9 OISzoom (10x) 108 MP f/1.8 primary, 12 MP f/2.2 ultrawide, 10 MP f/2.4 3x telephoto, 10 MP f/4.9 10x telephoto, Connectivity 4G, 5G, UWB, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC 5G mmWave and sub6; Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e; Bluetooth 5.2 Dimensions 163.3 × 78 × 8.9mm 163.3mm x 77.9mm x 8.9mm, 229g Weight 234g 229 grams Charging 45W wired (Quick Charge 2.0, Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging), 15W wireless (Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, WPC), Wireless PowerShare 45W wired, 15W wireless (Qi) IP Rating IP68 IP68 Price From $1,200 Starting at $1,200
Design and build quality
Unless you know what you’re looking for, the S22 Ultra and S23 Ultra look almost identical. They both have frames made of armored aluminum, and the S22 Ultra uses Gorilla Glass Victus, while the S23 has Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The curve of the display on the new phone has been reduced and is similar to that of the S21 Ultra, making the S23 Ultra far easier to hold and also fit screen protectors better. Except for the rear cameras being slightly larger on the newer model and the power button/volume rocker situated slightly lower on the right side, everything else is the same.
Software and performance
The Galaxy S23 Ultra launched with One UI 5.1 based upon Android 13, and the S22 Ultra and other Samsung devices have all been updated to match. One UI 5.1 includes several quality-of-life improvements, including a battery widget, redesigned media player that matches stock Android 13, and more.
Both phones come equipped with the iconic S Pen, which means all of Samsung’s stylus features and apps are here. The S Pen is either a plastic stick you’ll never use or, in our case, one of the main reasons to buy one. Seeing the pen return again is always welcome.
Performance will be one of the main reasons to upgrade if you live outside the US. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 that the Galaxy S22 Ultra used in the US had some thermal issues, but overall it did a decent job. Unfortunately, the rest of the world had to put up with the Exynos 2200, an awful chip that can’t maintain performance and runs hotter than a neutron star.
Source: Samsung
Finally, the Galaxy S23 series has brought the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to all regions. Now that the S23 Ultra has been available for a few months, we can finally see how much of a difference that makes. For example, my S22 Ultra was a hot mess, barely able to run basic apps like Google Maps without overheating with throttling performance. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 also had some thermal issues, which were later fixed with the 8+ Gen 1, but that was nothing compared to the Exynos variant.
The S23 Ultra suffers from none of these issues. On a recent road trip, I had Google Maps and Telegram accessing GPS, Spotify streaming music over Bluetooth, and Twitter and Facebook open in split screen for three hours, all while the phone acted as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Over that time, the phone didn’t get warm or drop a frame. The 8 Gen 2 is a marvel.
The S22 Ultra is available in 8/128GB, 12/256GB, 12/512GB, and 12GB/1TB variants, and the S23 Ultra comes in 8/256GB, 12/512GB, and 12GB/1TB. It’s nice to see Samsung raise the base storage to 256GB, but it’s a shame that 8GB of RAM is all that’s available in the base model.
Battery and charging
The specs here are identical for both phones: A 5,000mAh battery that can be charged at 15W wirelessly and up to 45W wired. Both phones can also share power through reverse wireless charging up to 4.5W.
While those specs are the same, the real-world experience is quite different. The S22 Ultra would experience thermal issues while charging, so it couldn’t maintain 45W for very long. In contrast, the S23 Ultra has a new cooling system that enables it to sustain max charging speeds for far longer. My Exynos 22 Ultra would take around an hour to charge from 20-100% on a 45W adapter, while my S23 Ultra can do that in about 35 minutes, all while staying cool to the touch.
Battery life itself is also pretty great. You’ll get about an hour or two longer than the Snapdragon S22 Ultra and significantly longer than the Exynos version. I was one of the lucky ones who received their S23 Ultra before the official release date, and in all that time, I still haven’t been able to kill the battery. With heavy use, including YouTube, YouTube Music, Disney+, Slack, Gmail, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the occasional round of Smash Hit, I’m averaging about eight hours of screen time each day.
Display
The displays are essentially the same. Both use 6.8-inch, 1440p panels that can reach a peak brightness of 1,750 nits and vary their refresh rate between 1 and 120Hz. One noticeable difference is the display curve, which has been reigned in on the S23 Ultra, making the S23 Ultra far more comfortable and should make screen protectors easier to fit.
The displays being the same isn’t bad, as it’s a beautiful panel that’s smooth, crisp, and bright. It’s just a small change compared to previous years, where each new generation of Galaxy S phones would bring a massive leap in display quality. It seems like we’ve finally reached the point of diminishing returns.
Cameras
The cameras are the most important part of the Ultra phone, and neither phone disappoints. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a 40MP selfie camera with autofocus, a 108MP primary camera, two 10MP telephoto lenses at 3X and 10X, and a 12MP ultra-wide lens that doubles as a macro mode.
The S23 Ultra shares these cameras with two exceptions — the selfie and primary cameras. The selfie shooter is now a brand-new 12MP sensor with autofocus and is shared with the other members of the S23 series. The lower megapixel count may look like a downgrade on paper, but with a sensor small enough to fit into a hole punch, the 12MP unit should take better photos, especially in low light.
The primary sensor has been upgraded from 108MP to 200MP. Now, bigger numbers don’t always mean better performance. But this 200MP sensor has been eagerly expected for a long time, and hopefully, Samsung has spent enough time perfecting it for this phone. The S22 Ultra suffers from shutter lag on the hardware side and over-sharpening on the software end, so hopefully, both of these things have been fixed in the S23.
Which should you buy?
Even though the S23 Ultra can be found for $800 on Amazon, the choice is simple — buy the S23 Ultra, especially if there’s a deal available. If you live outside the US, the difference between the two is huge, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Unlike the Exynos found in the S22, this chip can provide blazing performance and efficiency without blazing temperatures. Even in the US, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 ran hotter than we’d like, although the difference is less significant. Combine this chip with the new 200MP primary camera, improved selfie shooter, and flatter display, and you get the best smartphone Samsung has made in a long time.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Snapdragon for all
The S23 Ultra finally brings Qualcomm’s chips to the rest of the world
$975 $1200 Save $225
The Galaxy S23 Ultra isn’t a massive upgrade over its predecessor, but it makes the right changes in the right places. All models come with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with the Exynos model nowhere to be seen. Pair that with a brand-new 200MP primary camera, and you’ll have a well-rounded phone.
- New 200MP main sensor
- Flatter display and sides
- Improved battery life
- Heavier than last year’s model
- Incompatible with previous phone’s accessories
If you live in the US, where you can get the Snapdragon S22 Ultra and find a good deal on one, you’ll be more than happy with it. It’s still a capable device in its US configuration; you just need to find it for the right price.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
A nearly flawless 2022 device
The S22 Ultra first bridged the gap between S and Note
You shouldn’t ignore the S22 Ultra just because a shiny new model has just been released. So long as you get the Snapdragon version, this phone is a powerhouse to be reckoned with, thanks to its inherited Galaxy Note features and impressive display.
- Frequent deals
- Iconic design
- Excellent performance and camera
- Display is more curvy than S23 Ultra
- Both Snapdragon and Exynos variants run hot
