I have been using Samsung S23 for about a week now. I have found it to be a capable flagship smartphone. While my full review is not ready yet, I would like to answer some of the important questions that i have been asked about this compact premium flagship. If you have any questions that I do not answer in this article, feel free to ask using the Comment form below.
Table of Contents
When did the S23 come out?
Samsung S23 was announced and released in February 2023.
Is the Galaxy S23 waterproof?
Yes, it is waterproof. The Galaxy S23 has an official ingress rating of IP68. That means it is dust proof and it will survive dunks in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. That is enough time for you to get it out.
Does Samsung S23 have fast charging?
Yes, the S23 has 25W fast charging. Personally, I think Samsung is shitty for not doing better than that. Premium flagships from competitors around the world now have 80W to 150W fast charging. Why is Samsung including creepy-crawly 25W fast charging in a phone of this class?
How much RAM does the S23 have?
Samsung S23 has only 8GB of RAM. There are no variants with more or less RAM, though it has three different storage options – 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. All three variants have 8GB RAM.
How long does the S23 battery last?
Now, this is a subjective question, because battery life depends on how heavy each person uses their phone. I use mine heavily – I am on my phone often (except for when driving, in a meeting, or sleeping). The Galaxy S23 has not died on me once before the end of my day. Last Saturday, I was out all day at an event and the battery didn’t even come close to dying. I suspect that I can squeeze a day and half, or maybe two, of use out of it, if I try.
Does the S23 have a pen?
Not at all. Samsung Galaxy S23 does not have a pen (stylus). If you want a Samsung with a pen, you should be looking at Samsung S23 Ultra.
What is the difference between Samsung S23 and S23 Ultra?
The S23 Ultra is bigger, has bigger battery capacity, faster charging, has the option of more RAM (12GB), has a superior camera configuration, and supports the S Pen stylus. Of course, the S23 Ultra also costs more. Much more. You can see a more detailed comparison in our Galaxy S23 vs S23 Plus vs S23 Ultra comparison.
Does the S23 have an SD card slot?
Not at all, Samsung S23 does not have any physical expandable memory. You cannot put a memory card in it. All the memory you get to store your files, images, and videos is the one built into it – 128Gb, 256GB, or 512GB.
What is the lowest price of Samsung S23?
The lowest price I have found for the S23 (8/128GB) is US $695 from the Wireless Place online store for the unlocked international version. Amazon has it, factory unlocked, for US $725. In the United Kingdom, you can pick one up for £689 from the Amazon UK website. These are the best prices I have found for the S23.
Is Samsung S23 better than iPhone 14?
The iPhone 14 and Samsung S23 are evenly matched in more ways than one. Build wise, they are both top premium smartphones. They also have the same screen sizes and share similar dimensions. There are a few ways in which the S23 is better than the iPhone 14. They include performance – raw benchmark tests show the S23 posting much better numbers than the iPhone 134, fast charging – it gets to a full charge faster than the iPhone 14 does, and battery life – the battery lasts longer than the iPhone 14’s.
Is Samsung S23 worth buying? My verdict
having used the phone for a while, I am convinced that it is worth buying, but only if you do not already own the Galaxy S22. Why? The S23 is not much of an upgrade from the S22. But if you do not already own the S22 and you want a compact, value-for-money premium flagship in 2023, Samsung Galaxy S23 is absolutely worth buying. You should check out our Samsung Galaxy S23 Unboxing and First Impressions. My detailed review is on the way!