Samsung Galaxy s23 Ultra vs. S23+:What’s the Difference and Which Should You Buy?

Over the years, Samsung has been a major contributor to the high-end evolution that has hit the technology world. Without mincing words, one can easily spot the difference between a Samsung smartphone and other smartphones thanks to its unique and stand-out features.

Following Samsung’s latest lineup, one would be confused about whether to go for Samsung S23 Ultra or make do with the plus variant. This article will highlight some of the key features of each spec to help you make the right choice suitable for you.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

One thing I like about this phone is that the design is consistent with the rest of the series, unlike the previous S22 Ultra. The 6.8-inch display is the biggest of the bunch currently, and it’s the only screen with a dynamic refresh rate that can increase all the way up to 120Hz. It’s also the only phone of the three S23 variants that supports the S Pen stylus, which is included and slides into the phone, and has the only slightly curved panel of the three. With one minor design change, there is now always black regardless of the model you purchase, with the end only matching the phone’s finish in color.

With the inclusion of a third tier that offers an upgrade to a full 1TB of storage, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and base storage options are the same as those of the S23+. But this 1TB variant will only be available at the Samsung shop in at least select areas, like the UK. Additionally, you have the option to increase your RAM to 12GB for quicker performance. The 5000mAh battery is the largest of the bunch, and it offers the same 45W wired and 15W wireless charging as the S23+.

The Ultra definitely shines when it comes to the camera. The 200Mp monster back camera, which uses Samsung’s latest ISOCELL HP2 sensor, is the primary update. This has a sizable 1/1.3-inch sensor, improved HDR, better low-light focusing, and Tetra2pixel technology, which enables the phone to pixel-bin to various levels depending on the lighting. The S23 Ultra also features the same ultrawide, 3x zoom, and 10x zoom camera technologies as its predecessor. This corresponds to 12Mp for the ultrawide and 10Mp for the two telephoto lenses.

The Ultra also adopts the same 12-megapixel selfie camera as the other two phones, but this appears to be a drop from the 40-megapixel sensor previously employed. Although the Ultra’s Mp count has decreased, the resolution is still great; so it’s possible that the selfie quality has increased despite this. As the king of huge smartphones, the Galaxy S23 Ultra makes excellent use of its size by cramming in a sizable battery, amazing cameras, and an S Pen. The phone is essentially the same as last year’s model, but it has a brand-new primary camera and a less curved screen.

For camera capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remains at the top. It features a 200-megapixel main camera with an f/1.7 aperture and an 85-degree field of view, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 120-degree field of view, and two 10-megapixel telephoto lenses with f/2.4 and f/4.9 apertures, respectively, to provide 3x and 10x optical zoom and 100x space zoom.

Samsung Galaxy S23+

The design, colors, and proportions are substantially the same as those of the S23. The 6.6-inch display is obviously the primary difference, but other than that, it has the same specifications as its smaller sibling. The S23+ starts at 256GB, which is double the capacity of the less expensive phone, with an option to upgrade to 512GB. The CPU and RAM are the same. In addition, you benefit from a larger battery (4700mAh) and faster wired charging (45W) than the standard S23. The Samsung Galaxy S23+ has a 6.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, making it smaller than the Galaxy S23 ultra. Additional specifications include a 4700mAh battery, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and a triple camera configuration on the rear.

The Galaxy S23+ is a modest update over the S22+ it replaces, incorporating an Ultra-sized camera design and a larger battery than the S22+. This is the Samsung flagship to pick if you want one of the greatest Android phones available and don’t care about an S Pen. The stove-top design for the cameras, which eliminates the adored camera bump that wrapped into the frame, gives the S23+ a lot more in common with the S23 Ultra than its predecessor did. Even while the two smartphones now have the same camera design, there are still many other variances.

The S23+ employs a boxy design with rounded corners and a screen that extends over the sides of the phone, while the S23 Ultra uses a flat display with sharp corners. Both variants are reportedly capable of 45W rapid charging.

Major differences in Specifications

Specification	Galaxy s23 ultra	Galaxy s23+
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform For Galaxy	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform For Galaxy
Display	6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz	6.6-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz
Battery capacity	Li-Ion 5000 mAh, non-removable	Li-Ion 4700 mAh, non-removable
Storage capacity	256GB, 512GB,1TB	256GB, 512 GB
Rear camera	200MP f1.7 primary, 12MP f2.2 ultra-wide, 10MP f2.4 3X telephoto, 10MP f4.9 10X telephoto	50MP f1.8 primary, 12MP f2.2 ultra-wide, 10MP f2.4 3X telephoto
Front Camera	12MP (2PD AF), f2.2	12MP (2PD AF), f2.2
Ports	USB-C	USB-C
Operating system	One UI 5.1, Android 13	One UI 5.1, Android 13
IP rating	IP68	IP68
Colours	Standard: Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender Exclusive: Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red	Standard: Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender Exclusive: Graphite, Lime
Weight	234 g (8.25 oz)	196 g (6.91 oz)
Charging	45W wired, 15W wireless	45W wired, 15W wireless
Connectivity	Sub6, mmWave, Wi-Fi 6e, UWB	Sub6, mmWave, Wi-Fi 6e, UWB
Resolution	1440 x 3088 pixels (~501 ppi density)	2340 x 1080 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio, 390 PPI
Device type	Smartphone	Smartphone
Biometrics	Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer	2D Face unlock, Ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint
Materials	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2

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Conclusion

In contrast, the S23 Ultra offers not just a distinctive style and a larger size, but also superior camera performance on paper, more storage, more RAM, a bigger battery, and the convenience of the S Pen. The Galaxy S23 Ultra now appears to be the greatest choice for those looking for photographic capabilities, while the S23+ will be the ideal combination of features and affordability.