It won’t be long before the Samsung Galaxy S23 arrives – just over a month, one rumor claims. And with three different models likely to appear at Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event, knowing the differences between the Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra can help you decide which one is right for you.
Of course, there’s nothing official about the Galaxy S23 as of this writing, which makes comparing specs somewhat difficult. However, thanks to the Galaxy S23 rumors, we know enough about the upcoming phones to make some basic assumptions about what to expect from Samsung’s flagship phones.
As with recent Galaxy S releases, we’re expecting three phones. Alongside the base Galaxy S23 model, we should get a slightly larger Plus phone with the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Not only will this phone have the largest screen and the highest price, but it will probably feature a set of more unique features, which differ from the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus.
Here’s a preview of the Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. Galaxy S23 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra, and a look at how these three phones differ.
Comparison of Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra
| Row 0 – cell 0 | Galaxy S23 | Galaxy S23 Plus | Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Screen Size | 6.1 inches AMOLED (2,340 x 1,080) | 6.6 inches AMOLED (2,340 x 1,080) | 6.8 inches AMOLED (3088 x 1440) |
| CPU | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB, 12 GB |
| storage | 128 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| back cameras | 50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, 10 MP telephoto (3x zoom) | 50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, 10 MP telephoto (3x zoom) | 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto (3x zoom), 10MP telephoto (10x zoom) |
| front cameras | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| battery size | 3900 mAh | 4700 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Shipping speed | 25 watts wired | 45 watts wired | 45 watts wired |
| size | 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches | 6.2 x 3 x 0.3 inches | 6.4 x 3.1 x 0.35 inches |
| Weight | 6 oz | 7.3 oz | 8.2 oz |
| Colors | Phantom Black, Green, Lavender, Cream | Phantom Black, Green, Lavender, Cream | Phantom Black, Green, Lavender, Cream |
Comparison of Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra Price and availability
It is likely that all three Galaxy S23 phones will appear at the same time. According to the latest Galaxy S23 launch rumors, it will likely be sometime in February, which will go along with the recent Galaxy S releases.
While there has been talk of a possible delay to the Galaxy S23 launch as Samsung settles on pricing — more on that in a moment — for now, the most confident rumor we’ve heard is that Samsung will hold a Galaxy S23 launch event on February 1. If the phones are accurate, it’s The phones will likely land on retail shelves by mid-February.
As for pricing, we’d expect the same prices Samsung is charging for the Galaxy S22 series — $799 for the entry-level model, $999 for the Plus and $1,199 for the Ultra. As mentioned, a December rumor claimed that Samsung executives were still debating how much the phones would cost. This may reflect concerns about rising component prices, which could force the phone maker to pass the cost on to consumers. However, we still hope that Samsung will keep the prices the same as last year or even drop the cost on the S23 Plus.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. Galaxy S23 Plus comparison, Galaxy S23 Ultra design and screen
We don’t expect any of the new Galaxy S23 models to deviate much from what the Galaxy S22 offered in terms of design and display size. The three display options — 6.1 inches in the base model, 6.6 inches for the Plus and 6.8 inches for the Ultra — will likely remain the same for this year’s editions. Similarly, we expect all three phones will offer a 120Hz refresh rate, but only the Ultra will be able to downsize to 1Hz when screen activity is constant; The S23 and S23 Plus should keep their range from 48Hz to 120Hz, if the rumors are accurate.
The biggest design change could come in the form of the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus, adopting the look of the Ultra models, with the rear camera lenses stacked vertically and individually instead of being grouped into a matrix that blends into the side of the phone. In other words, the contour cut-out design of the previous models will disappear, as Samsung strives for a unified look for its Galaxy S phones. This is what the leaked visualizations and units suggested in any way.
Samsung usually runs different colors for the different Galaxy S models, though rumors of Galaxy S23 colors suggest that could change. Specifically, we’ve only heard rumors of all three models featuring the same four color options of Phantom Black, Lavender, Green, and Cream. Shots of Galaxy S23 accessories like the Ultra’s S Pen have indicated these colors, though we can always see some last-second options tied to specific models.
Comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra cameras
Rumors point to a few changes in the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus’ cameras, as these two phones once again share the same camera setup – a 50MP main lens backed by 12MP and 10MP telephoto shooters.
Instead, the big camera change is expected to come to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, with the 108MP main camera on previous Ultra models giving way to a 200MP shooter. Reportedly, you’ll be able to switch between 200MP, 50MP, and 12.5MP shots depending on how much detail or brightness you want in a particular photo. Rumors have it that the Galaxy S23 Ultra has the same 12MP ultrawide shooter and dual 10MP telephoto lenses as before.
The S23 Ultra could see something of a downgrade from the front camera, at least in terms of megapixels. Unlike the 40MP front camera on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the new phone could see a 12MP sensor instead that should offer other resolution improvements. Coincidentally, this is the same 12MP sensor that’s been rumored to be coming to the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus, as these phones get an upgrade from the 10MP front-facing camera from their predecessors.
Comparison of Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra
Previous Galaxy S models featured Qualcomm’s latest silicon for models released in the US and several other markets, while European countries see phones powered by Samsung’s own Exynos chips. Europe gets the raw end of the bargain here, as Exynos doesn’t usually perform as well as Qualcomm’s best Snapdragon chip.
Things could change with the release of the Galaxy S23, though all three models are expected to get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. What’s more, this silicon is expected to power every model regardless of which country the phone ships in. This is potentially great news, since our benchmarks for a reference device running on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 show that the chip is able to match the performance on Apple’s A15 Bionic silicon in some tests. The A16 Bionic should continue the iPhone 14 Pro models to set the benchmark for performance.
| Phone | Healer | Single-core Geekbench 5 scores | Geekbench 5 multi-core score |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Reference Design | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | 1500 | 5249 |
| Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | Snapdragon 8 of the first generation | 1,240 | 3,392 |
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max | A16 Bionic | 1,882 | 5,333 |
| Apple iPhone 14 | A15 Bionic | 1,727 | 4553 |
As a result, we’re expecting a significant performance boost for the Galaxy S23 models thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. There may be an added benefit, as all Samsung phones may receive an overclocked version of the Qualcomm chipset.
Another possible impact on the performance of the Galaxy S23 could be the improvement of the cooling system for the new phones. Leaked on Twitter Ahmed Koueider He claims that the Galaxy S23 models will feature a new cooling system that will prevent the phones from overheating, allowing them to enjoy sustained performance for extended periods.
This is likely to be the common denominator between the three new models – what about the differences? The Galaxy S23 Ultra can feature multiple RAM options – either 8GB or 12GB – while the S23 and S23 Plus offer an 8GB version. Another rumor states that the Galaxy S23 Ultra starts with 256GB of storage, instead of the base 128GB storage on the other two models. The storage size of the Galaxy S23 Ultra can also be up to 1 TB.
Comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra battery and charging
We’d expect the Galaxy S23 Ultra to still have the largest battery out of all three S23 models. After all, it’s the largest of the three phones with the largest energy-saving display. Indeed, rumors suggest that the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery, the same power pack that features the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
But the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus should have larger batteries than their predecessors, at least if rumors about the phones prove true. Both phones are expected to see a 200mAh battery increase. That translates to a 3,900mAh cell for the Galaxy S23 and a 4,700mAh power pack for the S23 Plus.
Honestly, we welcome the larger batteries in these two phones. Battery size doesn’t automatically translate to longer battery life — the power efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip will have something to say about that, too — but the S22 series didn’t quite hit a spot on our best phone battery list. We hope to see that improve with the Galaxy S23 models, and if larger batteries help, even better.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra and S22 Plus benefited from 45W charging speeds, while the Galaxy S22 benefitted from 25W. According to the Galaxy S23 rumors, none of that will change with the upcoming models.
Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. Galaxy S23 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra program and special features
Count on one big difference between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the other two models in this lineup. Like the last two Ultras in the Galaxy S family, this new one should include an S Pen. And like the Galaxy S22 Ultra before it, the S23 Ultra will have a built-in slot to house the Samsung Pencil.
Otherwise, we wouldn’t expect many differences between the software and special features of the Galaxy S23 range. All three phones are sure to ship with Android 13 in the form of Samsung’s One UI 5 skin.
Another rumor indicates that the Galaxy S23 supports satellite calling in the vein of a similar feature introduced by Apple in the iPhone 14 series that allows you to contact emergency services even without a cellular signal. As with the iPhone 14, all three Galaxy S23 models are expected to support this new capability.
Comparison of Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra
With a month to go for the possible launch of the new Samsung phones, there is still time for more differences to emerge between the Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra. But we imagine the same basic differences are already present in these phones.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is likely to get the most powerful camera, more RAM and storage space, and a built-in S Pen, which helps justify its status as the most expensive model. The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus will have more in common with each other, with the more affordable Plus attracting shoppers who want a bigger screen and faster charging. The Galaxy S23 will be positioned as the phone for the widest audience, with the telephoto lens helping it stand out from similarly priced competitors.
We should find out how accurate these predictions are in February, as the launch date of the Galaxy S23 phones approaches.
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