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Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ First Impressions and Camera Samples!

OPPO
Infinix
We got an early look at the new Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+. These are our thoughts and first impressions of the new premium phones.
Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ First Impressions and Camera Samples!
Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ in cream and lavender

After months of speculation, Samsung has finally officially launched the Galaxy S23 series including the S23 and S23+.

Both smartphones feature an FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz Touch Sampling rate. Inside is the 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 5G octa-core processor, 8GB RAM, and 128GB/256GB/512GB of storage. There is no microSD card slot. Powering the smaller S23 is a 3,900mAh battery with up to 25W fast charging while the larger S23+ has a 4,700mAh battery with up to 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0.

At the back of both models are a 50MP f/1.8 main camera, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, and 10MP 3x telephoto camera with an LED flash while in front is a 12MP f/2.2 selfie camera.

In the Philippines, the Samsung Galaxy S23 starts at PHP 53,990 for the 8GB/128GB model while the Galaxy S23+ starts at PHP 68,990 for the 8GB/256GB model.


Is it worth it? Let's dive in!

Build Quality/Design

Floating camera design
Floating camera design

Both of the new models feature the same Armor Aluminium that arrived with the S22 and S22+ last year.

The metal frame in between the glass back panel and the glass front panel feels solid, hefty and expensive. Its polish reminds us of high-end jewellery.

IP68 rating for water and dust resistance


Meanwhile, the main upgrade of the two phone's display is the new Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection.

Like the previous generation, the S23 and the S23+ have IP68 water and dust resistance rating. When pulled out, users can see the water-sealing gasket on the SIM tray.
SIM trays
SIM trays

At first glance, the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the S23+ look more like a refinement of the previous generation. The metal frame that extended to the camera module on the S22 series is gone and has been replaced with a floating camera design.

The S22 and S23+ will arrive in Phantom Black, Cream, Green and Lavender.
Crisp, bright and vibrant displays
Crisp, bright and vibrant displays

Both models feature a flat Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 240Hz touch sampling rate, Vision Booster, 1,750 nits peak brightness and Eye Comfort Shield.

On the upper part of the display is the punch hole that houses the selfie camera. Above it is the razor-thin earpiece that doubles as one-half of the stereo speaker. 

The selfie camera is an upgraded 12MP f/2.2 front-facing shooter with an 80-degree field of view. The previous generation only had a 10MP sensor.
Top and bottom
Top and bottom 

On top of the S23 and S23+ are antenna lines and a microphone port while at the bottom are more antenna lines, more microphone port, SIM tray, USB-C port, and speaker grills.
Left and right sides
Left and right sides

On the left of the S23 and S23+ are more antenna lines while on the right of the two phones is the metal power button and metal volume rocker. Both metal buttons come with satisfying tactile feedback when pressed.

The new S23 has a decent 3,900mAh battery with up to 25W fast charging inside while the bigger S23+ has a larger 4,700mAh battery with up to 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0.

Samsung says that with the 45W travel charger and a 5A USB-C cable, the phone can get up to 65 percent charge in around 30 minutes.

The S23 measures 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm and weighs 168 grams while the S23+ measures 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6mm and weighs 196 grams.
Rear cameras
Rear cameras

For cameras, both models feature a 50MP f/1.8 main camera with Dual Pixel AF and OIS, 12MP f/2.2 120-degree ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 10MP f/2.4 3x optical zoom telephoto with an LED flash.

Externally, the main difference between the two models is the size of the phone and the size of the display.

First Camera Samples

Rear camera 1x
Rear camera 1x
Rear telephoto camera
Rear telephoto camera
Rear ultra-wide camera
Rear ultra-wide camera
Selfie camera
Selfie camera
Selfie portrait
Selfie portrait

Out of the gate, the cameras are as expected. Even if you zoom into the files, there is plenty of detail with minimal noise and artefacts. However, these were shot with pre-production hardware and software so it may not represent the retail version.

Once we get a review unit we will do more intensive camera shots.

As of the moment

Compact phone!
Compact phone!

The Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23+ have been tweaked externally and internally to offer improvements and to push the boundaries of flagship-priced smartphones. Whether or not it justifies the price is up in the air.

Out of the box, the display panels(that are nearly the same as last year) are still stunning with vibrant color, deep contrast, and a fast refresh rate. At FHD+ resolution, images and text on the screen are sharp and detailed because of the smaller screen size.

Another interesting is it now uses the new 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip but overclocked and made specifically for Galaxy devices.

Hardware-wise, the fit and finish are polished to a degree that makes it stand out. It looks and feels expensive.

As mentioned earlier, the Galaxy S23 will come in either 8GB/128GB or 8GB/256GB variant while the S23+ will come in either 8GB/256GB or 8GB/512GB.

The S23 starts at PHP 53,990 while the S23+ starts at PHP 68,990. These are the highest prices the S Series have ever been. But, is it worth it? Maybe.

Stay tuned for our full review once we get our hands on a review unit.

What do you guys think?

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