Samsung Galaxy S23 test: an effective smartphone in every way

• Many preinstalled applications

S23 Plus Test

The Galaxy S23 Plus is almost identical to the basic Galaxy S23 in terms of technical sheet. Only screen size (6.6 inches against 6.1 on the basic S23) and battery size (4700 mAh against 3,900 mAh on the basic S23) change. But we feel that Samsung has made real progress by filling the shortcomings suffered by the Galaxy S22 plus last year.

• Consult our comparison of the Galaxy S23 (+) and Galaxy S22 (+)

The autonomy is much better, really. The performances are finally solid thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and Samsung has really done well to drop your Exynos chip this year. In short, it’s a very good smartphone. But what does it give in terms of value for money? Because 1219 euros is overpriced.

• Go see this comparison on the differences between the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra

The Galaxy S23 Plus has been available in France since February 17, 2023. It is available in two configurations of 8/256 GB and 8/512 GB respectively sold 1219 euros and 1339 euros. There is no variant of 128 GB this year, but you benefit from the new UFS 4 storage.0.

Samsung Galaxy S23+

• See offer 1 219, 00 € (Amazon)
• Find on ebay (ebay)

It is also possible to buy your Galaxy S23+ with a package if you accept the commitment. You will be able to amortize the starting cost of the smartphone. However, in the long term, it comes at the same price, or even more expensive, than buying the naked smartphone with a non -binding package.

Samsung once again opted for a combination of metallic edges and a mat finish on the back. The back is now equipped with the new Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which is also found at the front on the AMOLED screen.

The size of the Galaxy S23+ makes it easy to use with one hand, and the Galaxy S range continues to offer an elegant design. I really liked the lavender color of my test model and it did not take too much fingerprints too much. Like previous generations, the Galaxy S23+ is also IP68 certified for water and dust resistance.

The Samsung Galaxy S23+ has the same screen as its predecessor. It measures 6.6 inches with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels, a cooling rate of 120 Hz and a touching rate of 240 Hz. However, do not be mistaken, the display remains exceptional, especially during the consumption of multimedia content.

In summary, it is obvious that Samsung has reached a level of manufacturer and screen quality which does not require a major overhaul, but only minor adjustments to further improve it. In addition, the manufacturer faces little competition on the flagship market, which leaves him a certain room for maneuver before pushing innovations on this specific point.

Interface/OS

The Samsung Galaxy S23+ works under one UI 5.1 based on Android 13, which has already brought some innovative features to Galaxy smartphones. With this version of the software, Samsung has finally appropriated the Material Design, which results in a simple and more intuitive user interface to use. In addition, the company promises four years of Android updates and five years of security fixes.

The strong points of the Galaxy S23+:

• One UI 5 Always as intuitive
• Four years of Android updates
• Five years of security corrections
• Excellent integration with the Samsung ecosystem

The weak points of the Galaxy S23+:

• Many preinstalled applications

My favorite mobile operating system, after iOS, is one ui. In recent years, the two operating systems have been closer and closer, Apple approaching Android and Samsung approaching Apple.

The examples that come to my mind are the customization of the lock screen, as well as the features of the concentration mode and routines. Like the Apple ID, the Samsung account now plays a very similar role in the manufacturer’s ecosystem.

• Which makes the best smartphones between Apple and Samsung?

We have already tested one UI 5 and identified a lot of tips and tricks for Galaxy smartphones. I recommend reading these two articles to better understand Samsung software experience.

It should be noted that Samsung has included many preinstalled applications in the Galaxy S23+. If these applications can be uninstalled if they are not necessary, such as Netflix, Spotify, Facebook, LinkedIn and Microsoft Office, they can nevertheless be deemed unnecessary by certain users. For these people, having applications installed on their new phone that may not interest them frustrating enough.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy S23+ is propelled by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor in an exclusive “For Galaxy” version. It benefits from a higher clock frequency for the main heart compared to the 8 standard Gen 2.

The strong points of the Galaxy S23+:

• Reliable daily performance
• Management of UFS 4 technology.0

The weak points of the Galaxy S23+:

The Galaxy S23+ is a reliable smartphone in terms of performance. Last year, we tested the Exynos variant of the Galaxy S22+ and we actually noticed a difference, not only in the table below, but also during the daily use of the phone.

UFS 4 storage.0 is also faster and more energy efficient than the UFS 3.1, with better correction of errors and the management of advanced functions such as hybrid and write booster standby mode. This means that devices with UFS 4 storage.0 will probably offer better performance and greater autonomy compared to devices with UFS 3 storage.1.

Photo quality

The Galaxy S23+ retains the same photo module as its predecessor with in particular a main objective of 50 MP, an ultra wide angle of 12 MP and a 10 MP telephoto lens.

The strong points of the Galaxy S23+:

• A versatile photo module
• The selfie camera now takes 12 MP photos
• Expert RAW mode with clichés of 50 Mp

The weak points of the Galaxy S23+:

• –

With the Galaxy S23+, you can expect impressive results, both in daylight and in artificial light conditions. Even in front of covered or winter landscapes, the device turned out to be an excellent companion to take photos.

But I must first admit that the X3 optical zoom of the Galaxy S23+ is nothing special. Even Google Pixel 7 (test) is capable of producing images of similar quality without having an optical zoom. However, compared to the iPhone 14 Plus (test), the S23+ additional camera offers a size advantage. It is important to note that when the light is sufficient, the 10x digital zoom can produce vibrant and net images.

I am completely satisfied with the results I obtained with the 12 Mp front camera. Thanks to the larger sensor and the two additional megapixels compared to S22 models, the image quality is really better.

The in -depth processing of portrait photos is much better, with better detection of the edges that respects the person or the object developed. Night photos are also much brighter, and it is remarkable that Samsung can offer so high contrasts even in low light conditions.

The S23+ allows you to film in 8K at a resolution of 30 FPS, but although the video quality is impressive, the bokeh effect in portrait videos is not quite up to the cinematic mode of the iPhone iPhone.

Autonomy

The capacity of the battery of the Galaxy S23+ has increased by 200 mAh, but the slowness of Samsung’s progress in terms of rapid recharging and wireless load the disadvantage compared to its Chinese competitors.

The strong points of the Galaxy S23+:

• A larger battery and improved autonomy
• Wireless recharge always there

The weak points of the Galaxy S23+:

• Quick recharging always lagging behind the competition
• No charger included in the box

The smartphone has set 15:21 before going below 20% battery on our PC Mark autonomy benchmark. However, in daily use, the device lasted even longer, operating for almost two full days. This is one of the categories where the S23+ surpasses the smaller version, because the basic Galaxy S23 has reached only an autonomy of 1:44 p.m.

Technical sheet

Conclusion

I recommend to Samsung fans who already have a Galaxy S22 to jump this generation. But for the others, the Galaxy S23+ is a very good choice.

It has all range improvements with the best autonomy, stronger performance and very good photo quality. It is more expensive than the basic Galaxy S23, the technical sheet of which is however very similar. But if you want a larger screen and a bigger battery, between the S23 and the S23+, it is the S23+ that I would choose.

Samsung Galaxy S23+

• See offer 1,219, 00 € (Samsung)
• Find on Amazon (Amazon)
• Find on ebay (ebay)

Samsung Galaxy S23+ test: an effective smartphone in every way

The Samsung Galaxy S23+ is a Galaxy S23 that has eaten more soup ! So, like his little brother, he offers complete and efficient equipment, with in particular the latest Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm. All in a particularly attractive chassis.

• What is the price of the Galaxy S23+ ?
• What are the main characteristics of the Galaxy S23+ ?
• As an air of Galaxy S22 Ultra
• A large screen that could be more precise
• The best performance of the moment
• Efficient and versatile in photography
• Excellent autonomy in office automation and video streaming

The large format of the Galaxy S23+ allows it to take a larger capacity battery than that of the Galaxy S23. Suddenly, as its components are the same as those of its little brother, its autonomy is even better ! If we take into account – in addition – from its excellent performance in terms of display quality, photography and computing power, you get a smartphone that is both attractive and convincing.

Big brother of the Galaxy S23, of which it takes up almost all the characteristics – apart from the size of its screen, the capacity of its battery and its charging speed – the Galaxy S23+ remains a notch below (and that’s quite normal !) of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which stands out for its high definition screen and its much more versatile photo sensors (read our test of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra).

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• What are the best smartphones to buy in January 2023 (Android, iOS) ?

What is the price of the Galaxy S23+ ?

Apart from its larger format, the Galaxy S23+ is almost the compliant copy of the Galaxy S23 (read our Samsung Galaxy S23 test). And, like the latter, which is offered with 8 GB of memory and a storage capacity of 128 or 256 GB (at respective prices excluding promo of 959 and 1019 €), the Galaxy S23+ also exists in two versions:

• 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage space: € 1219
• 8 GB of memory and 512 GB of storage space: € 1339

Recall that the first price of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is € 1419 (with 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage), to reach € 1839 for the model with 12 GB of memory and a storage capacity of 1 to !

What are the main characteristics of the Galaxy S23+ ?

As we have already indicated, developments in the Galaxy S23 compared to the Galaxy S22 mainly concern design and the new Qualcomm processor. This is also the case for the Galaxy S23+, if we compare its technical characteristics to those of the Galaxy S22+. There is also a slight increase in battery capacity (4700 mAh against 4,500 mAh) and a definition of the front photo sensor which goes from 10 megapixels to 12 megapixels…

• Ecry Dynamic Amoled 2x, FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels) 6.6 inch, refreshed at 120 Hz
• Main sensor f/1.8 of 50 Mpx (24 mm focal length)
• Grand Angle F/2.2 with 12 Mpx sensor (13 mm focal length)
• Telephoto (3x optical zoom), f/2.4 with 10 MP sensor (70 mm focal length)
• 12 Mpx front sensor (26 mm focal length)
• Snapdragon 8 Gen2 processor of Qualcomm
• 8 of RAM
• 256 or 512 GB of storage space
• 4700 mAh battery
• 45 W quick recharge
• Wireless recharge 15 W
• Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6th, Bluetooth 5.3, nfc
• 76.2 x 157.8 x 7.6 mm / 196 g.
• Resistance: IP68, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 glass on the front and back
• Fingerprint sensor under the screen, 2 speakers
• Android 13 with one UI 5.1

As an air of Galaxy S22 Ultra

Like the Galaxy S23, the back of the Galaxy S23+ adopts a new design, inspired by that of the high -end smartphone from last year manufacturer, the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Thus, the block delimits the three rear photo sensors, placed in the upper left corner, disappears. Suddenly, the back of the Galaxy S23+ appears more sober and sophisticated.

The smartphone measures 15.8 x 7.6 x 0.8 cm, for a weight of 196 grams.

Its screen benefits from the most efficient scratch protection of the moment, thanks to the Corning Gorilla Victus 2 glass covering. The latter also covers the back of the smartphone.

The Galaxy S23+ is available in no less than six colors. The first four are those found in resellers: cream (that is to say white, like the model we have tested, which seduces by its minimalist and refined appearance), black, green (dark !) and lavender (purple). The other two are reserved exclusively for orders placed on the Samsung site: graphite (gray) and lime (light green).

The edges of the smartphone, on the other hand, are covered with an aluminum strapping, the color of the back (silver in this case, but black on the Galaxy S23 that we also tested) and the most beautiful effect.

High -end smartphone requires, total water and dust seal is of course on the program, since the Galaxy S23+ is certified IP68. We can therefore use it in all situations without fear of the slightest problem.

Of course, we find the fingerprint reader under the screen. It can be replaced – to unlock access to the smartphone – by recognizing the user’s face. On the other hand, two SIM cards can be used simultaneously (ESIM compatibility is also ensured). Some users may regret that it is not possible to extend the storage capacity through a microSD memory card.

Finally, as Samsung has removed the headphone jack of its smartphones for a few years, you can listen to its music with Bluetooth headphones or through the two speakers, which return sound to stereo. In this case, we have good audio quality, with a fairly well balanced sound, even if – as always – the bass is discreet.

A large screen that could be more precise

One of the main differences between the Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23+ lies in the screen size. Thus, if the first is rather compact, the S23+ has a 6.6 inch oled slab. Its diagonal is therefore not so far away from that of the Galaxy S23 Ultra !

This is why we can regret that its definition is limited to mode Full HD+, or 2340 x 1080 pixels. If you can excuse the Galaxy S23 and its screen of only 6.1 inch not to offer a very high definition of QHD display, such as the Galaxy S23 Ultra (3088 x 1440 pixels), the OnePlus 11 5G (3216 x 1440 pixels ), the Google Pixel 7 Pro (3120 x 1440 pixels) or the Xiaomi 12T Pro (2712 x 1220 pixels), the Galaxy S23+ – taking into account its price and its largest display area – could have benefited from A more precise screen, which would have made it possible to better appreciate the videos in higher definition, in 4K for example.

On the other hand, with regard to the frequency of refreshment, the three new Galaxy S23s are at the same level. Indeed, in addition to the standard mode, 60 Hz, the Galaxy S23+ offers a adaptive fashion. The latter allows the display to operate from 48 to 120 Hz depending on the application in use.

In display settings, you can activate the option Adaptive brightness, In order to optimize the autonomy of the smartphone. Indeed, it makes it possible to modulate the brightness of the display according to the ambient lighting (weak light in the evening or in the darkness, and high light in broad daylight).

There is also another function, called Additional brightness, which makes it possible to considerably boost the brightness of the screen, in order to obtain better readability when using the smartphone in a very bright environment, as outside under a big sun for example. Maximum brightness can reach, according to Samsung, no less than 1,200 nits !

Two display profiles are offered: Natural mode or lively fashion. We also have the possibility of changing the white balance manually to obtain a warmer or – on the contrary – colder display.

Using our I1DISPLAY Pro Plus X-ROT probe, We have carried out a test series to assess the Galaxy S23 screen performance+. At first, we did not activate the additional brightness option.

The maximum brightness was then measured at 480 nits (natural fashion), or even 581 nits (VIVE MODE). These results are of the same order as those observed on the Galaxy S23. Maximum brightness in lively mode is among the best of the moment.

The average color temperature rises to 6575 k (natural mode) and 6981 k (lively mode). We therefore note that the natural mode offers a perfectly neutral display, even if the difference is not obvious at first glance ! We just notice that the display turns out to be slightly colder in bright mode (white pulls very slightly towards blue).

It should also be noted that the average contrast rate of the OLED panel is almost infinite ? This is explained by the fact that the brightness of the black measured by the probe is so weak that it is assimilated to 0 !

Finally, the Delta E Middle measured is only 1.1 (in natural mode). This reflects excellent color fidelity. On the other hand, it increases to 3.4 in lively mode, which is less satisfactory because the value is greater than 3. In the latter case, we note that the primary colors are excessively boosted, which flats the pupil of users, with very bright colors, to the detriment of realism. However, given its greatest brightness, you can stay in this mode if you are not too looking at color fidelity.

If we activate the Additional brightness mode, Maximum brightness makes a big leap forward, as we had already been able to check with the Galaxy S23. Indeed, in lively mode, it is just established below 1000 Nits (959 nits precisely, and 737 nits in natural mode), which is not very far from the value announced by the manufacturer. If this extreme brightness is not essential when watching interior videos, because the brightness of the standard mode is sufficient and allows you to keep good autonomy, it is appreciable when using the smartphone outdoors.

The best performance of the moment

To ensure optimal responsiveness in all circumstances, the Galaxy S23+ has the same processor as its two brothers: the Snapdragon 8 Gen2. The latter operates the latest architecture of Qualcomm, with 8 cores:

• A heart clocked at 3.36 GHz.
• Four cores rated at 2.8 GHz.
• Three cores operating at 2.0 GHz.

Display management and 3D operations is entrusted to the Adreno 740 graphics processor.

The Galaxy S23+ therefore offers very high level performance, regardless of the application used. In particular, users who like to play on their smartphone will be very satisfied to benefit from excellent display fluidity (60 images per second) accompanied by a top graphic precision (for example EPIC Quality in Fornite).

Efficient and versatile in photography

The Galaxy S23+ is equipped with the four sensors that we have already encountered on the Galaxy S23:

• A 50 megapixel main sensor. With an optical stabilization device, it offers a 24 mm focal length.
• A 12 -megapixel wide angle sensor (13 mm focal length).
• A 10 -megapixel telephotal sensor, with 70 mm focal length (an optical zoom of 3x). It also benefits from optical stabilization.
• A frontal sensor, for selfies, of 12 megapixels (26 mm focal length).

The possibilities of the Galaxy S23+ therefore remain a notch below those of its big brother, the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Indeed, if the two models have the same wide angle and telephoto sensors, the ultra S23 are distinguished by its two other sensors:

• Main sensor of 200 megapixels (24 mm focal length, with optical stabilization).
• 10 megapixel periscopic sensor, with 230 mm focal length, an optical zoom of 10x.

In broad daylight, the efficiency of Galaxy S23+ sensors does not suffer from any defect. Thus, the main sensor generates by default photos in 12 megapixels, which prove to be precise, with colors faithful to reality.

For its part, the wide angle sensor is also satisfactory, even if its shots are a little less detailed and precise than those from the main sensor (despite an identical definition).

And when it comes to getting closer to the subject you want to take a picture, the telephoto sensor and its 3X optical zoom are very efficient. Indeed, the photos he takes are of excellent quality. And if you want to see even further, you can call on a digital zoom (up to 30x).

However, we must remain within the limits of reasonable. Indeed, if the quality of the photos remains satisfactory with a 5x digital zoom, even 10x, the precision deteriorates if it is pushed in its last entrenchments. Thus, from a magnification factor of 15x, the shots generated seem of correct quality when looking at them on the screen of a smartphone. But, if we start to look at them closer to the instructor of a PC or on a TV, we see that the quality has clearly dropped.

When using night mode, the capture of shots is no longer immediate since the exposure time is then a few seconds, during which you have to stay perfectly motionless (to avoid blurred photos).

The three sensors are almost as satisfactory as in broad daylight. Thus, the main sensor makes good quality shots, even if the lighting sources are quite distant.

In the same way, the 3X optical zoom behaves well in delicate lighting conditions. But, while the digital zoom makes satisfactory shots up to 10x in broad daylight, the quality falls very much from the 5x zoom, at night.

On the other hand, the photos from the wide angle sensor are too little detailed when the ambient brightness is limited (the difference with those of the main sensor is even more blatant than in broad daylight).

Excellent autonomy in office automation and video streaming

Like the format of the Galaxy S23+ is larger than that of S23, Samsung was able to integrate a largest capacity battery: 4700 mAh (against 3900 mAh for the S23).

And, as the processor is the same in both cases and the screen of the two smartphones have the same definition, electricity consumption is of the same order. The consequence on autonomy in office automation or autonomy in video streaming is not a surprise.

Thus, the autonomy measured using the test integrated into the PC Mark application (with an adjusted display brightness over 200 nits, in adaptive fluidity mode, with adaptive light and additional brightness modes disabled) rises has 2 p.m. and 37 minutes. It is – logically – better than the 12 hours and 33 minutes observed with the Galaxy S23.

And if we force the display in 60 Hz mode, we see a clear improvement, since the autonomy then climbs to 16 hours and 30 minutes ! It is simply one of the best autonomies never observed.

If we look at the autonomy of the Galaxy S23+ video streaming, the observation is the same. Indeed, the battery level dropped only 9 % after reading a two-hour film on Netflix on Wi-Fi (with standard display fluidity, 60 Hz of course). We can therefore estimate Total autonomy at around 22 hours and 13 minutes. Again, the logic is respected since it is about 4 hours more than the autonomy in video streaming observed on the Galaxy S23 (18 hours and 10 minutes).

Finally, note that Samsung does not provide charger with the smartphone and that it is supposed to support a 45 W “fast” recharge (against only 25 W for the Galaxy S23). This is (a little) better, because – according to the manufacturer – this allows you to find 65 % of the maximum battery capacity in 30 minutes (against 50 % for the Galaxy S23).

And if we have the possibility of recharging the battery using a wireless, induction (IQ) charger, this wired charging speed remains limited, because a large number of smartphones support a fast load in 65 W, then that some models are accompanied by a very powerful charger (like the Xiaomi 12T Pro), which allows to recharge a battery of 5000 mAh in less than 20 minutes…

• What are the best photophones of 2023 ?

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