The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra looks promising with its power-packed performance, extraordinary camera capabilities, and many other features. The Galaxy S22 Ultra was one of the most anticipated launches from Samsung in 2022, but with the Korean brand revealing the latest Ultra model in its Galaxy Unpacked event, the question remains if it's better than last year's version.
Although the new model looks appealing, one shouldn't forget what the Galaxy S22 Ultra is capable of despite being older. It is one of Samsung's most capable phones in terms of performance. Let's look at what each device offers and how they stack against each other.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Galaxy S22 Ultra killer?
Specifications
Pricing and availability
The Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Galaxy S22 Ultra are both available in most countries, although pricing is a bit of an issue.
Initially, both smartphones were launched at the exact same price of $1200, however, the S22 Ultra now costs around $999. Further price drops can be expected with the S22 Ultra due to the launch of Samsung's latest Ultra model.
Design and display
The Samsung S22 Ultra and S23 Ultra aren't too different in design, with their armored aluminum frames and different versions of Gorilla Glass Victus and Victus 2, respectively.
However, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a reduced curved display, like the S21 Ultra, making it easier to hold and with better screen protection. The main difference is the larger rear cameras on the S23 and the slightly lower placement of the power button and volume rocker on the right side.
The S22 Ultra and S23 Ultra feature identical displays, a 6.8-inch 1440p panel with a peak brightness of 1,750 nits, and a refresh rate that can be adjusted between 1 and 120Hz.
Performance and camera
The S22 Ultra runs One UI 5.0 on Android 13, while the S23 Ultra has One UI 5.1 with improved features like battery widgets and an updated media player, to name a few. You may also see an update to the S22 and older phones soon, as Samsung has been testing it for a while.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a Snapdragon Gen 2 chip, which could be a major reason you might want to upgrade. Snapdragon Gen 1 on the Galaxy S22 Ultra has some thermal issues that are resolved with the newer model.
The cameras are a key feature in the S22 Ultra and S23 Ultra, delivering amazing results. The S22 Ultra has a 40MP selfie camera with autofocus, a 108MP main camera, two 10MP telephoto lenses with 3X and 10X zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide lens with macro mode.
The S23 Ultra has similar cameras but features a new 12MP selfie shooter with autofocus and an upgraded main camera from 108MP to 200MP. While a higher megapixel count doesn't always equal better performance, the 200MP sensor has been eagerly awaited, and hopefully, Samsung has improved it to fix the S22 Ultra's shutter lag and over-sharpening issues.
Although the S22 Ultra is a perfect phone, it is to be seen how the S23 Ultra performs in the long term. The upgrades to the new Ultra look promising, and with major upgrades to camera and performance, it seems like a lucrative choice for smartphone users.