Everything About Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Screams 'Extra' And Rightly So!
The first thing you'll notice about the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, especially if you've never used an Ultra device before, is how easily it stands out against its competitors in terms of form. With its signature rectangle shaped-design, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra definitely looks unlike most Android devices available in the market right now, but it still tremendously resembles its predecessor.
But that's not all that makes this device a stunner. From its unbelievable camera to a super-fluid performance, there's much to love about this device, that is, of course, if you're ready to shell out over a lakh rupees!?
Design and display
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra weighs 234 grams and like most flagship Android devices, it sticks to a display with curved edges that make it feel sturdier. If you're not used to large devices, the S23 Ultra device might feel a bit odd in the beginning, but in a couple of days you'll forget about your old phone.
When I first received the device, I had my reservations about the design and form factor too. But after a week of using this 6.8-inch device, I've turned into a fan. With a?90.7% screen-to-body ratio and resolution of 1440x3088 pixels, it feels beautiful to use - whether you're watching the latest episode of The Last of Us or simply surfing a subreddit. Want to feel better about investing so much money? Samsung claims the "armor aluminum" body is laced with 80% recycled PET, 20% recycled ocean-bound plastic, and 22% recycled glass.
Samsung's displays have remained indisputably good, and this QuadHD+?Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display?is no different - colours feel very natural and the experience is fluid, all thanks to its 120Hz refresh rate.?
If you like natural colours, stick to natural mode. With Vision Booster, there's an added punch!?
Heading out in the Sun to do some daylight photography? Worry not, with 1750 nits of peak brightness, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra performs very well in brightly lit conditions.
Also read:?Samsung Launches New Galaxy S23 Ultra With A Powerful 200MP Camera
I even dropped the phone (by accident) and it landed face-first with no screen guard and recorded zero scratches, all thanks to the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. But after I accidentally kept my keys in the same pocket as the Ultra, after a few brushes, I noticed light scratches spread across the screen.?
The smartphone comes with an?IP68X rating to protect against dust and water damage if you're an adventurous user.
Carrying on the Note series' legacy, the phone also packs an S-pen on the left bottom corner, without taking away from how sleek the phone feels, even though it¡¯s not necessarily ¡°thin.¡± With dimensions of 163.4x78.1x8.9 mm, you will feel this phone - in your hands, in your pockets, on your ear while you take the call. But this is a bargain you make for a versatile device!?
The Samsung S23 Ultra runs the new One UI 5.1 software on top of Android 13 with added improvements to make connecting with your PC and tablets easier.
It's also noteworthy to mention Samsung's way of incorporating its camera set-up into the phone. The bump is almost non-existent and the sensor placements are a visual aesthetic treat! Compared to the heavy duty bump of iPhones, the Samsung design really offers more appeal.? ??
Battery and charging
In this department, I will always be biased. Why, you wonder? For starters, Samsung has somehow stuck with the iPhone formula of doing things when it comes to battery. With 45w charging, which Samsung sells as "Super Fast Charging," the potential in this arena feels missed. It takes about an hour for the phone to fully charge from 20%, but if you're starting from 0% it can take 75-80 minutes, which is not a long time (relatively); but Samsung should seriously consider amping up the charging speeds for it can completely revolutionise the user experience.?
Even then, the phone packs a powerful 5000 mAh battery that delivers all day performance, unless you do a lot of heavy lifting. After charging my device to 100% at 3 PM, I headed out to return at midnight. The battery at that point stood at 20% and by 1 am it was down to 5%. Essentially, with moderate usage, it can last for a day. But if your priority is gaming and a lot of videography, you might have to charge the phone more than once a day - something that wouldn't be a hassle with faster charging.
Photography
When the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra launched, the company pitched its camera as the strongest point. With an insane 200-megapixel f/1.7 standard wide camera, two telephoto lenses, a 12-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide lens, and a 12-megapixel selfie camera, the phone's cameras are truly as good as cameras can be.
As is customary for Samsung, the Galaxy S23 Ultra adds contrast to all images, offering more saturation in colours that make it work exceptionally well in some settings, while acting erratic in certain conditions. I¡¯ll let the images speak for themselves.
Zoom on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
While the first two zoom modes did a fantastic job, the camera goes into novelty territory after 60x zoom!
Portrait mode on?the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
In portrait mode, the camera seemed to do great job most times, but as visible in the image on the left, it sometimes struggles with separating tricky noise emanating from challenging situations - in this case it's caused by hair in front of ununiformly lit settings. Regardless, check out the beautiful shot the same device took below in portrait mode of a dog who was gracious enough to keep posing for me.
Ultrawide on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
In the image below, you can see how the ultrawide performs after dark (in regular mode).
Now, look at the same image clicked in night mode ultrawide - it captures details slightly better!
Night time photography on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Lesson of the day: Consciously turn on night mode when you're taking pictures in the dark on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Selfie camera on the Samsung S23 Ultra
In the portrait mode, you can see that the camera manages to do a decent job of adding the bokeh effect on the right. Even in regular mode, selfies were crisp, although sometimes you might feel that the colours appear either overly saturated or under saturated.
I wish the camera had no shutter lag, as it can get in the way of taking good shots when you're on the move. Otherwise, this is among the best cameras you can get on a smartphone.
Performance?
Among the very few phones to come with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, it's no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is extremely fast and responsive. While switching between apps, if you feel a hint of vertigo, it's not just you - it's almost as if the fluidity is a drawback... but that would be an unfair observation. Prepare to accidentally jump through apps because that's how fast it actually is!
The device can handle literally anything you throw its way - switching from 60 fps games like Genshin Impact to the Camera app? A breeze! Quickly wish to jump to 4K video editing? No sweat! Heavy duty games operate without any considerable lags, unless there's some data-heavy loading underway, in which case it might as well be your WiFi inflicting damage.
Additionally, the Copper Vapor Chamber on the S23 Ultra is bigger than its predecessor, resulting in better temperature management - you will barely notice any heat.?
My verdict
The S23 Ultra is a beast; albeit an expensive beast!
For a high-performance user, this is the optimal choice. The bonus of having a great camera and an almost zero-lag experience make the device a great long-term investment. For artists, the S-pen support is an added advantage and overall, the S23 Ultra is a device designed to overcome challenges, and so it does! But if you¡¯re hesitant about the exorbitant price tag, there are many lighter alternatives that do a similar job, if not as well.
The 256GB/12GB Galaxy S23 Ultra costs ?1,24,999 while the 512GB/12GB combination costs ?1,34,999. If you need even more memory, the 1TB/12GB combination costs ?1,54,999.?The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will get four years of Android updates and five years of security updates. The device?is available in Graphite, Lime, Sky Blue, and Red colours.
Do you think this review helped you make the right choice? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.?For more in the world of?technology?and?science, keep reading?Indiatimes.com.
