Well, it looks like it’s time for incremental upgrades on phones, and after Apple, now it’s Samsung’s turn to unveil its new flagship phone that looks suspiciously similar to the company’s previous offering.
Stillalthough incremental, some of the upgrades and improvements made to the The Galaxy S23 Ultra will probably be nice to have and therefore appreciated. However, there is a “but”, which is there because (I don’t know about you) but I’m not willing to pay $1200 for a phone that will probably be 80-90% similar to what we already know and love the galaxy S22 Ultra…
According to Samsung’s teaser, one of the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s selling points will be the phone’s ability to take better pictures of the moon and stars – you know, because that’s what the average person wants to do. Isn’t that… an average person?
Despite the fact that the Galaxy S23 Ultra bills itself as one of the most well-rounded, feature-rich and capable smartphones of 2023, that doesn’t mean it will exist in a vacuum, which is the key point. which I will discuss here.
Let’s go into a bit more detail…
Galaxy S22 Ultra instead of Galaxy S23 Ultra? Long software support makes getting last year’s Galaxy flagship phone on new a great idea
Although I don’t usually advise anyone to buy an older phone when the new model comes out, this year might be slightly different as the The Galaxy S22 Ultra already ticks all the boxes and basically looks like the S23 Ultra!
But more importantly, the Galaxy S22 Ultra promises a total of fouryears Android updates, which means that even if you get it now (running Android 13), you’re guaranteed to get a total of three new versions of Android (up to Android 16), plus four years of support of security ! Aside from the iPhone, this is the longest software support you can get when buying an “old” phone. Hats off, Samsung!
Older flagship phones seem to be shining brighter than ever at the start of 2023! I also wouldn’t advise anyone to buy an iPhone 14 over the iPhone 13, while Pixel 6 owners don’t need to upgrade to the Pixel 7 – although if you don’t have a Pixel 6, then the Pixel 7 is the way to go.
If you want to buy the new Galaxy S23 Ultra, you can pre-order it now! Here’s a quick list of the improvements the S23 Ultra is expected to make over its predecessors (based on leaks):
- First and foremost – the S23 Ultra will ship with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip in all regions of the world now, which means the days of Exynos injustice are over – not something to overlook if you have a Galaxy running on Exynos…
- New 200MP main camera and improved ultra-wide-angle and selfie sensor; the star of the S23 Ultra show should be that 200MP sensor, which is supposed to preserve more detail (duh!), but also improve low-light photography and videography (looking forward to those camera comparisons!)
- 256GB of storage for the cheapest variant of the S23 Ultra model (one wonders why the Galaxy S22 Ultra started at 128GB in the first place); oddly the S23 Ultra gets 8GB of RAM for the base variant, which isn’t very nice – cheaper phones like the Pixel 7 Pro and OnePlus 11 start at 12GB of RAM, which is never a bad idea when it comes to Android
Surprisingly (or not), this is where (at least according to the leaked information) the most significant upgrades with the Galaxy S23 Ultra seem to end…
Of course, the biggest reason to go for the Galaxy S23 Ultra over a Galaxy S22 Ultra is if you live somewhere where you Absolutely can’t get your hands on a Galaxy S22 Ultra powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. Plus, if your carrier is offering this amazing deal, I’m not going to blame you for picking up the latest phone…
For everyone else, a discounted, refurbished, or even used Galaxy S22 Ultra might be the best $650 investment you’ve made in years…
- The Galaxy S22 Ultra will have one of the best screens even in 2023 – super bright, colorful and high refresh rate; leaks say the new Ultra should be able to achieve the same brightness as the old one
- Since you’re not buying a Galaxy S22 Ultra with the Exynos 2200 chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 version of the phone will be more than powerful enough to serve you well for years to come; againdon’t forget the extended software support that gives you three new versions of Android and four years of security patches
- The Galaxy S22 Ultra could very well be the second best camera phone of 2023 when it comes to Versatility; the zoom ceiling of the Samsung 2022 flagship is still unmatched by any other Android phone/iPhone and it generally takes excellent photos and videos in all lighting conditions
- While not the absolute best, the Galaxy S22 Ultra still offers great battery life and charges fairly quickly; the new Galaxy S23 Ultra should not bring a bigger battery or faster charging
According to a recent price leak, the The Galaxy S23 Ultra is expected to start at €1,400 in Europe, giving European shoppers an even better reason to look elsewhere. Although I’ve been critical of the Galaxy S22 Ultra before, a $650-700 price tag gives this phone a whole new level of appeal!
The Galaxy S23 Ultra isn’t the phone for those with the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S21 flagships – it’s for people with other phones
You can find a Galaxy S22 Ultra in good-to-great condition for about half the price of the new Galaxy S23 Ultra. Similar offers are available on Amazon UK and in many European countries, where the new Galaxy S23 Ultra will be much more expensive (€1,400).
Remember – we’re talking multi-million companies here, with one major goal – to sell more phones (act surprised!). Therefore, setting the pace of hardware upgrades and innovating at the “right level” is essential for Samsung’s success as a company (an exception to the rule might be Sony, which seems to make phones for fun).
If your current phone works perfectly, you might want to skip the Galaxy S22 Ultra, S23 Ultra; Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series should shake things up (a bit harder).
But hey, just like the iPhone 14 is an upgrade aimed at those with older iPhones, the Galaxy S23 series seems to be the choice for people with Galaxy S20 or older flagships.
In fact, you might be one of those people with a Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, or another recent phone that isn’t necessarily made by Samsung. In that case, assuming you haven’t just won the lottery (in which case, congratulations; let’s be friends!), I wholeheartedly suggest you set aside your hard-earned cash, for the moment…
According to rumor and logic, the Galaxy S24 series of phones will bring new designs, and even some hardware upgrades that might prove more appealing than what the S23 phones will give you now. Samsung is expected to upgrade the Galaxy S24 Ultra with an all-new zoom system that’s larger and more advanced than the S22 and S23 Ultra…
But, but, but!To do wait for our Galaxy S23 Ultra review, which will give you a better idea of whether Samsung’s premium 2023 flagship is worth your attention. I may be underestimating the new 200MP camera, which will blow everyone away, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor will fly like… a dragon!
Once the puns get to that level – that’s when I know it has to wrap up… So it’s over!
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