Samsung Galaxy S23 Phone Review

We're capturing sample photos with the Galaxy S23 to see if its performance matches that of its S23 siblings.

Reviews

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Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is a really great compact smartphone for those who prefer a smaller handset. It captures excellent photos, the battery is good and the price isn't too bad either.

+ Pros

The image quality is great
Compact size
Lovely bokeh in images
Affordable

- Cons

Quite similar to the Galaxy S22
Optical zoom is limited

The Samsung Galaxy S23 was launched alongside the Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra, both of which we have now reviewed, and now it's the turn of the smaller, less expensive Galaxy S23 to be put through its paces to find out if it's a smartphone photographers will be happy to own.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Features

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is a compact smartphone that's had a design tweak, removing the rear camera housing in exchange for a clean and slick finish. There's an edge-to-edge 6.1-inch display and a lovely glass back which on our review sample is cream.

A triple rear camera set-up with a 50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto camera captures your photos while selfies are shot with the cutout 12MP front-facing camera. Video is captured at 8K, 4K and 1080p at various frame rates with Gyro-EIS built-in. An IP68 rating is reassuring and a 3900mAh battery keeps the Galaxy S23 powered.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Specs:

50MP f/1.8 24mm (wide) with Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
10MP f/2.4 70mm (telephoto) with PDAF, OIS and 3x optical zoom
12MP f/2.2 13mm (ultrawide)
12MP selfie camera with Dual Pixel PDAF
Up to 3x digital zoom
6.1-inch display
3900mAh battery
IP68 rating
128GB or 256GB
Dimensions: 146.3mm x 70.9mm x 7.6mm
Weight: 168g

Samsung Galaxy S23 Handling

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As with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus and Ultra, the Galaxy S23 has had a design change with the rear camera housing no longer existing and a clean finish remaining in its place. As we've come to expect from the Galaxy range, the phone is constructed from premium materials and it just looks great. Plus, it's IP68-rated which is always good to know.

The smaller dimensions of the Galaxy S23 make it easier to hold and it even fits in a pocket! We have to say that we're big fans of smaller smartphones so we're glad Samsung has kept a smartphone of this size in the new range.

Buttons fall nicely under fingers/thumb and there's a USB-C port, SIM slot and speaker found on the bottom of the phone. There's no headphone jack but that's no big surprise.

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The display on the Galaxy S23 measures 6.1 inches and is bright and sharp. It fills the entire front of the smartphone and there's just a small cutout selfie camera sitting top centre.

Turn the smartphone over and there are 3 cameras and a flash which sit flush when the Galaxy S23 is on a table so there's no rocking (it doesn't slide off surfaces easily either).

The rear cameras are very similar to those found on the Galaxy S22 but they impressed us so we expect the cameras on the Galaxy S23 to do the same. It does mean, though, that Galaxy S22 owners might not want to upgrade if capturing photos with their smartphone is the main reason for purchasing a new device.

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The camera app will be very familiar with various modes built-in and the usual ways of switching between them. You also get various filters, a Pro Mode and Expert RAW.

Camera Specs:

50MP f/1.8 24mm (wide) with Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
10 MP f/2.4 70mm (telephoto) with PDAF, OIS and 3x optical zoom
12MP f/2.2 13mm (ultrawide)
12MP selfie camera with Dual Pixel PDAF
Up to 3x digital zoom

Battery life - The 3900mAh battery won't win any awards for size but it's fine for a day's use. Fast wired charging is supported but you don't get a charging adapter in the box.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Performance

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The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Sample Photos

Sample Photos - The Samsung Galaxy S23 captures impressive images but as with most Samsung smartphones, it does have a habit of really cranking the vibrancy of blues and greens up (but not in every shot). Dynamic range is handled well, though, and detail is sharp. Bokeh looks equally as great with lovely out-of-focus areas in the right places. For even more control, you have the Expert RAW app but most people will be equally impressed with the normal camera mode. In fact, most of the images you see above were captured in this way. There's really not a great deal to fault about the Galaxy S23 cameras, well done Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Lens test images

Lens Performance - You get up to 3x optical zoom then you have to use digital zoom to reach 10x and beyond. Anything up to 3x looks really great but you can instantly tell that 10x upwards is digital zoom. 20x and 30x aren't great results but 10x isn't actually that bad. Dynamic range at 3x zoom isn't quite as good but it's still a lovely photo and ultrawide lenses usually perform a little less well than a standard lens but in this instance, we can't make any complaints.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Digital filters

Digital Filters - Several digital filters are built-in so there's definitely something for everyone and they are easy to apply. Some are very subtle but we do like the black-and-white options which are particularly great for street photography.

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Panoramas - Panoramas are stitched well with good colour reproduction and wide dynamic range is handled well.

Video - Video can be captured in up to 8K at 24 and 30fps. 4K is captured at 30 or 60fps and 1080p is available at 30,60 and 240fps. Gyro-EIS is used to stabilise footage, too.

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Value For Money

The Samsung Galaxy S23 has an RRP of £849 but it's currently listed on Amazon at £782 making it a more reasonably priced premium smartphone. Other smartphones available around this price point include the Google Pixel 7 and OnePlus 11.

For more options, have a look at our 'Best Smartphones For Photography' top list or we have a 'Best Budget Camera Phones For Photography' list you can also peruse.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is a perfectly-sized smartphone that has a great camera, a good display and a modern, smart design. In fact, it's easy to recommend to someone looking to purchase a Samsung smartphone who might be considering switching brands but if you already own the Samsung Galaxy S22, there's not really enough in the updated version to make upgrading worthwhile. The design is smarter and you get a better battery but that's probably not enough to tempt most. Those looking for a smaller smartphone that bucks the trend of the phablet-style handsets will appreciate the addition of another premium compact smartphone to the market, though.