Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S22 Ultra: are they “ultra” different?
All new, all beautiful, here is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Is it really different from its predecessor? We have the answer.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is finally official and replaces the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Now the question is, does the new model bring enough new features to make its predecessor forget? We’ve compared the two models to highlight the differences and commonalities between the S23 Ultra and S22 Ultra.
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | Galaxy S22 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | – 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X – Edge curved screen in 20:9 format – WQHD+ Definition – HDR10+ – 1-120Hz – 240Hz touch sensor – Gorilla Glass Victus 2 – Punch the center |
– 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X – Edge curved screen in 20:9 format – WQHD+ Definition – HDR10+ – 120 Hz – 240Hz touch sensor – Gorilla Glass Victus – Punch the center |
| Design | – Reinforced aluminum surround – Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back – IP68 – Storage space for S Pen |
– Aluminum surround – Rear glass – IP68 |
| SoC and GPU | – Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 – Adreno 740 GPU |
– Exynos 2200 – Engraving at 4nm |
| Memory | – 12 GB of RAM – 256GB, 512GB or 1TB storage – No Micro-SD port |
– 12GB or 16GB of RAM – 128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB memory – No Micro-SD port |
| Colors | – Phantom Black – Phantom Silver |
– Phantom Black – Phantom Silver |
| Camera | – 200 MP main sensor – Output in 12 MP, 50 MP or 200 MP – Aperture f/1.7, Optical Stabilization and Phase Detection Autofocus – 10 MP 3x telephoto sensor n°1 – F/2.4 aperture, Optical Stabilization and Dual Pixel Autofocus – 10 MP 10x telephoto sensor n°2 – F/4.9 aperture, Optical Stabilization and Dual Pixel Autofocus – 12 MP ultra wide angle sensor – 120° FoV, F/2.2 Aperture and Dual Pixel Autofocus – Auto HDR image – 8K video recording at 30fps – Single shot mode – 12 MP front sensor |
– 108 MP main sensor – Binning-free technology (9 pixels in 1) 12.4 MP – Aperture f/1.8, Optical Stabilization and Phase Detection Autofocus – 10 MP 3x telephoto sensor n°1 – F/2.4 aperture, Optical Stabilization and Dual Pixel Autofocus – 10 MP 10x telephoto sensor n°2 – F/4.9 aperture, Optical Stabilization and Dual Pixel Autofocus – 12 MP ultra wide angle sensor – 120° FoV, F/2.2 Aperture and Dual Pixel Autofocus – Laser autofocus – Auto HDR image – 8K video recording at 24 fps – Single shot mode – 40 MP front sensor |
| Audio | – AKG stereo speaker -Dolby Atmos – No 3.5mm jack |
– AKG stereo speaker -Dolby Atmos – No 3.5mm jack |
| Battery | – 5000 mAh – Super Fast Charging 45W – USB-C port – Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 – Wireless Powershare |
– 5000 mAh – Super Fast Charging 45W – USB-C port – Fast Wireless Charging – Wireless Powershare |
| Connection | – Ultrasonic fingerprint reader under the screen -Bluetooth 5.3 – Wi-Fi 6E – Ultra Wide Band – 2x nano-SIM – 5G sub-6 – S pen holder |
– Ultrasonic fingerprint reader under the screen -Bluetooth 5.2 – Wi-Fi 6E – 2x nano-SIM – 5G sub-6 – S pen holder |
| Software | – Android 13 – A UI 5.1 – Samsung DeX |
– Android 12 – One UI 4.1 – Samsung DeX |
| Height and weight | – 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm – 234 g |
– 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm – 229 g |
| Price | – €1419 (256 GB / 8 GB) – 1599 € (512 GB / 12 GB) – €1839 (1 TB / 12 GB) |
– €1259 (128 GB / 8 GB) – €1359 (256 GB / 12 GB) – €1459 (512 GB / 12 GB) – €1659 (1 TB / 12 GB) |
| date of existence | – February 17, 2022 (pre-order 02/01 – 02/16) |
Also read:
@journaldugeek We tested the Samsung Galaxy S23! #samsung #galaxys23 #galaxys23ultra #smartphone #tech #journaldugeek
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Big differences
Processor
It is impossible to mention the Galaxy S23 Ultra without mentioning the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Qualcomm’s new chip powers Samsung’s latest smartphone, and it’s a bit of a revolution in Europe. In a number of countries, they will rightly say that the manufacturer is happy to update its SoC. In France, we saw the arrival of Galaxy S with Exynos SoC. The latest iterations have suffered in comparison to models below the Snapdragon, with half a pole performance (especially in the graphics department) and less good optimization.
So we’re moving from the Exynos 2200 to the promising Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the S22 Ultra. As an icing on the cake, Samsung has joined hands with Qualcomm to offer a customized version. Compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered S22 Ultra, the CPU (processor) gains 36%. woke up. We even go up to 48% for the graphics part (GPU) and 60% for the NPU. Note that the SoC will be overclocked to 3.36GHz compared to the base 3.2GHz.
Main photo sensor
If you follow the announcement and read our hands-on with the Galaxy S23, one item will not go unnoticed. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a home-made 200-megapixel photo sensor. The ISOCELL HP2 will almost certainly challenge the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 108MP camera. We can’t help but think that the manufacturer has joined the “megapixel war”. Apple’s recent changes to iPhones and Chinese attempts to offer devices between a smartphone and a camera (read our Xiaomi 12S Ultra test) are certainly not related to this change.
The presence of a 200-megapixel main sensor is not just a marketing exercise for the manufacturer. The number of megapixels gives preference to “pixel stacking”, which improves the quality of images and allows them to capture more light. Of interest to Samsung is the improvement in the level of detail in daylight, and especially in low light. The manufacturer also emphasizes night photos. Note that, if necessary, it is possible to take snapshots of 12.5, 50 or 200 megapixels.
Another innovation is the arrival of “dual pixel” autofocus to improve focusing. This helps with image sharpness and helps in portrait mode. On the video side, the S23 Ultra can shoot up to 8K at 30fps versus 8K at 24fps for the S22 Ultra. Added to this are improvements in the level of optical stabilization.
Selfie sensor
On the front of the smartphone, Samsung switches from a 40-megapixel camera to a 12-megapixel sensor on the S22 Ultra. The choice may seem interesting, especially when you see the choice on the back of the device. Definition is not everything and not the only element to consider, but it remains an important criterion. Tests will help you see more clearly.
Price
Inflation hits smartphones and Samsung is no exception. As with other manufacturers, you will have to pay more to get the last brand. With the same configuration (256 GB), we go from €1,359 for the S22 Ultra to €1,419 (+ €60) for the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Galaxy S23 Ultra 8/256 GB at the best price Base price: €1,419
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The difference is even greater in the 512GB (€1,459 vs. €1,599, +€140) and 1TB (€1,839 vs. €1,659, +€180) versions. The older Galaxy S22 Ultra is now more affordable.
Galaxy S22 Ultra 8/128 GB at the best price Base price: €1,259
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Small differences
Design
The Galaxy S23 Ultra brings a lot to its seniors, but there are still improvements to be made. So the screen is slightly less curved and the edges are straighter than the S22 Ultra. More surprisingly, the rings around the photo modules are thicker and reflect light a little more. The S Pen is also evolving to differentiate itself from the S22 Ultra.
In terms of dimensions, the Galaxy S23 Ultra measures 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9mm for a weight of 233g, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra measures 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm and weighs 228g. In short, you will have to get used to the brand’s smartphones to understand these physical differences.
Secondary sensors
If the main sensor improves, Samsung doesn’t really change its formula for the other sensors. Between the four modules we find a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle and two 10-megapixel telephoto lenses. The former offers 3x optical zoom, while the latter is periscopic and allows for 10x optical zoom. The S22 Ultra has the same setup except for the main sensor.
Storage
Step out of the 128GB version, Samsung is starting with 256GB for the S23 Ultra this year. A significant gain, especially if you take a lot of photos and videos. There are also versions with 512 GB and 1 TB of memory.
Autonomy
Even if Samsung doesn’t review its copy of the battery and fast charging (see below), the autonomy may improve. Indeed, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is touted by Qualcomm as 40% more efficient than its predecessor. Add to that enough manufacturer software optimizations to help the S23 Ultra perform better than its predecessor.
General aspects
screen
There is no significant change at this level. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s display is very close to its predecessor’s display on paper, and that’s no surprise. Last year, Samsung offered one of the best displays on the market… and it’s still the same in 2023. We have a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a (maximum) brightness of 1,750 nits and an adaptive refresh rate (up to 1,120 Hz). Even if Samsung makes adjustments, we shouldn’t expect any difference in this regard.
fast charging
Samsung is still not trying to compete with Chinese manufacturers in this regard. The Galaxy S23 Ultra remains at 45W wired and 15W wireless. It also offers 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The battery capacity remains unchanged at 5000mAh.
