There's two ways to look at the Galaxy S23 Ultra: as an upgrade over the S22 Ultra it's marginal, almost like a half-mast 'S' edition rather than full-blown next-level upgrade; but as a standalone device it's an exceptional, refined and accomplished piece of hardware that's easily among the best...

Great design, screen and performance, Integrated S Pen stylus differentiator, Advanced camera system is highly versatile

Mostly the same as S22 Ultra predecessor, Colours are rather dull, It's really not cheap

The does-it-all flagship is back with even more photographic potency

Impeccable camera quality in almost all conditions, Fantastic performance and all-day battery life, Gorgeous display with lots of room for S-Pen note-taking

Charging speeds could be faster, Visually identical to last year’s model, Top-tier specs command a top-tier price

“The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the most complete, most versatile Android smartphone you can buy. It's a big purchase in more ways than one, but it'll last you for years.”

Incredibly powerful processor, Versatile telephoto zoom camera, S Pen adds value, Water-resistant and durable, Long software update commitment, Many interesting features to explore, Large, bright, detailed screen

Wired charging is complicated, and only 45W, Big and heavy

Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra doesn't appear to be a big upgrade, but the sum of all of its incremental upgrades makes it a huge upgrade.

The 200MP camera is actually really good, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is impressive, Best display on a smartphone, so far, The curved display isn't very curved, Best battery life on a Galaxy flagship in quite some time, The One UI 5.1 upgrade is amazing, Feels great in the hand

Fairly expensive, with a MSRP of $1,199, Charging is still fairly slow compared to the competition, 100x Zoom is still not really all that useful

Samsung updated its flagship phone in 2023 with the Galaxy S23 Ultra. With the minor changes this time around, is it still worth the upgrade?

Improved design, Solid performance from Qualcomm, Feature-packed camera system, Great battery life

Shutter lag, Minimal upgrades

The new Samsung flagship comes at a price but it offers a lot, with dazzling performance and cameras that deliver in every situation.

Spectacular cameras, Smart, elegant design, Great battery life, Super-fast performance, Extra storage in base configuration

Pricey, Occasional camera issues, Charging is fast, but beaten by rivals

The Galaxy S23 Ultra offers top-level performance. It's slick and fast, the display is fantastic and the cameras really deliver. Samsung is offering long software support and loads of features. It's an expensive phone, but it's one of the best out there.

The display is fantastic, Camera is impressive in all modes, Fast and fluid performance, Good build quality

Some of the software changes muddy Android, Charging could be faster, It's expensive, Speaker location not great for gamers

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a phone with no compromises — except, perhaps, price. The device is extremely powerful, offers an excellent camera, a long-lasting battery, and a sleek and stylish design. If you’re looking for the best Android phone right now, this device is a real contender.

Stunning design, Excellent camera, Great battery life, Very powerful, Beautiful display

Expensive

It’s big, expensive, and occasionally weird. But the S23 Ultra lives up to its name.

Exceptional performance, Versatile cameras with incredible zoom, Useful S Pen and connectivity features, Lovely boxy frame and high-quality build

Expensive, Image quality is inconsistent, Samsung software remains quirky

Very much true. Looking at both S22 Ultra and S23 Ultra, even at a close distance, you could be forgiven for thinking they are the same phone. Samsung has opted to keep the front and back design the same this year, and along with it has ported the aesthetic to the rest of the S23 line-up, which now...

Same battery but greatly improved efficiency, Camera quality with all lenses now consistent, Ergonomics refined, Exclusive One UI 5.1 features

4K 60fps still limited to the 1x lens, Charging still 45W max, S-Pen not exclusive coloured this time, Some baked in apps still cannot be uninstalled