Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra avoids cooling system cost-cutting measures but standard model may suffer

Apparent details of the cooling systems being used throughout the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 series have surfaced, and it could make for worrying reading for those planning a purchase of the standard Galaxy S23 model. According to @OreXda, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will be fitted with a nifty vapor chamber (VC) as part of its cooling system while the Galaxy S23+ will have to settle for heatpipe-based cooling. However, the entry-level Galaxy S23 will purportedly come with no specific cooling system, presumably beyond some flexible graphite sheets and carefully placed components.

It seems Samsung has stuck with the same basic cooling systems it used for the Galaxy S22 lineup with the corresponding members of the Galaxy S23 series, although undoubtedly there will be some necessary tweaks here and there. The Galaxy S22 does not feature a bespoke cooling system, the S22+ has a copper heatpipe, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra uses a double-bonded stainless steel vapor chamber for keeping its thermals in check. It’s likely Samsung will be generous with its Gel TIM and Nano TIM (thermal interface material) for the S23 Ultra, S23+, and S23, but it remains to be seen if this will be a sufficient solution for the cheapest model in the lineup.

Our review of the Samsung Galaxy S22 revealed that thermal emissions were not extraordinary but there was throttling under load to save on battery life. A new report has mentioned that the Galaxy S23 range will feature an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, which if true, will lead to further issues with thermal management for the Galaxy S23 smartphones. While the S23 Ultra’s VC might be able to handle all that extra power with aplomb, the S23+ and S23 might struggle due to their perceived cooling system limitations. This situation has led noted leaker Ice universe to recommend to his followers that they avoid purchasing the standard Galaxy S23.

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