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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review: The smartphone with galactic power and a 200 MP camera

Hello Snapdragon! The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra builds on the strengths of its predecessor and, in addition to comprehensive high-end hardware, again offers an integrated S Pen. On top of this, the model is launching globally with the brand-new Snapdragon processor. However, our review reveals that the smartphone is not entirely without criticism.
(Photo: Daniel Schmidt)

At first glance, the S23 Ultra looks confusingly similar to its predecessor, the S22 Ultra. But on closer inspection, the curvature of the display is flatter on the sides, which results in a slightly higher aluminum frame.

Samsung is once again using the latest technology for its flagship. This includes new LPDDR5x RAM, fast UFS 4.0 memory, a brighter LTPO display and two new sensors for the quad camera, including the first 200-MP optics in a Galaxy smartphone. This year, the Exynos processor has been discarded in favor of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is nominally faster than the standard SoC model.

In terms of price, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is not cheap. For example, the lowest-priced model with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB internal memory starts at US$1199.99, followed by the 512 GB and 1 TB variants for $1379.99 and $1619.99, respectively. 

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Galaxy S Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy 8 x 2 - 3.4 GHz, Cortex-X3 / A715 / A710 / A510 (Kryo)
Graphics adapter
Memory
12 GB 
, LPDDR5x
Display
6.80 inch 19.3:9, 3080 x 1440 pixel 500 PPI, capacitive, native pen support, Dynamic AMOLED 2x, 1 - 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, glossy: yes, HDR, 120 Hz
Storage
256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash, 256 GB 
, 216.1 GB free
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: USB-C, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Gyroscope, Rotation, Proximity, Orientation, Pressure, UWB, OTG
Networking
Wi-Fi 6E (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, 2G (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G (Band 1, 2, 4, 5, 8), LTE (Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66), 5G-Sub6 (Band 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78), Dual SIM, LTE, 5G, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.9 x 163.4 x 78.1 ( = 0.35 x 6.43 x 3.07 in)
Battery
5000 mAh Lithium-Ion, Wireless PowerShare (10 W), Fast Charging 45 W
Charging
wireless charging, fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 13
Camera
Primary Camera: 200 MPix (Samsung HP2, f/1.7, 85°, 23 mm, OIS) + 12 MPix (Sony IMX564, Ultra Wide, f/2.2, 120°, 13 mm) + 10 MPix (Sony IMX754, 3x opt. Zoom, f/2.4, 36°, 69 mm, OIS) + 10 MPix (Sony IMX754, 10x opt. Zoom, f/4.9, 11°, 230 mm, OIS)
Secondary Camera: 12 MPix (Samsung S5K3LU, f/2.2, 80°, 25 mm, HDR10+)
Additional features
Speakers: Dual, Keyboard: Onscreen, S Pen, USB cable, One UI 5.1, 24 Months Warranty, IP68, Dolby Atmos, DeX, GNSS: GPS (L1, L5), Glonass (L1), BeiDou (B1, B1C, B2a), Galileo (E1, E5a), QZSS (L1, L5); Head-SAR: 0.963 W/Kg, Body-SAR: 1.398 W/Kg, fanless, waterproof
Weight
233 g ( = 8.22 oz / 0.51 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
1399 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible Competitors in Comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Best Price
91.1 %
03/2023
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740
233 g256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash6.80"3080x1440
90.3 %
03/2023
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16, A16 GPU 5-Core
240 g128 GB NVMe6.70"2796x1290
89.2 %
03/2023
Xiaomi 13 Pro
SD 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740
229 g256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash6.73"3200x1440
89.1 %
02/2023
Vivo X90 Pro
Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11
214.9 g256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash6.78"2800x1260
89.3 %
10/2022
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
SD 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730
198.5 g256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.67"2400x1080
89.2 %
04/2022
Oppo Find X5 Pro
SD 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730
221 g256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash6.70"3216x1440

Case - Gorilla Glass Victus 2 makes its debut in the S23 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes in the color variants Green (olive green), Phantom Black (black), Lavender (lilac) and Cream (cream white). The frames have a high-gloss polish in their respective colors. Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime and Red are also available in Samsung's online shop. Only the gray and red models feature a matte black frame, while the other two offer glossy aluminize.

Due to the flatter display curvature on the sides, the S23 Ultra gains a little more surface area and thus also more space and comfort for using the S Pen. However, those who do not use a protective shell will have to contend with strong wobbling when the smartphone is placed on flat surfaces. This is due to the camera lenses on the back, of which the three larger lenses protrude 1.75 millimeters, the smaller ones 0.9 millimeters.

The build quality of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is excellent. Gaps are very snug and flush; the glass merges seamlessly into the frame even in the corners. We were unable to elicit so much as a sound from the smartphone during torsional stress tests. The front and back are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the frame is again made of Armor Aluminum, which is said to be a particularly resistant alloy.

The Samsung smartphone is protected against dust and water in accordance with IP68, making it both dustproof and waterproof. However, Samsung limits the latter to a depth of 1.5 meters in freshwater for 30 minutes. The cover of the card slot is flush with the frame and the tray can hold up to two nano-SIM cards.

Sustainability

Plastic can certainly be omitted here. (Picture: Daniel Schmidt)
Plastic can certainly be omitted here. (Picture: Daniel Schmidt)

The concept "partially recycled" is particularly noticeable in regard to the sustainability of the entire Galaxy S23 series because, among other things, the glass on the front and the back consists of an average of 22 percent recycled glass. Things then get more complicated: the inner shell of the S Pen, which is located in its slot, is made out of at least 20 percent ocean-sourced polyamide. These partially recycled components can be found in many parts of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but unfortunately mostly in relatively small amounts only.

The outer packaging, which consists entirely of recycled paper, is exemplary, as is the paper on the display. Samsung also holds back on the paper inserts. Only a narrow insert with the most important safety instructions is included, as well as a concise quick-start guide in the box. Unfortunately, plastic is not completely dispensed with, because the frame of the smartphone still comes fully protected by a film, which we find unnecessary. In addition, the back is also protected by a film.

Samsung aims to achieve CO2-neutral production in its smartphone segment by 2030, while the entire company intends to follow suit by 2050.

(Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
(Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
(Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
(Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
(Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
(Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
(Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
(Photo: Daniel Schmidt)

Size Comparison

164.1 mm / 6.46 inch 74.5 mm / 2.93 inch 9.3 mm / 0.3661 inch 214.9 g0.4738 lbs163.4 mm / 6.43 inch 78.1 mm / 3.07 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 233 g0.514 lbs163.3 mm / 6.43 inch 77.9 mm / 3.07 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 228 g0.503 lbs163.7 mm / 6.44 inch 73.9 mm / 2.91 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 221 g0.4872 lbs162.9 mm / 6.41 inch 74.6 mm / 2.94 inch 8.38 mm / 0.3299 inch 229 g0.505 lbs161.76 mm / 6.37 inch 73.5 mm / 2.89 inch 8.39 mm / 0.3303 inch 198.5 g0.4376 lbs160.7 mm / 6.33 inch 77.6 mm / 3.06 inch 7.85 mm / 0.3091 inch 240 g0.529 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Equipment - Samsung smartphone with fast USB 3.2 and UWB

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offers relatively similar features to the S22 Ultra. USB 3.2 (Gen. 1) is again on board, which supports OTG in addition to wired image output. This means that not only peripheral devices, but also storage devices can be connected to the USB port. In a copy test, the interface achieved transfer rates of 285 MB/s, and the exFAT file system didn't pose an issue for the Samsung smartphone either. NTFS is a different story: a correspondingly formatted storage device can be read, but not written.

The desktop mode DeX is also again supported and can be used wirelessly or via an optional cable, of which the latter variant works much more smoothly. The power button again doubles as a function key and can be used to launch the in-house voice assistant Bixby ex works. Those who prefer to be without a voice assistant can switch back to the classic power button in the settings. In addition, the camera or any other app can be launched by double-pressing the power button. 

Furthermore, an ultra-wideband chip (UWB) has been integrated, which is not only used to locate SmartTags, but is also the basis for digital keys. The features of the S23 Ultra are thus very much complete; only the lack of an IR blaster, an audio jack or support for microSD cards can be criticized.

Top: microphone (Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
Top: microphone
Left side (Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
Left side
Right side: volume rocker, function key (Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
Right side: volume rocker, function key
Bottom: SIM, microphone, USB, microphone, speaker, S Pen (Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
Bottom: SIM, microphone, USB, microphone, speaker, S Pen

Software - Samsung remains the Android update king

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is delivered with Google Android 13 and the in-house One UI 5.1. Those already in possession of a Samsung smartphone will be able to effortlessly switch over. Users of other systems will certainly have to get used to the new system, especially if their predecessor is a little older.

Samsung's update policy remains exemplary, for the S23 Ultra is also slated to receive four system upgrades and at least five years of security patches (from the date of release). The security patches are distributed monthly and Samsung has set up a special website for further information.

The One UI 5.1 includes numerous improvements. Among other things, media output via WLAN speakers has been integrated into the system and multitasking with a connected PC has been improved. A complete list can be found here.

In addition to Google Apps, Samsung's own apps can also be found on the smartphone, as well as the Galaxy App Store. But Facebook, Netflix, Spotify and various Microsoft apps are also preinstalled on the S23 Ultra. Apart from OneDrive, all third-party apps can be completely uninstalled, while the said app can be disabled. 

Communication and GNSS - Galaxy S23 Ultra with VHT160 WLAN

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra supports all current mobile communication standards, including 5G Sub6. Only 5G mmWave is not supported. The frequency coverage is very broad, so there should be no connection problems anywhere on the planet. In a metropolitan environment, the reception characteristics of the smartphone are very good and give no reason for complaint.

The Galaxy smartphone does not nominally support Wi-Fi 7, although the SoC should actually be able to do so. On the other hand, you do not have to do without the 6 GHz network in the WLAN, and thanks to the support of VHT160, the 5 GHz network also has a lot of power. In testing with our Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 reference router, the S23 Ultra achieved high data rates that are also largely stable. Only when sending data (5.0 GHz) was there a short dip, but the transfer rates are still so high that this would not be noticeable in practice.

Networking
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1496 (min: 1387) MBit/s ∼84%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
1671 (min: 801) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1754 (min: 1618) MBit/s ∼94%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1504 (min: 1343) MBit/s ∼83%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
iperf3 receive AXE11000
723 (min: 643) MBit/s ∼40%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
817 (min: 751) MBit/s ∼49%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
iperf3 receive AXE11000
809 (min: 780) MBit/s ∼45%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
993 (min: 972) MBit/s ∼59%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1859 (min: 919) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1637 (min: 1603) MBit/s ∼90%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
iperf3 receive AXE11000
1787 (min: 928) MBit/s ∼100%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
227 (min: 115) MBit/s ∼14%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
229 (min: 219) MBit/s ∼12%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1814 (min: 1250) MBit/s ∼100%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
iperf3 receive AXE11000
881 (min: 446) MBit/s ∼49%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
839 (min: 531) MBit/s ∼50%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1657 (min: 1379) MBit/s ∼89%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1522 (min: 1278) MBit/s ∼84%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
iperf3 receive AXE11000
820 (min: 799) MBit/s ∼46%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
890 (min: 433) MBit/s ∼53%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
iperf3 receive AXE11000
716 (min: 539) MBit/s ∼40%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
521 (min: 311) MBit/s ∼31%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1704 (min: 852) MBit/s ∼92%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1702 (min: 1642) MBit/s ∼94%
Average of class Smartphone
 
iperf3 receive AXE11000
651 (min: 34.8) MBit/s ∼36%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
686 (min: 40.5) MBit/s ∼41%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
1543 (min: 229) MBit/s ∼83%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
1376 (min: 598) MBit/s ∼76%
01002003004005006007008009001000110012001300140015001600170018001900Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Qualcomm Adreno 740; iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1754 (1618-1808)
Xiaomi 13 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Qualcomm Adreno 740; iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1829 (919-1905)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Qualcomm Adreno 740; iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1504 (1343-1604)
Xiaomi 13 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Qualcomm Adreno 740; iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1636 (1603-1672)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Qualcomm Adreno 740; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1496 (1387-1627)
Xiaomi 13 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Qualcomm Adreno 740; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø808 (780-871)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Qualcomm Adreno 740; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1645 (801-1815)
Xiaomi 13 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Qualcomm Adreno 740; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø993 (972-1016)
GPS test outdoors
Outdoors
GPS test indoors
Indoors
GPSTest: supported GNSS
GNSS

Localization is very fast on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, even indoors, and the GPS test app still shows a high signal strength. This is something of a rarity.

So we were all the more surprised that these good reception values did not really come to the fore in our test run on the bike. Although the difference in the recorded distance is very small at 20 meters over around 10 kilometers, the S23 Ultra tends to deviate a little from the actual route in the detailed course history. Navigating with Google Maps, on the other hand, presents no issue and our location is pinpointed there very quickly and accurately.

GNSS test ride: around the lake
GNSS test ride: around the lake
GNSS test ride: loop
GNSS test ride: loop
GNSS test ride: summary
GNSS test ride: summary

Telephony and Voice Quality

Like its predecessor, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is characterized by excellent voice quality. When the smartphone is held to the ear, the user's voice is conveyed very naturally and minor background noise does not affect the conversation experience. If the conversation takes place in a noisy environment, this is also filtered out well, but the user's voice then sounds somewhat muffled. In speaker mode, the user's voice is reproduced with slight reverberation; this increases a little at greater distances and the volume decreases, but the voice remains easily audible, even at more than two and a half meters.

The equipment list remains the same: the S23 Ultra can accommodate two nano-SIMs, both of which are 5G-capable. Alternatively, an eSIM is also available. Features such as WLAN calls or VoLTE are supported, but a separate SIP account control is not implemented in the system.

Cameras - 200 MP and a new ultra-wide angle

Selfie with the S23 Ultra (portrait mode)
Selfie with the S23 Ultra (portrait mode)
Selfie with the S23 Ultra (photo mode)
Selfie with the S23 Ultra (photo mode)

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra now has a 12 MP camera on the front. Although the nominal resolution has been reduced, the quality of the new optics has been greatly improved. The camera also continues to support videos in Ultra HD with up to 60 frames per second, including HDR10+ and autofocus. Aspect ratios of 1:1, Full and 16:9 are available. Photos can be taken in the same formats, but also offer 4:3 as standard.

The quality is solid and offers a natural mode by default, in which our test shots were also taken, as well as a warmer mode. The latter makes the subject appear softer. More details can be found in our comparison test with the S22 Ultra.

The main camera uses the new HP2 sensor for the first time, which delivers a whopping 200 MP. Apart from the S23 Ultra, only the Xiaomi 12T Pro and the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra have such a high-resolution image sensor. Although the HP2 sensor is not the largest with this resolution, it has the advantage of being able to use its entire surface for focusing, which is supposed to benefit moving subjects in particular. The high resolution is used for pixel binning, which should be conducive to low-light photography. Four by four pixels then form one large pixel, which means that the resulting image amounts to 12 MP. Moreover, it is also possible to create photos at 50 or 200 MP. The image formats available are 4:3, 16:9, full and 1:1. The former also allows for 50 or 200 MP photos.

The Samsung photo app offers numerous photos that can be sorted according to individual needs. If you want to take photos in RAW format, you have to download the free Expert RAW app from the Galaxy Store. This offers numerous manual settings and also the astrophoto mode.

Expert RAW: settings
Expert RAW: astrophoto mode
Expert RAW: 50 MP mode
Expert RAW: 12 MP mode
Camera app: additional shooting modes
Camera app: photo formats

We really like the photos taken with the main camera on the smartphone, but they reveal a lot of noise and a grainy structure when enlarged. The camera was similarly affected at the market launch of the S22 Ultra, but Samsung fixed this quite quickly. We expect something similar this time as well. The problem is only limited to close-up subjects; panorama shots are not affected. In low light, the S23 Ultra takes decent pictures, but we still see room for improvement here.

The new ultra-wide-angle sensor again comes from Sony and delivers better results than its predecessor, but is not entirely free of criticism. Due to the rather low resolution, the depth of field leaves something to be desired and sharpness decreases visibly in the peripheral areas. The sensor also serves as a macro lens and is automatically used by the Focus Optimization option as soon as the distance to the subject becomes too small for the autofocus of the main lens. This creates quite respectable close-ups.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Apple iPhone 14 Pro
Honor Magic4 Pro
Vivo X90 Pro

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has two magnifying lenses on board. One offers 3x optical zoom, the other 10x zoom. Digitally, even 100x zoom of a subject is possible. The latter may certainly prove useful in some cases, but the resulting photos are then no longer of photo album quality.

Normal wide angle
10x zoom
30x zoom
100x zoom

Videos are recorded in 8k at 30 FPS at best, while the Ultra HD option offers a maximum of 60 frames per second. It's a pity that Samsung does not allow a higher refresh rate at this point. After all, 120 FPS is possible in Full HD via the Pro Video mode, as well as other frame rates in all resolutions, with the exception of PAL formats at 25 or 50 FPS. In addition to the aspect ratios mentioned, 21:9 can also be selected in Pro mode.

The recordings support HDR10+ and we find them very pleasing. They also benefit from the good image stabilization of the Samsung smartphone.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Main cameraMain cameraUltra wide angle5x zoomLow light

Under controlled light conditions, the Galaxy S23 Ultra performs well. The color checker is adequately reproduced with an average DeltaE of 7.4 and shows its worst outlier in the dark green (DeltaE 12.9).

In our test chart, the 200 MP optics flex their muscles and reproduce it in great detail. However, some noise is visible in the black areas and the sharpness decreases a little towards the edges of the image.

ColorChecker
6.3 ∆E
6.5 ∆E
7.3 ∆E
12.9 ∆E
6.1 ∆E
5.4 ∆E
6.5 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
10.7 ∆E
5.7 ∆E
7 ∆E
7.8 ∆E
6.9 ∆E
9.2 ∆E
8.6 ∆E
3.5 ∆E
4.5 ∆E
11.3 ∆E
8.3 ∆E
5.2 ∆E
7.5 ∆E
5.7 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
9.6 ∆E
ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: 7.39 ∆E min: 3.5 - max: 12.87 ∆E
ColorChecker
12.4 ∆E
9 ∆E
15 ∆E
14.5 ∆E
16.9 ∆E
17 ∆E
12.6 ∆E
13.1 ∆E
12.6 ∆E
15.1 ∆E
12.7 ∆E
18.2 ∆E
12.3 ∆E
18.5 ∆E
8.6 ∆E
11.5 ∆E
17.4 ∆E
24.2 ∆E
12.4 ∆E
11.3 ∆E
15.6 ∆E
22.3 ∆E
19.4 ∆E
13.1 ∆E
ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: 14.82 ∆E min: 8.6 - max: 24.2 ∆E

Accessories and Warranty - Narrow scope of delivery

Third-party power adapters are significantly cheaper. (Photo: Daniel Schmidt)
Third-party power adapters are significantly cheaper.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a 24-month warranty, which can be supplemented with the Care+ insurance package. This can be booked for either 12 or 24 months and can include additional theft protection. The price of the insurance package ranges from US$44.50 to US$249. A $99-$199 deductible or a $29-$99 service fee may apply when you file a claim, and owners are limited to 3 claims in a 12-month period. 

In addition to the integrated S Pen, the scope of delivery of the Galaxy S23 Ultra only includes a SIM tool and a USB-C cable. A power adapter is not included. Those wanting the 45-watt power supply directly from Samsung have to invest an additional US$50. Alternatively, third-party suppliers sell significantly cheaper versions. The new Anker Ace 313 (GaN, 45 Watt), for example, is specifically developed for the new Galaxy and costs just US$29.99.

Input Devices & Operation - Ultrasonic Fingerprint in the Galaxy S23 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which has excellent gliding properties. Inputs are implemented very quickly and precisely.

The S Pen, previously reserved for the former Note series, is now a unique selling point of the Ultra smartphone. However, nothing has changed in terms of technology. The small pen still recognizes 4,096 pressure levels and has an input latency of nine milliseconds. It is also connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth and can thus be used for gesture control and as a remote control. In addition to its function as a pure input pen, it is also suitable for drawing and can be used for text translations or screenshot notes.

For biometric security, an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is integrated into the display, which recognizes the stored digit very reliably and unlocks the smartphone quickly. The recognition area is also large enough and not just limited to the small animation area. Additionally or alternatively, facial recognition is possible via the front camera, which also works very reliably, but is less secure.

 

Display - Bright and eye-friendly LTPO AMOLED

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

From a technical point of view, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra uses a very similar panel to the S22 Ultra. It measures 6.8 inches (17.27 cm) and has a WQHD+ resolution, which ensures extremely high pixel density. However, this has to be activated in the settings first, otherwise a lower resolution of 2,316 x 1080 pixels is used. HD+ (1544x720 pixels) is even available for users who like it a little pixelated and want to save energy.

The Samsung smartphone supports numerous HDR standards, namely HLG, HDR10 and HDR10+, but Dolby Vision is not supported. The system dynamically adjusts the refresh rate between 1 and 120 Hz. Alternatively, this can also be fixed at 60 Hz.

Little has changed in the brightness of the Dynamic AMOLED 2x. In a pure white display with the ambient light sensor activated, the display of the S23 Ultra reaches an average of 1,133 cd/m², which is a very good value, but is still surpassed by the Xiaomi 13 Pro in the comparison field. We measured up to 1770 cd/m² with an even distribution of bright and dark areas (APL18). In APL10, this even reaches 1806 cd/m². For those who prefer to regulate the brightness manually, up to 429 cd/m² is available. With the Additional Brightness option, this climbs up to 733 cd/m².

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is also exemplary when it comes to minimum brightness, which can be reduced to as little as 1.17 cd/m². If you want it to be even darker, you can activate the Extra Dimming function, which results in 0.82 cd/m².

1137
cd/m²
1118
cd/m²
1135
cd/m²
1142
cd/m²
1117
cd/m²
1137
cd/m²
1149
cd/m²
1131
cd/m²
1133
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 3
Maximum: 1149 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 1133.2 cd/m² Minimum: 1.17 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 97 %
Center on Battery: 1117 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
96.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.37
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Dynamic AMOLED 2x, 3080x1440, 6.80
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Super Retina XDR OLED, 2796x1290, 6.70
Xiaomi 13 Pro
OLED, 3200x1440, 6.73
Vivo X90 Pro
AMOLED, 2800x1260, 6.78
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
pOLED, 2400x1080, 6.67
Oppo Find X5 Pro
AMOLED, 3216x1440, 6.70
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Dynamic AMOLED, 3088x1440, 6.80
Screen
14%
20%
16%
12%
14%
22%
Brightness middle
1117
1061
-5%
1230
10%
1018
-9%
1020
-9%
746
-33%
1077
-4%
Brightness
1133
1057
-7%
1244
10%
1026
-9%
1020
-10%
744
-34%
1093
-4%
Brightness Distribution
97
99
2%
94
-3%
93
-4%
96
-1%
97
0%
97
0%
Black Level *
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.2
1.3
41%
1
55%
0.9
59%
1
55%
0.9
59%
1.2
45%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
3.9
3.1
21%
2.8
28%
2.2
44%
2.8
28%
1.6
59%
2
49%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.3
1.6
30%
1.8
22%
1.9
17%
2.1
9%
1.6
30%
1.3
43%
Gamma
2.37 93%
2.19 100%
2.24 98%
2.26 97%
2.29 96%
2.23 99%
2.37 93%
CCT
6572 99%
6511 100%
6446 101%
6473 100%
6502 100%
6499 100%
6526 100%

* ... smaller is better

Even the OLED panel of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is not spared from flickering. In our measurements, we observed a constant frequency of 120 Hz at minimum brightness. This may sound low at first, but can be classified as relatively easy on the eyes due to the flat period curve. If the brightness is increased, the frequency doubles, but remains at a constant level. Slight fluctuations only occur between 240 and 250 Hz during touch inputs. The panel's behavior corresponds to that of one with permanent DC dimming, even if Samsung does not specify this.

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 240 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 240 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 240 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Minimum display brightness
Min.
25% display brightness
25%
50% display brightness
50%
75% display brightness
75%
Maximum display brightness
100%

Series of measurements at a fixed zoom level and different brightness settings

The color reproduction of the Galaxy S23 Ultra proves to be very accurate, but comes last in the comparison field. This applies to both the white balance and the color accuracy.

The smartphone achieves the most natural result, which also serves as the basis for evaluation, in the screen mode Natural, but then only uses the smaller sRGB color space. However, the white balance is better in Vivid if it is set one level warmer, and the S23 Ultra then uses the larger DCI-P3 color space. Conversely, colors are more saturated and therefore less accurate.

Grayscale (mode: Vivid, white balance: Standard. Target color space: DCI-P3)
Grayscale (mode: Vivid, white balance: Standard. Target color space: DCI-P3)
Grayscale (mode: Vivid, white balance: Warm (Level 1). Target color space: DCI-P3)
Grayscale (mode: Vivid, white balance: Warm (Level 1). Target color space: DCI-P3)
Grayscale (mode: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (mode: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Colors (mode: Vivid, white balance: Standard. Target color space: DCI-P3)
Colors (mode: Vivid, white balance: Standard. Target color space: DCI-P3)
Colors (mode: Vivid, white balance: Warm (level 1). Target color space: DCI-P3)
Colors (mode: Vivid, white balance: Warm (level 1). Target color space: DCI-P3)
Colors (mode: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Colors (mode: Natural, target color space: sRGB)
Color space (mode: Vivid, white balance: Standard. Target color space: DCI-P3)
Color space (mode: Vivid, white balance: Standard. Target color space: DCI-P3)
Color space (mode: vivid, white balance: warm (level 1). Target color space: DCI-P3)
Color space (mode: vivid, white balance: warm (level 1). Target color space: DCI-P3)
Color space (mode: natural, target color space: sRGB)
Color space (mode: natural, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (mode: Vivid, white balance: Standard. Target color space: DCI-P3)
Saturation (mode: Vivid, white balance: Standard. Target color space: DCI-P3)
Saturation (mode: Vivid, white balance: Warm (Level 1). Target color space: DCI-P3)
Saturation (mode: Vivid, white balance: Warm (Level 1). Target color space: DCI-P3)
Saturation (mode: natural, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (mode: natural, target color space: sRGB)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
2.07 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 1.23 ms rise
↘ 0.8365 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 6 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
2.43 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 1.277 ms rise
↘ 1.155 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 7 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Outdoors, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra leaves an excellent impression and is easy to read in any kind of light. Even direct sunlight does not pose an issue.

Samsung Galaxy S23 outdoors
Samsung Galaxy S23
Samsung Galaxy S23 outdoors
Outdoors

The viewing angle stability of the OLED panel is very good. Only a slight reduction in brightness occurs at flat viewing angles, and there is no color inversion or a shimmering OLED veil.

Viewing angle stability of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Viewing angle stability of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Performance - S23 Ultra with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy

Like all smartphones in the series, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deploys a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy from Qualcomm, which can access 8 or 12 GB of LPDDR5x RAM depending on the memory configuration. This sounds very exclusive and is distinguished by a higher clocked prime core compared to the conventional Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, operating at up to 3.36 GHz instead of 3.2 GHz.

The higher single-core performance is also reflected in the benchmarks, but not in the system benchmarks. There the Samsung smartphone assumes a very good position, but not the top. Nevertheless, everyday performance is first-class. The AIMark scores are also quite weak, like many of the many competitors, which indicates mediocre driver optimization.

Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Apple A16 Bionic, A16 GPU 5-Core, 6144
1885 Points +21%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (1542 - 1598, n=7)
1561 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
1556 Points
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
1499 Points -4%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
1384 Points -11%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
1328 Points -15%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
1257 Points -19%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
1154 Points -26%
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 2138, n=211, last 2 years)
900 Points -42%
Multi-Core
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Apple A16 Bionic, A16 GPU 5-Core, 6144
5533 Points +9%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
5201 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
5082 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (4906 - 5198, n=7)
5020 Points -1%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
4251 Points -16%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
4232 Points -17%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
3560 Points -30%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
3488 Points -31%
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 6681, n=211, last 2 years)
2944 Points -42%
Geekbench 6.0
Single-Core
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
1976 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (1958 - 1976, n=3)
1968 Points 0%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
1753 Points -11%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
1669 Points -16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (188 - 2531, n=44, last 2 years)
1279 Points -35%
Multi-Core
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
5422 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
5221 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (5043 - 5221, n=3)
5130 Points -2%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
4232 Points -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (512 - 6460, n=44, last 2 years)
3412 Points -35%
Antutu v9 - Total Score
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
1277795 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
1226224 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (1086936 - 1286774, n=8)
1181107 Points -4%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
1175789 Points -4%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
1073804 Points -12%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Apple A16 Bionic, A16 GPU 5-Core, 6144
949107 Points -23%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
856953 Points -30%
Average of class Smartphone
  (102602 - 1650926, n=148, last 2 years)
738993 Points -40%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
704479 Points -43%
PCMark for Android - Work 3.0
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
17340 Points +8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (15270 - 17267, n=8)
16185 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
15991 Points
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
14789 Points -8%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
12579 Points -21%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
12144 Points -24%
Average of class Smartphone
  (4761 - 21385, n=206, last 2 years)
11646 Points -27%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
9765 Points -39%
CrossMark - Overall
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Apple A16 Bionic, A16 GPU 5-Core, 6144
1329 Points +8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (1120 - 1332, n=8)
1239 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
1226 Points
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
1224 Points 0%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
1103 Points -10%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
956 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
942 Points -23%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
932 Points -24%
Average of class Smartphone
  (200 - 1474, n=156, last 2 years)
829 Points -32%
BaseMark OS II
Overall
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
9091 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (8541 - 9337, n=8)
8859 Points -3%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
8164 Points -10%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
7376 Points -19%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
6799 Points -25%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
6755 Points -26%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
6319 Points -30%
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points -37%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Apple A16 Bionic, A16 GPU 5-Core, 6144
Points -100%
System
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
14275 Points
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
13412 Points -6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (1374 - 14401, n=8)
12462 Points -13%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
10786 Points -24%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
10464 Points -27%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
10340 Points -28%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
9767 Points -32%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points -33%
Memory
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
9245 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
9075 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (8467 - 9212, n=8)
8823 Points -3%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
8777 Points -3%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
7232 Points -20%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
6523 Points -28%
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points -31%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
6212 Points -32%
Graphics
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (21505 - 31928, n=8)
28672 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
28497 Points
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
27698 Points -3%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
22986 Points -19%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
21944 Points -23%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
19247 Points -32%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
17104 Points -40%
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points -51%
Web
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
1960 Points +6%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
1850 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (1460 - 2032, n=8)
1768 Points -4%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
1665 Points -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points -20%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
1444 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
1434 Points -22%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
843 Points -54%
UL Procyon AI Inference for Android - Overall Score NNAPI
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
68880 Points +317%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
44483 Points +169%
Average of class Smartphone
  (207 - 84787, n=143, last 2 years)
22131 Points +34%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
16511 Points
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
15778 Points -4%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730, 12288
14572 Points -12%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (1267 - 16702, n=8)
14423 Points -13%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920, 8192
10841 Points -34%
AImark - Score v3.x
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Apple A16 Bionic, A16 GPU 5-Core, 6144
39328 Points +2898%
Vivo X90 Pro
MediaTek Dimensity 9200, Immortalis-G715 MP11, 12288
31865 Points +2329%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  (1216 - 156427, n=6)
27143 Points +1969%
Average of class Smartphone
  (298 - 245629, n=96, last 2 years)
14327 Points +992%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 12288
1354 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740, 12288
1312 Points

The integrated Adreno 740 is responsible for graphics acceleration. So far, no one at Samsung has been able to tell us whether this also clocks a little higher, and the benchmarks are also ambiguous in this regard. In the 4k test of GFXBench, the performance increase is 11 percent, which would certainly speak in favor of a higher clock rate. In other tests, however, the S23 Ultra lags behind its competitors. This can be attributed to the SoC's mediocre cooling, which we will discuss later.

3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
3792 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
3791 Points
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
3784 Points 0%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
3196 Points -16%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
2768 Points -27%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
2523 Points -33%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
1916 Points -49%
3DMark / Wild Life Extreme
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
3843 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
3829 Points
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
3783 Points -1%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
3365 Points -12%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
2796 Points -27%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
2575 Points -33%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
2044 Points -47%
3DMark / Wild Life Unlimited Score
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
14369 Points
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
13984 Points -3%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
13492 Points -6%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
12367 Points -14%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
10982 Points -24%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
10175 Points -29%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
7288 Points -49%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
6894 Points +10%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
6293 Points
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
5857 Points -7%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
3957 Points -37%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
3902 Points -38%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
23070 Points
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
22483 Points -3%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
20640 Points -11%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
18090 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
12972 Points -44%
3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
14878 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
14487 Points
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
13223 Points -9%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
10005 Points -31%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
8612 Points -41%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
144 fps +20%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
118 fps -2%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
60 fps -50%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
60 fps -50%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
497 fps +1%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
492 fps
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
456 fps -7%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
455 fps -8%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
451 fps -8%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
380 fps -23%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
302 fps -39%
GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
144 fps +21%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +1%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
120 fps +1%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
119 fps
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
108 fps -9%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
60 fps -50%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
60 fps -50%
GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
331 fps +27%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
289 fps +11%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
265 fps +2%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
261 fps
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
237 fps -9%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
187 fps -28%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
181 fps -31%
GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
119 fps +31%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
109 fps +20%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
104 fps +14%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
91 fps
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
71 fps -22%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
60 fps -34%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
56 fps -38%
GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
222 fps +17%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
190 fps
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
187 fps -2%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
179 fps -6%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
127 fps -33%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
113 fps -41%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
111 fps -42%
GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
89 fps +37%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
81 fps +25%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
65 fps
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
63 fps -3%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
60 fps -8%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
39 fps -40%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
39 fps -40%
GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
126 fps +2%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
123 fps
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
103 fps -16%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
98 fps -20%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
89 fps -28%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
68 fps -45%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
63 fps -49%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
82 fps +37%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
68 fps +13%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
60 fps
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
54 fps -10%
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
51 fps -15%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
36 fps -40%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
31 fps -48%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
67 fps
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
61 fps -9%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
52 fps -22%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
51 fps -24%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
41 fps -39%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
40 fps -40%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
30 fps -55%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
105 fps +25%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
104 fps +24%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
84 fps
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
82 fps -2%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
60 fps -29%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
53 fps -37%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
42 fps -50%
GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
157 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
157 fps
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
133 fps -15%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
119 fps -24%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
111 fps -29%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
94 fps -40%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
68 fps -57%
GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
31 fps
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
28 fps -10%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
24 fps -23%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
23 fps -26%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
23 fps -26%

Basemark GPUScore

05101520253035404550556065707580859095Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; GPUScore: The Expedition; Official Native; 0.9.1 Vulkan 1.0: Ø34.7 (11.1-68.4)
Xiaomi 13 Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; GPUScore: The Expedition; Official Native; 0.9.1 Vulkan 1.0: Ø38.8 (15.1-95.8)
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe; GPUScore: The Expedition; Official Native; 1.0.0 : Ø41 (19.8-57.3)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; GPUScore: The Expedition; 2560x1440 Official; 0.9.1 Vulkan 1.0: Ø39.5 (12.5-78.4)
Xiaomi 13 Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; GPUScore: The Expedition; 2560x1440 Official; 0.9.1 Vulkan 1.0: Ø31.3 (12.8-74.5)
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe; GPUScore: The Expedition; 2560x1440 Official; 1.0.0 : Ø46.1 (27.6-58.5)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; GPUScore: Sacred Path; Official Native; 0.9.0 Vulkan 1.3: Ø16 (10.8-74.7)
Xiaomi 13 Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; GPUScore: Sacred Path; Official Native; 0.9.0 Vulkan 1.3: Ø14 (9.28-79)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; GPUScore: Sacred Path; 2560x1440 Official; 0.9.0 Vulkan 1.3: Ø17.3 (9.4-80.7)
Xiaomi 13 Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; GPUScore: Sacred Path; 2560x1440 Official; 0.9.0 Vulkan 1.3: Ø11.4 (7.67-73.2)

In the browser benchmarks, the Galaxy smartphone delivers consistently good results and only has to yield to the iPhone 14 Pro. In the Android segment, it is the measure of all things; only in the WebXPRT benchmark does it rank in the midfield.

Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max (Safari 16)
278.979 Points +75%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (152.9 - 196.3, n=8)
173.4 Points +9%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Chrome 109)
159.102 Points
Xiaomi 13 Pro (Chrome 109)
137.873 Points -13%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra (Chrome 105)
117.894 Points -26%
Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=167, last 2 years)
104 Points -35%
Oppo Find X5 Pro (Chrome 99)
103 Points -35%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G (Chrome 99)
96.8 Points -39%
Vivo X90 Pro (Chrome 109)
67.646 Points -57%
Speedometer 2.0 - Result
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max (Safari 16)
371 runs/min +159%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (136 - 197, n=6)
168.7 runs/min +18%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Chrome 109)
143 runs/min
Xiaomi 13 Pro (Chrome 109)
110.9 runs/min -22%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G (Chrome 99)
108 runs/min -24%
Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=151, last 2 years)
104.7 runs/min -27%
Oppo Find X5 Pro (Chrome 99)
104 runs/min -27%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra (Chrome 105)
99.2 runs/min -31%
Vivo X90 Pro (Chrome 109)
60.2 runs/min -58%
WebXPRT 4 - Overall
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max (Safari 16)
201 Points +39%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (145 - 187, n=8)
165.5 Points +14%
Xiaomi 13 Pro (Chrome 109)
157 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Chrome 110)
145 Points
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra (Chrome 105)
101 Points -30%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 202, n=150, last 2 years)
98.8 Points -32%
Vivo X90 Pro (Chrome 109)
66 Points -54%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max (Safari 16)
72024 Points +22%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Chrome 109)
59214 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (49582 - 64715, n=8)
59058 Points 0%
Xiaomi 13 Pro (Chrome 109)
42544 Points -28%
Oppo Find X5 Pro (Chrome 99)
38407 Points -35%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra (Chrome 105)
37098 Points -37%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G (Chrome 99)
34055 Points -42%
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points -44%
Vivo X90 Pro (Chrome 109)
21648 Points -63%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Vivo X90 Pro (Chrome 109)
1847.5 ms * -170%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * -142%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G (Chrome 99)
1259 ms * -84%
Oppo Find X5 Pro (Chrome 99)
1125 ms * -64%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra (Chrome 105)
1104 ms * -61%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (634 - 1533, n=8)
795 ms * -16%
Xiaomi 13 Pro (Chrome 109)
690.6 ms * -1%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Chrome 109)
685 ms *
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max (Safari 16)
469.9 ms * +31%

* ... smaller is better

The fast UFS 4.0 storage in the Galaxy S23 Ultra provides a significant speed boost for the data storage. Only when writing data does it surprisingly weaken a little and is even easily outperformed in small data blocks by the Edge 30 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S23 UltraXiaomi 13 ProVivo X90 ProMotorola Edge 30 UltraOppo Find X5 ProSamsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5GAverage 256 GB UFS 4.0 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
84%
82%
30%
-29%
-6%
52%
-13%
Sequential Read 256KB
3426.56
3587.83
5%
3866.75
13%
1717.77
-50%
1410
-59%
1653
-52%
3533 ?(3249 - 4384, n=18)
3%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
-57%
Sequential Write 256KB
1389.84
2601.45
87%
2643.38
90%
1363.58
-2%
894
-36%
1074
-23%
2393 ?(1014 - 2965, n=18)
72%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
-22%
Random Read 4KB
449.77
387.72
-14%
367.89
-18%
349.08
-22%
183.7
-59%
322.3
-28%
417 ?(368 - 460, n=18)
-7%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
-46%
Random Write 4KB
152.92
546.98
258%
521.43
241%
446.25
192%
210.4
38%
273.1
79%
368 ?(152.9 - 595, n=18)
141%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
74%

Gaming - Adreno 740 in need of optimization

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra uses a very powerful SoC that has more than enough reserves even for demanding games. This is also largely reflected in the tested titles, which we analyzed with GameBench.

In Genshin Impact, a constant frame rate of 60 FPS is no issue at the highest detail level. Unfortunately, the 120 Hz mode cannot be used. Diablo Immortal is a little more sluggish. Even at the lowest detail level, there were occasional stutters under testing, but these did not increase at higher detail levels. Selecting the highest setting is unfortunately not yet possible. This is certainly not due to the hardware, but to a lack of optimization.

The gaming experience is rounded off by the large display, which offers a great overview, and the good speakers.

PUBG Mobile
PUBG Mobile
Samsung Game Booster
Game Booster
Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact
Samsung Game Launcher
Game Launcher
0102030405060708090100110120Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra; Armajet; 1.61.6: Ø119.3 (114-120)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra; Genshin Impact; 3.4.0_12498014_12591909: Ø59.9 (54-61)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra; PUBG Mobile; HD; 2.4.0: Ø59.8 (55-61)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra; PUBG Mobile; Ultra HD; 2.4.0: Ø40 (39-41)

Emissions - The performance bonus of the S23 Ultra fizzles out

Temperature

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remains pleasantly cool on its surfaces in all situations. Even sustained load doesn't faze it.

The cooling of the SoC, however, is not quite as successful. In the 3DMark Wild Life stress test, performance falls over time and sinks to 69 percent of its original performance level at the end of the twentieth run. Nonetheless, this is still around 54 FPS and thus considerably more than the predecessor. This decrease is unlikely to be noticeable in everyday use.

Max. Load
 29.8 °C
86 F
29.8 °C
86 F
30 °C
86 F
 
 30.8 °C
87 F
31.1 °C
88 F
30.3 °C
87 F
 
 30.5 °C
87 F
29.6 °C
85 F
28.7 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 31.1 °C = 88 F
Average: 30.1 °C = 86 F
28.5 °C
83 F
28.7 °C
84 F
30.1 °C
86 F
28 °C
82 F
28.9 °C
84 F
30 °C
86 F
27.9 °C
82 F
28.2 °C
83 F
29.9 °C
86 F
Maximum: 30.1 °C = 86 F
Average: 28.9 °C = 84 F
Room Temperature 20.8 °C = 69 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated) & Voltcraft IR-260
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 30.1 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 31.1 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 30.1 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.4 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

3DMark Wild Life Stress Test

3DMark
Wild Life Stress Test Stability
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
83.1 % +20%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
80.1 % +16%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
74.1 % +7%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
69 %
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
62.7 % -9%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
59.6 % -14%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
58.5 % -15%
Wild Life Extreme Stress Test
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
88.2 % +50%
Vivo X90 Pro
Immortalis-G715 MP11, Dimensity 9200, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
81.7 % +39%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe
66.7 % +14%
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Adreno 730, SD 8+ Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
63.1 % +7%
Oppo Find X5 Pro
Adreno 730, SD 8 Gen 1, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
62.7 % +7%
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Xclipse 920, Exynos 2200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash
61.8 % +5%
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash
58.7 %
0510152025303540455055606570758085Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.1.0.2: Ø16.8 (13.5-23)
Xiaomi 13 Pro Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.1.0.2: Ø21.1 (19.4-22)
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test: Ø14.4 (13.4-20.1)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability: Ø60 (53.6-77.7)
Xiaomi 13 Pro Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø73.8 (64.6-77.7)
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe; Wild Life Stress Test Stability: Ø50.6 (47.5-59.3)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Adreno 740, SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash; Wild Life Unlimited Stress Test Stability: Ø72.7 (55.1-86.1)
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max A16 GPU 5-Core, A16, 128 GB NVMe; Wild Life Unlimited Stress Test Stability: Ø55.3 (50.8-74)

Speakers

The two speakers of the Galaxy S23 Ultra deliver an appealing soundscape, have been optimized by AKG again this year and support Dolby Atmos. Even the upper bass range is clearly audible, but not enough for really deep tones.

If you want to use the wired sound output, you have to use the USB-C port. A suitable adapter for jack plugs can be purchased separately. Modern Bluetooth 5.3 is available wirelessly, but unfortunately still with very narrow codec support (SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC and SSC). If you want to stream to two Bluetooth receivers simultaneously, you have to make do with the SBC codec.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.834.72527.935.33124.334.84028.240.55036.739.46322.237.58025.442.31002144.312518.648.316015.458.620015.159.225013.161315126140012.76250011.868.263012.967.380010.473.4100013.374.8125013.278160012.179.3200012.279.9250012.982.3315014.881400015.882.5500016.182.6630014.479.6800013.680.41000013.578.61250014.473.5160001570.2SPL25.991.8N0.789.6median 13.5median 74.8Delta1.3935.644.335.230.332.627.92929.737.438.130.631.629.333.226.736.624.34622.556.218.85516.258.51258.99.960.711.767.810.368.511.970.3127212.175.61276.312.180.112.779.612.779.512.978.213.378.213.276.513.674.613.67513.371.412.760.325.1890.776median 12.7median 7228.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy S23 UltraApple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (91.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.4% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.1% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.2% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (2.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 19% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 77% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (1.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 18% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 78% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life - 5,000 mAh with more stamina

Power Consumption

The power consumption of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is exemplary in idle mode. However, in our tests with adjusted display brightness (150 cd/m2), the battery drains much more quickly than the competition.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra once again comes without a power supply, which is why we used an Anker Ace 313 (45 Watt, GaN), which fully exploits the smartphone's charging technology capabilities and takes a full hour to fully charge the 5,000 mAh battery. The 50-percent mark is reached after 18 minutes and the 80-percent mark after 34 minutes.

The S23 Ultra can be charged wirelessly at up to 15 watts. With Wireless PowerShare, the smartphone can also charge other products wirelessly.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.02 / 0.26 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.9 / 1.05 / 1.1 Watt
Load midlight 3.99 / 7.82 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
5000 mAh
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
4323 mAh
Xiaomi 13 Pro
4820 mAh
Vivo X90 Pro
4870 mAh
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
4610 mAh
Oppo Find X5 Pro
5000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
5000 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-12%
-15%
-43%
-11%
-16%
-12%
-73%
-26%
Idle Minimum *
0.9
0.61
32%
1.02
-13%
0.9
-0%
0.74
18%
1.24
-38%
0.58
36%
1.531 ?(0.44 - 3.4, n=8)
-70%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
1%
Idle Average *
1.05
1.7
-62%
1.36
-30%
2.32
-121%
1.84
-75%
1.39
-32%
0.71
32%
1.848 ?(0.69 - 3.68, n=8)
-76%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
-38%
Idle Maximum *
1.1
1.73
-57%
1.58
-44%
2.39
-117%
1.86
-69%
1.42
-29%
1.16
-5%
1.998 ?(0.83 - 3.91, n=8)
-82%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
-48%
Load Average *
3.99
3.85
4%
4.29
-8%
3.64
9%
2.75
31%
3.58
10%
7.07
-77%
7.9 ?(3.99 - 15.8, n=8)
-98%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-39%
Load Maximum *
7.82
5.94
24%
6.15
21%
6.53
16%
4.54
42%
6.99
11%
11.32
-45%
10.7 ?(6.16 - 15.9, n=8)
-37%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-5%

* ... smaller is better

Power Consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)

01234567891011121314Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy; Geekbench 5.5 Power Consumption 150cd: Ø6.7 (1.089-14.7)
Xiaomi 13 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2; Geekbench 5.5 Power Consumption 150cd: Ø4.54 (0.899-8.01)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.938 (0.899-1.321)
Xiaomi 13 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.902 (0.867-1.084)

Power Consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)

0123456789101112Tooltip
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø11.6 (10.3-12.7)
Xiaomi 13 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2; 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Offscreen: Ø6.96 (6.61-7.31)
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.938 (0.899-1.321)
Xiaomi 13 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2; Idle 150cd/m2: Ø0.902 (0.867-1.084)

Battery Life

The battery runtimes of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra turn out very good in all test areas, only conceding defeat to the iPhone 14 Pro Max in terms of total runtime. When looking at the values with adjusted display brightness (150 cd/m2), the Galaxy smartphone is better. In web surfing in particular, it is at the top of the comparison field.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
35h 39min
WiFi Websurfing (Chrome 110)
18h 20min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
25h 43min
Load (maximum brightness)
6h 40min
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
5000 mAh
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
4323 mAh
Xiaomi 13 Pro
4820 mAh
Vivo X90 Pro
4870 mAh
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
4610 mAh
Oppo Find X5 Pro
5000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
5000 mAh
Battery Runtime
15%
-27%
-17%
-15%
-26%
-15%
Reader / Idle
2139
3473
62%
1509
-29%
2206
3%
1269
-41%
1973
-8%
H.264
1543
1688
9%
1263
-18%
1188
-23%
1142
-26%
1078
-30%
WiFi v1.3
1100
948
-14%
846
-23%
909
-17%
872
-21%
788
-28%
844
-23%
Load
400
416
4%
254
-36%
323
-19%
367
-8%
410
3%

Pros

+ bright LTPO OLED at 120 Hz
+ high performance
+ long battery life
+ S Pen
+ IP68 certified
+ very good voice quality

Cons

- missing audio codecs for Bluetooth
- no Wi-Fi 7
- slow charging technology
- moderate cooling of the SoC

Verdict - A solid upgrade

In review: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Test device provided by Samsung Germany. (Image: Daniel Schmidt)
In review: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Test device provided by Samsung Germany. (Image: Daniel Schmidt)

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of the best smartphones currently available. Again this year, Samsung continues to focus on further developing its flagship phone without introducing any major innovations. The global deployment of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is a real advantage. The S23 Ultra works more smoothly than its predecessor at market launch and battery life in particular benefits from the change of the SoC.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra demands few compromises from users.

The cameras of the Galaxy S23 Ultra are among the best in their class and offer a particularly wide range of uses. However, while the new main sensor with 200 MPix still needs some fine tuning, the new ultra-wide-angle sensor is a clear improvement.

The WLAN is fast, stable and can also make use of the 6 GHz band, but does not support the current Wi-Fi 7 standard, although this belongs to the Snapdragon's capabilities. Furthermore, that more modern Bluetooth codecs will not be supported with change of SOC is disappointing. So the S23 Ultra does not offer any major competitive advantages, but still has a unique selling point in its S Pen.

Strong competitors include the Xiaomi 13 Pro, Motorola Edge 30 Ultra or the Pixel 7 Pro. If users are not looking for an Android smartphone, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is a good choice.

Price and Availability

Users are advised to check directly via Samsung's webstore (where applicable) for prices and availability of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. In the US, for example, the smallest memory variant (256 GB) costs $1,199.99, followed by the 512 GB and 1 TB variants for $1,379.99 and $1,619.99, respectively. 

Generally speaking, models are slightly cheaper via resellers such as Amazon.

The aforementioned prices are as of 01.03.2023 and subject to change.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra - 07/24/2023 v7
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
95%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
97%
Connectivity
72 / 70 → 100%
Weight
88%
Battery
93%
Display
93%
Games Performance
70 / 64 → 100%
Application Performance
95 / 86 → 100%
Temperature
96%
Noise
100%
Audio
76 / 90 → 85%
Camera
81%
Average
86%
91%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Transparency

The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review: The smartphone with galactic power and a 200 MP camera
Daniel Schmidt, 2023-03- 1 (Update: 2023-07-12)