Price: £1,249 from fave.co/3FnUYbl
When the Galaxy S23 Ultra was announced, I said it showed Samsung doesn’t have to try anymore because the phone is so similar to the Galaxy S22 Ultra from 2022: see Tech Advisor May 2023.
I stand by that. This phone looks and feels like the one that came before it in the range. But that doesn’t stop the newer S23 Ultra being one of the best phones ever made and one of the best phones you can buy.
If you want a device with every conceivable smartphone feature crammed into a glass block you can (just about) fit in your pocket, then you probably don’t need to look any further.
The best screen on a phone, a stylus, a 200Mp camera, and the latest in mobile processing power isn’t cheap. The S23 Ultra starts at £1,249 and only gets more expensive if you want more storage. But with five years of software support it’s built to last.
DESIGN
So yes, the S23 Ultra looks a lot like the S22 Ultra, which means it’s a very large heavy (234g) block with glass on both sides, aluminium rails around the edges, and squared off corners to make the screen rectangular. Many phones have rounded screen corners these days, so it lends the Ultra a serious, computer-ish look.
The back is covered in Gorilla Glass Victus 2, same as the screen. This is the strongest phone glass going, but I still recommend putting this very smashable phone in a case even if it makes the phone even larger. There’s no pre-installed screen protector either. Thoughit feels incredibly premium. The side rails are almost flat but curve off towards the front and back of the very slightly curved edge screen, with the top and bottom of the device the only parts that are completely flat. It’s a better feel than the iPhone’s completely flat sides and screen.
