Samsung has three new flagship smartphones to mark 2023—the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra. They’re obtainable for preorder proper now and formally go on sale beginning February 17. But must you improve? If you want a brand new cellphone, which Galaxy S23 mannequin is greatest for you? We break down what’s totally different between every mannequin, what’s new, and which one is best for you. We’ve additionally featured a number of of the perfect Galaxy S23 promotions from Samsung and cell carriers so you will get probably the most out of your buy.

Be certain to take a look at our Best Android Phones and Best Cheap Phones guides for extra suggestions. If you are snagging final yr’s Galaxy S22 as a substitute for affordable, nicely, we’ve got accessory recommendations as well.  

Special supply for Gear readers: Get a 1-Year Subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This consists of limitless entry to WIRED.com and our print journal (if you would like). Subscriptions assist fund the work we do on daily basis.

If you purchase one thing utilizing hyperlinks in our tales, we could earn a fee. This helps assist our journalism. Learn more.

The New Tech in All 3 Phones

The Galaxy S23 sequence have an identical design philosophy all through all three gadgets, although the Ultra stands out for its squared edges. They all have the identical vivid AMOLED screens, characteristic 120-Hz screen refresh rates, and have the fundamentals like wi-fi charging, strong 5G and Wi-Fi 6E assist, in-display fingerprint sensors, and IP68 water resistance. They’re made from aluminum, and the glass defending the display screen and the rear is Corning’s newest Gorilla Glass Victus 2. You can get all of them in Phantom Black, Cream, Green, and Lavender, and you will find Lime, Graphite, Sky Blue, and Red coloration choices if you happen to purchase them immediately at Samsung.com.

These telephones are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip with 8 GB of RAM—not simply within the US, however globally. The “for Galaxy” moniker signifies that the chips have a barely greater clock velocity than the bottom Snapdragon chips, so they seem to be a bit quicker, and there are further optimizations to make them extra environment friendly. The lineup additionally encompasses a redesigned cooling chamber that is two instances bigger, which ought to preserve the cellphone cooler when gaming for prolonged classes. Camera-wise, all three fashions share the identical 12-megapixel ultrawide, an identical 3X optical telephoto digital camera, and a brand new 12-megapixel selfie cam.  

All three S23 telephones will obtain 5 years of safety updates and 4 Android OS upgrades (they launch with Android 13), which is the perfect software program coverage you will discover with Android telephones. That’s nearly the place the similarities finish. Here’s how they’re all totally different. 

The Galaxy S23 is the smallest of the lineup with its 6.1-inch display screen, so if you happen to’re after a cellphone you may comfortably use in a single hand, this one’s the best way to go. It’s additionally the most affordable, although not at all is it “cheap.” It’s the one S23 mannequin that begins with 128 GB of inner storage—the opposite two now begin at 256 GB—however Samsung has upped the battery capability by 200 mAh over the Galaxy S22 to three,900 mAh. This cellphone is the one one within the group that is restricted to 25-watt charging speeds, so it is not as quick at recharging whenever you plug it in. (Remember, there is not any extra charging adapter within the field, so you will have to produce one your self.) The massive change is the first digital camera, which makes use of a brand new 50-megapixel sensor for improved dynamic coloration vary.

The S23+ is the awkward center youngster that is not as feature-filled because the Ultra, however not as distinctive from the usual S23 to warrant a $200 bump in worth. Still, this cellphone is bigger at 6.6 inches and has a much bigger 4,700-mAh battery capability than its predecessor. The inner storage begins at 256 GB, which is vital since Samsung stopped together with microSD card slots in its high-end telephones in 2021. Since the S23+ has the identical precise digital camera setup because the S23, the one most important distinction is charging velocity—it helps 45-watt charging (charger not included) so it can juice up just a little quicker than the S23. In our prior expertise, the charging velocity is not drastically totally different, so this actually should not issue into your resolution. Get it if you would like extra battery or a barely greater display screen.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the crème de la crème of Samsung’s lineup. It retains the identical nice 10X optical zoom digital camera as its predecessor that permits you to take sharp images of topics far-off. It additionally has a 3X optical zoom, and who would not love choices? If you are an S Pen fan, that is the one Samsung cellphone with a built-in stylus that is accessible from the underside fringe of the gadget. It’s the biggest cellphone of the trio at 6.8 inches (and the heaviest), and whereas it has an adaptive refresh rate like the other two, it could actually shift between 1 and 120 Hz when wanted, which means it is just a little extra battery environment friendly. It has a 5,000-mAh battery, and Samsung says it can final 20 % longer than final yr’s S22 Ultra regardless of having the identical capability.