First Impression: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The all-new generation of Samsung Galaxy S series smartphone is here. While we did spend a short afternoon with the demo samples, do check out the write-up if you missed it earlier, clearly, it is not a one-to-one experience from what I would expect from a consumer’s standpoint. It is like handling a display unit at a retail shop vs actually owning the device. What we got in the studio is the retail unit of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and here’s my first impression.

New Chassis Details

I am already in love with the “Cream” colour scheme, which stands out with its unique off-white shade. It is difficult to describe it over a simple sentence and photos don’t really do the justice. It is not entirely white as there’s a subtle warmish hue.

Netizens are quick to comment about how the new Samsung Galaxy S23 series basically looks identical to the outgoing Galaxy S22 series. I don’t blame them as most consumers would judge a phone’s design only based on the camera array.

Well, I certainly hoped Samsung would adopt the same design as the regular Galaxy S23 or S23+ instead of leaving the Ultra as the only one with a different chassis design.

While the top and bottom of the chassis remained as flat, the side of the phone is not as rounded as the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

This is better in terms of gripability and handling.

Then again, I’m not a fan of phones digging into my palm. Since the Galaxy S23 Ultra is a big phone with a 6.8-inch AMOLED display, I don’t think it is a good idea to use it one-handed.

Besides, you will probably use the phone two-handed if you want to fully harness the features of the S Pen.

Last but not least, the upgraded camera array.

200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3″, 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom
10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Super Steady video

The primary camera has been upgraded with a 200 megapixels sensor that works at capturing the finest details and assisting in the 100x zoom feature. We will have a separate article talking about the camera features and performance once we get explore deeper into the camera features. Till then stay tuned to our upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review and feature contents.