The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remains one of the most complete flagship packages Samsung has ever shipped, pairing a 200 MP camera system, a built-in S Pen, and a 5000 mAh battery inside an armor-aluminum body. Announced in February 2023 and powered by the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, it was built to do everything a productivity-focused power user could ask of a phone.
This breakdown looks at how the S23 Ultra holds up as a specs proposition: where the hardware genuinely earns its flagship label, what the lab numbers reveal about real performance, and which buyers will get the most out of its standout features. With four storage tiers and a current street price hovering around the $500 mark, it has quietly become one of the better value buys among former top-tier devices.
Full Specifications
Network
| Technology: | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 2G bands: | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| CDMA 800 / 1900 & TD-SCDMA | |
| 3G bands: | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| 4G bands: | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 – International |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 – USA | |
| 5G bands: | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 – International |
| 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave – USA | |
| Speed: | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
Launch
| Announced: | 2023, February 01 |
| Status: | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
Body
| Dimensions: | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) |
| Weight: | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| Build: | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| SIM: | Nano-SIM + eSIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame Stylus (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) |
Display
| Type: | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| Size: | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution: | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Protection: | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
Platform
| OS: | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1 |
| Chipset: | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| CPU: | Octa-core (1×3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| GPU: | Adreno 740 |
Memory
| Card slot: | No |
| Internal: | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 4.0 |
Main Camera
| Quad: | 200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3″, 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Features: | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video: | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
Selfie camera
| Single: | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2″, 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Features: | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Video: | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
Sound
| Loudspeaker: | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 3.5mm jack: | No |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG |
Comms
| WLAN: | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth: | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Positioning: | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| NFC: | Yes |
| Radio: | No |
| USB: | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
Features
| Sensors: | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support Circle to Search |
Battery
| Type: | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Charging: | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
Misc
| Colors: | Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition |
| Models: | SM-S918B, SM-S918B/DS, SM-S918U, SM-S918U1, SM-S918W, SM-S918N, SM-S9180, SM-S918E, SM-S918E/DS |
| SAR: | 1.12 W/kg (head) 0.92 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU: | 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.40 W/kg (body) |
| Price: | € 493.00 / $ 499.99 / £ 460.00 / ₹ 77,000 |
Our Tests
| Performance: | AnTuTu: 1241531 (v9) GeekBench: 4927 (v5.1) 3DMark: 3790 (Wild Life Extreme) |
| Display: | 1274 nits max brightness (measured) |
| Camera: | Photo / Video |
| Loudspeaker: | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Battery: | Active use score 13:24h |
| Battery (old): | Endurance rating 126h |
Price and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offers a compelling combination of features and performance. While the base price is around €493, the actual cost may vary depending on your location and retailer. Below, you’ll find the approximate price of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra converted into various currencies. Please note that these are estimates based on recent exchange rates as of June 15, 2026 and may not reflect the exact price you’ll find at a retailer.
- United States: $571
- Japan: ¥91,472
- United Kingdom: £426
- Australia: A$809
- Canada: C$799
- Taiwan: NT$18,082
- Denmark: kr3.678
- Saudi Arabia: ﷼2,142
- South Korea: ₩866,903
- Germany: €493
- Brazil: R$2.902
- Vietnam: ₫14.971.856
- Kenya: KSh 73,935
- India: ₹54,342
- Indonesia: Rp 10.200.342
- Nigeria: ₦774,542
- Pakistan: ₨159,085
- Philippines: ₱34,642
- Bangladesh: ৳৭০,২০০
Is the Galaxy S23 Ultra Still Worth Buying?
At a launch-class flagship spec sheet now available for roughly €493 / $499.99 / £460 / ₹77,000, the S23 Ultra delivers a value equation that few current mid-rangers can match. You get a quad-camera array, an integrated stylus, IP68 protection, and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage in a single device. For shoppers comparing former flagships against new upper-mid phones, the S23 Ultra often wins on raw capability per dollar.
Design and Build Quality
Measuring 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm and weighing 234 g, this is unapologetically a large, dense device built for two-handed use. Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covers both the front and back, while the armor-aluminum frame adds rigidity. The flatter sides and squared corners make room for the S Pen silo, and IP68 certification means it survives immersion up to 1.5 m for 30 minutes. The stylus itself supports Bluetooth, accelerometer, and gyro input for remote shutter and gesture controls.
Display Experience
The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel runs at a 1440 x 3088 resolution (~500 ppi) with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. Samsung quotes 1750 nits peak brightness, and our measured figure of 1274 nits confirms strong outdoor visibility. With an ~89.9% screen-to-body ratio and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, it remains one of the most immersive and durable displays in its class, ideal for media, gaming, and S Pen note-taking.
Performance and Benchmarks
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) pairs a 3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 prime core with an Adreno 740 GPU and up to 12GB of RAM. The numbers back up the spec sheet: AnTuTu 1,241,531 (v9), GeekBench 4927 (v5.1), and a 3DMark Wild Life Extreme score of 3790. That headroom translates into smooth sustained gaming and confident multitasking, with UFS 4.0 storage keeping app loads and large file transfers brisk.
Camera System
The headline 200 MP f/1.7 wide sensor anchors a versatile quad setup that also includes a 12 MP ultrawide, a 10 MP 3x telephoto, and a 10 MP periscope delivering 10x optical zoom. Pixel binning on the main sensor produces bright, detailed stills, while the dual telephoto system makes the S23 Ultra a genuine reach-zoom standout. Video tops out at 8K@30fps with HDR10+ and gyro-EIS, and the 12 MP selfie camera handles 4K@60fps.
Battery Life and Charging
A 5000 mAh Li-Ion cell drives an active-use score of 13:24h in our testing, comfortably covering a full day of heavy use. Charging is 45W wired (65% in 30 minutes), plus 15W Qi wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless. Wired speeds aren’t class-leading by 2023 standards, but the endurance and feature balance keep the experience hassle-free for most users.
Software and Ecosystem
Shipping on Android 13 and upgradable through One UI 6.1.1, the S23 Ultra benefits from Samsung’s commitment to four major Android upgrades, extending its useful life well beyond launch. Samsung DeX, Wireless DeX, UWB, and Circle to Search round out a deep productivity toolkit that few rivals match, reinforcing its appeal as a do-it-all flagship.
Connectivity
The phone covers extensive 5G SA/NSA/Sub6 and mmWave bands (US models), Wi-Fi 6e tri-band, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, and USB Type-C 3.2 with OTG. Positioning spans GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BDS, and QZSS. Stereo speakers tuned by AKG measured a very good -25.6 LUFS, though there is no 3.5mm jack or microSD expansion.
Who Should Buy It
The S23 Ultra is best suited to power users, mobile creatives, and note-takers who want the S Pen, long-reach zoom, and a large high-resolution display in one device. Bargain hunters tracking flagship value will also find its current pricing compelling, provided they can handle the size and weight.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra packs a 200 MP camera, 10x periscope zoom, an integrated S Pen, a brilliant 120Hz display, and reliable all-day battery into one premium, durable package. While its size, weight, and modest 45W charging won’t suit everyone, its proven performance and four-year update promise make it a smart pick. If you want a feature-complete flagship at a value price, the S23 Ultra is firmly recommended.
