Galaxy S23 Ultra long-term review after 3 months: highs and lows

The Galaxy S23 Ultra was an absolute home run at release, and over the last three months as a daily driver it has gotten even better. Since launch, Samsung has released updates that have further improved the camera, battery life and overall stability. There are four things I love about my S23 Ultra, and one that spoils it for me just a tiny bit.

Highs

1. Speed. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is incredibly fast. In all that time, I had no stutters and no frozen apps. Switching between apps and working in split screen is super fast. I have never held such a fast smartphone.
2. Display. The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with QHD+ resolution is so sharp that watching videos is really fun. The curved edges of the display make the fairly heavy device sit well in the hand.
3. Camera. It is the real showstopper, and photos and videos always come out good and razor sharp. In the past, I always carried the latest iPhone for short clips for my YouTube videos, because no other smartphone came close to its quality. Those times are over: the S23 Ultra shoots at least equally good video, and for white balance I even find it better than any iPhone.
4. Battery. It is on par with the current iPhone 14 Pro Max. I get almost two days out of one charge.

I forgot a third point in the video. Pick one yourself, such as wireless charging or one of the many other great features.

Display without a screen protector

I tried several screen protectors. After a while, they all curled up at the edges, which looked terrible. So I use the display bare. I had serious concerns, but apart from a few micro-scratches I have no noteworthy blemishes, even though I put the device on the table face down or toss it in my handbag together with my keys. The Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 has impressed me greatly.

Accessories from PITAKA

Ad: PITAKA provided me with the new MagEZ Case 3. It is only 0.95 mm thick and doesn’t add bulk, feels like a second skin and is made of aramid fiber, which is extremely robust and light. What excites me most is that it gets you MagSafe on a Samsung device and lets you use MagSafe-compatible accessories, such as chargers, mounts, power banks or small wallets. For my Galaxy Watch 5, I use a carbon fiber band from PITAKA, which I love for its design, the clever magnetic clasp and its nearly weightless feel.

The low: the weight

The only small drawback: the 234 grams. After a while, you notice them in your hand. One-handed use is almost impossible because of the size and especially the weight, at least with my small hobbit hands. With a 5,000 mAh battery and an integrated S Pen, you probably have to accept that. I hope Samsung finds a solution for future devices.

Verdict

I am still thrilled with the overall concept of the S23 Ultra. Split screen, reverse charging and the S Pen make it a well-rounded package of stylish design, high-end tech and innovation. Compared to Google’s current flagships, it is clearly ahead for me. Apart from test devices, I still use it as my daily driver, and for me that really means something after three months.