Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. Galaxy S22: need a speed boost?
Samsung’s Galaxy S23 is the successor to the 2022 Galaxy S22. As such, it promises several improvements that make it better than its predecessor. However, if you’re considering upgrading from the S22 to the S23, don’t just take Samsung’s word for it.
You should take a close look at the comparison of the two devices to decide if it’s worth the upgrade. Here’s a head-to-head comparison between the Galaxy S22 and S23 to help you make an informed decision.
Sizes and designs
- Samsung Galaxy S22: 5.75 x 2.78 x 0.30 inches; 5.89 oz
- Samsung Galaxy S23: 5.76 x 2.79 x 0.30 inches; 5.93 oz
It’s easy to tell the S22 from the S23 by looking at the rear cameras from a distance. “Samsung” company has eliminated the camera jam in the new model. Instead, each rear camera is independent, making the camera bump a bit more prominent on the S23. Other than that, the two phones are surprisingly similar.
At the top of the screen is a punch-hole camera, and at the bottom is a USB-C charging port. In terms of dimensions, both are almost identical in size, but the S23 is slightly heavier than the S22. However, due to the minimal weight difference, you’ll hardly ever notice.
The S22 is available in four basic colors: Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green and Rose Gold, plus five exclusive options: Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, Cream and Bora Purple. On the other hand, the S23 is available in Phantom Black, Cream, Green and Lavender colors.
In addition to the four colors, the company offers four different exclusive colors: Lime, Graphite, Sky Blue and Red. But you can only get the exclusive colors if you buy from samsung.com.
Screen
- Samsung Galaxy S22: 6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED screen; 2340×1080 resolution; 422 PPI; 120Hz refresh rate; 1300 nits peak brightness; HDR10+ support.
- Samsung Galaxy S23: 6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED screen; 2340×1080 resolution; 425 PPI; 120Hz (48~120Hz) adaptive refresh rate; 1750 nits peak brightness; HDR10+ support.
Both have a 6.1-inch 1080p flat screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. However, the S23 has a slightly improved display compared to the S22. The main upgrade includes a refresh rate that varies between 48 and 120Hz, which can help improve battery life. While the S23 lacks LTPO technology, it’s better than no adaptive refresh rate.
The S23 also has a high peak brightness of 1750 nits, which makes the device more comfortable to use in bright light. But don’t get me wrong, the S22’s 1,300 nits of peak brightness is still impressive.
Camera
- Samsung Galaxy S22: 50-megapixel f/1.8 (wide) main camera with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS; Secondary 10-megapixel f/2.4 (telephoto) camera with PDAF, OIS, and 3x optical zoom; 12-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, 120-degree field of view; 12-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.2 (wide) dual-pixel PDAF.
- Samsung Galaxy S23: 50-megapixel f/1.8 (wide) main camera with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS; Secondary 10-megapixel f/2.4 (telephoto) camera with PDAF, OIS, and 3x optical zoom; 12-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, 120-degree field of view; 12-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.2 (wide) dual-pixel PDAF.
On the camera side, both have the same front and rear systems. On the back, the S23 still has the same 50MP primary camera, a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view. On the front, Samsung has also kept the 12MP wide-angle camera.
However, the specs don’t tell the whole story. In the S23, Samsung adds some improvements for better performance. For starters, it has faster autofocus and improved AI processing for better images, especially in low-light conditions.
If you want to buy the S23 for video, it can shoot 8K video at 30 frames per second (fps), compared to 24fps on the S22. Using the selfie camera on both devices, you can shoot videos up to 4K at 30 or 60 frames per second.
Processor
- Samsung Galaxy S22: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (Samsung Exynos 2200 in some regions)
- Samsung Galaxy S23: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
With the S23, Samsung has teamed up with Qualcomm to make a slightly better chip for its devices. Instead of using the usual Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is expected to launch in late 2022, Samsung is using an optimized version of the chip for the S23 series.
The main improvement is a higher CPU core clock speed of 3.36 GHz versus 3.2 GHz on the standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and a GPU clock speed of 719 MHz versus 680 MHz. In addition to better performance, the chip is also more energy efficient. Unsurprisingly, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is one of the best features of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 powers the S22 with a 2.8 GHz CPU. Despite the difference in performance, both chips use a 4-nanometer matrix and work in tandem with Adreno 740 and 730 GPUs, respectively.
On paper, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for the Galaxy is better than the 8 Gen 1, but given the power of the latter, it will be difficult to see these performance improvements in real life. The exception is if you’re in a region where the S22 uses Samsung’s Exynos 2200 chipset, and you should see real improvements with the Snapdragon.
RAM and memory
- Samsung Galaxy S22: 8 GB of RAM; 128GB/256GB storage
- Samsung Galaxy S23: 8 GB of RAM; 128GB/256GB/512GB storage
8GB of storage is standard on both devices, but the S23 gains the upper hand by offering an additional 512GB storage option. equipped with a memory expansion slot.
The S23 should have slightly better read and write speeds thanks to the latest UFS 4.0 technology instead of UFS 3.1, except for the base 128GB model.
Battery
- Samsung Galaxy S22: 3700 mAh; It supports 25W wired, 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging
- Samsung Galaxy S23: 3900 mAh; Support 25W wired and 10W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging
If you prefer a bigger battery, the S23 adds 200mAh to the S22’s 3,700mAh. This may improve battery life slightly as it is coupled with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 which promises better power efficiency.
While wired charging speeds remain the same, the S23 should take slightly longer to charge its larger battery. According to Samsung, it takes about 30 minutes to go from zero to 50% using a 25W charging brick.
Unfortunately, the S23 drops its wireless charging speed from 15W to 10W, which is surprisingly also true for the S23+ and S23 Ultra.
Should you upgrade to the Galaxy S23?
In the grand scheme of things, the S23 is a cosmetic upgrade over the S22. The only notable changes are a slightly larger battery, a new chip, 8K video at 30fps, adaptive screen refresh rate, 1750 nits of peak brightness, and the option of 512GB of additional storage (if you can afford it). Lower tiers include less support for 10W wireless charging.
The good news is that Samsung has kept the $799 price tag for the 128GB S23 in the US the same as the S22 when it launched.
All of this means you should only upgrade if you care about minor upgrades or if you’re coming from a Galaxy S21 or older device. Otherwise, for most people, it’s fine to stick with the S22 for another year.
