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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra (should you upgrade?)

Samsung S22 Ultra vs Samsung S23 Ultra specs & price - which is the better buy?

Updated: Feb 16, 2023 3:19 pm
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra (should you upgrade?)

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In the battle between the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra – is it worth the upgrade if you have the older phone?

Samsung recently launched the Galaxy S23 series. And it is the best time for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra comparison to help you differentiate between Samsung’s latest and older flagships. Ultimately answering the question of whether you should upgrade. 

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is still a beast in terms of specs and raw performance. The camera quality of the last year’s device was also superb, revered as one of the best Android camera smartphones of 2022. But the Korean tech giant wants to get ahead of the game by sheer power. So, the company equipped this year’s flagship Ultra with the latest customized chipset and a whooping 200MP primary sensor. There have been various other improvements as well, in particular to the camera technology.

Let’s find out if the new upgrades are really worth spending well above a grand at the beginning in 2024 (although you can trade-in your older device at the Samsung Store for a substantial discount on the new one)

READ NOW: Best Samsung Galaxy S23 cases & best Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra case

Samsung S23 Ultra vs S22 Ultra Cameras

The biggest differences between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Galaxy S22 Ultra are the camera hardware and performance. 

The 108MP primary sensor on the S22 Ultra was already excellent, hitting all the standards and taking Samsung’s camera photography to a new height. But the company decided to release it with a new 200MP primary sensor on the SS23 Ultra. 

The 200MP lens is custom-made specifically for the S23 Ultra, and in the 200MP mode, you can crop in and reframe the shot. Samsung has also included the adaptive pixel sensor on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. This feature combines 16 pixels into one larger pixel, which helps to capture better, detailed images in low-light conditions. 

Samsung also introduced a new 12MP front camera on the new flagship. It is a downgrade from last year’s 40MP sensor. However, Samsung promises better quality due to the implementation of advanced AI and an excellent Night Portrait Mode. 

The S23 Ultra features the same dual 10MP telephoto lenses on the back with 3X and 10X optical and 30X digital zoom. The S23 Ultra gets an additional video boost. You can capture 8K videos at 30FPS, and the new image stabilizer helps to get more stable footage. 

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra chipset vs Galaxy S22 Ultra chipset

The Galaxy S23 Ultra features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, but an upgraded variant.

The custom Snapdragon chip on the S23 Ultra is an improved version of that chipset with increased clock speed and faster graphics performance. This a first for the company, and it’s hoped the performance will be comparable to Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, but this may be a tall order.

Samsung has promised that the S23 Ultra is 40% faster than the Galaxy S22 Ultra in graphics and AI performance. The company has also improved the device’s thermal performance by adding a big vapor chamber that cools the device efficiently and provides a more sustainable performance. Early synthetic benchmark tests on Geekbench substantiate this: The new flagship comfortably beat the S22 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in both single and multicore tests.

That said, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is still a remarkable device in 2024 if you don’t need the very latest. There’s no denying the fact that the S23 Ultra is a powerhouse, but the S22 Ultra is still decent for most people. 

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Storage & Memory vs Galaxy S22 Ultra

In terms of memory, there’s no difference between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the S22 Ultra. Both devices offer the same 8 GB and 12 GB RAM variants. 

However, there’s a slight difference in storage variants. The Galaxy S22 Ultra offers four storage variants – 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB. Samsung has scrapped the base, 128 GB variant on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. 

Samsung S23 Ultra vs Samsung S22 Ultra Display & Size  

In terms of design, there’s not much of a difference between the two devices. The S23 Ultra has the same edgy square design with a stylus. The back cameras also look the same. But Samsung has flattened the sides of the device, making the in-hand feel arguably better. 

Both Galaxy Ultra devices have a 6.8-inch AMOLED display with QHD+ resolution and an adaptive refresh rate from 1 Hz to 120 Hz. The peak brightness is also the same at 1,750 nits. 

In software terms, the S23 Ultra is slightly ahead of its predecessor. The new flagship has an enhanced comfort feature, allowing users to adjust color tones and contrast levels. Additionally, the new version of the Vision Booster feature adjusts at three lighting levels instead of two.

The dimensions and weight of the devices also vary slightly: 

  • Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra dimensions: 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm; Weight–228g (8.04 oz); IP68
  • Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra dimensions: 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm; Weight–233g (8.2 oz); IP68

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra Battery & Charging

Battery life is the one area where last year’s Galaxy S22 Ultra fell short. On paper, the S23 Ultra has the same 5,000 mAh battery as last year’s model, but in real-life performance, it lasts longer. Expect between 1 and 2 hours of improvement.

Samsung made this possible using the new, more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. The S23 Ultra also offers 45W wired charging and a 10W wireless charging speed, the same as the S22 Ultra. 

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra Price 

The Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at $1,199, the same launch price as the Galaxy S22 Ultra. However, you are getting twice the storage at the same price this year, as Samsung has discontinued the 128 GB variant. Samsung is selling the S23 Ultra at a relatively lower price. But the Galaxy S22 Ultra also received a hefty discount after the launch of the S23 series; the 256 GB model is selling below $1,000, which is an excellent deal.

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra : Final Word

We hope that this guide has helped you come to a decision as to which phone to pick in the battle between Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra. Do have a look at our various other phone guides listed above for more info.


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