The Samsung Galaxy S23: The Best Android Phone You Can Buy

The Samsung Galaxy S23 is the latest flagship phone from the South Korean tech giant and is the best Android phone you can buy right now.^[0] It packs speedy performance, great all-around cameras, and some of the best battery life we’ve ever seen into a design that looks better than just about any other phone on the market.^[0] If you’re long overdue for an upgrade or want to jump into the Samsung fold for the first time, the S23 and S23+ are the Android phones to buy.^[0]

The Galaxy S23 comes with either 128GB or 256GB of storage, and both feature 8GB RAM. It is regretful that the S23 has a limited starting storage capacity of 128GB, while the S23 Plus and S23 Ultra are configured with 256GB as their initial storage amount and the Ultra is available with up to 12GB RAM for its 512GB and 1TB models.^[1] For the majority, 128GB is satisfactory, and 256GB should suffice.^[1] The S23+ has a single memory option of 8GB, and your choice of 256GB or 512GB storage. It’s available in four colors: Phantom Black, Cream, Lavender, and Green, and if you purchase directly from Samsung, you can also pick from the exclusive Graphite or Lime colors.^[2]

The S23 and S23+ are powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which is the same one you’ll find in the more expensive S23 Ultra model. This processor provides great performance, with benchmark tests that either keep up with or completely crush the competition. In a key graphics benchmark test, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor actually beat the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s A16 Bionic chip.

The Galaxy S23 comes with a 3,900mAh battery, which is slightly bigger than the 3,700mAh that came in its predecessor.^[3] Included in the box is a USB-C to USB-C charging cable; however, Samsung has not included a charging adapter, meaning you must use one you already possess or purchase a new one.^[1] The S23 Plus and S23 Ultra have a 45-watt fast charging capability, whereas the S23 only has a maximum of 25W, making it possible to reach 50% charge in 30 minutes.^[1]

0. “Samsung’s Galaxy S23 and S23+ make the best Android phone even better” CNN Underscored, 23 Feb. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/reviews/samsung-galaxy-s23-s23-plus

1. “Samsung Galaxy S23 review: the Android phone for everyone” Digital Trends, 24 Feb. 2023, https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-galaxy-s23-review/

2. “Galaxy S23 Plus review: The Goldilocks of Samsung's 2023 smartphone lineup” ZDNet, 24 Feb. 2023, https://www.zdnet.com/article/samsung-galaxy-s23-plus-review-the-goldilocks-of-samsungs-2023-smartphone-lineup/

3. “Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs Galaxy S22+: Should you upgrade?” XDA Developers, 24 Feb. 2023, https://www.xda-developers.com/samsung-galaxy-s23-plus-vs-galaxy-s22-plus/