Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra - 1 Year Later! // Best Phone of 2023 

If you have the S23 ultra, there is little to no reason to upgrade to the next gen, this phone is perfect

Finally, someone with the courage to pick just one phone of the year.

You said it best. This phone does not feel like it's aged at all. I grabbed the S23 Ultra when it was released and it's working like I just got it. It's not slowing because of a processor that can't keep up and the software updates keep it optimized and the camera is great.

I shifted to Galaxy S23 Ultra from iPhone & its the best decision ever 💯

This phone just feels classy,high end quality and that screen is insane

When I try to rank the best phones this year, I keep coming back to the fact that the S23 Ultra is almost a year-old and it still holds up very well against phones that were released in the 3rd quarter. It's such great value for a great package overall.

I use a IPhone 14 and my mother uses an S23 Ultra , compared to that my phones feels like shit the phone is gorgeous and samsung has definitely nailed the s23 series , i am very fond of using my mothers phone its just so beautiful, its a work of art samsung has done. The cameras are good too expect videos are better on my iphone and s-pen is a cherry on the top i love using the Ultra its just a better phone and i keep coming back to it Thank you and love ur Videos

Just bought it (Samsung S23 Ultra) lavender edition 20 December 2023 in Samsung official store... absolutely love it 🤠👍

I'm honestly STILL in LOVE with my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra!

I've had my Note 9 for 5+ years now and its still going strong as it was the latest and greatest when it was first released. Sure, the lack of security updates and slowly seeing less and less updates from my other apps has concerned me but I'll keep using this phone until it gives out or i really need to upgrade. I'm not a power user and nor do i play games on my phone, so just happy that i don't need to waste resources to upgrade every year/couple of years. The one advice i would give anyone wanting to keep their phones a long time is to always maintain their batteries between 20% - 80%. I never had software support on my Note 9 to help me do that, but i did it consciously from the day i unboxed my device and 5 years later i still get ALMOST a full days worth of use before needing to recharge.

I love Samsung's Ultras, and I do miss them. I downgraded to the plus models because I just couldn't deal with the size

I agree. I have it since launch and I have no desire to change. It feels good as new. And there's no better alternative right now.

My S20+ broke recently and I got the S23 Ultra on a Christmas sale. Despite the S24 Ultra around the corner, if you can get a S23U on sale, you won't regret.

I seriously just walked into a T-moble store today and transferred my service from my Straight Talk Samsung Galaxy Note20 to this, a Galaxy S23 Ultra. I traded in my Note20 for this, one-for-one. My Note 20 still was amazing after almost 3 years, never a problem. My company is consolidating and updating our phone plans and it was noted that my monthly service charge would drop while giving me more data. Took forever to transfer everything from the old phone to this one. I expect to have this phone for 2 years before getting an upgrade. Hope it holds up as well as the other Galaxy series I've had like the Gaxaxy 4, 6, 7, and Note20.

I bought my s23 ultra in November and I am still amazed at the screen resolution and overall build quality. It is the best phone ever!!

Just picked mine after upgrading from the s20 that I've been using for about 3 years. The weight and size were a big shock to me. Battery life is way better...

I upgraded to this from my Note 10+. (I loved that device). This is a worthy successor. I suspect I'll have this for a few years as well

Great job. I have the S23 and love it.

This is such a great summary video review. Thanks Matt

I love your videos, they are a breath of fresh air. I have this phone and I love it. There are so many other channels that say get the s24 ultra, it has this upgrade and all this and that. I feel some people want to justify it in there own mind.

Just bought this beast a month ago. (upgraded from an S9) It does not disappoint. I am not a small guy so the phone was not hard for me to one hand operate for the most part. Haven't used the pen for more than 5 seconds. Like all my phones, a screen protector and otterbox are a must within 5 minutes of owning it. As an old schooler, I do miss the SD card expansion and the 3.5mm jack... Heck I still miss my IR blaster from the S5. All the camera features are still a head scratcher, but they are growing on me. The other plus is being able to remove a lot of the "bloatware" that previous versions would not allow.

I have the S22 ultra Exynos version, but will get the s24 ultra with the SD gen 3 proc. I think the difference in battery life will be very noticeable

I got mine 2 days ago after using my faithful Note 10 Plus since November 2019.Very pleased with it so far and expect it to serve me as well as the former phone. Had to get the 512 GB model since it lacks an SD card slot

Had the s23u and now a s22u. S23u has better speakers, screen, camera and battery life. Also, for some weird reason, the smoothness of the Spen is better too. EDIT: Had to get a new s23u AGAIN! January 7th, I just could be without one. Its that good!

Great video as always!

Yes it is the phone of the year. However the phone I used the most is the s23 plus. That was the perfect phone for size and functions with its great battery life.

Also had a Samsung. Currently have the S10+. Looking to upgrade next month or so when S24 Ultra launches hopefully. But not gonna lie.. the iPhone 15 Pro Max is damn tempting as well

I love the design of this. Its so clean looking. Nothing crazy going on. 🔥🔥🔥

I got an s23+ through all the free upgrades carriers were doing when they were new, I can still get through most of the day without battery saver and on the 85% battery health mode, while watching an insane ammount of RU-vid and using Bluetooth 24/7

Awesome review, and you speak honestly about this phone can hold for 4 years more

I’m still rocking the s20 ultra and that phone is still going strong even in 2024. As my daily driver until it gets too old to run games on it. It’s perfect for me. And I still use the iPhone 12 mini as my second phone. And the one thing that I would change on that one is the lightning port on it. Swap it out for usb c.

My s23 ultra was so good to me but i sold it and bought iphone 15 pro and apple watch ultra 2 just went back to iphone for work but u will say the s23 ultra was the best phone i ever used and i used alot of different phones

I know i should wait for the 24 but im so tempted to get this phone. I’ve got a 14 pro max and love Samsung software and the size of the phone.

I agree about the size, it's one hell of a gigantic monster, but at the same time it's a godsend watching media on it, just amazing. I just wished i had mine in 512GB instead of 256GB.

thats one of the advantage of the z fold display tall aspect ratio. when you open it, the aspect ratio make the video or photos actually larger than the regular slab phone, not like the oneplus open or pixel fold...

The photos from the s23 ultra seem to be of a warmer temp compared to the iPhotos which I do prefer but the S23 some of the photos look less blown out at least from the few photos you've provided. I have the S23 ultra (had it since launch) and I love it. Feels soild and snappy. Debating on upgrading with the S24 ultra comes out if the go with a flat display and have a ti version. Idk been hearing they are taking away the 10x tele lens D:

Yeah it's an amazing phone. They really hit the gold mine on this one. I had so many phones. S20U, S22U, Fold 3, Fold 4, redmagic 7 pro x2 , nothong phone 2. Finally settled on the S23U. Ill try to keep it for 3 years minimum

The rumors are indeed that the S24 Ultra will be lighter but that would be despite the rumored titanium frame, not because of it. Aluminium, which is the material used in the current S23 series, is lighter than titanium.

I just got this phone a week ago. Coming from the 15 pro max, I fell the s23 camera is lacking, you have to tinker and install more apps but everything else is cool.

this is the phone of the year .

I just got my iPhone 15 pro max 3 weeks ago but I still have my S22 Ultra as my secondary phone and I find myself gravitates more to my S22 the still camera is better in most conditions. The One UI is more pleasing to use than iOS. I have used iphone 5s, 8, 11 and 13 in the past but this is the only time I experienced a lot of glitches on an iPhone and I only own it for 3 weeks. The only reason I will keep it as my primary phone is because my wife and 2 kids are on iOS but if this phone pushes me to the limit I'll trade this to s24 ultra next year and sell my S22 ultra 😅

as someone with the s23 ultra, I won't be upgrading to the s24 anytime soon. works incredibly

From the s22 ultra i am here for the battery news; because it started out good, but then nosedived. I need a day and a half or 7-8 hours of SOT like the s23 ultra, and well it seems to be mostly getting that from all the polls i see. Which is nice!!

This is a powerhouse of a phone but I do miss my pixel for the camera nothing beats it for a point and shoot

Good video mathew

I have a Oneplus 7 Pro for the last 4 and a half years, and tomorrow I will get this phone. So it's good to hear how good it still is. I'm both excited and sad about it, but the battery on my Oneplus is starting to drain faster and faster.

I think that music control is available on every Samsung device on One Ui 6. I have it on my S21+.

I am also owning this mobile last 3 months it's Fantastic ❤

Has anyone experienced any issues with the Meta apps like Facebook and Messenger? They just intermittently freeze. Also on the latest update of OneUI 6, Nova Launcher just stops working from time to time.

What case would you recommend?

Just busted my s20 note ultra and want to upgrade to this phone. Absolutely loved my s20

I still have the S23+, and it feels just as fast as when I had it in the first month, even with ONE UI 6.0. I'm probably not gonna upgrade until the S26 or S27 even...

The other day I saw s24 ultra is coming out already and was wondering why!? I got my s23 ultra pre ordered and it feels like a new phone still.

That hand phenomenon when u switch from big heavy phone to small phone is legit 😂

No, its display isn't that much bigger than that of a Fold IF you purposely show videos side by side. 16:9 et al. only fit so many ways. It's entirely different when you use a browser, for example. And I'm not sure everybody is having difficulty switching to the inside screen on a Fold. To me, the outer screen is a mere notification area. I would never use it to truly interact with the phone, I just quickly open the device when I do. I honestly wouldn't mind if it didn't have a proper screen on the outside at all. It would save a lot of money and I wouldn't have to worry about damaging it.

Just got mine today and it flies

Im looking at this as my next phone.I have the S20 ultra three years nowand its still very quick and good .Im also considering going to the iphone 15 plus?

Can anyone tell me how to use the internet via bluetooth vsoiws? Why can't I connect to the internet via bluetooth between s23u and tab s8+? ? Even though bluetooth internet connection has been opened in settings

Ayyy how are you playing apex it's closed since may was it recorded before or apex still working in some countries? I really liked this game 😭😭😭

I'm agree with you 💯 my phone also S23 Ultra Beast phone ❤❤

I owned it for three months and then I sold it for: - The screen is not flat so no screen protector I applied remained in place for more than few weeks. I tried all types from Spigen. - Screen protectors for this phone are very expensive and they can easily be displaced and attract air bubbles and eventually break. - I then decided to use it without screen protector and it started to get scratches very easily and on daily basis because I live in a semi-desert country and sand is everywhere and whenever I clean sand the screen scratches. - So, despite the big love I have towards this phone I said goodbye to it and sold it and said I will never buy a curved-display phone again. - Other than that, this phone is a beast, and no other phone can even come close to it not even the iPhone 15 ProMax.

This phone is as u said the Best tech that 23 can give us

My s22 plus still going strong a 1.3 years later it has scraches victus is soft against scraches but strong against falls and a minor crack on back but everything works just fine on normal days i get 4.5 to 5 hrs on 120 hz dual 5g on intense days also its does last 6 to 7 hrs on contunus load before giving up charging speed is great too

Please share the link to your wall paper

I'm still holding on to my s22 ultra. Atleast for a year more. I'm really happy with it except for the battery life. 🙏

Not much changes from S22 ? Oh yes, there are for the most parts of the world, as it is the first time after plenty of years that Snapdragon is used globally. That's huge.

Even midrange phones do pretty much everything u need and lets face it most of us just open Ig youtube and so forth or use the camera here and there. My poco F5 is more than powerful for years to come, I wont change this phone for at least 3 years. Imo after snapragon 865 everyphone just performs the same day to day, and even demanding use unless u gonna so smth extreme which 865 can still pull off.

What would you want changed in the s24 ultra.

I would buy S24 ultra for my wife birthday. I hope S24 ultra could take pictures in DSLR level specially for portrait such as Vivo X100 pro

What's the price of s24 ultra 256gb version going to be?

Thanks for the video, I'm wondering if it's time to trade in my s21 Ultra?

I'm still on my s21 ultra. It still feels super fresh. I tried a Fold 5 but had to return it.

MY 2023 list : 1. Huawei mate x5 foldable 1 tb simply brilliant it has absolutely everything devoid of nothing 2. My glorious incredible Samsung s23 ultra most fun phone ive ever owned 3. ONE PLUS OPEN good hinge 4. XIAOMI MIX FOLD 3 excellent design 5. PIXEL 8 PRO impressive AI 6. Iphone 15 pro max 1 tb great video and excellent clean implementation of their AI voice accessibility feature The Huawei mate x5 fold is phenomenal. It has micro SD card, every camera is incredible, 3 to 5 day battery, stylus pen works every screen , big front screen, emergency satellite crash etc it's amazing and I'm a big Samsung fan The iphone 15 pro max is my favorite iPhone but it can't compare to any of those androids with its limitations and many of those features like programmable side key and USB C Samsung has had for years

Does all s23 ultra phones have dual sim ??

thank you

I upgraded from the 22 ultra to the 23 ultra BIG difference in battery life

I saw a review when this first came out that said it was unable to install outlook bc it was incompatible. Does anyone know this to he true? Ive had my note 10+ for little over 3 yrs and have been debating on the ultra.

Came from a galaxy s8+ to the s23u it's a beast will upgrade in 2027 / 2028

Need some advise. Should i jump from note10+ to s23 ultra today or wait for s24 ultra instead? Samsung is currently giving discount for the s23 ultra tho

Whats that wallpaper, the orange one

My low-tier, mid range galaxy A30 literally didn't start slowing down until it was reaching it's 4th year mark, and it'll be 5 this May. So if i had this phone, it will last for almost(or maybe EVEN) a decade

Bought mine in October 2023, and I don't think of upgrading until the OS is no longer supported.

The main reason i always put a glass screen protector on my phones. As well.as cases.

My S22 Ultra is just as fast as it was new. Neither my S23 and the S22 have slowed down at all. Samsung devices are becoming more and more longevity devices since using the new Qualcomm chipsets. Samsung needs to get rid of the duplicate apps like their photos, texting, and other ones.

Anyone know how s23 ultra handles battle royale games like codm or pubg for extended play? For example, my s21 ultra needs to be cooled down with a phone cooler and/or fan for it to run smoothly for even one full game while an ipad pro woth m2 still overheats, but runs smoothly with no frame drops

Bro I appreciate this video the S23 Ultra is King simply the beat phone ever ......

Thank you so much Matt! Thank you for making android phones have some recognition! 😂

7:44 15w wireless charging on samsungs wireless charger duo vs 10w on any other wireless charger makes a big difference

I watched it twice firstly without parents all alone and secondly with my parents I knew what you are going to say at 1:34 so I started to cough till it gets over 😂

Only iPhone users need to change year after year.. in the hopes of getting one new feature.

I can't use the 23 Ultra. Find it's to heavy and to big as I have arthritis in hands a finger.

samsung gives you different camera quality every update, they keep on changing something that is not broken

Will this phone last for 4-5 years ? One year is not much to judge.

Indeed best mobile phone of 2023

I don't praise Samsung for how good the S23U is. I thank Qualcomm for finally sacking Samsung Fabs so we get rid of the Samsung nodes that were inefficient hot messes that underperformed. It is almost sublimely ridiculous that Samsung fans praise the S23U without realising it is as good as it is, and it is excellent because Samsung no longer makes the most crucial part of the phone, the chipset! So, thank you, Qualcomm, and I hear that you will not return to Samsung Fabs for at least another four years. That's great news for Samsung Galaxy S users!

It has been four months since I started using this device, and overall, I have been satisfied with its performance. However, the only downside I have encountered is the battery life. For example: I'm only getting less than 4 hrs SOT, and even if I'm not using the device, the charge is draining too fast. I don't know anyone is facing this issue!

I got the note 20, great phone and I love it. Thinking abt switching, maybe this will be it 👀

Love my S23 ultra amazing.

I just upgraded from a S9+ after having it for over 6 and a half years.

Love mine no way I'm updating. Till I have no choice. Great photos, screen, battery, so much more