That would mean a phone that replaces the current Galaxy S22 Ultra, which offered a huge upgrade compared to previous Galaxy S Ultra phones, by combining the camera array of previous models with the built-in stylus of the Galaxy Note series. The Galaxy S23 Ultra seems like it’ll be building on this in a few ways, most notably with a main camera somehow stuffed with a rumored 200 megapixels and the traditional yearly chipset update for more performance and power efficiency. There’s still a little more than a month before the new Samsung flagship phone takes to the stage, but below we’ve collected all the rumors (and one official statement) about the Galaxy S23 Ultra so far. And be sure to check out our Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra preview to see all the biggest expected upgrades in what’s going to be a busy year for Samsung phones.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra latest news (Updated January 2)
A new Galaxy S23 leak has tipped double the storage for the S23 Ultra (opens in new tab) along with the color options and a major design change. The Galaxy S23 Ultra highlights what figures to be a big year for Samsung phones.The signature color for the Galaxy S23 Ultra could be green.A new leak further tips an overclocked chip for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra possible release date and price
The launch date and subsequent release date for the Samsung Galaxy S23 range has ebbed and flowed with various rumors. But according to reliable tech tipster Ice Universe, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will be launched on February 1. We feel this is a fairly robust tip and tracks with Samsung’s previous launch windows for its Galaxy S-series phones. As for release date, we posit Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra pre-orders could start as soon as Feb. 1, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s release date could be February 17. That’s going by the pattern established with previous Galaxy phone launches, whereby the handsets are released some two weeks after the Unpacked showcase. As for the cost of this Ultra phone, we’d anticipate it’ll cost at least $1,200 again, as the current S22 Ultra does. We’d be happy to see a price drop though, especially since its closest rival, the iPhone 14 Pro Max, starts a little cheaper at $1,100. It’s possible that Samsung hasn’t decided how much to charge, even with the rumored release date rapidly approaching. Whatever the release price, we should be able to bring the price down a little for you with our Samsung promo codes.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra rumored specs
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra design and display
If the Galaxy S23 Ultra is changing as little as the rumors say, then we’ll likely see a near-identical design to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, with squared-off corners, a curved display and individually-embedded cameras on the back. That would also mean another embedded S Pen for your doodling needs, one of the most unique features of the S22 Ultra. That’s not to say there are no possible changes. We’ve heard that the S23 Ultra may be slightly longer and wider than the S22 Ultra, and also heavier, although only by hundredths of millimeters and a fraction of an ounce, so you’re unlikely to notice. The display and sides may also be flatter too, which may please users who don’t like tapping or writing on curved screens. The first leaked renders (as well as a matching case) show OnLeaks working with SmartPrix put out a 360-degree video of the Galaxy S23 Ultra in black. Based on leaked CAD designs, the renders don’t look all that much different from the Galaxy S22 Ultra, plus reliable leaker Ice Universe has since said some of the changes that appear in the renders may not reflect the real S23 Ultra, and that the cameras may have larger metal surrounds to them, in order to prevent scratching. Since then, we have seen leaked images of possible dummy units. While these dummy units could be created from CAD images that were used to design the leaked cases we’ve seen, those could still be largely accurate, as case makers want to only manufacture units based on designs they are confident will be accurate. If these dummy units are accurate, don’t expect massive changes in the design of the S23 Ultra compared to the S22 Ultra. There may still be some rumored thicker bezels, but otherwise, it looks largely the same. Also, leaker Ice Universe has claimed that there will be a new display for the S23 Ultra. There are also rumors that the display will be the brightest smartphone display on the market when the S23 Ultra launches. The display is tipped to get a minimum peak brightness of 2,100 nits, which is significantly brighter than the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and even the iPhone 14 Pro Max. While it would be hard to improve on the super-bright, 6.8-inch QHD AMOLED panel and its fully variable LTPO 120Hz refresh rate, perhaps Samsung has an even brighter, or a more efficient, display ready to swap in as a welcome update. The display may also get another feature upgrade. According to Twitter leaker RGcloudS, the entire S23 lineup could get an upgraded fingerprint reader. This would be the latest Qualcomm 3D Sonic Max fingerprint reader, which has a footprint 17 times larger than the current in-display fingerprint readers used by Samsung. It can even allow for scanning multiple fingerprints at once. Unfortunately, it’s possible that this model will also suffer from the thicker bezels (but no display size increase) rumored for the S23 regular. This could perhaps explain the slight body size increase, although since the normal S23 and S23 Plus have flat displays rather than curved ones, maybe it won’t apply to the Ultra. The leaker Ahmed Qwaider on Twitter claims that the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s display will be flat (opens in new tab), apparently in response to complaints about the S Pen not working that well on the S22 Ultra’s more curved display. From all appearances, the Galaxy S23 Ultra could have some slightly more square edges than the Galaxy S22 Ultra. But it looks like Samsung will largely keep the tried-and-true Galaxy Note-like design.
Galaxy S23 Ultra colors
For color choices, it seems like we’ll have at least four on our hands, based on our round-up of Galaxy S23 color rumors, including the potential options for the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The leaker Ahmed Qwaider has tipped that the Galaxy S23 series colors will be Phantom Black, Green, Lavender and Cream. This would include the Ultra model. He also claims that there “is no pink or gold color or burgundy or white.” A previous Galaxy S23 color rumor pointed to beige, black, green and light pink, which would be available on all three models in the S23 family. A leak of S Pen colors seems to suggest that the colors will be Cream, Green, Lavender and Phantom Black. If Light Pink is Lavender and Beige is Cream, then it is increasingly likely that this is the S23 Ultra color lineup. Of these color options, it’s looking like Samsung will target green as the main one for marketing the Galaxy S23 Ultra, a new leak on the range’s “signature colors” claims.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra cameras
We should still see four cameras on the back of the S23 Ultra, except with one major change. There will allegedly be a 200MP main camera, (claimed by multiple sources) even higher-res than the already high-res 108MP main camera on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. This will apparently be capable of 200MP, 50MP or 12.5MP photos, giving users the ability to pick whether they want more detail or brightness and color in their shots. In even better news, IU has since said that the S23 Ultra’s 200MP main camera could be much better at taking low-light photos than expected. In fact the leaker claims that the Galaxy S23 Ultra 200MP camera will be the biggest leap in photography in 5 years. The high praise comes specifically for the night mode which can apparently “in an environment with almost no light, the S23 Ultra’s 5 seconds shooting is much better than the S22 Ultra’s 6 seconds, not only brighter, but also significantly improved in image quality.” The Galaxy S22 Ultra was already a capable camera phone for night shots, so any upgrades on top sound like they’ll make for excellent images whether you’re in light or shade. In fact, this could be one of several ways that the Galaxy S23 Ultra could beat the iPhone 14 Pro Max (opens in new tab). According to reliable leaker Ice Universe (opens in new tab), the 200MP sensor on the Galaxy S23 Ultra will have 0.6µm pixels on a 1/1.3" sensor with a particularly wide f/1.7 aperture. These specs don’t match the ISOCELL HP1 or the HP3 sensor, which means it could very well be the ISOCELL HPX that we get to see on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. And Ice Universe has shared what is apparently the first 200MP image shot on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. It’s not the most compelling image, but we do get a test for how the extra pixels delver a shaper overall image than the 108MP camera on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, when looked at with a 16x magnification. As such, we can expect the Galaxy S23 Ultra to deliver some very detailed and crisp shots, if it does indeed sport a 200MP camera. In a subsequent sample photo though, Ice Universe notes that the HDR on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, while better than the S22 Ultra before it, can’t match up to the Pixel 7 Pro. It’ll be interesting to see how this impacts our own photos in testing, specifically the highlights and shadows that HDR focuses on. What’s not rumored to change are the telephoto cameras, which will both have 10MP sensors like before according to one source, and presumably have the same 3x and 10x optical magnification, too. Topping that off, we’d expect to see a 40MP selfie camera once again, embedded in the top center of the display. But it’s possible that will be swapped out for the same 12MP camera tipped for the regular and Plus models. A lower resolution may sound offputting, but if it’s got enhancements in other areas, then we’d still be happy. While only one of five total cameras seem to be getting a major upgrade, hopefully Samsung will have some new software enhancements or camera modes to show off at the launch that will help the S23 series claim a spot on our best camera phones page. On the video side, the Galaxy S23 range has been tipped to get a new 30 frames per second mode for 8K video capture. While 8K video recording might seem like overkill for most, for content creators it could enable more flexibility when editing videos. And a new 30 fps mode could offer a frame rate option without pushing to 60 fps, which some might see as a little odd when on screen.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra performance and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Samsung usually powers its Galaxy S phones with Qualcomm chips in the U.S., but its own Exynos chips elsewhere in the world. That would mean Qualcomm’s now-official Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will join the Exynos 2300 at the heart of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The rumors can’t seem to decide on what’s happening though. Some have said we’ll see this mix of chips continue for the time being, while others have said Qualcomm will be suppling Snapdragon chips for S23 models all around the world; this would be very good news for European buyers, as often the phones with their Snapdragon chips have been superior to their Exynos counterparts. We’ve benchmarked the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and it’s definitely an impressive chipset. On the tests we ran, a Qualcomm-powered test device bested the A15 Bionic-powered iPhone 14 most of the time. However, the iPhone 14 Pro Max and its A16 Bionic chipset finishes ahead of what we saw from the Snapdragon 8 Bench 2 on the Geekbench test measuring general performance. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 really excels in graphics testing, topping even the A16 Bionic. That bodes well for how the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra might perform, assuming it uses Qualcomm’s latest silicon. And some early Geekbench 5 benchmarks have suggested that the Galaxy S23 Ultra, as well as the other Galaxy S23 phones, will get an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which could make it a serious Android powerhouse in 2023. Many of the above specs were given further weight by a large Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra specs leak, which detailed the chipset, CPU clock speeds, 8GB and 12GB RAM options, and more. One interesting point is that Samsung looks set to be more generous with its internal memory and the early TENAA’s figures suggest a 256GB of onboard storage as a minimum; the Galaxy S22 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max start at 128GB for comparison. This has been backed up by a leak from Ahmed Qwaider, who says the Galaxy S23 series is tipped for 256GB of storage for all three models. The same leak says that the S23 and S23+ will feature 8GB of RAM but that the S23 Ultra will come with 12GB. All that performance means heat, which the Galaxy S23 will have to dissipate with internal cooling mechanisms. According to one source, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will get a full-fat vapor chamber cooling system like the Galaxy S22 Ultra, while the Galaxy S23 Plus gets an inferior heatpipe system. The Galaxy S22 meanwhile won’t have anything beyond the typical thermal paste and graphite tape that we see in all premium smartphones.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: battery and charging
To power the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Samsung is supposedly using the same 5,000 mAh battery as we saw in the Galaxy S22 Ultra (now claimed by GalaxyClub and leaker Ice Universe). While some extra capacity would have been nice, this size of battery is par for the course when it comes to large Android phones, so let’s just hope Samsung can squeeze a bit more battery life out of the S23 Ultra. While the S22 Ultra had a decent result on our custom battery test, the iPhone 14 Pro Max lasted longer. Speaking of battery life, a new “light” performance mode has been tipped for the Samsung Galaxy S23 range. This mode will reportedly reduce the performance of the processor to not only keep it from sucking up extra electrical juice, but also keep it cooler, and thus help to extend overall battery life. So we’d hope to see the Galaxy S23 Ultra last longer than its predecessor. The new design of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset rumored for the S23 series may also help with efficiency, particularly when compared to Exynos Galaxy S22 models. The rumors have forecast no charging speed change for the S23 Ultra, meaning it’ll keep the same 45W maximum that the Galaxy S22 Ultra had. Samsung’s own 45W charger was able to power up the S22 Ultra to 67% in half an hour, which is again good but not outstanding compared to the 65W and higher charging standards used by rivals like OnePlus.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra satellite communication
A recent report claims the Samsung Galaxy S23 range could get satellite communication for handling emergency messaging when a phone is out of traditional cell signal. if this sounds familiar it’s because Apple introduced Emergency SOS via Satellite communications with the iPhone 14. Like the Cupertino’s crash detection, it’s not what you’d call an everyday feature, but one that enables you to send SOS messages in an emergency in areas without a cellular signal. And it look like Samsung will ape its smartphone rival as, according to Korean site ET News (opens in new tab), Samsung will be teaming up with Iridium Communications and its 66 low-orbit satellites to provide similar last-resort contact in an emergency. As with the iPhone 14, using satellite communications won’t be like connecting via your regular network. Just as Apple only allows emergency SOS text messages and location sharing via the Find My app, Samsung’s implementation will reportedly be limited to SMS and low-resolution image sharing. The latter, presumably, to help pinpoint your exact location by sharing images of what identifiable sights you can see nearby.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: outlook
While some models in the Galaxy S23 series seem like a year of refinement rather than major developments, it sounds as if the Galaxy S23 Ultra will be getting a bit more attention from Samsung. We’re particularly interested in the rumored 200MP camera and how it could shake up the photo quality of Samsung’s most photography-focused phone, but we’ll also be curious as to how the new chipset will perform and impact things like battery life. If Samsung’s serious about taking on the iPhone 14 Pro and other flagship smartphones, it needs to wring out every drop of performance and efficiency from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, while also making sure it justifies the Ultra premium. Stay tuned for more Galaxy S23 rumors and leaks in the weeks remaining before the phone’s arrival.
