the Galaxy S23 Ultra Just a week away from its official unveiling. All the information leaked so far has painted a positive picture. Samsung has upgraded nearly every aspect of its upcoming 2023 flagship, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra is an interesting proposition for Samsung’s flagship customers, especially those in markets where trade-in values are excellent.
We’ve already listed a lot of reasons why the Galaxy S23 Ultra might be A worthwhile upgrade for the Galaxy S20 Ultra Client. But what about Galaxy S21 Ultra users? Should they consider the Galaxy S23 Ultra as their next flagship phone? Let’s answer this by looking at all the improvements the 2023 flagship brings over the 2021 model, and the things you might lose out on by switching to the newer phone.
Better and brighter screen with 1-120Hz refresh rate
The Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy S23 Ultra have 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with a similar resolution. However, the 2023 model increases peak brightness from 1,500 nits to 1,750 nits, and reports indicate that Samsung has tuned color accuracy to a higher level, especially for low-light use conditions.
In addition, the Galaxy S23 Ultra supports a refresh rate of anywhere between 1Hz and 120Hz, while the Galaxy S21 Ultra panel can only go up to 48Hz. This means the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s panel is more battery life friendly, which could make up for the higher brightness.
All in all, the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s display is brighter and more technically superior.
Galaxy S23 Ultra fully embraces the S Pen
Although the Galaxy S21 Ultra was the first flagship phone in the S series. S Pen Support, the phone does not have a built-in stand for this premium input device. You could say that the 2021 model is the last Galaxy S Ultra, and you can consider that a plus.
However, if you have any interest in the S Pen, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is a worthwhile upgrade over the Galaxy S21 Ultra on the S Pen case alone. The 2023 model completely includes the S Pen and offers better pen technology with lower latency. You no longer have to buy an S Pen case for your device, and the accessory will always be at hand.
Better build quality and newer design
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But even if you prefer the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s bulky camera cover, there’s something to be said for the symmetry of the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s design.
The 2023 flagship model has a more square footprint and a more streamlined camera setup without the traditional “hump”. It looks more modern than the 2021 model, and the thicker metal frame makes the phone look sturdier.
Aside from its updated aesthetics, the Galaxy S23 Ultra also uses better build materials, such as a stronger aluminum frame with improved scratch and drop resistance, along with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Instead of Glass Victus screen protection. The former should provide better protection against falls on hard surfaces such as concrete sidewalks. Basically, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is more convenient to use without a case than the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Snapdragon SoC everywhere and more core storage (maybe faster)
For the first time, Samsung will no longer split the flagship market between Exynos and Qualcomm chips. The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with the 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor worldwide, which means support should be better, and you’ll be able to experience Qualcomm’s best SoC to date, even if you buy the Galaxy S23 Ultra in the so-called “Exynos Market.” “
Needless to say, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a more powerful solution than the Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 SoCs. Furthermore, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is said to use a Exclusive version of Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which features higher frequencies for better performance.
In addition, the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers more storage space as standard. The base model has 256GB of storage, while the Galaxy S21 Ultra has 128GB or more. On the flip side, you get 8GB of RAM with the Galaxy S23 Ultra instead of 12GB of RAM for the base model, but you can comfortably compensate with RAM Plus Since the phone provides more storage space.
Finally, if the rumors are true, the Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with faster UFS 4.0 storage instead of UFS 3.1, which makes file transfers faster and helps with RAM Plus virtual memory performance.
The best cameras with a 200MP primary sensor
Galaxy S23 Ultra is the first Samsung smartphone to feature a 200MP primary camera. the new ISOCELL HP2 It offers many improvements, especially in terms of low-light performance and autofocus.
The telephoto cameras are also better, although they offer the same zoom capabilities. AI processing has been improved, and Enlarged shots should look much better on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
One possible downgrade could be a 12MP selfie sensor, which is down from the S21 Ultra’s 40MP unit. However, the 12MP sensor appears to be brand new, which could mean that it takes advantage of newer technologies to create better selfies with more accurate colors.
If you’re looking for a camera upgrade from the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the S23 Ultra definitely qualifies as one.
Faster battery charging (wired)
One of the more bizarre choices Samsung made for the Galaxy S21 Ultra was lowering charging speeds to 25W. Fortunately, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has better specs. Although both phones have a 5,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers 45W super fast charging.
However, Samsung also made an unusual choice for the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Although the 2023 model features faster wired charging than the 2021 flagship, it appears to have 10W wireless charging instead of the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s 15W wireless capabilities.
So, you win some, you lose some. But if you’re looking for faster wired charging, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the way to go.
Latest software and support up to Android 17
Although the Galaxy S21 Ultra has been upgraded to Android 13 And One UI 5.0 Recently, Samsung will ship the Galaxy S23 Ultra with the latest One UI 5.1 Firmware.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra may finally get One UI 5.1, but the 2023 model will have a head start. Most importantly, though, both phones qualify for Samsung’s Android Optimized upgrade policy is for four yearsSupport for the 2021 model will stop at Android 15. On the other hand, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will receive Android 17 near the end of this decade.
Reasons not to upgrade from Galaxy S21 Ultra
The Galaxy S23 Ultra undoubtedly offers many upgrades over the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but what is the downside? Are there any reasons why you should consider not upgrading to the 2023 model no matter how much money you have to spend?
Well, as mentioned earlier, you could lose 5W of wireless charging speed, up to 10W, if you switch to the Galaxy S23 Ultra. If you care about wireless charging, this could be an issue.
You also lose 4GB of RAM to the base model, though you do get more (and possibly faster) storage. However, if you value more apps running in the background and don’t want to use RAM Plus, you may get a lower experience on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Software-wise, it’s true that the Galaxy S23 Ultra will get support for a while longer, but the Galaxy S21 Ultra isn’t slacking. It still has two major OS upgrades planned for the future, so it’s not like you’re going to miss out on the next few versions of One UI if you decide to keep using the Galaxy S21 Ultra for a few more years.
And finally, a relatively smaller user base might want to know that the Galaxy S23 Ultra doesn’t have FM radio. This feature was already market certified and only available for the Snapdragon-powered Galaxy S21 Ultra (no FM for Exynos). But now, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will likely drop support for FM radio everywhere.
If you consider the Galaxy S23 Ultra a worthwhile upgrade, keep an eye out for Unpacked 2023. The event will take place on February 1And the new flagship should be available for pre-order for about two weeks before shipping to the first buyers. Until February 1, you can Online phone reservation And earn $50 in Samsung Credit.
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