How to choose between the small format of Samsung and its big brother? Is it just a matter of screen size or battery? Yes and no, because there are some details to take into account.
Reading the title of this article, you may have thought “well, the More is bigger, that’s the difference”. Even if this thought may seem like common sense, be aware that there are still a lot of minor differences between the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus, which could guide your choice on this new generation of Samsung. If you are more Ultra, we also have a comparison between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and its predecessor.
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Screen: the downside of its advantage for the S23 Plus
We start with the most obvious, the size of course (146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm on the S23 against 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm on the S23 Plus) with a screen that passes from a tiny 6.1 inch format to a generous 6.7 inch slab. Incidentally, the definition remaining the same, we lose slightly in pixel density, going from 425 dpi to 393 dpi. Not enough to fundamentally change your experience. The S23 Plus is also a bit heavier than its counterpart, with 195 g on the scale against 167 g.
Good news this year, the maximum brightness is strictly the same on both phones. It is 1750 nits against 1300 nits on the Galaxy S22 last year. Likewise, the refresh is exactly the same and goes down to 48 Hz to go up to 120 Hz in both cases.
Minor differences to consider
The three cameras, the RAM, the network capabilities, the water resistance… Keep in mind that for the most part, the specifications of the two phones are the same. Very good news that avoids having to do without interesting features because we prefer small smartphones.
On the other hand, for the most finicky among us, there are indeed a few details to take into account. The first, and arguably most important, is that storage differs. The Galaxy S23 gives the choice between 128 GB and 256 GB and the S23 Plus between 256 and 512 GB. A difference in space in the phone therefore, but also in writing speed which can be of great importance on a daily basis.
Indeed, only the 128 GB configuration uses theUFS 3.1 while the other configurations are based on the more modern standard UFS 4.0, which offers write and read speeds twice as fast and 1.6 times as fast respectively. In this little game, you will have understood it, the Galaxy S23 Plus is not at all concerned and benefits from the best standard whatever happens. If you opt for the classic S23, you will have to be careful.
Smartphone size requires, we inevitably end up with the classic differences in battery size. Here, the S23 has 3900 mAh for 22 hours of video playback according to Samsung against 4700 mAh for 27 hours on the S23 Plus, again according to Samsung. Another difference that stems from the format: the Galaxy S23’s vapor chamber seems smaller than that of its big brother, as shown by a GIF shared by Ice Universe. Since both have the same chip, there’s plenty to give the S23 Plus a slight performance edge.
The small detail that can change a lot
Last element, very small on the technical sheets, but very real, the Ultra Wide Band is not available on the Galaxy S23. This means that if you buy a SmartTag+ for example, you will not be able to take advantage of the precise location of the tracker. All the novelties in augmented reality that the Korean firm has hinted to be preparing should also be based on this technology. If you’re the type who likes smartphones ready to face the future, the S23 Plus seems like a better choice. Too bad for lovers of small formats who like to be one step ahead.
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