Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, S23+, S23 and Galaxy Book3: specs, price, release date
Not much has changed with the other cameras on the phone. The main camera is joined by the characteristic dual 10-megapixel telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x optical zoom, as well as a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. While the hardware hasn’t changed much, Samsung claims you’ll get better photo results thanks to improvements in image processing algorithms. Specifically, all of the new S23 phones feature an “advanced object-oriented artificial intelligence scene analyzer” that can automatically adjust scene lighting, reduce noise, and detect other imperfections that need to be corrected.
The S23 and S23+ have a new 50MP main camera that supposedly offers four times the dynamic color range of the old one. All of these phones also have a new 12MP selfie camera (up from 10MP) with improved autofocus.
Oddly enough, two of the most interesting photo additions are found in the Samsung Expert RAW app. This app provides granular control over camera settings and still uses some help from Samsung’s imaging models. It’s now easier to access directly in the camera app – previously Expert RAW was a completely separate app – and there are two new modes: multiple exposure and astrophoto. The former lets you shoot multiple images and overlay them for a fun artistic effect. The latter lets you adjust camera settings when you’re trying to capture stars, such as increasing the exposure time to 10 minutes. Working with RAW photos requires more robust software, so Samsung says it’s partnering with Adobe to offer a professional app. Lightroom as the default editing software on phones.
All three phones will receive four Android OS updates (they start with Android 13) and receive monthly security updates for five years, which remains one of the best software policies you’ll find in Android land. Phone prices have not changed. The Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at $1,200., The S23+ costs $1,000.and The S23 costs $800.. Both the S23+ and S23 Ultra now offer 256GB of internal storage for base models – only the S23 is limited to 128GB. They are already available for pre-order and will go on sale on February 17th.
New laptops
Three new phones and… five new laptops. The new Samsung Galaxy Book3 series of laptops includes Book3 ($1,000), Book3 Pro ($1,450), Book3 360 ($1,300), Book3 Pro360 ($1,900)and Book3 Ultra ($2400). All of these laptops are equipped with the latest 13th generation Intel processors. All screens feature a 16:10 aspect ratio, while the Pro and Ultra models feature Samsung AMOLED display technology at 3K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. All of them are already available for pre-order and will go on sale on February 17th.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra
The “Ultra” branding extends to Samsung laptops. This new addition to the Galaxy Book line comes with 13th Gen Intel Core i7 and i9 processors (45W) and new Nvidia 40 series mobile graphics cards. Companies like Asus, Lenovo, and HP have been making these powerful laptops aimed at content creators for some time now, so it’s good to see Samsung join the field. The Ultra skillfully eschews the thinness and lightness that defined the Galaxy Book line, at 16.5mm thick and 3.9 pounds. The new 16-inch 120Hz 3K AMOLED screen supports HDR and is not a touchscreen. It also supports Zoom, with a 1080p webcam and a “studio-quality dual microphone” with active noise cancellation.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro
The rest of Samsung’s laptop lineup remains largely the same as last year, but with updated specs as well as some size changes. Powered by 28W 13th Gen Intel Core i5/i7 processors, the Galaxy Book3 Pro is now available in 14-inch and 16-inch displays. Both screen sizes still offer 3K resolution and feature the same AMOLED panel as the Ultra. These are the thinnest and lightest models in the lineup – the 14-inch model is only 11.3mm thick and weighs 2.58 pounds. The appearance has not changed much from the previous edition.
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360
This year, the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is only available in the large 16-inch size, and you can choose from a Wi-Fi or 5G model. You’ll find the same new 3K AMOLED display as on the other models, but it’s a touchscreen. All versions of the Samsung Galaxy Book “360” are equipped with touch screens with a hinge that allows you to flip the screen to the back to use the laptop as a tablet. So it makes sense that the S Pen is included with this model; it magnetically sticks to the front of the laptop. The rest of the specs are the same as the regular Pro with 13th Gen Intel Core i5/i7 processors under the hood.
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