If there are 2 phones (of different sizes) from the same brand with more or less the same features especially where the cameras are concerned, I would likely choose the smaller as I like compact phones. I don’t mind that the screen is slightly smaller as small phones fit nicely in my pockets and my hands aren’t that big so smaller phones suit me more. The Samsung Galaxy S23 has a 6.1 inch screen while the S23+ which I reviewed 2 weeks ago has a 6.6 inch screen. The S23 weighs 5.93 ounces compared to the S23+ which weighs 6.91ounces. The S23 is so light that I consider it a smaller version of the S23+.
However for those who like fast charging phones, the S23 which has a 3,900 mAh battery isn’t as fast as the S23+ which has a 4,700 mAh battery. The battery in the S23+ of course is longer lasting than the S23. I did find the charge time for the S23 rather slow when compared to the S23+ which was super fast. That aside, the quality of the photos and sound, I found similar between the two. The S23 gives up to 22 hours of video playback while the S23+ up to 27 hours of video playback.
The 12Mp front camera is exactly the same as the S23+ as are the rear cameras : 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto (3x zoom). Both the S23 and S23+ have Optical Zoom at 3x and Digital Zoom up to 30x which makes for very sharp images.
It is a pleasure taking photos with the S23, there are many features one can use to improve the shots even more. That takes a bit of time to master but I think anyone can do it with a bit of practice. This is a durable phone even though it is the lowest priced one in the S23 series. It doesn’t (of course) have that plastic feel like my Samsung Galaxy phones in the RM1k-2k price range.
The phone I have had for the purposes of this review is in Phantom Black and just like the S23+, it is available in 3 other colours instore with 2 other online exclusive colours (only available at samsung.com). If I were to pick a phone in the S23 series and I mean between S23 and S23+ because I haven’t tested the Ultra yet, I would probably choose the S23 because I like the compact size. Actually, it’s down to a matter of personal preference as some people need or want a bigger screen.
