Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. S22: Should you upgrade?

Every year, Samsung releases a new phone with specs that tempt you to upgrade to the latest model. After comparing the two smartphones, you can decide if the newer model is worth the upgrade. Samsung delivered this year with the release of the Galaxy S23, but are the specs enough to make you switch?

So, did Samsung actually listen and make the improvements we asked for? After spending some time with the Galaxy S23, I can confidently say it has. However, on paper, Samsung beefed things up a little on the inside while simplifying things on the outside. In real-life use, the gains really show, making for a nice step in the right direction for Samsung's smallest flagship phone.

That said, the Galaxy S22 was no slouch, either, and with the recent price drop, it's still a phone worth considering if you can find a good deal on it. Here, we'll compare the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S23 to see which is a better fit for you and help determine whether or not an upgrade is in order.

Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. S22: Design

After mostly copying/pasting the S21 design into the Galaxy S22, Samsung opted for a fresher take on the Galaxy S23. It removed the camera island on the top corner of the phone and instead opted to have the three camera modules individually protruding out of the rear panel. The effect is pretty clean, and it's very much giving LG Velvet but without the raindrop effect.

It's clear Samsung was trying to give the Galaxy S23 series a more cohesive design, and it pretty much nailed it. The result is a flatter back that feels less busy without the camera island, similar to the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Interestingly, Samsung has also used this same design for its mid-range/budget smartphones, such as the Galaxy A14 5G, and it has continued the same design for the new S24 series and the recent A-series models, too. The design does make the Galaxy S23 look less distinctive than its budget smartphones. Not to mention, the design is pretty dull compared to other phones.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S22 still stands out a bit more with its unique camera island. It also has some nice colors, like our favorite green or the newer Bora Purple. The Galaxy S23 mixes it up and even goes for a different hue of green, but somehow, it doesn't seem to stand out as much. There are also some online exclusive colors, such as Graphite, Cream, Violet, and Sky Blue.

Other than the cameras and colors, the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22 look broadly similar. This includes the 6.1-inch display with a hole-punch selfie camera, a slightly curved aluminum frame, and the placement of the ports. Unfortunately, the power and volume buttons have shifted up quite a bit on the Galaxy S23, so if you were thinking of using a Galaxy S22 case for your S23, think again. It's quite unfortunate, given how Samsung continues to tout its sustainability efforts, only to render its previous flagship cases useless for those that end up upgrading. But I digress.

For extra peace of mind, Samsung slapped Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the Galaxy S23 series. This means that it should be able to withstand drops onto uneven surfaces like concrete. I'm not brave enough to purposefully try this with the S23, but I'll take Samsung at its word. The S22 has withstood the tests of time and several drops, with only some scratches on the display as proof of its trials and tribulations. Still, you should consider slapping on a Galaxy S23 case or screen protector.

Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. S22: Specs & performance

The devices don't just look different on the outside, but there are some notable differences on the inside. For starters, the Galaxy S23 now uses a Snapdragon chip globally. That's a big plus for fans in countries where Samsung sells the Exynos variants.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy features a more powerful prime core than its predecessor, and it's also clocked much higher than the standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, meaning it should be able to perform better than many of the best Android phones currently powered by the new chip. The Galaxy S22 was plenty powerful, although it suffered from some early throttling and thermal issues. Qualcomm seemed to learn with the introduction of the 8+ Gen 1, and in my experience, the 8 Gen 2 also takes these lessons to heart.

When performing various tasks or playing graphically intensive games, the Galaxy S23 gets a little warm, but it doesn't seem nearly as hot as the Galaxy S22 when performing the same tasks. This is likely thanks not only to the new chip but also to a larger vapor chamber for better cooling.

In our chip comparison, we see that the 8 Gen 2 offers noticeable improvements in performance and battery life, which translates over in real-life use as well. Battery life was something that the Galaxy S22 suffered from. In my experience, the phone can barely last through half the day without being charged. Fortunately, Samsung appeared to have heard our complaints and gave the S23 more juice. The extra 200mAh may not seem like a lot, but it appears to make a big difference.

If I start the day off at 100%, Galaxy S23 can easily last through the day and perhaps until the next morning. It gets roughly six hours of screen-on time, although your mileage may vary. I have to say that it's very refreshing to have a phone that I don't have to worry about charging halfway through the day or when I'm getting ready to head out to run errands. I can leave my house with a 30% charge without the usual battery anxiety that I get with the S22, and this is probably the most important change Samsung has made with the new phone.

The S22 is also upgradeable to One UI 6.1, which Samsung initially launched with the S24 series. This means the 2022 flagship can also take advantage of some of the Galaxy AI features from the latest models. The S23 series began receiving the One UI 6.1 update by the end of March 2024. 

As for the display, brightness wasn't among my complaints with the S22, but Samsung has made improvements here, too. Instead of the smaller phone pulling the short end of the stick, Samsung has upped the peak brightness from 1,300 nits on the Galaxy S22 to 1,750 nits on the Galaxy S23, matching that of the S23 Plus and S23 Ultra. This should result in better outdoor visibility, and it's relatively noticeable in my experience.

Wi-Fi 6E is also present in the Galaxy S23, allowing it to tap into more consistent speeds. This is oddly missing from the Galaxy S22 despite being on the other models in the series. Unfortunately, neither comes with UWB onboard.

Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. S22: Cameras

The cameras aren't much different between the two, at least when you look at the raw specs. Unfortunately, they may not compare to the impressive Galaxy S23 Ultra camera with its whopping 200MP sensor, but the S23 and S22 offer respectable specs.

Both feature 50MP primary sensors, 12MP ultrawide cameras, and 10MP telephoto sensors. Samsung also touts enhanced Nightography capabilities on both, thanks to IOS and AI processing. In my time with the Galaxy S22, it's performed admirably in low-light situations with both images and video, even coming head-to-head with the Pixel 7. This remains true with the S23, but Samsung seems to have made some changes with processing that drastically changed the output on the phone.

With the Galaxy S22, pictures bring plenty of brightness and enough detail without being over-dramatic with contrast or colors. However, when comparing the photos, the Galaxy S23 seems to punch up the contrast bit. The result is photos with much more detail but perhaps a bit too much sharpness compared to the softer, more natural images from the S22.

For example, clouds often aren't as white in the S23 images but are usually more detailed. The S23 also doesn't appear to overexpose as much, but the S22 images appear overall brighter, even indoors and in low-light situations. S23 images are also a bit cooler by comparison.

Selfies get a bit of an upgrade thanks to the Galaxy S23's new 12MP sensor. The added resolution brings more detail to images, which is nice for people who post a lot on social media. But once again, I find that I sometimes prefer the softer images from the S22.

Fortunately, both phones offer plenty of camera settings so you can adjust your images and selfies to capture the way you want. In addition to the Camera Assistant app, there are manual camera modes for photos and images, which gives users even more ways to enhance their camera experience.

Unfortunately, the S23 still suffers from slow shutter speed like the Galaxy S22, so you won't find an improvement there. However, Portrait mode seems much better at edge detection and identifying inanimate objects, which the S22 often has trouble with.

As for video, the S23 is not much of a leap from the S22, which is perfectly fine. It now offers 8K video capture at 30fps, which offers noticeably smoother output compared to the 8K 24fps on the S22. That said, 8K capture is still pretty niche. Otherwise, the video is still great in both day and night settings, and you'll notice some of the same processing changes, resulting in more contrast and detail.

Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. S22: Which should you buy?

If you're trying to decide between purchasing the Galaxy S22 or Galaxy S23, the choice seems fairly clear to me. The S23 seems to address almost everything I found wrong with the Galaxy S22, and there weren't many things on that list. The Galaxy S22 is plenty powerful, but the S23 takes it up a notch with the new chipset. And for most people, a longer-lasting battery is a big deal, especially if you want to avoid frequently charging your phone.

As far as design goes, it's really a matter of preference, but I like the simplicity of the S23, even if I prefer the color options of the Galaxy S22.

Of course, pricing is always a factor. The Galaxy S23 now starts at $674 on Amazon, but the Galaxy S22 is harder to find brand new unless you look at renewed options or via carriers. 

If you're deciding to upgrade from the Galaxy S22, it's not as easy a decision. If you can find great trade-in deals for the S23, go for it. However, aside from the older chipset and poor battery life, the Galaxy S22 is still a great device with a phenomenal camera and was one of the best Android phones of 2022. You may be good just sticking with the S22 for a bit longer and getting your money's worth, especially since Samsung has brought many of the S24's AI features to it. And just like the S23, the Galaxy S22 gets four major OS upgrades and five years of security updates, so you'll receive support for a few more years.

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