In this review, we are going to take a look at the performance of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Fan Edition) smartphone, which is powered by the Samsung Exynos 2200 mobile SoC!
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE : Flagship Class Performance!
The Galaxy S23 FE runs on Samsung’s best in-house mobile chip – the Exynos 2200, which is fabricated on the 4 nm process technology.
Launched in January 2022, this is a flagship-class mobile SoC (System-on-a-Chip) designed to compete with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. It has eight processor cores with a tri-cluster architecture:
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 2.8 GHz,
three Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.5 GHz, and
four Cortex-A510 cores running at up to 1.8 GHz.
This mobile SoC also comes with the Samsung Xclipse 920 GPU, a dual-core NPU, and DSPs to support 8K video decoding at up to 60 fps, and camera resolutions up to 200 MP.
The Samsung Exynos 2200 also has a built-in 5G modem that supports Sub-6Ghz and mmWave connectivity, as well as LTE Cat.24 download and LTE Cat.22 upload speeds.
We first tested the Galaxy S23 FE using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 5
Z Flip 4
S23 FE
S22 Ultra
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8+
Gen 1
Exynos
2200
SD 8
Gen 1
Performance Score
16408
14655
14429
13971
12860
Web Browsing
15680
11404
12097
11664
10442
Video Editing
7879
7943
7387
7369
7444
Writing
22257
19525
17593
18138
15471
Photo Editing
35533
324420
31762
27060
30177
Data Manipulation
12171
11788
12523
12616
9691
Not bad! The Exynos 2200 is certainly no match for the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but it actually beat the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 by 9%, and came within 3.3% of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1!
I should point out that these are peak performance results. The truth is – you won’t be able to actually tell the difference between the three mobile processors in normal usage.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE : Storage Performance
PCMark also has an Android Storage 2.0 benchmark that measures the smartphone’s storage I/O performance.
Storage 2.0
Z Flip 5
S23 Ultra
S23 FE
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
Exynos
2200
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 8+
Gen 1
Storage Score
48435
41647
31839
27808
27271
Sequential Read (MB/s)
2676.53
2592.42
1584.66
1457.68
1350.51
Random Read (MB/s)
49.95
38.25
31.25
37.73
33.94
Sequential Write (MB/s)
2631.38
603.29
510.16
856.21
256.81
Random Write (MB/s)
76.66
81.44
81.13
47.20
50.29
Samsung appeared to have used slower flash storage to reduce the cost of the Galaxy S23 FE. Its storage performance is much closer to last year’s Galaxy S22 Ultra, than the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Interestingly, its random write performance was exceptional, matching the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and almost double that of the Galaxy S22 Ultra,
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy S23 FE using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Z Flip 5
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 4
S22 Ultra
S23 FE
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
2200
Solar Bay Unlimited
5481
NA
NA
NA
4570
Wild Life Extreme
Unlimited
3705
3814
2636
2220
2233
Wild Life Unlimited
14823
14554
11144
9106
8671
Sling Shot Unlimited
16661
16344
10690
11094
11348
The Samsung Exynos 2200 powering the Galaxy S23 FE is almost identical in performance to the Galaxy S22 Ultra‘s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 – the difference between their performance is less than 0.7%!
Like the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the Galaxy S23 FE will have no problem handling most games. Only when it comes to more strenuous games (as tested by the Wild Life benchmark) does it lag significantly behind the Galaxy S23 Ultra‘s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor.
But the good news is that the new Solar Bay ray-tracing benchmark shows that the Exynos 2200 is able to hold its own – it is just 17% slower than the Galaxy Z Flip5, which is powered by the Snapdragon Gen 2 for Galaxy processor.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy S23 FE using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 5
S23 FE
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
Exynos
2200
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 8+
Gen 1
AnTuTu Score
1212174
1187296
1166868
889167
856357
CPU
261886
393404
329078
203090
205939
GPU
538823
282780
425455
402617
362669
Memory
236163
291048
193981
146002
135707
UX
175302
220064
218354
137458
152042
The AnTuTu benchmark tells a slightly different story. According to its tests, the Galaxy S23 FE is about 31% faster than the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and 36% faster than the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Not bad!
The Galaxy S23 actually came within 2% of the Galaxy Z Flip 5‘s performance, at least in the AnTuTu Benchmark. In fact, it was only 3.7% slower than the Galaxy S23 Ultra!
But note that its temperature jumped by almost 12°C! At peak performance, the Galaxy S23 FE can get quite toasty!
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE : Performance Summary
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is a rather chunky smartphone, so one would expect better cooling performance, compared to something thinner and foldable like the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
It shows in the benchmarks – the Galaxy S23 FE comes admirably close to the performance of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, even though it’s using a mobile processor that is one generation older.
The Samsung Exynos 2200 might not do quite so well at high-resolution games, compared to the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but that’s a different price point altogether.
Ultimately, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE punches above its weight in everything except gaming performance. Unless you are an avid gamer, this is flagship-class performance at a more affordable price point.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Fan Edition Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE comes with colour options of Mint, Lavender, Gray and Silver, with two exclusive colours on their website – Tangerine and Indigo. They are all offered with two RAM and storage options:
6 GB + 128 GB
8 GB + 256 GB
These are the available models and launch prices for the Galaxy S23 FE :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just sent me their new Galaxy S23 FE – Fan Edition smartphone, and here is my unboxing video, as well as my first impressions!
Samsung Galaxy S23 Unboxing : What’s In The Box?
I managed to get my hands on the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Fan Edition) smartphone BEFORE it actually ships! Take a look at my unboxing video, and share it out!
In our unboxing video, you can see that the Galaxy S23 FE package is sparse, and only consists of:
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE smartphone
Set of documents – quick start guide in two languages, and a warranty card
USB Type C to Type C cable
SIM card extractor pin
As the unboxing video shows, the Galaxy S23 FE does not come with any charger, or earphones. Not even a TPU case to hold you over until you get a better case.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE : My First Impressions!
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Fan Edition) is meant to be a more affordable version of the Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphone, released early this year.
It uses the same design as the Samsung Galaxy S23, with a shiny glass back and a matte aluminium frame, instead of a matte glass back, and a shiny aluminium frame.
But the most apparent thing would be its size – the Galaxy S23 FE is a decidedly larger and bulkier phone than the Galaxy S23. The Fan Edition is also heavier at 209 grams.
The Galaxy S23 FE is larger and heavier because it comes with a slightly larger 6.3-inch display, and a larger 4,500 mAh battery. But that does not mean that it is superior to the original Galaxy S23 smartphone.
For one thing – the Galaxy S23 is powered by the faster (and pricier) Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile SoC, while the Fan Edition runs on the Samsung Exynos 2200. They both have a 50 MP main camera, but the Fan Edition has a lower-resolution zoom camera, and a lower resolution front camera.
The larger Fan Edition may have a larger 4,500 mAh battery, but it is limited to 25 watt charging, while the original Galaxy S23 supports up to 45 watt fast charging.
The SIM card tray, which supports two nano SIM cards is located at the top, together with a microphone port. It also supports an eSIM. However, you are limited to a maximum of two SIM numbers.
At the bottom, you will find the USB Type C port, as well as the speaker and microphone ports. The Power button and the Volume control buttons are located on the right side.
In the front, the Galaxy S23 FE has a 10 MP camera in a punch hole. At the back, it has a 50 MP main camera (with a Samsung S5KGN3 sensor), a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera, and an 8 MP telephoto camera, with 3X optical zoom.
Like the Galaxy S23, the Fan Edition has an under-display fingerprint sensor. It appears to use the EGISTEC EL721 fingerprint sensor.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is protected on the front and back by Gorilla Glass 5 (instead of Gorilla Glass Victus 2), with an aluminium frame.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE : Specifications
Here are the key specifications for the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE smartphone :
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE comes with colour options of Mint, Lavender, Gray and Silver, with two exclusive colours on their website – Tangerine and Indigo. They are all offered with two RAM and storage options:
6 GB + 128 GB
8 GB + 256 GB
These are the available models and launch prices for the Galaxy S23 FE :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung is making all four main colours options, as well as the four exclusive online colours, available for purchase at launch, at these price points :
As a Samsung ultra-premium smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes in a premium black box, with these items inside :
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 smartphone
Set of documents – quick start guide in two languages, and a warranty card
USB Type C to Type C cable
SIM card extractor pin
As the unboxing video shows, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 does not come with any charger, or earphones. Not even a TPU case to hold you over until you get a better case.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 boasts the same large 6.7-inch Infinity Flex display as the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4. This foldable display has a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1080 x 2640 pixels.
The difference this year lies in its No-Gap Flex Hinge and improved Ultra Thin Glass with a droplet fold, allowing the Galaxy Z Flip 5 to fold completely flat.
In case you are wondering – the crease is still visible if you view it from an angle, and you can feel it if you run your finger over it. But after using it some time – you will forget it’s even there.
The display is large and really beautiful – with excellent resolution, colour gamut and brightness. And it folds into a really compact device about the size of a pager – if you are old enough to remember what that is!
Like previous Flip models, its foldable display comes with a protective film made from stretchable PET, so you should never stick any screen protector on it!
If you are new to foldable phones, you will be really tentative about folding it. But over time, it will become really natural – you won’t even think twice about folding it before shoving it down your pocket.
The Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) is rated for at least 200,000 folds, so even if you fold it 100 times a day, it should last at least 5.5 years!
But while the display can withstand a lot of folding, you must still take care not to SCRATCH it. Avoid putting it together in your pocket or handbag with hard objects like coins, another phone, etc.
3.4-inch Cover Display
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s biggest upgrade is, arguably, the much larger 3.4-inch front display, which is now called the Flex Window, instead of the cover screen.
Thanks to its 3.4-inch Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 720 x 748 pixels, the new Flex Window is much more useful. Not only can you check notifications, and send quick replies to text messages, it comes with 14 essential widgets out of the box!
You can customise the Flex Window with widgets, video wallpapers, clock faces and styles. And the larger display makes it so much easier to take selfies with its awesome rear cameras!
Performance + Storage
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 runs on the most powerful mobile SoC available for Android devices – the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is a specially-binned and slightly-overclocked version that Qualcomm created for Samsung Galaxy flagship smartphones.
Fabricated on the latest 4nm TSMC process technology, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy boasts a powerful Adreno 740 GPU, as well as eight processor cores in a quad-cluster architecture :
a Cortex-X3 prime core running at up to 3.36 GHz (instead of 3.2 GHz),
two Cortex-A715 cores running at up to 2.8 GHz,
two Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.8 GHz, and
three Cortex-A510 cores running at up to 2.0 GHz.
Our review sample came with 8 GB of memory, and 256 GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage. It is also available with 512 GB of storage. There is no option to increase storage, but generally 256 GB of storage is more than enough for most people.
Dual SIM Support
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a SIM card tray that supports a single nano SIM card. It also supports an eSIM, so technically, you can use up to two SIMs at the same time.
Buttons
The only buttons you will find are on the upper right side of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 – the Volume control buttons and the Power button, which doubles as the fingerprint sensor.
Pressing the Power button twice activates the Quick Shot mode, which lets you take selfies using the rear cameras with the Flex Window for preview and control.
Only One Port
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes with a USB Type C port, which supports USB 3.2 connectivity. It does not come with a 3.5 mm audio jack, or a USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter in the box.
Protection
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is water-resistant in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes, but is not dust-resistant due to its foldable display and folding mechanism. Hence, it is IPX8-rated.
In addition, its chassis is made with Armor Aluminium, and the Flex Window is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Its Dual Pixel main camera is also protected by Gorilla Glass with DX.
Powering all that is a 3,700 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, which supports 25 watt fast charging, and 10 watt wireless charging. It can even wireless recharge other devices, albeit at just 4.5 watts.
However, it does not come with an in-box charger. So you will have to use your old charger, or buy a new one.
Samsung flagship smartphones are notable for featuring cutting-edge cameras, but the Galaxy Z Flip 5 stayed with older cameras, albeit slightly enhanced.
In the front, it uses a 10 MP punch hole camera, built around the Samsung ISOCELL 3J1 (S5K3J1) sensor, which has a 1.22 µm pixel size. This isn’t a new sensor though, being first used in the Galaxy S20 series.
This camera now has a slightly wider f/2.2 aperture, so you can expect it to perform slightly better in low-light conditions. This camera can also record video at up to 4K resolution at 60 fps.
In most cases though, you will end up using this selfie camera only for video calls, and use the better cameras at the back for your “selfies”!
Dual Cameras At The Back
In the back, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a dual-camera system, which consists of :
a 12 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with 123° field of view, and f/2.2 aperture
The main camera is built around the Samsung ISOCELL 2LD (S5K2LD) sensor, which dates back to the Galaxy S20 series as well. This sensor, however, boasts a large pixel size of 1.8 µm, and it has a 24 mm lens with a wide f/1.8 aperture.
The ultra-wide angle camera is built around the Sony IMX258 sensor, which dates back to 2017. It also has rather small 1.12 µm pixels.
Most Galaxy Z Flip 5 users will eventually realise that it’s better to use these two 12 MP cameras for better selfies. Just double-press the Power button with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 folded to activate these cameras.
These cameras are still good, but I really wish Samsung would have at least upgraded their sensors.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Photo Samples
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s rear cameras may be dated, but they are still excellent cameras with good low-light performance, thanks to the wide f/1.8 and f/2.2 apertures. But the wide aperture also creates creates a narrow depth-of-field, so there is the risk of ending up with an out-of-focus photo.
When used in the selfie mode, the rear cameras deliver Instagram-friendly square 9 MP photos with a resolution of 2992 x 2992 pixels, and a file size of about 1.3 MB (HEIC format).
When used unfolded, the rear cameras deliver can be used to take 12 MP photos with a resolution of 4000 x 3000 pixels, and a file size of about 3 MB (HEIC format).
Here are eight unedited photo samples for you to check out.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes with a relatively small 3,700 mAh battery, which is the same size as last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 4.
To test its battery life, we turned off Automatic Brightness, fix the brightness level, and make sure the screen brightness does not change as the ambient brightness changes.
We also set its display brightness to 50%, which is slightly higher than the average indoor brightness level of 40% during the day.
We then ran the PCMark Work 3.0 battery life test until its battery capacity dropped to 20% several times, and this was the best result we obtained with the Standard and Adaptive refresh rates :
With the same battery capacity, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 had the same battery life of just over 9 hours using its default Adaptive refresh mode, like the Galaxy Z Flip 4.
But when we switched to the Standard refresh mode, it surprisingly delivered over 11 hours of battery life – 49 minutes longer than the Galaxy Z Flip 4!
Let’s compare its battery life at 60 Hz and 120 Hz, against the Z Flip 4, S23 Ultra, and S22 Ultra smartphones.
Standard Refresh Rate (60 Hz)
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 naturally has the best battery life with the refresh rate set to 60 Hz (Standard) – lasting just over 11 hours.
But what’s really important to note here is that it is about 5% more power-efficient than the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and about 7.5% more power-efficient than the Z Flip 4.
Work 3.0
S23 Ultra
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 5
Z Flip 4
Battery Capacity
5,000 mAh
5,000 mAh
3,700 mAh
3,700 mAh
Battery Life
15 hrs 18 mins
14 hrs 15 mins
11 hrs 4 mins
10 hrs 14 mins
Utilisation
per min.
4.36 mAh
4.68 mAh
4.46 mAh
4.82 mAh
Adaptive Refresh Rate (120 Hz)
Even with the same battery size, and fundamentally the same foldable display, we expected the Galaxy Z Flip 5 to deliver a slight improvement in battery life due to its more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and it pretty much delivered the same battery life of just over 9 hours.
What this means is that if you don’t need smoother graphics, it is worth turning off the Adaptive refresh rate to reduce power consumption by a very significant 21% / 2 hours!
Work 3.0
S23 Ultra
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 5
Battery Capacity
5,000 mAh
5,000 mAh
3,700 mAh
3,700 mAh
Battery Life
13 hrs
0 mins
10 hrs
38 mins
9 hrs
12 mins
9 hrs 9 mins
Utilisation
per min.
5.13 mAh
6.27 mAh
5.36 mAh
5.39 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Battery Recharging Speed!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 supports up to 25 watts of wired fast charging, but unfortunately, does not come with the charger in-the-box.
So we tested it using the standard 15 watt Samsung fast charger that shipped with their previous smartphones, which is what we believe most users will end up doing.
Work 3.0
S22 Ultra
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 5
Battery Capacity
3,300 mAh
5,000 mAh
3,700 mAh
3,700 mAh
Charger Output
15 watts
15 watts
15 watts
15 watts
Battery Life
64.5 minutes
88.8 minutes
98.75 minutes
129.5 minutes
Recharging Speed
(per minute)
62.0 mAh
45.0 mAh
30.0 mAh
22.9 mAh
As we reported earlier, Samsung appears to intentionally reduce the charging speed for their foldable Z Flip 3 and Z Flip 4 smartphones, probably to avoid producing excessive heat. That’s why they both recharge twice as slowly as the S22 Ultra, even using the same 15 watt charger!
But this is a bit of a shocker – the Galaxy Z Flip 5 recharged even slower – it took more than 2 hours to fully recharge it from 20%! That’s a whopping 31% slower than the Z Flip 4, with the same battery!
That gives us a battery life to recharging time ratio of about 4.24:1, which is rather dismal. You get about an hour’s worth of battery life for every 14 minutes you recharge.
Perhaps Samsung is now trying to encourage users to purchase its optional 25 watt USB-C super fast charger…
We first tested the Galaxy Z Flip 5 using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 5
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 3
S22 Ultra
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD
888
SD 8
Gen 1
Performance Score
16408
14655
14429
13317
12860
Web Browsing
15680
11404
12097
11637
10442
Video Editing
7879
7943
7387
7762
7444
Writing
22257
19525
17593
15316
15471
Photo Editing
35533
324420
31762
25357
30177
Data Manipulation
12171
11788
12523
11938
9691
Interesting, isn’t it? The Galaxy Z Flip 5 uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but it is 12% slower.
I should point out that these are peak performance results. You are unlikely to be able to actually feel the difference between the two in normal usage. In fact, these benchmark results really surprised me!
What likely happened is that the Galaxy S23 Ultra has better cooling, and is thus, better able to maintain the processor’s peak performance for longer. But if you are upgrading from a Galaxy Z Flip 4, and hoping for a performance boost, you are out of luck.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 : Storage Performance
PCMark also has an Android Storage 2.0 benchmark that measures the smartphone’s storage I/O performance.
Storage 2.0
Z Flip 5
S23 Ultra
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 8+
Gen 1
Storage Score
48435
41647
27808
27271
Sequential Read (MB/s)
2676.53
2592.42
1457.68
1350.51
Random Read (MB/s)
49.95
38.25
37.73
33.94
Sequential Write (MB/s)
2631.38
603.29
856.21
256.81
Random Write (MB/s)
76.66
81.44
47.20
50.29
Will you look at that! The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 received a very big boost in sequential write performance for its internal flash storage!
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 was about 6% slower than the Galaxy S23 Ultra in random write performance, but was an astounding 4.4X faster in sequential write!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy Z Flip 5 using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Z Flip 5
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 4
S22
Ultra
Z Flip 3
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 888
Sling Shot Unlimited
16661
16344
10690
11094
9248
Wild Life Unlimited
14823
14554
11144
9106
3952
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
3705
3814
2636
2220
1174
When it comes to less strenuous games (Sling Shot), the Galaxy Z Flip 5 was surprisingly faster than the Galaxy S23 Ultra, even though they both use the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, and the S23 Ultra has better cooling.
Even in the more strenuous game (Wild Life), the Galaxy Z Flip 5 continues to surpass the Galaxy S23 Ultra at lower resolutions.
It was only with the Wild Life Extreme 4K benchmark where the Galaxy S23 Ultra‘s better cooling performance allowed it to beat the Z Flip 5 by 3%.
Simply put – you don’t really need expensive “gaming smartphones”. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will easily handle any game you want to play.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy Z Flip 5 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 5
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 3
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD
888
AnTuTu Score
1212174
1187296
889167
856357
696767
CPU
261886
393404
203090
205939
206228
GPU
538823
282780
402617
362669
242573
Memory
236163
291048
146002
135707
133586
UX
175302
220064
137458
152042
114380
The AnTuTu benchmark tells a slightly different story. According to its tests, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is about 38% faster than the Galaxy Z Flip 4. A very nice boost in performance.
On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is slightly slower – just 2%, than the Galaxy S23 Ultra. But note that its temperature jumped by over 12°C! At peak performance, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 can get quite toasty!
Let’s do a quick wrap of what I really like, and don’t like, about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5.
It Now Folds Completely
The 6.7-inch foldable display finally closes completely. This may seem like a minor point, but a complete closure helps prevent things slipping in between the display to damage it while it’s in your pocket or handbag.
Large Flex Window
The 3.4-inch Flex Window is so much better for taking selfies, and much more functional! You can realistically do a lot more with this display, including shooting off quick replies to messages.
Great Performance
Even though it looks real sleek, it is powered by the incredibly powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile SoC.
It will easily handle EVERYTHING you throw at it – even graphics-intensive games. It gets toasty when you game, but hey, at least it doesn’t feel like a brick!
Decent Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 cameras are good but unremarkable frankly. Samsung obviously wants mobile photographers to focus on the Galaxy S23 Ultra instead.
That is most unfortunate, especially for selfie-lovers. I like how the large Flex Window lets you easily use the rear cameras for really good selfies.
Slower Charging
Unfortunately, Samsung did not manage to improve the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s battery life at 120 Hz. It has longer battery life at 60 Hz, but I don’t think anyone who paid a premium for 120 Hz would want to stick to 60 Hz…
It doesn’t help that it recharges slower than the Galaxy Z Flip 4 with a standard 15 watt charger… and don’t get me started on the lack of an in-box charger!
Zilch In-Box Freebies
For a premium product, it comes with zilch freebies in-the-box. As mentioned before, there is no fast charger.
There is also no USB-C to 3.5 mm audio jack, not even a pair of USB-C earphones. Neither did Samsung provide even a cheap TPU case.
Incredible New Price Point
On the other hand, Samsung kept the price at highly-attractive price points:
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is an incredibly great deal for a foldable smartphone. I fully expect to see it flying off the shelves.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : My Verdict + Award
It must be said that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is more than just a smartphone. It is a fashion statement – a sleek, light smartphone that catches eyes, and folds away to fit even small pockets!
Granted, it still has a short battery life with the 120 Hz refresh rate, and a slow recharging speed. And Samsung did not equip it with new cameras.
However, it is much more usable now, thanks to the large 3.4-inch Flex Window; and it now folds completely flat. Think of it as an improved Galaxy Z Flip 4.
Overall, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is an incredibly good deal for a flagship smartphone, with a large foldable 120 Hz display and a top-of-the-line processor!
This is why we believe it deserves nothing less than our Reviewer’s Choice Award! Great job, Samsung!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 : Where To Buy
Here are some online per-order and purchase options for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Take a look at the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, and find out why it is a foldable computing + gaming powerhouse!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Flagship Class Performance!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 runs on the most powerful mobile SoC available for Android devices – the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is a specially-binned and slightly-overclocked version that Qualcomm created for Samsung Galaxy flagship smartphones.
Fabricated on the latest 4nm TSMC process technology, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy boasts a powerful Adreno 740 GPU, as well as eight processor cores in a quad-cluster architecture :
a Cortex-X3 prime core running at up to 3.36 GHz (instead of 3.2 GHz),
two Cortex-A715 cores running at up to 2.8 GHz,
two Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.8 GHz, and
three Cortex-A510 cores running at up to 2.0 GHz.
On paper, this is about as powerful as it gets in 2023, but let’s take a look at how it actually performs!
We first tested the Galaxy Z Flip 5 using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 5
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 3
S22 Ultra
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD
888
SD 8
Gen 1
Performance Score
16408
14655
14429
13317
12860
Web Browsing
15680
11404
12097
11637
10442
Video Editing
7879
7943
7387
7762
7444
Writing
22257
19525
17593
15316
15471
Photo Editing
35533
324420
31762
25357
30177
Data Manipulation
12171
11788
12523
11938
9691
Interesting, isn’t it? The Galaxy Z Flip 5 uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but it is 12% slower.
I should point out that these are peak performance results. You are unlikely to be able to actually feel the difference between the two in normal usage. In fact, these benchmark results really surprised me!
What likely happened is that the Galaxy S23 Ultra has better cooling, and is thus, better able to maintain the processor’s peak performance for longer. But if you are upgrading from a Galaxy Z Flip 4, and hoping for a performance boost, you are out of luck.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Storage Performance
PCMark also has an Android Storage 2.0 benchmark that measures the smartphone’s storage I/O performance.
Storage 2.0
Z Flip 5
S23 Ultra
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 8+
Gen 1
Storage Score
48435
41647
27808
27271
Sequential Read (MB/s)
2676.53
2592.42
1457.68
1350.51
Random Read (MB/s)
49.95
38.25
37.73
33.94
Sequential Write (MB/s)
2631.38
603.29
856.21
256.81
Random Write (MB/s)
76.66
81.44
47.20
50.29
Will you look at that! The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 received a very big boost in sequential write performance for its internal flash storage!
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 was about 6% slower than the Galaxy S23 Ultra in random write performance, but was an astounding 4.4X faster in sequential write!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy Z Flip 5 using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Z Flip 5
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 4
S22
Ultra
Z Flip 3
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 888
Sling Shot Unlimited
16661
16344
10690
11094
9248
Wild Life Unlimited
14823
14554
11144
9106
3952
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
3705
3814
2636
2220
1174
When it comes to less strenuous games (Sling Shot), the Galaxy Z Flip 5 was surprisingly faster than the Galaxy S23 Ultra, even though they both use the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, and the S23 Ultra has better cooling.
Even in the more strenuous game (Wild Life), the Galaxy Z Flip 5 continues to surpass the Galaxy S23 Ultra at lower resolutions.
It was only with the Wild Life Extreme 4K benchmark where the Galaxy S23 Ultra‘s better cooling performance allowed it to beat the Z Flip 5 by 3%.
Simply put – you don’t really need expensive “gaming smartphones”. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will easily handle any game you want to play.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy Z Flip 5 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
S23 Ultra
Z Flip 5
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 3
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD
888
AnTuTu Score
1212174
1187296
889167
856357
696767
CPU
261886
393404
203090
205939
206228
GPU
538823
282780
402617
362669
242573
Memory
236163
291048
146002
135707
133586
UX
175302
220064
137458
152042
114380
The AnTuTu benchmark tells a slightly different story. According to its tests, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is about 38% faster than the Galaxy Z Flip 4. A very nice boost in performance.
On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is slightly slower – just 2%, than the Galaxy S23 Ultra. But note that its temperature jumped by over 12°C! At peak performance, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 can get quite toasty!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Performance Summary
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a svelte smartphone when unfolded, and yet super compact when folded. You would not expect performance to be a key selling point.
In fact, I expected Samsung to tune down the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 for better battery life. It also lacks the better cooling found in the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
In the end, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 turns out to perform better than the Galaxy Z Flip 4, with better battery life to boot. Not a spectacular improvement, grant you, but it lets you have your cake and eat it too.
What you need to know is this – the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is not just a fashion statement in your hands. It is also a computing and gaming powerhouse in a compact form factor.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Galaxy Z Flip 5 turns out to be Samsung’s best-selling foldable smartphone for 2023!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes in four main colour options:
Graphite – legacy colour
Lavender – similar to Bora Purple, their signature colour for the Z Flip 4
Mint – new colour
Cream – new colour
In addition, Samsung will offer these four colours exclusively on their online store:
Gray
Blue
Green
Yellow
These are the available models and launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and here is my hands-on experience of its latest foldable behemoth in all three main colour options!
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 : My Hands-On Experience!
I was one of the few who had the rare opportunity to get my hands on not one, but three Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 smartphones, which allowed us to do a proper colour comparison.
And now, I present to you – my own hands-on experience with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 smartphone… in all three main colours!
I apologise for the shaky video – Samsung still insists that I do not take photos or record videos with a smartphone, even though it’s their own Galaxy S22 Ultra!
When folded, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 looks like a rather tall and chunky smartphone. Its 6.2-inch Cover Screen is large but has a tall aspect ratio. You can use it like any regular smartphone, without opening the foldable display.
The hinge mechanism, which occupies its entire left side, has been improved, allowing the Galaxy Z Fold 5 to fold completely flat, reducing its folded thickness by 15% to just 13.4 mm! It is also 10g lighter at 253 grams.
At the bottom, you will find the USB port, together with a row of speaker ports and a microphone port; while at the top are another row of speaker ports with what looks like three more microphone ports.
On the right side, you will find the Power button, with a built-in fingerprint sensor; and the volume buttons. You will also find the SIM tray near the top. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 supports two physical nanoSIM cards, and an eSIM.
The Cover Display itself features a 10 MP punch hole camera with an f/2.2 aperture, while at the back, it features the same triple camera setup, which consists of:
a 50 megapixels Dual Pixel camera
a 10 megapixel telephoto camera, and
a 12 megapixel ultra wide angle camera
When unfolded, you will get a massive 7.6-inch display with a squarish 5 by 4 ratio, which offers about twice the screen space as a regular smartphone.
This super large display is what makes the Galaxy Z Fold 5 such a productivity powerhouse. It also features a hidden 4 megapixel camera under this large main display.
When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is about as thick as a regular smartphone, like the Galaxy S23. And from the back, it actually looks like two smartphones welded together!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is protected all around by a tough Armour Aluminium frame. Incredibly, it is IPX8 water-resistant, even though it is not dust-resistant due to its hinge mechanism.
What may put some people off is how tall and thick it is when folded. It is quite hard to fit the Galaxy Z Fold 5 in most pockets. That’s probably why the Z Flip design is more popular, despite having a much smaller display.
But what people who have tried it out will realise – its large display is incredibly hard to give up, because you can do so much more on it.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 : Specifications
Here are the key specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 smartphone :
Just in case you are wondering, the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the same as the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Fold 4. There was no price increase year-on-year.
Here are some online per-order and purchase options for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and here is my hands-on experience of its latest compact foldable smartphone in all four colours!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : My Hands-On Experience!
I was one of the few who had the rare opportunity to get my hands on not one, but four Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 smartphones, which allowed us to do a proper colour comparison.
And now, I present to you – my own hands-on experience with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 smartphone… in all four main colours!
I apologise for the shaky video – Samsung still insists that I do not take photos or record videos with a smartphone, even though it’s their own Galaxy S22 Ultra!
Samsung maintained the same design from last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 4, so you may not be able to distinguish between the two models… until you turn it on.
Then you will realise that it has a much larger 3.4-inch front display, which is now called the Flex Window, instead of the Cover Screen. It is now much more useful. Not only can you check notifications, and send quick replies to text messages, it comes with 14 essential widgets out of the box!
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has the same large 6.7-inch foldable display as the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4, which supports a Full HD+ resolution, and a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. The difference this year lies in its No-Gap Flex Hinge and improved Ultra Thin Glass with a droplet fold, allowing the Galaxy Z Flip 5 to fold completely flat.
Like the previous models, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is IPX8 water-resistant, even though it is still not dust-resistant due to its hinge mechanism. It is protected on all sides by a tough Armour Aluminium frame, and on the back by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
On the left side, you will find the SIM card tray, which only supports a single nano SIM card. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 also supports an eSIM, so you can use up to a total of two SIMs.
At the bottom, you will find the USB port, as well as the speaker and microphone ports. On the right side are the Power button with a built-in fingerprint sensor, and the Volume control buttons.
In the front, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a punch hole camera hidden at the top of its foldable display. This is the same 10 MP camera from Galaxy Z Flip 4, albeit with a slightly larger f/2.2 aperture. So you can expect it to perform slightly better in low-light conditions.
At the back are the same two 12 MP cameras from the Galaxy Z Flip 4 – a main camera with f/1.8 aperture, and an ultra-wide angle camera with a 123° field of view, and f/2.2 aperture.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 also comes with the same 3,700 mAh dual battery as the Galaxy Z Flip 4. But it now supports 25 watt fast wired charging, with a suitable charger.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 : Specifications
Here are the key specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 smartphone :
Just in case you are wondering, the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 only went up by RM100 (~US$22 / £17 / A$33 / S$29) over the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 4.
Here are some online per-order and purchase options for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Read our comprehensive review of the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and find out why it won our Editor’s Choice Award!
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Model + Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes in four main colours – Phantom Black, Green, Lavender, and Cream.
Ahead of the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s official launch, we were given special access to all four main colours it will be offered through retail stores, including Samsung Experience Stores.
So I was able to record this video comparing the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphone in all four colours. Take a look at all four colours, and let us know which you prefer!
We got our hands on a golden sample of the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphone at the official launch in Singapore. Let’s take a quick look at the box before we check out what’s inside!
Once you fully unbox the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, this is what you will find inside:
the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphone
a Quick Start Guide
a USB Type C to USB Type C data and charging cable
a SIM tray extraction pin
That’s it! While the Galaxy S23 Ultra supports 45 watt fast charging, it does not come with the charger. You will need to purchase it separately. Neither does it come with a TPU bumper case to tide you over until you get a better one.
Now, let us go through its key features, and show you why the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is worthy of our Editor’s Choice Award!
Boosted Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Performance!
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is powered by a specially-boosted variant of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile SoC, which features a quad-cluster architecture:
1 x Arm Cortex-X3 core (3.36 GHz, instead of 3.2 GHz)
2 x Arm Cortex-A715 cores (2.8 GHz)
2 x Arm Cortex-A710 cores (2.8 GHz)
3 x Arm Cortex-A510 cores (2.0 GHz)
The new processor feels very snappy, and appears to be more power efficient – the Galaxy S23 Ultra last longer than our Galaxy S22 Ultra on typical use.
The biggest upgrade in the Galaxy S23 Ultra is its new Adaptive Pixel main camera, which is built around the 200 MP Samsung ISOCELL HP2 (S5KHP2) sensor, and features a slightly wider f/1.7 aperture.
This is a large 1/1.3-inch sensor with 200 million pixels, each of which is 0.6 μm in size. The Galaxy S23 Ultra camera can combine up to 16 pixels to form a single large pixel for much better low-light performance.
Video capabilities also got an upgrade, thanks to this new sensor. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can now record 8K videos at 30 frames per second, instead of just 24 fps previously.
It also boasts better Adaptive VDIS capability, and improved optical image stabilisation (OIS), delivering silky smooth videos by doubling the angle to ±3°, from the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s camera‘s ±1.5°.
Similar Telephoto + Wide-Angle Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra reuses the same 3X and 10X zoom cameras from the Galaxy S22 Ultra, right down to their Sony IMX754 sensors.
The ultra-wide angle camera gets a newer sensor – the Sony IMX564, which appears to be an incremental upgrade of the S22 Ultra’s IMX563.
12 MP Selfie Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also features another camera upgrade in the front. Instead of a 40 MP sensor in the Galaxy S22 Ultra, it now features a new 12 MP camera, with the same f/2.2 aperture.
While this may seem to be a downgrade, it is actually an upgrade as the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 40 MP sensor defaults to 10 MP. On top of that, it features a Dual Pixel sensor for faster and more accurate auto-focus!
We tried using the front camera, and found that it was superior to the front camera of the Galaxy S22 Ultra. More of this later in our review.
Buttons
The only buttons on Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are all located on the right side – volume control buttons and a Power switch.
S Pen
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with the same S Pen as the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It too boasts a very quick 2.8 ms latency.
We tried swapping them and both S Pens appear to fit both devices. From what we can tell – they are physically and functionally similar, if not exactly the same.
USB Type C Port
At the bottom of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, you will find a SIM card tray, next to the USB port, as well as the S Pen in its slot.
The USB port is, of course, the new bidirectional Type C port, which is now the EU standard.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra supports two physical SIM cards, as well as a single eSIM. The SIM tray is located at the bottom, next to the USB port.
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is protected in the front and in the back by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is not just tougher, it is also made from 22% pre-consumer recycled content!
Armoured Aluminium
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is also protected on all four sides by an Armoured Aluminium frame.
5,000 mAh Fast-Charging Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a large 5,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, which supports 45 watt fast wired charging, and 15 watt fast wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Battery Life Comparison!
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a 5,000 mAh battery, which is the same size as Galaxy S22 Ultra and the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
To test its battery life, we turned off Automatic Brightness, and set its display brightness to 50%.
Why 50%? That is actually slightly higher than the average indoor brightness level of 40% during the day, and is what we usually use in all our mobile battery life tests.
It is important to fix the brightness level, to make sure the screen brightness does not change as the ambient brightness changes.
We then ran the PCMark Work 3.0 battery life test until its battery capacity dropped to 20% several times, and this was the best result we obtained with 60 Hz and 120 Hz refresh rates :
Will you look at that!
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a battery life of 13 hours with Adaptive refresh rate enabled, and a whopping 15.3 hours with the Standard refresh rate – 24% and 7.5% better respectively than the S22 Ultra!
But let’s also compare its battery life at 60 Hz and 120 Hz, against the S21 Ultra and Z Flip 3 smartphones.
Standard Refresh Rate (60 Hz)
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra really shines with the refresh rate set to 60 Hz. It used 7% less power per minute, which delivered 7% longer battery life than the S22 Ultra.
Work 3.0
S23 Ultra
(60 Hz)
S22 Ultra
(60 Hz)
Z Flip 3
(60 Hz)
S21 Ultra
(60 Hz)
Battery Capacity
5,000 mAh
5,000 mAh
3,300 mAh
5,000 mAh
Battery Life
15 hrs 18 mins
14 hrs 15 mins
8 hrs 11 mins
11 hrs 22 mins
Utilisation
per min.
4.36 mAh
4.68 mAh
5.38 mAh
5.87 mAh
Adaptive Refresh Rate (120 Hz)
While the Galaxy S23 Ultra certainly used less power than the S22 Ultra, that advantage was greatly diminished with the Adaptive refresh rate enabled.
This is where we see the greatest improvement in the power efficiency of the S23 Ultra. Its display used 18% less power per minute, and delivered 22% (almost 1.5 hours) longer battery life than the S22 Ultra.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra supports up to 45 watts of wired fast charging, but unfortunately, does not come with the charger in-the-box.
So we relied on the standard 15 watt Samsung fast charger than shipped with their previous smartphones – something we believe most users will end up doing. But we used the 25 watt charger for the S21 Ultra, because it came with that charger.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra fully recharges from 20% to 100% in just under 1.5 hours hour with the standard 15 watt Samsung charger. Oddly enough, this is significantly (38%) slower than the S22 Ultra.
It’s hard to know whether this was an intentional design decision to reduce the thermal output while charging, or to drive the adoption of the 45 watt chargers (sold separately).
Fortunately, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a significantly better battery life, which should offset the slower recharging speed. Frankly, I don’t see a real need to splurge on a new 45 watt fast charger.
Samsung has done it again – raised the performance bar yet again with the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy – a boosted variant of the fastest mobile SoC that exists for Android devices – it offers a tremendous boost in GPU performance, which should make gamers and mobile content creators happy.
The benchmark results amply demonstrates that you can count on the Galaxy S23 Ultra to easily handle anything and everything you throw at it.
We first tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
S23 Ultra
S22 Ultra
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
SD
750G
Performance Score
16408
12860
12535
10523
7874
Web Browsing
15680
10442
10185
8865
7021
Video Editing
7879
7444
6336
6232
5693
Writing
22257
15471
15247
11112
7454
Photo Editing
35533
30177
37847
30789
15812
Data Manipulation
12171
9691
8310
6825
6424
Will you look at that! The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is 27.5% faster than Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 from last year.
That’s a surprisingly significant boost in performance that people upgrading from the Galaxy S22 Ultra or the S21 Ultra will notice.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
S23 Ultra
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 3
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
Note10+
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 888
Exynos
990
Exynos
9825
Sling Shot Unlimited
16344
11094
9248
8026
3327
Wild Life Unlimited
14554
9106
3952
4504
3288
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
3814
2220
1174
1387
528
Look at that! The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 was a head above the competition when it comes to gaming!
It was 47% to 72% faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and 77% to 468% faster than the Snapdragon 888!
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is undoubtedly the gaming smartphone to beat!
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
S22
Ultra
S22
Ultra
S21
Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
SD 750G
AnTuTu Score
1212174
889167
624411
522735
341908
CPU
261886
203090
166290
146783
105098
GPU
538823
402617
258995
215205
88068
Memory
236163
146002
120805
89376
60642
UX
175302
137458
78321
71371
88100
The AnTuTu benchmark confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is truly a performance beast in every way!
The new Galaxy S23 Ultra is 36% faster than the S22 Ultra, and a whopping 94% faster than the S21 Ultra!
Its CPU was 29% faster, and its GPU was 33% faster than the S22 Ultra. When compared against the S21 Ultra, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 57% faster CPU and 2X faster GPU.
Thanks to its improved cooling system, its temperature jumped by about 7°C. That is noticeable, but significantly lower than the 10°C we saw with the S22 Ultra.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a super-high resolution 200 MP main camera, built around a new ISOCELL HP2 sensor.
This is a large 1/1.3-inch sensor with 200 million pixels, each of which is 0.6 μm in size. The Galaxy S23 Ultra camera can combine up to 16 pixels to form a single large pixel for much better low-light performance.
Video capabilities also got an upgrade, thanks to this new sensor. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can now record 8K videos at 30 frames per second, instead of just 24 fps previously.
It also boasts better Adaptive VDIS capability, and improved optical image stabilisation (OIS), delivering silky smooth videos by doubling the angle to ±3°, from the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s camera‘s ±1.5°.
Here are six shots I took in Singapore, using the 200 MP main camera, and the 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera.
They are 4000 x 3000 pixels in size, with a JPEG file size of between 4 MB and 8 MB – it all depends on the amount of detail in the picture. To save space, I definitely recommend that you enable HEIF – the High Efficiency Image Format.
By default, the 200 MP camera takes 12 MP photos, combining sixteen pixels into one super-large pixel. Coupled with the improved lens and wider aperture, the final photos are not only much brighter, but have significantly lower noise.
Here are six night shots to show you just how bright the Galaxy S23 Ultra photos are, taken at night handheld without flash.
Here are six shots to show you the incredible amount of detail you can capture at just 12 MP. If you need greater detail, you can always increase the resolution to the full 200 MP, but frankly – these pictures should show you that you don’t really need to.
Of course, the 200 MP capability is not there for marketing purposes. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can truly take 200 MP photos, with a resolution of 16,320 pixels x 12,240 pixels, with each file at about 13-15 MB!
To demonstrate both the 200 MP capability and its ability to take bright photos at night, I took this 200 MP photo at Marina Bay Sands.
From that single photo, I could zoom in to make out individuals within the dome-shaped Apple Store hundreds of metres away – all unbeknownst that they were being captured on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra at night!
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Camera Performance Summary
If you want the best cameras on a smartphone money can buy, you should definitely consider the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Don’t put too much stock into the 200 MP marketing spiel. Yes, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is breaking new resolution groups with its 200 MP photography capability. But most of us will probably never use it, except in special circumstances.
What you are really getting is an awesome 12 MP camera with super-large pixels for really great noise-free images, and better low-light photos.
I am especially impressed with its low-light night photography capabilities. The photos I took in Singapore look like they were well-lit by moonlight. That was not the case at all, and it was all the more impressive because I took it handheld.
The photos turned out great – bright, sharp and with much less noise than I dared to hope! There is no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has some of the best smartphone cameras I’ve tried this year.
It is tough for Samsung to keep touting radical improvements in smartphone technology every year, so I was not surprised that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is an evolutionary upgrade of the excellent Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Samsung didn’t even bother to hide that, reusing the same design almost to the millimetre! It even reuses the same S Pen from last year. Its improvements are almost entirely internal or at least not readily visible to the user.
Its display, for example, is the “same” as the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s display on paper. But improvements in its design makes it a more efficient display, improving battery life.
Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU and GPU are not only significantly faster than last year’s Gen 1 CPU and GPU, they are also more efficient, again improving battery life.
Even though it comes with the same battery capacity as the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the new Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts 22% longer battery life with its Adaptive Refresh mode enabled!
Samsung added a new 12 MP front camera, which offers better image quality at a higher resolution than the Galaxy S22 Ultra‘s 40 MP shooter that defaults to 10 MP).
But the killer feature this year is arguably the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s Adaptive Pixel main camera, which not only boasts a new 200 MP sensor but also improved lens, a slightly wider f/1.7 aperture, and better optical image stabilisation.
While its ability to take great photos in good light carries on from the Galaxy S22 Ultra‘s 108 MP Dual Pixel camera, where it really shines is in low-light, night photography. As my photo samples show, they are truly amazing.
If you really love photography, and especially like taking photos at night, or in low-light conditions, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will surely impress you.
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is tougher this year. It has the same Armor Aluminium frame, but is protected in the front and back by best-in-class Gorilla Victus 2 glass.
For these reasons, we gladly award the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra our Editor’s Choice Award! Great work, Samsung!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Take a look at the performance of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and find out how well it performs against the competition!
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Flagship Class Performance!
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra runs on a boosted variant of the most powerful mobile SoC available for Android devices – the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
Fabricated on the latest 4nm TSMC process technology, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 boasts a powerful Adreno 740 GPU, as well as eight processor cores in a quad-cluster architecture :
a Cortex-X3 prime core running at up to 3.36 GHz (instead of 3.2 GHz),
two Cortex-A715 cores running at up to 2.8 GHz,
two Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.8 GHz, and
three Cortex-A510 cores running at up to 2.0 GHz.
On paper, this is about as powerful as it gets in 2023, but let’s take a look at how it actually performs!
We first tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
S23 Ultra
S22 Ultra
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Mobile Platform
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
SD
750G
Performance Score
16408
12860
12535
10523
7874
Web Browsing
15680
10442
10185
8865
7021
Video Editing
7879
7444
6336
6232
5693
Writing
22257
15471
15247
11112
7454
Photo Editing
35533
30177
37847
30789
15812
Data Manipulation
12171
9691
8310
6825
6424
Will you look at that! The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is 27.5% faster than Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 from last year.
That’s a surprisingly significant boost in performance that people upgrading from the Galaxy S22 Ultra or the S21 Ultra will notice.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
S23 Ultra
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 3
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
Note10+
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 888
Exynos
990
Exynos
9825
Sling Shot Unlimited
16344
11094
9248
8026
3327
Wild Life Unlimited
14554
9106
3952
4504
3288
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
3814
2220
1174
1387
528
Look at that! The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 was a head above the competition when it comes to gaming!
It was 47% to 72% faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and 77% to 468% faster than the Snapdragon 888!
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is undoubtedly the gaming smartphone to beat!
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
S23
Ultra
S22
Ultra
S21
Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Device
SD 8
Gen 2
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
SD 750G
AnTuTu Score
1212174
889167
624411
522735
341908
CPU
261886
203090
166290
146783
105098
GPU
538823
402617
258995
215205
88068
Memory
236163
146002
120805
89376
60642
UX
175302
137458
78321
71371
88100
The AnTuTu benchmark confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is truly a performance beast in every way!
The new Galaxy S23 Ultra is 36% faster than the S22 Ultra, and a whopping 94% faster than the S21 Ultra!
Its CPU was 29% faster, and its GPU was 33% faster than the S22 Ultra. When compared against the S21 Ultra, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 57% faster CPU and 2X faster GPU.
Thanks to its improved cooling system, its temperature jumped by about 7°C. That is noticeable, but significantly lower than the 10°C we saw with the S22 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Performance Summary
Samsung has done it again – raised the performance bar yet again with the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy – a boosted variant of the fastest mobile SoC that exists for Android devices – it offers a tremendous boost in GPU performance, which should make gamers and mobile content creators happy.
The benchmark results amply demonstrates that you can count on the Galaxy S23 Ultra to easily handle anything and everything you throw at it.
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
We got our hands on the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, so here are our hands-on preview, and our first impressions!
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Hands-On Preview!
Samsung just launched the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and here is our hands-on preview and first impressions of this flagship smartphone with a 200 MP camera!
Boosted Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Performance!
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is powered by a specially-boosted variant of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile SoC, which features a quad-cluster architecture:
1 x Arm Cortex-X3 core (3.36 GHz, instead of 3.2 GHz)
2 x Arm Cortex-A715 cores (2.8 GHz)
2 x Arm Cortex-A710 cores (2.8 GHz)
3 x Arm Cortex-A510 cores (2.0 GHz)
The new processor feels very snappy, and appears to be more power efficient – the Galaxy S23 Ultra last longer than our Galaxy S22 Ultra on typical use. We will have battery benchmarks up shortly!
The biggest upgrade in the Galaxy S23 Ultra is its new Adaptive Pixel main camera, which is built around the 200 MP Samsung ISOCELL HP2 (S5KHP2) sensor, and features a slightly wider f/1.7 aperture.
This is a large 1/1.3-inch sensor with 200 million pixels, each of which is 0.6 μm in size. The Galaxy S23 Ultra camera will be able to combine up to 16 pixels to form a single large pixel for much better low-light performance.
Video capabilities also got an upgrade, thanks to this new sensor. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can now record 8K videos at 30 frames per second, instead of just 24 fps previously.
It also boasts better Adaptive VDIS capability, and improved optical image stabilisation (OIS), delivering silky smooth videos by doubling the angle to ±3°, from the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s camera‘s ±1.5°.
Similar Telephoto + Wide-Angle Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra reuses the same 3X and 10X zoom cameras from the Galaxy S22 Ultra, right down to their Sony IMX754 sensors.
The ultra-wide angle camera gets a newer sensor – the Sony IMX564, which appears to be an incremental upgrade of the S22 Ultra’s IMX563.
12 MP Selfie Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also features another camera upgrade in the front. Instead of a 40 MP sensor in the Galaxy S22 Ultra, it now features a new 12 MP camera, with the same f/2.2 aperture.
While this may seem to be a downgrade, it is actually an upgrade as the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 40 MP sensor defaults to 10 MP. On top of that, it features a Dual Pixel sensor for faster and more accurate auto-focus!
We tried using the front camera, and found that it was superior to the front camera of the Galaxy S22 Ultra. More of this later in our review.
Buttons
The only buttons on Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are all located on the right side – volume control buttons and a Power switch.
S Pen
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with the same S Pen as the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It too boasts a very quick 2.8 ms latency.
We tried swapping them and both S Pens appear to fit both devices. From what we can tell – they are physically and functionally similar, if not exactly the same.
USB Type C Port
At the bottom of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, you will find a SIM card tray, next to the USB port, as well as the S Pen in its slot.
The USB port is, of course, the new bidirectional Type C port, which is now the EU standard.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra supports two physical SIM cards, as well as a single eSIM. The SIM tray is located at the bottom, next to the USB port.
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is protected in the front and in the back by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is not just tougher, it is also made from 22% pre-consumer recycled content!
Armoured Aluminium
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is also protected on all four sides by an Armoured Aluminium frame.
5,000 mAh Fast-Charging Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a large 5,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, which supports 45 watt fast wired charging, and 15 watt fast wireless charging.
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the Galaxy S23 Ultra, with a 200 MP camera, and here is everything you need to know about its latest flagship smartphone!
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Everything You Need To Know!
Samsung just launched the Galaxy S23 Ultra, with a 200 MP camera, and here is everything you need to know about its latest flagship smartphone!
Boosted Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is powered by a specially-boosted variant of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile SoC, which features a quad-cluster architecture:
1 x Arm Cortex-X3 core (3.36 GHz, instead of 3.2 GHz)
2 x Arm Cortex-A715 cores (2.8 GHz)
2 x Arm Cortex-A710 cores (2.8 GHz)
3 x Arm Cortex-A510 cores (2.0 GHz)
Here is a quick comparison between the boosted Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC used in the Galaxy S22 Ultra:
Specifications
Galaxy S23 Ultra
Galaxy S22 Ultra
Mobile SoC
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
CPU Clusters
4
3
CPU Cores
1 x Cortex-X3 (3.36 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A715 (2.8 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A710 (2.8 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A510 (2.0 GHz)
1 x Cortex-X2 (3.0 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A710 (2.5 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A510 (1.8 GHz)
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno 740
Qualcomm Adreno 730
200 MP Main Camera
Arguably the biggest upgrade in the Galaxy S23 Ultra is its new main camera, which is built around the 200 MP Samsung ISOCELL HP2 (S5KHP2) sensor, and features a slightly wider f/1.7 aperture.
This is a large 1/1.3-inch sensor with 200 million pixels, each of which is 0.6 μm in size. The Galaxy S23 Ultra camera will be able to combine up to 16 pixels to form a single large pixel – a pixel binning technique called Tetra2pixel.
The number of pixels binned will vary according to the photography conditions. In low-light conditions, up to 16 pixels can be combined to create a large 2.4 μm pixel, for a 12.5 MP photo. Samsung is calling this sensor an Adaptive Pixel sensor.
This new Adaptive Pixel sensor also offers better auto-focus performance in low-light conditions through Super QPD autofocus. By using all 200 million pixels, which are physically grouped as four pixels under a single microns, the sensor can detect patterns in both vertical and horizontal directions for faster low-light focusing.
I had the opportunity to test its 200 MP camera’s Nightography capabilities before the launch, and came away very impressed. Forget about the 200 MP number. Its night photography capabilities is where it really shines!
Video capabilities also got an upgrade, thanks to this new sensor. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can now record 8K videos at 30 frames per second, instead of just 24 fps previously.
It also boasts better Adaptive VDIS capability, and improved optical image stabilisation (OIS), delivering silky smooth videos by doubling the angle to ±3°, from the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s camera‘s ±1.5°.
Similar Telephoto + Wide-Angle Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra reuses the same 3X and 10X zoom cameras from the Galaxy S22 Ultra, right down to their Sony IMX754 sensors.
The ultra-wide angle camera gets a newer sensor – the Sony IMX564, which appears to be an incremental upgrade of the S22 Ultra’s IMX563.
12 MP Selfie Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also features another camera upgrade in the front. Instead of a 40 MP sensor in the Galaxy S22 Ultra, it now features a new 12 MP camera, with the same f/2.2 aperture.
While this may seem to be a downgrade, it is actually an upgrade as the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 40 MP sensor defaults to 10 MP. On top of that, it features a Dual Pixel sensor for faster and more accurate auto-focus!
I recently tested the front camera in an exclusive media preview session in Singapore, and found it to be significantly better than the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s front camera!
Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphones will come in four colour options:
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is protected in the front and in the back by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is not just tougher, it is also made from 22% pre-consumer recycled content!
5,000 mAh Fast-Charging Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a large 5,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, which supports 45 watt fast wired charging, and 15 watt fast wireless charging.
While the increased price may be disappointing, Samsung is offering some great pre-order offers:
you get a free upgrade to the next storage option!
if you buy from the Samsung Online Store, you get an RM400 e-Voucher
you get 30% off Samsung accessories, Samsung Care+, Galaxy tablets, Watch, and Buds earphones!
you get to save up to RM600 more when you trade in!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Take a look at the key details and specifications that has leaked ahead of the official launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 series smartphones!
Samsung Galaxy S23 Series : All The Leaks So Far!
Ahead of the official launch of the Galaxy S23 series, key details and specifications of Samsung’s upcoming flagship smartphones have leaked!
Boosted Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
The Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphones will use a specially-boosted variant of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile SoC, which features a quad-cluster architecture:
1 x Arm Cortex-X3 core (3.36 GHz, instead of 3.2 GHz)
2 x Arm Cortex-A715 cores (2.8 GHz)
2 x Arm Cortex-A710 cores (2.8 GHz)
3 x Arm Cortex-A510 cores (2.0 GHz)
Here is a quick comparison between the boosted Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC used in the Galaxy S22 series:
Specifications
Galaxy S23 Series
Galaxy S22 Series
Mobile SoC
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
CPU Clusters
4
3
CPU Cores
1 x Cortex-X3 (3.36 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A715 (2.8 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A710 (2.8 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A510 (2.0 GHz)
1 x Cortex-X2 (3.0 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A710 (2.5 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A510 (1.8 GHz)
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno 740
Qualcomm Adreno 730
200 MP Main Camera
Arguably the biggest upgrade in the Galaxy S23 Ultra is its new main camera, which is built around the 200 MP Samsung ISOCELL HP2 (S5KHP2) sensor, and features a slightly wider f/1.7 aperture.
This is a large 1/1.3-inch sensor with 200 million pixels, each of which is 0.6 μm in size. The Galaxy S23 Ultra camera will be able to combine up to 16 pixels to form a single large pixel – a pixel binning technique called Tetra2pixel.
The number of pixels binned will vary according to the photography conditions. In low-light conditions, up to 16 pixels can be combined to create a large 2.4 μm pixel, for a 12.5 MP photo.
On top of that, the new Samsung ISOCELL HP2 sensor also offers better auto-focus performance in low-light conditions through Super QPD autofocus. By using all 200 million pixels, which are physically grouped as four pixels under a single microns, the sensor can detect patterns in both vertical and horizontal directions for faster low-light focusing.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Series : Prices + Offers Leaked So Far!
Higher Prices
This is the only dampener amongst the leaks – be prepared to pay more for the Galaxy S23 smartphones! Here are the leaked prices for Europe:
Models
Variant
Launch
Prices
Premium Over
S22 Models
Galaxy S23
8 GB + 128 GB
8 GB + 256 GB
€949/959
€1019
+ €99/109
+ €119
Galaxy S23+
8 GB + 256 GB
8 GB + 512 GB
€1209
€1329
+ €159
+ €229
Galaxy S23 Ultra
8 GB + 256 GB
12 GB + 512 GB
€1399/1409
€1589
NA
+ €139
Pre-Order Offer
While the increased price may be disappointing, Samsung will potentially boost pre-order sales by offering a free upgrade to the next storage variant.
For example, if you pre-order the Galaxy S23 with 128 GB storage, you will get the 256 GB variant instead. This is based on a leak on the Samsung UK Business portal that states:
Pre-order from Samsung.com by 16.02.23. Operates as a price discount:
Pre-order the larger storage variant (S23 256GB, 523+ 512GB, 523 Ultra 512GB) by 16.02.23 and pay the future price of the smaller storage variant (523 128GB, S23+ 256GB, S23 Ultra 256GB).
This free upgrade will only be offered for the pre-order period, and is essentially a 10% discount on the price of the higher-capacity model.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Take a look at the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, and find out why it is a foldable computing + gaming powerhouse!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Flagship Class Performance!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 runs on the most powerful mobile SoC available for Android devices – the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
Fabricated on the latest 4nm Samsung process technology, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 boasts a powerful Adreno 730 GPU as well as eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3.2 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.5 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.8 GHz.
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a higher-binned version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC that powers the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Its Cortex-X2 prime core runs at 3.2 GHz, instead of 3 GHz, while its Adreno 730 GPU runs at 800 MHz, instead of 720 MHz.
On paper, this is about as powerful as it gets in 2022, but let’s take a look at how it actually performs!
We first tested the Galaxy Z Flip4 using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 3
S22 Ultra
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Mobile Platform
SD 8+ Gen 1
SD 888
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
Performance Score
14429
13317
12860
12535
10523
Web Browsing
12097
11637
10442
10185
8865
Video Editing
7387
7762
7444
6336
6232
Writing
17593
15316
15471
15247
11112
Photo Editing
31762
25357
30177
37847
30789
Data Manipulation
12523
11938
9691
8310
6825
Unsurprisingly, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is about 8% faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 used in the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and the Snapdragon 888 used by the Galaxy Z Flip 3.
It’s a nice boost, but you won’t actually notice the difference. For certain, it will easily handle anything you throw at it, whether it’s just posting your latest Instagram pictures or editing a 4K video.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy Z Flip4 using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Z Flip 4
S22
Ultra
Z Flip 3
Note20
Ultra
Note
10+
Device
SD 8+
Gen 1
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 888
Exynos
990
Exynos
9825
Sling Shot Unlimited
10690
11094
9248
8026
3327
Wild Life Unlimited
11144
9106
3952
4504
3288
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
2636
2220
1174
1387
528
When it comes to less strenuous games (Sling Shot), the higher-clocked Adreno 730 GPU had no effect, but when we switched to Wild Life, we saw a 19% to 22% boost in performance.
For certain, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will crush any game you throw at it, but the Galaxy Z Flip4’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 gives you more performance headroom.
It also shows that you don’t really need expensive “gaming smartphones”. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 will easily handle any game you want to play.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy Z Flip4 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 4
Z Flip 3
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Device
SD 8 Gen 1
SD 8+ Gen 1
SD
888
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
AnTuTu Score
889167
856357
696767
624411
522735
CPU
203090
205939
206228
166290
146783
GPU
402617
362669
242573
258995
215205
Memory
146002
135707
133586
120805
89376
UX
137458
152042
114380
78321
71371
The AnTuTu benchmark tells a slightly different story. The higher-clocked Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 pretty much performs as fast as the standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 – with a slight 3.7% performance difference.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is about 23% faster than the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and a whopping 37% faster than the Galaxy S21 Ultra!
But note that its temperature jumped by over 10°C! At peak performance, the Galaxy Z Flip4 can get quite toasty!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Performance Summary
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is a svelte smartphone when unfolded, and yet super compact when folded. You would not expect performance to be a key selling point.
In fact, I expect Samsung to tune down the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 for better battery life. But somehow, Samsung kept its performance high, while improving its battery life in the Z Flip4!
In other words – you can have your cake and eat it too. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 is not just a fashion statement in your hands, it’s a computing and gaming powerhouse in a compact form factor.
It is no surprise why the Galaxy Z Flip4 is arguably the hottest smartphone Samsung introduced in 2022!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 comes in four colour options, as well as a special Bespoke Edition :
Graphite – legacy colour
Pink Gold – new colour
Blue – new colour
Bora Purple – their signature colour this year
These are the available models and launch prices for the Z Flip 4 :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung sent me their new Galaxy Z Flip4 foldable smartphone, and here is my unboxing and first impressions!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 Unboxing : What’s In The Box?
Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 launch happened just as I was going to fly to the UK, so I only received it when I got back.
First up – here is my unboxing video of Samsung’s new compact foldable smartphone!
Once you unbox it, you will only find these items :
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 smartphone
Set of documents – quick start guide in two languages, a warranty card, and a Samsung Pay pamphlet
USB Type C to Type C cable
SIM card extractor pin
It does not come with any charger, or earphones. Not even a TPU case to hold you over until you get a better case.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : My First Impressions!
Just before the launch, I was one of the few who had the rare opportunity to get my hands on not one, but four Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 smartphones, which allowed us to do a proper colour comparison.
And now, I present to you – my own hands-on experience with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 smartphone.
I apologise for the shaky video – Samsung still insists that I do not take photos or record videos with a smartphone, even though it’s their own Galaxy S22 Ultra!
Samsung maintained the same design from last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 3, so you will probably not be able to distinguish between the two models.
Like the Galaxy Z Flip 3, the Flip 4 has a large 6.7-inch display that folds in half, turning the Z Flip 4 into a really compact device.
Incredibly, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is water-resistant, even though it is not dust-resistant due to its hinge mechanism. And it is protected on all sides by a tough Armour Aluminium frame.
When folded, you can use the 1.9 inch Cover Display to view notifications and messages, as well as make quick replies and actions.
When unfolded, you can just about see the folding crease in the display, but it’s something that you learn to ignore after using it for some time.
On the left side, you will find the SIM card tray. At the bottom, you will find the USB port, as well as the speaker and microphone ports.
On the right side are the Power button with a built-in fingerprint sensor, and the Volume control buttons. At the top, you will only find another microphone port.
In the front, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 has a 10 megapixel camera with an f/2.4 aperture. You can see a row of speaker ports just above this camera.
At the back are two 12 megapixel cameras – a main camera with f/1.8 aperture, and an ultra-wide angle camera. Samsung also made the bezels just a tiny bit thinner, although you may not notice.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Specifications
Here are the key specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 smartphone :
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the Galaxy Z Fold 4, and here is everything you need to know about its latest foldable smartphone!
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 : Evolution Of A Matured Design
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 builds upon the excellent Galaxy Z Fold 3 from last year, offering an improved version of the multitasking powerhouse.
Most of the changes are internal – a more powerful processor and an upgraded 50 MP camera. Externally, it looks very similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Hence, Samsung is focused on highlighting what you can do with its foldable design and its massive 7.6-inch Infinity Flex display, and its large 6.2-inch Cover Display.
7.6-inch Foldable Display
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 retains the Z Fold 3‘s excellent 7.6-inch Infinity Flex display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1812 x 2176 pixels.
This display has an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hz, offering a balance between silky-smooth graphics and longer battery life.
6.2-inch Cover Display
In the front, it has the same 6.2-inch Cover Display with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a resolution of 904 x 2316 pixels.
This Cover Display allows you to use the Galaxy Z Fold 4 like a regular candy bar device, without flipping open its large foldable display.
Performance + Storage
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 5G mobile platform, which makes it one of the most powerful smartphones in the world.
It comes with 12 GB of memory, and internal storage options of 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB. It only supports a single SIM card and an eSIM, with no microSD card tray, so there is no option to increase storage.
Cameras
Samsung retained the same cover camera and under-display camera as the Z Fold 3:
10 MP cover camera with f/2.2 aperture
4 MP under display camera with f/1.8 aperture
However, they changed the triple camera system at the back, which now consists of :
50 MP wide angle camera, f/1.8 aperture
12 MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.2 aperture
10 MP telephoto camera, f/2.4 aperture
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 : Specifications
Here are the key specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 smartphone :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the Galaxy Z Flip 4, and here is everything you need to know about its latest foldable smartphone!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 : Evolution Of A Matured Design
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 builds upon the excellent Galaxy Z Flip 3 from last year, offering an improved version of the popular foldable clamshell form factor.
Most of the changes are internal – a more powerful processor and a larger battery. Externally, it looks very similar to the Galaxy Z Flip3, albeit with a slimmer hinge and straightened edges, as well as contrasting hazed back glass and a glossy metal frame.
Hence, Samsung is focused on highlighting what you can do with its foldable design and its large 6.7-inch Infinity Flex display.
6.7-inch Foldable Display
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 retains the Z Flip3‘s excellent 6.7-inch Infinity Flex display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that has a 120 Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1080 x 2640 pixels.
This display has an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hz, offering a balance between silky-smooth graphics and longer battery life.
1.9-inch Cover Display
In the front, it has the same 1.9-inch Cover Display with a Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 260 x 512 pixels.
This Cover Display allows you to view notifications and messages without opening the Galaxy Z Flip 4. You will be able to check your schedule, the weather, and your daily step count with the Cover Screen widgets.
Performance + Storage
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 5G mobile platform, which makes it one of the most powerful smartphones in the world.
It comes with 8 GB of memory, and internal storage options of 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB. It only supports a single SIM card and an eSIM, with no microSD card tray, so there is no option to increase storage.
Cameras
Samsung retained the same cameras from the Z Flip 3 :
In the front, it has a 10 MP camera, with an f/2.4 aperture
In the back, it has a 12 MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture, and a 12 MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 : Specifications
Here are the key specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 smartphone :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 will soon be available in the Bora Purple colour option! Here is what you need to know!
Samsung Galaxy S22 Bora Purple : What You Need To Know!
Samsung is introducing a new colour option called Bora Purple for the Samsung Galaxy S22 – its baby flagship of the Galaxy S family!
Bora is Korean for purple, and Samsung chose to introduce this pastel colour to “evoke joy, spark creativity and embrace individuality”
6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Bora Purple comes with a large 6.1-inch display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel.
Its wide colour gamut of 100% DCI-P3, a peak brightness of 1300 nits, and a contrast ratio of 2 million:1 will guarantee the best possible image quality, whether indoors or outdoors.
Gamers will love its high dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, with a touch sampling rate of up to 240 Hz.
4nm Flagship Mobile Platform
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Bora Purple is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC, which is fabricated on the latest 4nm Samsung process technology.
Together with a powerful Adreno 730 GPU, it has eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.5 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.8 GHz.
Memory + Storage Options
Samsung will be offering just two memory and storage options :
8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage
8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage
Cameras Galore!
As a Samsung flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S22 comes with a smorgasbord of cameras!
In the front, it has a 10 MP camera, with a wide f/2.2 aperture.
In the back, it has a triple-camera system that consists of :
a 50 MP Dual Pixel camera, f/1.8 aperture,
a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera, f/2.2 aperture, and
a 10 MP telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture
Built To Last
The Samsung Galaxy S22 has a tough Armor Aluminium frame, and is protected in the back and front by the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+.
On top of that, it is IP68-rated against dust and water ingress. That means it can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S22 comes with a 3,700 mAh battery, which supports wired charging at up to 25 watts, and wireless charging at up to 15 watts.
It also supports Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to recharge other smartphones and wearables like the Galaxy Buds2.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Bora Purple : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Bora Purple will be available globally starting August 10, 2022.
We do not have a hands-on video of the Bora Purple, but here is our hands-on video of the earlier four colour options – Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Green and Pink Gold.
Note : Samsung only allowed us to use digital cameras, so the video is not stabilised as it would be with smartphones that I generally use.
Samsung did not reveal the price for the Galaxy S22 Bora Purple, but it should be priced the same as earlier colour options :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
In our in-depth review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, we will share with you everything you need to know about this premium tablet.
Find out why we are so impressed with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra tablet, that we gave it our Editor’s Choice Award!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Flagship Tablet
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is a premium tablet built around the most powerful mobile SoC available for Android devices – the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
It boasts a massive 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display, quad AKG speakers and a large 11,200 mAh battery – all packed into a compact chassis that weighs just 726 grams!
In this review, we will check out its key features, and show you why it is really the best Android tablet you can buy in 2022!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Unboxing : A Complete Package
What we really like about the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 tablet is that it comes as a complete package.
Unlike competing tablets, it comes with an awesome keyboard cover and S Pen in the package. There is no need to pay extra for either. Everything you need is in the box. Well, almost everything.
Once you fully unbox it, this is what you will find inside the box :
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Book Cover Keyboard
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra S Pen
Set of Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 documents
USB Type A to Type A data and power cable
microSD tray ejector pin
The only thing missing is the charger. The package does not include the 45 watt power adaptor. Not even a standard 15 watt Samsung charger.
But that’s how most of the brands are rolling these days, in the name of reducing digital waste, so we won’t hold it against them.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is arguably the largest and most powerful tablet you can buy in 2022, so let’s take a closer look at its key features.
14.6-inch Super AMOLED Display
This first thing that you will notice when you see the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra for the first time, is just how large and beautiful its display really is.
That is a 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display you are looking at – larger than the display on most laptops; with a WQXGA+resolution of 2960 x 1848 pixels, and support for two fixed refresh rates :
High : Get smoother animations and scrolling with a 120 Hz screen refresh rate
Standard : Get longer battery life with a 60 Hz screen refresh rate
This large, high-resolution display allows you to fit multiple windows, and open different apps at the same time, for greater productivity.
This display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and also by the bundled Keyboard Cover when it’s not in use.
Flagship Class Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 runs on the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform, which boasts a powerful Adreno 730 GPU, as well as eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.4 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.7 GHz.
Those eight processor cores are paired with a powerful Qualcomm Adreno 730 graphics processor.
Performance is not only the key advantage of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Built on the latest 4 nm process technology, it also offers lower battery consumption.
We will show you just how fast it runs in the benchmarks, and how efficient it is, later in this review.
RAM + Storage Options
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with a variety of RAM and storage options :
8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage
12 GB RAM + 256 GB / 512 GB storage
16 GB RAM + 256 GB / 512 GB storage
You don’t have to worry too much about running out of storage, as it comes with a microSD card slot, allowing you to add up to 1 TB of additional storage.
Two Front Cameras
Catering to the new hybrid workspace reality today, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with two cameras in the front.
Both 12 MP cameras, one has a wider f/2.2 aperture for better low-light performance, while the other supports a wider angle – to fit more people in the same photo / video call.
Two Rear Cameras
This is a really large and hefty tablet, so you wouldn’t expect photography to be a focus. However, it still comes with two cameras at the back.
The main camera has a 12 MP sensor, with a wide f/2.0 aperture for better low-light performance.
It also comes with an ultra-wide camera at the back, but oddly enough, only with a 6 MP sensor.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : S Pen, Book Cover, Speakers, Battery
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is more than just a tablet, because it comes with both an S Pen stylus, and a Book Cover Keyboard.
Ultra-Low Latency S Pen
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with a new S Pen with ultra-low latency of just 2.8 milliseconds!
This is a full-size stylus that feels like a typical pen or pencil, letting you draw and doodle with up to 4,096 pressure levels!
You can also write naturally with the S Pen, and turn your handwriting into text in Samsung Notes.
The S Pen magnetically locks onto a glass strip at the back, which acts as a recharging dock. The S Pen automatically recharges whenever you place it on this glass strip.
Don’t worry about losing it with the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, because it comes with a Book Cover Keyboard that has a special cover for the S Pen!
Book Cover Keyboard
This year, Samsung included the really awesome Book Cover Keyboard with every Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra tablet.
This cover not only provides really solid protection for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, it also converts it into a 2-in-1 tablet with a kickstand!
You don’t just get a full-size keyboard with the Book Cover Keyboard, you also get a large touch pad! This really gives you a laptop-like working experience.
In addition, the Book Cover Keyboard has a special S Pen cover that prevents your precious S Pen from falling and getting lost.
As I shared in my Galaxy Tab S7 Book Cover Keyboard review last year, this is a must-have accessory, and I’m really glad Samsung included it as part of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra package.
Quad AKG-Tuned Speakers
Another premium Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra feature that Samsung does not really speak much of is the quad speaker system tuned by AKG.
They are not only powerful, they deliver really crisp sound from this tablet. They are also positioned to radiate from both sides with the Book Cover Keyboard installed.
Large Battery
To power all that, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with a large 11,200 mAh lithium-ion battery.
It supports 45 watt fast recharging, but as pointed out earlier – it doesn’t come with any charger, so your mileage in this sense really depends on the charger you have.
In the next section, we will show you just how long this battery lasts, and how long it takes to recharge this massive battery!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Battery Life Comparison!
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with a massive 11,200 mAh battery, which is more than the size of the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s battery!
To test its battery life, we turned off Automatic Brightness, and set its display brightness to 50%.
Why 50%? That is actually slightly higher than the average indoor brightness level of 40% during the day, and is what we usually use in all our mobile battery life tests.
It is important to fix the brightness level, to make sure the screen brightness does not change as the ambient brightness changes.
We then ran the PCMark Work 3.0 battery life test until its battery capacity dropped to 20% several times, and this was the best result we obtained with 60 Hz and 120 Hz refresh rates :
Astoundingly, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra only has a battery life of 6.5 hours with High refresh rate enabled, and a more acceptable 8 hours with the Standard refresh rate!
This is a slight improvement over last year’s Galaxy Tab S7 Plus. There is no doubt that its much larger 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display is a significant drain on battery life.
Let’s compare its battery life against the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone which uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC.
Standard Refresh Rate (60 Hz)
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra delivers the best battery life with the Standard refresh rate of 60 Hz.
The Tab S8 Ultra appears to use 9% more power than the Tab S7 Plus, but I have to point out that it has a 39% larger display.
Fortunately, the battery life deficit is “covered” by its 11% larger battery.
Work 3.0
S22 Ultra
(60 Hz)
Tab S7 Plus
(60 Hz)
Tab S8 Ultra
(60 Hz)
Display Size
6.8-inch
12.4-inch
14.6-inch
Battery Capacity
5,000 mAh
10,090 mAh
11,200 mAh
Battery Life
14 hrs 15 mins
7 hrs 55 mins
8 hrs
3 mins
Utilisation
per min.
4.68 mAh
16.99 mAh
18.55 mAh
High Refresh Rate (120 Hz)
Switching on the High refresh rate of 120 Hz cut its battery life by 17.6% – almost 1.5 hours!
But the data shows that its larger 14.6-inch display only used 3.4% more power than the Tab S7 Plus.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra supports up to 45 watts of wired fast charging, but unfortunately, does not come with the charger in-the-box.
So we relied on the standard 15 watt Samsung fast charger than shipped with their previous smartphones and tablets – something we believe most users will end up doing.
Recharging Speed
Tab S8 Ultra
Tab S7 Plus
S22 Ultra
Display Size
14.6-inch
12.4-inch
6.8-inch
Battery Capacity
11,200 mAh
10,090 mAh
5,000 mAh
Charger Output
15 watts
15 watts
15 watts
Battery Life
86.5 mins
86 mins
64.5 mins
Recharging Speed
(per minute)
103.6 mAh
93.9 mAh
62.0 mAh
Interestingly, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra recharged faster with a standard 15 watt charger, than the Tab S7 Plus or even the Galaxy S22 Ultra!
This is really good news. It means that Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra owners need not worry too much about its recharging speed with the older 15 watt chargers.
In fact, you don’t need to splurge on a new 45 watt fast charger. The Tab S8 Ultra fully recharges its massive battery from 20% to 100% in just under 1.5 hours with the standard 15 watt Samsung charger!
We first tested the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Galaxy
S22 Ultra
Galaxy Tab
S8 Ultra
Galaxy
Tab S7+
Galaxy Tab
S7 FE
Mobile Platform
SD 888
SD 8 Gen 1
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 865+
SD
778G
Performance Score
13317
12860
12351
12348
9747
Web Browsing
11637
10442
9696
11864
7355
Video Editing
7762
7444
6194
7664
6028
Writing
15316
15471
14411
12659
10512
Photo Editing
25357
30177
31774
26230
22188
Data Manipulation
11938
9691
10449
9511
8505
Surprisingly, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Get 1 was slightly slower than the Snapdragon 888 used by the Galaxy Z Flip 3, but the difference was just 7%, which means you won’t actually notice the difference.
For certainly, it will easily handle anything you throw at it, whether it’s just posting your latest Instagram pictures or editing a 4K video.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Galaxy
Tab
S8 Ultra
Galaxy
S22 Ultra
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Galaxy
Tab S7+
Galaxy
Tab S7 FE
Device
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 8 Gen 1
SD 888
SD 865+
SD 778G
Sling Shot Unlimited
10728
11094
9248
8793
6688
Wild Life Unlimited
9838
9106
3952
–
–
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
2221
2220
1174
–
–
Look at that! The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was a head above the competition when it comes to gaming!
It was 16% to 150% faster than the Snapdragon 888, and 22% faster than the Snadragon 865+!
For certain, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will crush any game you throw at it.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
Galaxy Tab
S8 Ultra
Galaxy
S22 Ultra
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Galaxy
Tab S7+
Galaxy
Tab S7 FE
Device
SD 8 Gen 1
SD 8 Gen 1
SD 888
SD 865+
SD 778G
AnTuTu Score
950630
889167
696767
577726
508008
CPU
213689
203090
206228
161243
157465
GPU
417669
402617
242573
230859
155115
Memory
161903
146002
133586
98269
79972
UX
157369
137458
114380
87355
115456
The AnTuTu benchmark confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is a veritable beast of a performer, beating even the very fast Galaxy Z Flip 3 by 36%.
Its GPU performance was, in particular, spectacular, delivering 72% better performance than the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and 81% better performance than the Galaxy Tab S7+!
Interestingly, it was 7% faster than the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. This is likely due to better cooling – its temperature only increased by 0.3°C, whereas the S22 Ultra’s temperature spiked by over 10°C!
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra was meant to be the ultimate Samsung tablet for 2022, and it does not disappoint.
The display is a magnificently large and beautiful 14.6-inch Super AMOLED panel, which offers an expansive amount of space to play and work with.
Built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 – the fastest mobile SoC that exists for Android devices – you can count on the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra to easily handle anything and everything you throw at it.
It also has surprisingly good battery life – delivering over 8 hours of non-stop use at 60 Hz, and over 6.5 hours at 120 Hz; despite sporting such a large display.
It also offers very good recharging speed, even using the standard 15 watt fast charger. So you don’t really need to invest in expensive 45 watt chargers.
But beyond those hardware features, what I really like is how the Samsung offer a complete experience by bundling the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with not just the S Pen, but also the Book Cover Keyboard.
The ultra-low latency S Pen gives you the premium pen-on-paper like experience working on a tablet, while the Book Cover Keyboard gives you a laptop experience. You literally have the best of both worlds in a single box!
If you want the best-possible Android tablet money can buy, you can’t do wrong with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.
In fact, we like this premium tablet so much, we are giving it our Editor’s Choice Award!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Take a look at the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, and find out how well this ultra-premium tablet performs!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Flagship Class Performance!
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra runs on the most powerful mobile SoC available for Android devices – the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
Fabricated on the latest 4nm Samsung process technology, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 boasts a powerful Adreno 730 GPU as well as eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.5 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.8 GHz.
On paper, this is about as powerful as it gets in 2022, but let’s take a look at how it actually performs!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Work Performance
We first tested the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Galaxy
S22 Ultra
Galaxy Tab
S8 Ultra
Galaxy
Tab S7+
Galaxy Tab
S7 FE
Mobile Platform
SD 888
SD 8 Gen 1
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 865+
SD
778G
Performance Score
13317
12860
12351
12348
9747
Web Browsing
11637
10442
9696
11864
7355
Video Editing
7762
7444
6194
7664
6028
Writing
15316
15471
14411
12659
10512
Photo Editing
25357
30177
31774
26230
22188
Data Manipulation
11938
9691
10449
9511
8505
Surprisingly, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Get 1 was slightly slower than the Snapdragon 888 used by the Galaxy Z Flip 3, but the difference was just 7%, which means you won’t actually notice the difference.
For certainly, it will easily handle anything you throw at it, whether it’s just posting your latest Instagram pictures or editing a 4K video.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Galaxy
Tab
S8 Ultra
Galaxy
S22 Ultra
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Galaxy
Tab S7+
Galaxy
Tab S7 FE
Device
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 8 Gen 1
SD 888
SD 865+
SD 778G
Sling Shot Unlimited
10728
11094
9248
8793
6688
Wild Life Unlimited
9838
9106
3952
–
–
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
2221
2220
1174
–
–
Look at that! The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was a head above the competition when it comes to gaming!
It was 16% to 150% faster than the Snapdragon 888, and 22% faster than the Snadragon 865+!
For certain, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will crush any game you throw at it.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
Galaxy Tab
S8 Ultra
Galaxy
S22 Ultra
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Galaxy
Tab S7+
Galaxy
Tab S7 FE
Device
SD 8 Gen 1
SD 8 Gen 1
SD 888
SD 865+
SD 778G
AnTuTu Score
950630
889167
696767
577726
508008
CPU
213689
203090
206228
161243
157465
GPU
417669
402617
242573
230859
155115
Memory
161903
146002
133586
98269
79972
UX
157369
137458
114380
87355
115456
The AnTuTu benchmark confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is a veritable beast of a performer, beating even the very fast Galaxy Z Flip 3 by 36%.
Its GPU performance was, in particular, spectacular, delivering 72% better performance than the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and 81% better performance than the Galaxy Tab S7+!
Interestingly, it was 7% faster than the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. This is likely due to better cooling – its temperature only increased by 0.3°C, whereas the S22 Ultra’s temperature spiked by over 10°C!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Performance Summary
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra was meant to be the ultimate Samsung tablet for 2022, and it does not disappoint.
Built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 – the fastest mobile SoC that exists for Android devices – it offers a tremendous boost in GPU performance, which should make gamers and mobile content creators happy.
The benchmark results amply demonstrates, you can count on the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra to easily handle anything and everything you throw at it.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
In this guide, we will show you how to setup your new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra for the first time!
How To Setup Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : A Video Guide!
We have the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra tablet with us, and soon you will get yours too.
Let us show you how to setup the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra for the first time, as a new device!
The process is very easy as our video shows, so you will be able to enjoy using it within minutes!
How To Setup Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Step-By-Step Instructions
It is very easy to setup the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra as a new device.
This should take no more than 10 minutes, will be much longer if you are transferring data from an older tablet.
Press the Power button to start up your Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra tablet.
It will take 23 seconds to boot up for the first time.
Click Start to begin the setup process.
The first thing you need to do is select a language.
Next, you will need to select your country or region.
Then, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra will reboot – a process that takes about 32 seconds.
After it boots up again, you will be asked to agree to the EULA (End User Licence Agreement) and the Privacy Policy.
You can skip sending Samsung your Diagnostic Data.
In the next screen, you will have the opportunity to turn off certain Samsung apps and services.
These are all key features that will greatly impact your use of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, so I recommend that you leave them all enabled.
Next, you will be allowed to log into your Wi-Fi network for Internet connectivity.
Select your Wi-Fi network and key in the password to connect.
Once your Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra connects to the Wi-Fi network, it will automatically look for updates, and prepare the device.
It can take a few minutes to finish, so don’t fret.
Next, you will be given the option to transfer apps and data from your old tablet.
This is a long process, which you can do now, or do it later after setting up the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.
To do it later, or set it up as a new device, simply click on Don’t copy.
Now you will be asked to log into your Google Account, or create a new one.
To skip for now and do it after setting up the tablet, click on Skip.
But you will lose access to certain Google services until you log in.
Next, you will be given the option of disabling certain Google services.
Generally, I would recommend leaving them enabled, except sending Google your usage and diagnostic data.
Now you will be asked to protect your Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra by selecting a preferred login method – Face recognition, Fingerprint, Pattern, PIN or Password.
If you select the Face Recognition or Fingerprint option, you will need to select a secure screen lock method using Pattern, PIN or Password.
Next, you will need to go through the Face Recognition / Fingerprint training process
After that, you will be asked to log into your Samsung account, or create a new one.
To skip for now and do it after setting up the tablet, click on Skip.
But you will lose access to certain Samsung services until you log in.
That’s it! You have successfully setup the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra as a new device! Enjoy!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra has an Adaptive mode that dynamically refreshes between 1 Hz and 120 Hz for better battery life.
The 120 Hz refresh rate option in the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is fixed at 120 Hz. This guarantees you an ultra-smooth 120 Hz refresh rate all the time, at the expense of battery life.
In the next section, we will look at how the two refresh rate options affect the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra’s battery life.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Battery Life Comparison!
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with a massive 11,200 mAh battery, which is more than the size of the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s battery!
To test its battery life, we turned off Automatic Brightness, and set its display brightness to 50%.
Why 50%? That is actually slightly higher than the average indoor brightness level of 40% during the day, and is what we usually use in all our mobile battery life tests.
It is important to fix the brightness level, to make sure the screen brightness does not change as the ambient brightness changes.
We then ran the PCMark Work 3.0 battery life test until its battery capacity dropped to 20% several times, and this was the best result we obtained with 60 Hz and 120 Hz refresh rates :
Astoundingly, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra only has a battery life of 6.5 hours with High refresh rate enabled, and a more acceptable 8 hours with the Standard refresh rate!
This is a slight improvement over last year’s Galaxy Tab S7 Plus. There is no doubt that its much larger 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display is a significant drain on battery life.
Let’s compare its battery life against the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone which uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC.
Standard Refresh Rate (60 Hz)
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra delivers the best battery life with the Standard refresh rate of 60 Hz.
The Tab S8 Ultra appears to use 9% more power than the Tab S7 Plus, but I have to point out that it has a 39% larger display.
Fortunately, the battery life deficit is “covered” by its 11% larger battery.
Work 3.0
S22 Ultra
(60 Hz)
Tab S7 Plus
(60 Hz)
Tab S8 Ultra
(60 Hz)
Display Size
6.8-inch
12.4-inch
14.6-inch
Battery Capacity
5,000 mAh
10,090 mAh
11,200 mAh
Battery Life
14 hrs 15 mins
7 hrs 55 mins
8 hrs
3 mins
Utilisation
per min.
4.68 mAh
16.99 mAh
18.55 mAh
High Refresh Rate (120 Hz)
Switching on the High refresh rate of 120 Hz cut its battery life by 17.6% – almost 1.5 hours!
But the data shows that its larger 14.6-inch display only used 3.4% more power than the Tab S7 Plus.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra supports up to 45 watts of wired fast charging, but unfortunately, does not come with the charger in-the-box.
So we relied on the standard 15 watt Samsung fast charger than shipped with their previous smartphones and tablets – something we believe most users will end up doing.
Recharging Speed
Tab S8 Ultra
Tab S7 Plus
S22 Ultra
Display Size
14.6-inch
12.4-inch
6.8-inch
Battery Capacity
11,200 mAh
10,090 mAh
5,000 mAh
Charger Output
15 watts
15 watts
15 watts
Battery Life
86.5 mins
86 mins
64.5 mins
Recharging Speed
(per minute)
103.6 mAh
93.9 mAh
62.0 mAh
Interestingly, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra recharged faster with a standard 15 watt charger, than the Tab S7 Plus or even the Galaxy S22 Ultra!
This is really good news. It means that Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra owners need not worry too much about its recharging speed with the older 15 watt chargers.
In fact, you don’t need to splurge on a new 45 watt fast charger. The Tab S8 Ultra fully recharges its massive battery from 20% to 100% in just under 1.5 hours with the standard 15 watt Samsung charger!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just sent us the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra – their largest and most powerful tablet, with a massive 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display!
As you will see in this video – this is a really large tablet, and it is pretty hefty too at 726 grams. But it is very solidly built, and weighs half as much as a typical laptop.
It also comes with a new full-size S Pen with an ultra-low latency of just 2.8 milliseconds.
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra runs on the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform boasts a powerful Adreno 730 GPU as well as eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.4 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.7 GHz.
Powering all that is a massive 11,200 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, with 45 watt fast charging capability!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Book Cover Keyboard : Hands-On!
This year, Samsung included the really awesome Book Cover Keyboard with every Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra tablet.
This cover not only provides really solid protection for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, it also converts it into a 2-in-1 tablet with a kickstand!
In addition, the Book Cover Keyboard has a special S Pen cover that prevents your precious S Pen from falling and getting lost.
As I shared in my Galaxy Tab S7 Book Cover Keyboard review last year, this is a must-have accessory, and I’m really glad Samsung included it as part of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra package.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Display
14.6-inch Super AMOLED Display
– 60 Hz or 120 Hz refresh rate
Protection
Gorilla Glass 5 (Front + Back)
OS
One UI 4.1 (Android 12)
Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
CPU
1 x Arm Cortex-X2 core (3.0 GHz)
3 x Arm Cortex-A710 cores (2.4 GHz) 4 x Arm Cortex-A510 cores (1.7 GHz)