Phones · 2023 · Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S23+ (SM-S916B)

The Galaxy S23+ is the 6.6-inch middle model of Samsung’s 2023 flagship series. It shares the S23’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, triple camera and Gorilla Glass Victus 2; the differences are the larger display, a 4,700 mAh battery and 45 W wired charging. Base storage is 256 GB. Testing praised battery life and performance and criticised camera hardware that is almost unchanged from the previous generation.

Galaxy S23+ SM-S916B (2023, international version); 8 GB RAM with 256 or 512 GB. The Galaxy S23, S23 Ultra and S23 FE are separate models; US versions carry different model codes.

Samsung Galaxy S23+ (SM-S916B) — Samsung image of the Galaxy S23+ (SM-S916B) in Graphite.
Samsung image of the Galaxy S23+ (SM-S916B) in Graphite.

Specifications

SpecificationValue
Display6.6-inch FHD+ (2316 × 1080) Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 48–120 Hz Super Smooth refresh; 1,750 nits; 240 Hz touch sampling in Game Mode

The refresh rate varies between 48 and 120 Hz depending on content; the lower rate on static screens saves battery. Vision Booster adjusts contrast and colour to keep the screen readable in bright light. The size is measured as a full rectangle; the viewable area is smaller because of the rounded corners and camera hole.

Front and back glassCorning Gorilla Glass Victus 2

According to Samsung, the S23 series was the first S series to use Victus 2.

ProcessorSnapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy

Samsung introduced this version as a Snapdragon optimised for Galaxy and exclusive to the S23 series at launch.

Memory and storage8 GB RAM; 256 GB or 512 GB

Available storage is lower because of preloaded software; there is no memory card slot.

Rear cameras50 MP Wide (F1.8, 85°), 12 MP Ultra Wide (F2.2, 120°), 10 MP Telephoto (3x optical, F2.4, 36°)

The telephoto gives 3x optical zoom; zoom beyond that is digital. According to Samsung the wide camera records 8K video at 30 fps.

Front camera12 MP (F2.2, 80°)
Battery4,700 mAh (typical); rated minimum 4,565 mAh

The typical value is the average of battery samples measured by a third-party lab under IEC 61960; the rated value is the minimum capacity.

ChargingWired: about 65% in around 30 minutes with a 45 W adapter and 5 A USB-C cable; Fast Wireless Charging 2.0; Wireless PowerShare

45 W needs a 5 A cable; the adapter is sold separately. Wired charging is compatible with QC2.0 and AFC, wireless with WPC. PowerShare needs more than 30% battery to charge another device. The S23 is limited to 25 W.

Operating systemAndroid 13 with One UI 5.1 at launch

Samsung promised four Android upgrades and five years of security updates for the S23 series; timing varies by model and market.

Connectivity5G, LTE, Wi‑Fi 6E, Wi‑Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.3

Wi‑Fi 6E needs a router that supports 6 GHz; band availability varies by market and operator.

Water resistanceIP68 (up to 1.5 m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes)

Samsung does not advise beach or pool use.

SecuritySamsung Knox and Knox Vault
Size and weight76.2 × 157.8 × 7.6 mm; 196 g

From the manufacturer

Samsung presents the S23 series with a Snapdragon optimised for Galaxy, improved night photography, recycled materials and a promise of four Android upgrades. Samsung Newsroom UK

Strengths and limitations

  • TechRadar used the S23 Plus for almost two days of normal use: the battery was at 60% at the end of day one and reached 1% the following evening. An hour of 1080p YouTube at full brightness used about 5%, and an hour of FIFA Mobile about 10%. With a non-Samsung 45 W charger it reached 62% in 30 minutes. The interface and games ran without stutter; the phone started to warm up after about 30 minutes of gaming. The speakers were clear but light on bass; the camera hardware being almost unchanged from the S22 Plus and the lack of a charger in the box were criticised.

    TechRadar review (March 2023); Cotton and green test units.

    TechRadar: Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus review

Tags

2023SAMSUNGGALAXY-SANDROID5GAMOLEDUSB-C

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Sources

  1. Samsung Newsroom UK: Galaxy S23 series announcement and specifications
  2. Samsung UK: Galaxy S23 series buy page
  3. TechRadar: Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus review