It might not have been the best-kept secret around, but Samsung has formally announced its new Galaxy S23 smartphone and Book3 Series laptop line-ups for 2023.
To be fair, after last year’s Galaxy S22 launch, along with the Tab S8 Series, the arrival of the S23 and the switch of focus from tablets to laptops was widely expected – and Samsung’s carefully orchestrated teasers ahead of its latest Galaxy Unpacked event didn’t exactly throw too many curveballs into the internet rumour mill. Regardless, with a new trio of phones coupled with four variants of its new Book3 Series of PCs, there’s plenty to look forward to in the weeks ahead.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Series
As expected, the new Galaxy S23 once again comes in additional Plus and Ultra models, with the Ultra taking the headlines with its new 200MP Adaptive Pixel sensor for its main camera, helping to firmly establish it as the Galaxy’s “most advanced camera system” to date, including improved Nightography capabilities, 8K at 30fps, and 4K HDR at 60fps for both the front and rear cameras. The standard S23 and S23+ versions both have to settle for the old 50MP wide camera, while all models also come with a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 10MP telephoto camera, and a 12MP front-facing camera.
All three versions also come with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 ‘Mobile Platform for Galaxy’ processor, promising a 34% improvement in its CPU, a 41% faster GPU, and a 49% advance on its NPU, plus the addition of Ray Tracing to its growing list of gamer-friendly features. The S23 Series also introduces fast auto-focus and a Super HDR selfie camera, plus the ability to shoot and edit in RAW as well as JPEG through the Export RAW app.
As for the basics, the standard Galaxy S23 comes with a 6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display, with the S23+ upping it to 6.6-inches and the Ultra offering a 6.8-inch QHD+ Edge display. All three have a brightness of 1750 nits, with 120Hz refresh rates and three levels of Vision Booster tech. Along with the varying batteries, rising up from 3,900mAh to 4,700mAh and 5,000mAh to provide up to 26 hours of video playback, one of the other notable changes is the new curved edges of the S23 and S23+, while the S23 Ultra retains a more squared contour housing. All three will also come with the new One UI 5.1 interface and Android 13 OS, plus support for 5G, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Series is available for pre-order now before being shipped out from 17 February, with pre-order perks for early adopters including extra storage. They come with a choice of Green, Lavender, Cream, and Phantom Black colours to choose from, with a further Graphite, Red, Lime, Sky Blue options currently exclusive to pre-orders.
As for the all-important pricing, the Samsung Galaxy S23 kicks off at £849 for the 128GB model, with the 256GB version at £899. The S23+ is priced at £1,049 for the 256GB model and £1,149 for its 512GB sibling, while the S23 Ultra will start from £1,249 for the 256GB version, moving up to £1,399 for 512GB, and adding a 1TB option priced at £1,599.
The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Series
Echoing the S23, the new Book3 has an Ultra version as its flagship model, along with a Pro and Pro 360 variant, and the core Book3 360, offering subtle changes in screen size and CPU/GPU feature sets. The Ultra comes with a 16-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 16:10 ratio, and boasts a 39% larger touchpad for a little extra accuracy. It also offers a choice of Intel Core i7 processor or the Core i9 (Intel Evo) chip, and the option for either the Nvidia GeForce 4050 or 4070 GPU.
The Book3 Pro comes in similar 14- and 16-inch displays, with a choice of Core i5 or i7 CPUs, and Intel’s Iris Xe Graphics processor – with the Pro 360 following suit, but with only the 16-inch option. As you’d expect, these choices will impact on the performance, while varying memory and storage options will also be available.
One over-riding feature is the Series’ easy connectivity with other devices, notably with the Windows / Microsoft Phone Link, enabling you to transition between your phone and Book3 laptop, use your S23 as a second screen, or even copy and paste between them (for example to take a photo from Export RAW on your phone to edit in Lightroom on the Book3). There’s also touchscreen and S Pen functionality on the likes of the Pro 360, with Thunderbolt 4, USB and HDMI 2.0 ports across the range, along with a new AKG Quad Speaker set-up supporting Dolby Atmos, AI noise cancelling, and dual mics, with Windows 11 as the OS of choice.
The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro and Pro360 models are available to pre-order now, with the products effectively launching on 17 February. The Book3 Ultra will be a little later, with a 22 February arrival, and pre-orders starting from 14 February. Pricing starts from £1,099 for the Galaxy Book3 360, with the Pro having an RRP of £1,349, going up to £1,549 for the Pro 360, and the Book3 Ultra set to follow with a £2,449 price tag.
Of course, you can find out a lot more on the Samsung website, with more detailed specs, options and information on the pre-order bonuses (all of which might vary from region to region). And if you are among those early adopters, or have your eye on upgrading your phone or laptop any time soon, then feel free to let us know whether any of the new Galaxy S23 and Book3 Series catch your eye, or are there better options to come in 2023?
SOURCE: Samsung (via Unpacked presentation and Newsroom)
IMAGES: Samsung