S23 Plus vs S23: Which Samsung Phone is Worth Your Money? (2025)

S23 Plus vs S23: Which Samsung Phone is Worth Your Money? (2025)

The $200 price gap between the S23 Plus and S23 makes many wonder about the actual value proposition.

While both phones feature the same powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and 8GB of RAM, the S23 Plus offers several upgrades. A larger 6.6-inch AMOLED display sets it apart from the S23’s 6.1-inch screen. The S23 Plus also houses a more robust 4,700 mAh battery that lasts up to 27 hours during video playback, giving you five extra hours compared to the standard model.

The S23 Plus offers comparable charging and storage capabilities. The S23 Plus supports faster 45W charging and starts with 256GB storage. The base S23, however, comes with 25W charging and 128GB storage initially. Let’s explore these differences further to determine if the Plus version justifies its premium price tag.

Key Differences Between S23 and S23 Plus

Let’s get into the main differences between these Samsung siblings. These differences affect how you’ll use the phone and will help you pick the right device.

Screen Size and Display Quality Comparison

The first thing you’ll notice is how these devices differ in size. The S23 Plus comes with a bigger 6.6-inch display, which makes it perfect for watching videos and gaming.  The standard S23 has a more compact 6.1-inch screen. Both phones use the same display technology with Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels. They also share adaptive refresh rates that range from 48Hz to 120Hz. The screens are bright too, reaching peak levels of 1,750 nits.

Battery Life and Charging Capabilities

The S23 Plus packs a strong 4,700mAh battery, which is much bigger than the S23’s 3,900mAh capacity. Our battery tests showed clear differences:

• S23 Plus kept 67% battery after heavy use
• Standard S23 managed to keep 56% under the same conditions

The charging speeds are different too. The S23 Plus supports 45W fast charging that powers up the device quickly. The standard S23 only reaches 25W charging speeds.

Storage Options and Performance

The storage options show some key differences:

Both phones use the same processing hardware, so you’ll get the same performance from either model. The S23 Plus starts with twice the storage without costing more than its predecessor.

Real-World Performance Analysis

Our extensive testing of both devices shows that performance differences between these Samsung siblings go beyond what specs suggest. Let’s look at our real-life findings.

Daily Usage Experience

Both the S23 and S23 Plus showed exceptional responsiveness during our daily testing. Apps launch instantly on both devices. These phones handle Twitter’s typically choppy Android app more smoothly than competitors like the Pixel 7 Pro. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor excels at video processing tasks – both phones exported a 30-second 4K video to 1080p faster than the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Gaming and Heavy Tasks

Both devices showed impressive capabilities in our gaming tests. Here’s what stood out during our intensive gaming sessions:

• Consistent 60FPS performance in Fortnite with minimal heat generation
• The improved vapor cooling chamber reduced throttling by a lot during extended gaming sessions
• Both phones managed to keep smooth performance with graphics and frame rates at maximum settings

Multitasking Capabilities

The 8GB RAM configuration meets most users’ needs. The improved UFS 4.0 storage (all but one of these models – the 128GB S23) delivers faster read speeds of 4200 Mbps and write speeds of 2800 Mbps. Our battery endurance test combined various tasks including:

• Two hours of video streaming
• One hour of music streaming with Bluetooth
• Multiple benchmark runs
• 3D stress testing

The S23 Plus retained an impressive 67% battery life, matching the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s performance. The device still had 47% battery charge after a day of heavy use with 4.5 hours of screen time and 30 minutes of intensive gaming.

Camera Capabilities and Photo Quality

Our extensive camera tests show that Samsung made both phones equally capable in the photography department. The S23 and S23 Plus come with similar triple-camera setups that let you shoot in many different scenarios.

Main Camera Performance

The main 50MP sensor produces detailed 12MP photos through pixel binning. A 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom add great shooting flexibility.

The portrait mode stands out by capturing fine details like stray hairs that other phones usually blur away. Samsung likes to make colors pop, especially in blue skies, but both phones take well-balanced photos most of the time.

Here’s what the triple camera setup offers:

• 50MP main camera (f/1.8)
• 12MP ultrawide (13mm equivalent)
• 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom

Low-light Photography

Both devices perform well in low light, but they do have some limits. The main sensor handles dim lighting well. In spite of that, the ultrawide and telephoto lenses show a clear drop in quality in dark environments.

The phones use a smart system that switches to the main lens in very dark conditions. They crop the image digitally instead of using the telephoto lens. This helps keep better image quality, but it still can’t match what some competitors can do in low light.

Video Recording Comparison

These phones really shine when it comes to video features. Both support:

The Super Steady feature helps a lot with handheld recording, but you can only use it in Full HD mode. Standard video mode tends to make footage a bit too bright, but you can fix this with Pro Video mode’s manual controls.

Battery Life and Charging Speed

Our battery tests show significant differences between these Samsung devices. The S23 Plus has a larger 4,700mAh battery that we designed for power users. This is a big step up from the S23’s 3,900mAh capacity.

Battery Endurance Tests

The test results were impressive. The S23 Plus ran for 11 hours and 24 minutes in our continuous web browsing test and beat most Android competitors. The S23 Plus kept 73% of its battery by bedtime after a full workday, while the standard S23 only retained 64%.

Charging Time Comparison

These devices have clear differences in their charging capabilities:

Both phones can charge wirelessly at 15W and support reverse wireless charging. Samsung’s official charger takes between 90-120 minutes to charge wirelessly.

Power Management Features

Our tests found some notable power efficiency improvements:

• The S23 Plus showed better endurance and kept 95% battery after a 45-minute stress test
• The S23 Plus lasted about 20% longer than its smaller sibling under normal use

These phones use advanced power management systems that adjust battery consumption based on how you use them. Both phones drain battery slowly in most apps, but using the camera or playing music uses more power.

Price-to-Feature Ratio

The price premium for the S23 Plus needs a closer look to see if its better features are worth the cost. The base S23 costs $700, while the S23 Plus still sells for $1000 for new units.

Value Proposition Analysis

The $200 extra gets you some solid upgrades. You’ll get 256GB storage with the S23 Plus, plus faster charging and a bigger display. The S24 launch has pushed prices down, and you can now grab a new S23 for about $675 and the S23 Plus for around $800 from different sellers.

Smart shoppers can find great deals on renewed devices:

• S23 renewed starts at $500
• S23 Plus renewed costs from $625

Long-term Investment Point of View

The S23 series makes a lot of sense as a long-term buy. These phones come with:

• 4 years of Android OS updates
• 5 years of security patches
• Good trade-in values when you upgrade

Power users will appreciate the S23 Plus’s better battery life and extra storage space, which helps it stay relevant longer.

Carrier Deals and Discounts

Samsung’s savings programs can help make these phones more affordable:

Samsung gives up to $540 instant credit for eligible trade-ins. T-Mobile customers can save even more with eligible plans and trade-ins right now.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

The choice between S23 and S23 Plus boils down to three factors: screen size, battery life, and storage capacity. The S23 Plus comes with most important advantages – a larger 6.6-inch display, longer-lasting 4,700mAh battery, and generous 256GB base storage. These upgrades definitely justify the price difference for power users who just need more from their devices.

Users who prefer compact phones and don’t need much storage space will find the standard S23 an excellent choice. Both phones deliver similar performance and camera capabilities. The base S23 makes a smart pick for budget-conscious buyers wanting flagship features without the premium price tag.

Your daily usage patterns will determine the best choice. The S23 Plus’s larger screen and extended battery life benefit users who stream content, game frequently, and handle multiple tasks. Users who mainly use their phone for simple tasks will find the standard S23 more than capable while saving $200.

Samsung’s commitment to quality shines through the S23 series. These phones are a great way to get value through consistent software updates and strong trade-in options. The compact S23 and feature-rich S23 Plus both deliver flagship performance that users will enjoy for years.