Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review: Big features, better value

TL; DR

✨The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a compelling choice in 2026. Its 200MP quad-lens camera, large 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display, and built-in S Pen make it ideal for creators and productivitytasks. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip, it handles gaming, multitasking, and demanding apps with ease. With long-term software support, a premium design, and more accessible pricing, it's a smart value buy, especially now that the Galaxy S26 series has launched.

Why you can trust this Galaxy S23 Ultra review

We know that when it comes to tech, trust is everything. You can rest assured that we don’t mess around at Back Market. 

You can trust our review because our analysis of the Samsung S23 Ultra has been informed by real customers and is backed by expert refurbishers who know these phones and the brand's offerings inside out. Every Samsung S23 Ultra sold with us is verified since it goes through exhaustive testing and quality checks. 

When you purchase a refurbished unit from us, you can trust that the device has been fully vetted. You won’t need to resort to guesswork. We clearly indicate on our marketplace the condition of a Samsung S23 Ultra based on its cosmetics. Regardless of how it looks on the outside, though, the inside is guaranteed to perform as it should. 

We don’t lie, and we assuredly don’t deceive, so what you see is what you get with professionally refurbished Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultras sold by our team.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra specs

✨The Galaxy S23 Ultra feels like a true flagship in every way, delivering a smooth, powerful, and immersive experience that still stands out even years after its release.

• Display: Feast your eyes on a massive 6.8-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a silky-smooth 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. Translation? It's ultra-bright, ultra-vibrant, and ultra-crisp, making it perfect for streaming, scrolling, or showing off vacation pics in the sun.

• Processor: You're getting the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy in the US, a custom-tuned powerhouse built for speed, efficiency, and serious multitasking. Essentially, this beast can handle gaming, editing, or app-juggling without breaking a sweat.

• Memory and storage: It comes loaded with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of internal storage. No microSD slot here, but let's be real; with a terabyte in your pocket, you're basically carrying a portable hard drive.

• Cameras: The headline-grabber is the 200MP wide-angle lens (yes, 200), joined by a 12MP ultrawide lens, a 10MP 3x telephoto lens, and a 10MP 10x periscope telephoto lens. With this phone, you can zoom like a boss and capture stunning detail from just about any distance. Then there's the front camera, which is a 12MP stunner for clean, sharp selfies and video chats.

• Battery: A hefty 5,000 mAh keeps the phone going all day (and then some). With 45W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and Wireless PowerShare, staying juiced up is never an issue.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review

At its release, the Galaxy S23 Ultra was practically peerless in the flagship space, and even now with the Galaxy S26 series on the market, it's still a compelling choice for many buyers. While newer models like the S26 Ultra bring incremental improvements in performance, display, and AI-enhanced software, the S23 Ultra continues to deliver core flagship strengths that matter most to real-world users: a powerful Snapdragon chipset, an incredibly versatile camera system, a crisp 6.8-inch display, and the productivity-boosting S Pen. Let's take a deep dive into its features to see why the Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a smart buy today.

How is the Galaxy S23 Ultra's software?

✨The Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a smart buy thanks to its modern, flexible software and long-term support, delivering major UI improvements, smooth performance, and security updates that keep it feeling like a current flagship.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has aged well on the software front, and its long-term support is a big reason why the phone still feels like a smart buy in 2026. Originally launching with One UI 5, the device has since received One UI 7, bringing meaningful UI improvements, smoother animations, enhanced customization, and broader personalization options. One UI 7 is loved for its cleaner visual design, vertical app drawer, updated notification panels, and improved system fluidity.

Samsung's update promise for the S23 Ultra also plays into its strong value proposition. The phone continues to receive major OS upgrades and security patches, meaning it will be supported through 2026 and beyond. This extended support keeps the S23 Ultra secure and functional for users who aren't chasing the latest model.

Generally, the S23 Ultra's software experience feels modern, flexible, and capable in 2026. It delivers most of the core UI improvements Samsung has added over the past few years, retains strong customization options, and benefits from long-term support. All of this helps the device remain a compelling flagship choice in 2026.

How is the performance of the Galaxy S23 Ultra?

✨The Galaxy S23 Ultra remains fast and reliable today, handling demanding tasks and gaming smoothly, making it a strong-performing flagship and a great value pick.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset. It was one of the fastest mobile processors at its launch and remains impressively capable today. While it isn't the absolute pinnacle anymore, the S23 Ultra's performance is still adequate for almost every real-world task.

In daily use, the S23 Ultra handles demanding activities like gaming, multitasking, photo editing, and productivity apps with minimal lag or slowdowns. Many users rate its speed and responsiveness very highly, even years after launch. Its Adreno 740 GPU and high-clocked CPU cores ensure smooth gameplay at high settings in most titles, and it doesn't heat up even under sustained loads.

Compared with the latest Snapdragon chip in the S26 Ultra, the S23 Ultra doesn't quite match the new flagship's raw speed and efficiency, but the gap in everyday use is much smaller than the numbers would suggest. The Galaxy S23 Ultra still feels fast and reliable, making it a great value buy today. One Reddit user sums it up perfectly:

"In a world where tech seems to go stale in months, and other companies are unveiling the world's first 3nm processors, the S23 Ultra still manages to be relevant."

How do the display and build of the Galaxy S23 Ultra hold up today?

✨The Galaxy S23 Ultra combines a stable, stylus-friendly design with a large, vibrant 6.8-inch display, keeping it feeling premium and highly usable even years after launch.

Some describe the Galaxy S23 Ultra as bulky, but this doesn't mean it feels awkward in your hand. With this model, you can expect a little less curve at the edges as well as side rails that are somewhat flatterin design. This clever design makes it more stable in one's hand.

This is particularly convenient considering the phone has been designed to include an S Pen stylus that niftily slots into the phone itself when not in use. Since the phone feels more secure, writing on it with the stylus doesn't feel like a challenge, which is a benefit many have loved. The downside, however, is that the slight flattening of the edges makes the phone look a little boxier, although the display is huge and efficient.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra's display remains one of its standout features and is a key reason why this older flagship continues to feel like a premium device worth buying. Its 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with WQHD+ resolution and adaptive LTPO refresh rate (1-120 Hz) delivers excellent clarity, deep blacks, and vivid color reproduction, making movies, games, and everyday content look great even years after the phone’s launch. With peak HDR brightness approaching 1,750 nits and strong outdoor legibility, the S23 Ultra's screen holds up well in bright sunlight. Its wide viewing angles and consistent color accuracy remain competitive even by today's standards.

Are the Galaxy S23 Ultra's cameras good?

✨The Galaxy S23 Ultra shines with its versatile 200MP quad-lens camera, delivering excellent low-light, zoom, and front-facing performance, making it a great device for both casual and professional photography.

If there's one standout feature on this device, it's the quad-lens camera system. This camera system has an impressive 200MP main sensor that delivers on its promises of exceptional video and photo quality across diverse lighting conditions. Yes, even in low contrast or high brightness.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra's Nightography mode lets you capture vibrant, detailed images even in low light. Beyond that are the phone's telephoto lenses, which offer stunning 10x zoom. However, it's the front camera that impresses us the most. It captures crystal-clear selfies and accurately reproduces color. We were also pretty blown away by the automatic and manual camera controls that cater to both novices and seasoned professional photographers.

The only downside is the ultrawide camera, which doesn't perform as well as the other lenses. It's decent enough, though, but some don't like the oversaturation and over-sharpening. One disgruntled Reddit user even says:

"I eyed the S23 Ultra heavily before making my recent purchase decision, but I just couldn't get around the photo qualities, especially all that over-sharpening. Also not thrilled with the oversaturation, either."

What are the Galaxy S23 Ultra pros and cons?

✨The Galaxy S23 Ultra is no longer the newest flagship, but that's exactly what makes it compelling. You're still getting a powerful, feature-packed phone at a much better value than when it launched.

How to buy an affordable Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

✨Buying a Galaxy S23 Ultra today is still a smart choice, especially if you opt for a refurbished model from Back Market.

If you've decided to shop for a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, it's a good call even in 2026. Considering all of the bells and whistles you've learned about above, this phone still packs a serious punch.

However, before you hastily hit buy on the first one you find (we know you're eager to get your hands on one), it's essential to remember a few shopping tips. Below, our team at Back Market has shared a few great tips to ensure you get the best deal without buyer's remorse:

• Go refurbished: It might seem like a no-brainer, but buying refurbished is your best bet. If you shop with us at Back Market, you can often enjoy savings on a Samsung S23 Ultra that go up to 50% off the price of new. You'll skip over the retail markup and get a legit device since ours come cleaned, tested, and covered by a one-year warranty.

• Double-check included accessories: If you're going to buy new, it's a good idea to check that your Samsung S23 Ultra comes with all of its promised accessories. Unfortunately, many sellers will sell these devices sans stylus or charger, so be sure you know what's included up front before paying.

• Skip overly hyped shopping days: We don't even need to say it, but we will. Shopping events like Back Friday and Cyber Monday aren't all they seem. Sometimes, stores raise prices just before these events to make deals seem more attractive. It's not allowed, but it happens. So, if you can, don't wait around for big sales days. Instead, buy refurbished with Back Market, where you can get guaranteed deals year-round.

These are only a few shopping tips you can keep in mind when getting ready to buy an affordable Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Why choose refurbished 

When you choose to buy refurbished, you are, of course, getting a deal, considering prices are usually significantly reduced, but this isn't the only benefit. By purchasing a professionally refurbished Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, you're also doing your part for the environment.

At Back Market, we care about the planet — after all, we need it to survive. Our refurbished tech helps to reduce e-waste and resource depletion, and by buying from us, you're helping with this, too.

You also get a professionally tested, cleaned, and restored device with our stamp of approval for premium functionality, backed by a guarantee and warranty.

Trade in your old tech for cash

Our trade-in program isn't just for the penny pinchers; it's for everyone who wants to benefit from cashback that can be used toward a new, refurbished device like a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Back Market's trade-in program is simple and easy to complete.

We offer real-time pricing and free shipping, which also helps to offset costs. So, speak to us to learn more about it and how to use your cash or credit towards newer tech that you'll enjoy.

Price and availability

*Back Market prices taken at the date of publication — these are subject to change.

Final thoughts: The Galaxy S23 Ultra is a smart value buy in 2026

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is still one of the most capable phones you can buy in 2026. While the new Galaxy S26 brings performance improvements, AI features, and some new display tech, the Galaxy S23 Ultra continues to check nearly all the boxes that matter most for everyday users. In real-world scenarios, many people find the Galaxy S23 Ultra to be fast, reliable, and visually impressive, with competitive photographic capabilities.

Because flagship hardware ages relatively gracefully and Samsung supports the S23 Ultra with ongoing software updates, buying one in 2026 can offer excellent value compared to paying full price for a brand-new Galaxy S26.

So, if you're wondering if you should buy the Galaxy S23 Ultra today, the answer is yes: it's a smart value buy in 2026 and holds up well for everyday performance, photography, entertainment, and productivity.