Lately I went looking for a few customizations for my phone and realised it's been 3 years since it launched.
Today I want to revisit the S23 Ultra — Samsung's flagship from 2023. The goal is to share a bit of my experience and show how it holds up in daily life here in 2026.
Hope it helps!
Design and Build
We start with the outside, and to this day I'm impressed by the good taste in its design. If there's one thing that's ageing well, it's the aesthetics — a phone that still surprises friends when I pull it out of my pocket, mostly because of its polished, premium look.
I've always used a case and a screen protector, so it's stayed practically untouched since it came out of the box.
There is one thing worth noting: because the screen is curved, the case tends to push up the edges of the protector.
Is it a big deal? No. But I think it's worth mentioning.
Display
Samsung knows how to make a display, that much is clear.
And here, even 3 years later, its Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen proves that a good panel can hold up well over time.
Colours are still vivid, the resolution is more than enough, and brightness — even under intense sunlight — still gets the job done.
On top of that, it's a screen that stretches across the whole front of the phone, which makes for a deeply immersive experience.
I know the Galaxy S26 Ultra brought substantial improvements in display and privacy, but for all the marketing around it, I haven't convinced myself I need to drop nearly another S23 Ultra's worth of cash for those upgrades.
So far I'm happy, and I really believe you won't be disappointed either.
Performance
Before we talk raw performance, let me frame my usage a bit.
I spend most of the day working on a computer, so I use my phone more sporadically — editing a few videos, replying to messages, making payments, and using it as a mobile hotspot.
These days, more than raw speed, I value responsiveness — and that's what it's been giving me. I've never had to wait too long, nothing ever failed to get done. Does that mean it never hiccuped? Not that either — it just kept going.
The current version is One UI 8.5. Not that it matters so much in 2026, but going through a meaningful interface refresh does breathe new life into the experience.
I definitely haven't been short on power, but if you're a stickler, maybe a bit of extra headroom would be nice. It comes down to how you use it.
Cameras
The camera system is perhaps the S23 Ultra's most debated point: the hardware is good, but it feels like the software doesn't quite keep up.
At least that's what I pick up from the discussions, especially on Reddit, where I often read someone praising its cameras while also expecting more consistent results from the set.
I've learned to live with the results. The main camera never lets me down — when I want a quick shot, I use the Samsung camera; when I'm after a more polished look, I reach for GCam.
The S23 Ultra's highlight is the 3x camera — a 70mm, f2.4, 10MP lens. It's easy to overlook if you're not paying attention, but try noticing the cameras switch when you tap the 3x button. The glass changes, the view changes — it's the portrait lens!
As for the ultrawide, it did its job: it let me see more. And with so much in the frame, the fact it didn't shine didn't feel like a big loss.
I like all the cameras on this phone. With good light and knowing how to use them, you can get more than satisfactory results, 3 years on.
Battery
How's the battery holding up today?
I can only get home with charge left if the day's been quiet, without the phone being pushed too hard. For road trips, I even picked up a car charger.
Again, some power users still get great screen-on time out of it, but I lean towards a more easygoing use. Some compromises come with that — as Clarice Lispector once put it, "Even cutting your own flaws can be dangerous. You never know which flaw holds your whole building up."
I did feel One UI 8.5 made the battery slightly less durable, but it never became a real problem.
You'll get decent battery life day to day, and at the end of it all, nothing a mid-day top-up can't fix.
Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Well, looks like we've reached the end. I want to be clear: my aim was never to write a review of the S23 Ultra — that was done extensively the year it launched.
The goal was simpler: to show that a 2023 flagship is still an advanced phone today. Sure, a feature or two will be missing, but nothing that will negatively affect using it.
The build is incredibly solid, the screen is still a quality AMOLED, the cameras won't blow you away but won't let you down, the software got better over time — at least in my experience — and the battery, despite its age, still meets my needs.
In fact, whether pre-owned or second-hand, it'll still be a great companion for quite a while before it starts showing real signs of age.
There's a recommendation I always come back to: look at flagships from other eras. Those are the ones that age well — more worthwhile, in my view, than current mid-range phones. Because a flagship never loses its standing; it just passes it on to the next one.
That said, my S23 Ultra keeps making me happy, and I believe it'll do the same for you. Go for it!