Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs — everything you need to know

Samsung Galaxy S23 and Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus next to each other.
(Image credit: Future)

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs make it appear to be a worthy step up for those looking for more than a Galaxy S23 but don't want to splurge for the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

While the base-model Galaxy S23 Plus doesn't come quite as fully loaded as the S23 Ultra — it misses out on the massive 200MP main camera — it still provides some upgrades due to its larger size. A bigger screen, larger battery and faster charging rate all make it worth considering instead of the entry-level Galaxy S23.

Here are the full Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs, as well as some explanation if you're uncertain what any of these numbers and names will mean for your smartphone usage.

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Galaxy S23 preorder: up to $100 credit @ Samsung
Up to $100 credit! Samsung is one of the best sites for Galaxy S23 preorders. Reserve your Galaxy S23 preorder via Samsung and you'll get up to a $100 Samsung credit. You'll get a $50 credit when you reserve one device or a $100 credit if you reserve two devices. (It's likely Samsung will also announce a new Galaxy Book). This is a no commitment pre-order. All you need to do is provide your name and e-mail address to reserve. Once you pre-order, you'll receive your credit.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs: The basics

Here are the essential specs for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus. Scroll on for more detailed information and breakdowns of what they mean. 

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Galaxy S23 Plus
Display6.6-inch FHD+ AMOLED
Refresh rate 48 - 120Hz adaptive
Rear cameras50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto
Front camera12MP selfie
ChipsetSnapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM8GB
Storage256GB, 512GB
Battery4,700 mAh
Charging45W wired/10W wireless
Water/dust resistanceIP68
Size3.0 x 6.21 x 0.3 inches (76.2 x 157.8 x 7.6 mm)
Weight6.88 ounces (195 grams)
ColorsPhantom Black, Cream, Green and Lavender

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs: Design and colors

Samsung Galaxy S23 colors: green, lavender, cream and black

(Image credit: Future)
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Size3.0 x 6.21 x 0.3 inches (76.2 x 157.8 x 7.6 mm)
Weight6.88 ounces (195 grams)
Water/dust resistanceIP68
ColorsPhantom Black, Cream, Green and Lavender
MaterialsGorilla Glass Victus 2 (front/back), Armor Aluminum (sides)

According to its official measurements, the Galaxy S23 Plus should look and feel about the same as the Galaxy S22 Plus, with the differences in dimensions measured by mere decimal points. The new model is slightly larger but the same weight, so these changes are unlikely to impact your buying decision.

Like Samsung's other flagship phones, the Galaxy S23 Plus is rated IP68 for dust/water resistance, which is currently the gold standard for smartphones. There's no better guarantee your phone will keep water drops or dust particles away from its sensitive components unless you go for a specific ultra-durable phone.

To protect the phone from scratches and drop damage, the Galaxy S23 Plus is clad in Gorilla Glass Victus 2. This is tougher than the Gorilla Glass Victus Plus used by the Galaxy S22 lineup. The S23 Plus also uses an Armor Aluminum frame like the S22 Plus to protect the edges from harm.

Lastly, there are four color options for the Galaxy S23 Plus, which are also the same color options for the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra: Phantom Black, Cream, Green and Lavender. These are slightly different from the Galaxy S22 Plus, where the color options were Phantom White, Green, Pink Gold and Phantom Black. Green and Phantom Black remain unchanged, but Cream replaces Phantom White and Lavender replaces Pink Gold. 

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs: Display

Samsung Galaxy S23 and Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus displayed next to each other.

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Display size and type6.6-inch AMOLED (Flat Screen)
ResolutionFHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels)
Refresh rate48 - 120Hz adaptive
Max brightness1,750 nits

There are no changes on paper to the Galaxy S23 Plus's display compared to last year. It's still a large display with flat edges, an FHD+ resolution and an adaptive refresh rate that can slide anywhere between 48Hz and 120Hz to balance both smooth and efficient screen performance, though not quite on the Galaxy S23 Ultra's level (1-120Hz).

The maximum display brightness also remains at 1,750 nits, which is the same as the claimed peak brightness for the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra. Brighter displays mean it's easier to read your phone even if it's very sunny outside, so hopefully, that peak brightness number holds true.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs: Cameras

Samsung Galaxy S23 and Samsung Galaxy S23 cameras on display

(Image credit: Future)
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Main camera50 MP, f/1.8, 1/1.56 inches, 1.0µm pixels
Ultrawide camera12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55" 1.4µm
Telephoto camera10MP, 3x optical zoom, f/2.4, 1/3.94 inches, 1.0µm pixels
Selfie camera12MP, f/2.2, TBC inches, TBC pixels
Video recording8K at 30fps, 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 240fps, 720p at 960fps, Super Steady video, HDR10+

Cameras are one area where Galaxy S23 Plus owners could find themselves wishing they upgraded to the Galaxy S23 Ultra and its higher-end 200MP camera.  However, the 50MP main camera on the regular S23 Plus looks to be plenty capable. 

Samsung improved its Nightography low-light mode, enhanced things like autofocus and OIS (optical image stabilization) and added new features like Astro Hyperlapse for capturing the stars, which its previous phones couldn't manage. The Gallery app also features a Remaster feature for improving photos, but this recently gained some negative attention for adding teeth to a seven-month old baby. Which was as creepy as you'd imagine.

The 12MP front-facing camera is a definite upgrade, up from 10MP on the Galaxy S22 Plus. You also get faster auto-focus and Super HDR for better colors and contrast and 60 fps video recording from the front camera (up from 30 fps)

For video, the Galaxy S23 Plus's frame rate got a bump at its maximum 8K resolution, from 24fps to 30fps. 4K resolution and below keep their existing refresh rates, including slo-mo options for 1080p and 720p.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs: Chipset and memory

Samsung Galaxy S23 front display

(Image credit: Future)
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ChipsetSnapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (Octa-core)
Chipset cores and frequency1 x Cortex-X3 (3.36GHz), 2 x Cortex-A715 (2.8 GHz), 2 x Cortex-A710 (2.8 GHz) & 3 x Cortex-A510 (2.0 GHz)
GPUAdreno 740
RAM (type)8GB (LPDDR5)
Storage (type)256GB, 512GB (UFS 4.0)

Samsung is going all-in on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for the Galaxy S23 lineup, rather than splitting models between Snapdragon and Exynos chips like it has in previous years. That's a huge win for international users looking at the Galaxy S23 Plus, which no longer is relegated to a lesser chipset.

The important change to look out for is that the chip is specifically a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy. This mouthful of a name translates to Samsung getting a custom, higher-performance version of the new chip that would in theory outperform other phones using the same silicon. You can see this in the 3.36GHz speed for the most powerful Cortex-X3 core, which is a bit faster than the standard 3.2GHz speed of that core on a regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip.

For memory and storage, there are no changes from the Galaxy S22. The basic Galaxy S23 Plus comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage, which is double the 128GB that comes standard on the Galaxy S23. Plus, if you want, you can upgrade to 512GB. 

The RAM and storage use the LPDDR5 and UFS 4.0 standards, respectively. That's not quite the latest in RAM standards (that would be LPDDR5X), but UFS 4.0 is as up-to-date as you can get for flash storage. We may see phones launched later in the year outpace the Galaxy S23 Plus for RAM speed, but in day-to-day use though, the S23 Plus should feel plenty fast.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs: Battery and charging

Samsung Galaxy S23 USB-C port

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Battery capacity4,700 mAh
Wired charging speed45W
Wireless charging speed10W

The Galaxy S23 Plus gets an upgrade here. The S23 Plus battery is 4,700 mAh, a slight step up from the S22 Plus's 4,500 mAh. Unfortunately, fast charging takes a step back — limited to up to 45W wired charging and downgraded to 10W wireless charging from 15W wireless charging on the S22 Plus.

We'll have our fingers crossed that with its new chipset and other refinements, the Galaxy S23 Plus can manage a higher battery life score. The S22 lineup didn't score particularly well in our battery life testing, especially in fully adaptive mode.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs: Software

Samsung Galaxy S23 Bixby text call

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SoftwareAndroid 13 with One UI 5.1

Samsung debuted its new One UI 5.1 software, based on Android 13, on the Galaxy S23 series. You should also get four years of software updates on any Galaxy S23, including the Galaxy S23 Plus, keeping you up to date with new software features for some time to come.

Malcolm McMillan
Senior Streaming Writer

Malcolm McMillan is a senior writer for Tom's Guide, covering all the latest in streaming TV shows and movies. That means news, analysis, recommendations, reviews and more for just about anything you can watch, including sports! If it can be seen on a screen, he can write about it. Previously, Malcolm had been a staff writer for Tom's Guide for over a year, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), A/V tech and VR headsets.

Before writing for Tom's Guide, Malcolm worked as a fantasy football analyst writing for several sites and also had a brief stint working for Microsoft selling laptops, Xbox products and even the ill-fated Windows phone. He is passionate about video games and sports, though both cause him to yell at the TV frequently. He proudly sports many tattoos, including an Arsenal tattoo, in honor of the team that causes him to yell at the TV the most.