Samsung Galaxy S23 spec leak has left us a little disappointed

An unofficial render of the Galaxy S23, based on currently known leaked information
(Image credit: OnLeaks/Digit)

You may only get 8GB RAM inside the Samsung Galaxy S23 says leaker Ice Universe, who boldly claims they can "confirm 100%" this disappointing spec for the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus models.

As IU mentions, rival Chinese phones from brands like Realme and Vivo now typically come with 12GB or 16GB of RAM as standard. Having less RAM can impact things like multitasking, making these phones more irritating to use when you're having to switch between multiple apps. Given the way many people use their phones for checking information and sending messages, this puts an unfortunate limit on these RAM-light phones.

That said, the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus both only offer 8GB RAM, but we still think they're excellent phones. In fact, some of the best Android phones we've tried this year, like the S22 and S22 Plus, the basic OnePlus 11 Pro or the Google Pixel 7, only offer 8GB RAM. Likewise, Apple shows that it only needs 6GB RAM in its A15 and A16 Bionic chips to propel the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro to the top of the benchmark tables. 

What's arguably worse is that Samsung decided to ship its Galaxy S22 Ultra with 8GB RAM by default. It's still a fantastic phone even in its base guise, and you can spec 12GB if you wish. But it still feels like Samsung's short-changed its users. And while IU doesn't mention the Galaxy S23 Ultra in his tweet, it feels likely that it too could be stuck with 8GB RAM as standard once again.

Fortunately for Samsung's Galaxy S23 performance ambitions, it's rumored to have made a wiser decision regarding the phones' chipsets. We're hearing that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will be Samsung's chosen silicon for its upcoming phones; a chip that looks like it may close the performance gap between Android and Apple phones. Even more exciting for users outside the U.S. is that Samsung could use this chip globally, rather than its historically weaker Exynos chips.

We'll also be looking out for new 12MP selfie cameras on the basic Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus, a 200MP main camera on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and improved fingerprint readers on all models. The S23 and S23 Plus may also receive a new design to make them look more like the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Expect to see the three new Samsung phones around February, based on the company's previous launches and current rumors. So it hopefully won't be long to wait to learn whether this RAM rumor is genuine or not.

Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.