Samsung Galaxy A23 5G review
The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is a budget-oriented smartphone that aims to provide a solid enough experience for the price, along with 5G connectivity. The phone features a no-nonsense mono-colored design made from plastic, with a smooth matte finish. It has a 6.6-inch PLS LCD display with a 1080p resolution, Gorilla Glass 5 protection, and a 120Hz refresh rate. However, the phone's performance is marred by sluggishness, even when performing standard everyday tasks. This is likely due to the device's four gigs of RAM, which may not be sufficient for smooth operation. The Snapdragon 695 5G chipset itself is a solid one, but it's hindered by the limited RAM. The camera setup on the A23 5G includes a 50-megapixel main camera with OIS, a 5-megapixel ultrawide cam, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a depth sensor. The main camera takes excellent photos during the day, with plenty of resolved detail, accurate colors, low noise levels, good dynamic range, and superb contrast. In low light, the main camera performs well too, but night mode shots can be softer than those taken without it. The ultrawide cam's nighttime photos are particularly poor in terms of detail. Selfies from the 8-megapixel front-facing cam are good when there is plenty of light. The phone has a large 5,000mAh battery and excellent battery life, with a final endurance rating of 138 hours. Charging is decently fast at 25 watts, but a charger is not included in the box. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is a pretty well-rounded device that offers high refresh rate LCD, excellent battery life, decent charging speed, and a capable main camera for the price. However, its sluggish performance may be an issue for some users.
Build Quality and Design
The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G boasts a no-nonsense, mono-colored design that's straightforward and functional. The phone's plastic body has a matte finish that feels smooth to the touch, with a rounded frame that provides a comfortable grip in hand. While it may not be as premium as some of its higher-tier counterparts, the A23 5G's build quality is solid enough for a budget-oriented smartphone. One notable omission is the lack of Ingress Protection (IP) rating, which would provide protection against dust and water ingress. This is a feature that's often found on more expensive Galaxy A series phones. The display, a 6.6-inch PLS LCD, offers a 1080p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, making for sharp visuals with good color accuracy and contrast. However, there's no HDR support, and the brightness is merely alright, peaking at around 430 nits in manual mode. In terms of design, the A23 5G has a clean and minimalist aesthetic that won't win any awards for originality. The phone's sizeable battery is a plus, but it's not particularly visually appealing. Overall, while the Galaxy A23 5G's build quality and design may not be its strongest suits, they're still adequate for a mid-range smartphone. The camera placement on the back of the phone seems haphazard, with the primary sensor positioned somewhat awkwardly next to the LED flash. However, the overall feel of the phone in hand is pleasant enough, even if it doesn't particularly excite or impress.
Battery Life
One of the standout features of the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is its exceptional battery life. With a large 5000mAh battery, this phone can easily last for several days with moderate use. In our tests, the Galaxy A23 5G consistently lasted for around 138 hours on a single charge, making it one of the longest-lasting phones in its class. The battery life is further enhanced by Samsung's power-efficient software and the 120Hz display, which can dynamically switch to 60Hz to conserve energy when not needed. The phone also supports fast charging at up to 25 watts, allowing you to quickly top up the battery when it's running low. In terms of overall performance, the Galaxy A23 5G's battery life is excellent, making it a great option for those who want a phone that can keep up with their daily needs without needing to be charged every day. Whether you're browsing the web, streaming videos, or using apps, this phone has got you covered. While some phones in its class may struggle with power efficiency, the Galaxy A23 5G's battery life is a true highlight of this device. If you're looking for a phone that can last all day and then some, look no further than the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G.
Display
The display on the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is a mixed bag. On the plus side, the 6.6-inch PLS LCD screen has a sharp 1080p resolution and a pixel density of 400 PPI, making it easy to read and navigate through menus and apps. The colors are fairly accurate, and the contrast is quite good for an LCD display. However, there are some notable drawbacks. For one, there's no HDR support, which might be a disappointment for those who enjoy watching high-quality videos or playing games with vivid graphics. Additionally, the brightness of the screen is only average, peaking at around 430 nits in manual mode and boosting to about 510 nits in auto mode. One notable upgrade over its non-5G counterpart is the 120Hz refresh rate, which can provide a smoother user experience when scrolling through content or playing games. However, this high refresh rate is limited by the phone's hardware, including a relatively modest four-gigabyte RAM configuration. In our testing, we encountered slowdowns and stuttering even with everyday tasks like opening apps or browsing. The display also lacks an ambient light sensor, relying instead on the selfie camera to determine screen brightness levels. While this approach can be effective in some cases, it doesn't always produce reliable results, leading to inconsistent auto-brightness settings. Overall, while the display on the Galaxy A23 5G has its strengths and weaknesses, it's not a standout feature of the phone. The lack of HDR support, average brightness, and limited refresh rate might be a letdown for some users.
Camera
The camera setup on the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is quite comprehensive, with multiple cameras to cater to different needs. The primary camera boasts a 50-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS), which takes impressive photos during the day. These shots exhibit plenty of resolved detail, accurate colors, low noise levels, good dynamic range, and superb contrast. The main camera's ability to produce well-balanced and natural-looking images is notable, thanks to its laid-back processing approach. Portraits taken with the primary camera and depth sensor are also surprisingly good, featuring detailed and sharp subjects, as well as solid subject separation for the most part. However, the 5-megapixel ultrawide camera falls short in terms of detail resolution and color representation. While it can capture acceptable dynamic range, close-up photos from this camera suffer from poor detail and a fixed focus that makes it challenging to get sharp images. Low-light performance is also inconsistent with the main camera producing likable results but occasionally exhibiting clipped highlights and reddish colors. The night mode on the primary camera does its job by restoring highlights and revealing more details in shadows, although the resulting photos are softer than those taken without this feature. The 8-megapixel front-facing camera produces good selfies as long as there's sufficient light available. However, images captured under less-than-ideal conditions lack detail and exhibit some additional noise. The rear camera also struggles with nighttime shots from the ultrawide lens, delivering inadequate exposure and poor detail. Video recording is limited to 1080p resolution due to the Snapdragon 695 chipset not supporting 4K capture. While the primary camera produces decent video quality with plenty of resolved detail, accurate colors, and good dynamic range, the ultrawide cam's output is softer and features duller colors.
Price and Value
The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is a budget-oriented smartphone that offers a solid experience for its price, along with the added benefit of 5G connectivity. Priced affordably, this phone aims to provide a good balance between features and affordability. In terms of design, the Galaxy A23 5G has a no-nonsense, mono-colored aesthetic made from plastic, which feels sturdy in hand despite lacking ingress protection. The display is a 6.6-inch PLS LCD with a 1080p resolution, 400 PPI pixel density, and 120Hz refresh rate, making it sharp and smooth to use. One of the standout features of this phone is its battery life, which is excellent, lasting up to 138 hours in our tests. The phone also supports 25W fast charging, although you'll need to provide your own charger. The camera performance is another highlight, with a 50-megapixel main cam that takes great photos during the day, featuring plenty of resolved detail, accurate colors, and low noise levels. Portraits are also impressive, with good subject separation and detail. However, one major issue we encountered was the phone's sluggish user experience, which we attribute to the four-gig RAM model we tested. Hopefully, models with 6 or 8 gigs of RAM will have a smoother performance. Considering its price, the Galaxy A23 5G offers excellent value for money. While it may not be the most powerful phone in its class, it makes up for it with its impressive battery life, fast charging, and capable main camera. If you're looking for a budget-friendly smartphone that can handle everyday tasks without breaking the bank, the Galaxy A23 5G is definitely worth considering. However, if you have more to spend, you might want to look at higher-end options like the Samsung Galaxy A33, which offers more features and a better overall experience.
Performance
The performance of the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is a mixed bag. On paper, the phone's Snapdragon 695 5G chipset seems capable enough, but in reality, it struggles to deliver smooth and seamless experiences. One major issue is that the phone's 4GB RAM variant (which we tested) often stutters when performing everyday tasks like opening and closing apps, browsing, or using the camera. Even simple actions like loading a webpage or switching between apps can take an unacceptable amount of time. This is likely due to the limited RAM, which becomes a bottleneck for the phone's performance. While the chipset itself isn't bad, it's clear that it's being held back by the lack of sufficient RAM. In benchmarking tests, the A23 5G's CPU and GPU scores are middle-of-the-road at best, not exactly impressive for a mid-range device. The user experience is further marred by the phone's inability to take advantage of its high refresh rate (120Hz) consistently. The panel will often dial down to 60Hz when you stop interacting with it, which can feel like a step backward in terms of responsiveness. While the software on the A23 5G is decent, with an update to Samsung's latest One UI 5 based on Android 13, it's clear that the hardware isn't doing it justice. Despite its capable chipset, the phone's performance feels lackluster and uninspired. Overall, if you do plan to get the Galaxy A23 5G, be aware that the 4GB RAM variant might not deliver the smooth experience you're looking for. Opting for a model with more RAM (6 or 8GB) might help alleviate some of these issues, but it's still unclear how much of an improvement this would be in real-world usage.
Pros
1. Excellent battery life, up to 138 hours
2. Pretty capable camera for its price
3. Supports fast charging (25W) and has a headphone jack
4. Software is up-to-date with One UI5 based on Android 13
5. Decent rear camera setup with multiple options
Cons
1. Sluggish performance issues
2. Display limited by hardware, not smooth experience
3. Ultrawide camera lacks detail resolution
4. Selfies require bright lighting conditions
5. Nighttime photos have highlight clipping and color accuracy issues