The Most Underrated Smartphone Deal of 2024!

Science & Technology

Introduction

Okay, I'll come straight to the point. This is the most underrated flagship of 2024. We are launching a flagship phone with a compact form factor and it's the best pineapple phone ever. Have a look.

Try too expensive? Turn it around. That side? A no-notch device. Still too expensive? Okay, don't tell anyone. We'll equip all the features of the previous year's flagship and launch it cheaper in a sale. Go get that. What? Don't tell anyone.

Yes, this is the Samsung Galaxy S23 in 2023. It initially launched for ₹75,000, but what caught our attention was that after the recent Galaxy AI update, the S23 is basically an S24. I'll not show you the phone, and there's a reason for that. Even better, at the time of making this video, we got the S23 under ₹45,000. So, the question is: in 2024, should you buy the S23, and what are the differences in AI features? And what about the OnePlus 12R, which you can get for ₹40,000? Let's dive in.

Why is the S23 Such an Iconic Device?

See, when you look back in history, the S22 launched with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in 2022, which had heating issues and a lot of battery drain. Then came the S23 in 2023 with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which was pretty good. And then again in 2024, the S24 came with Exynos, and you might know a lot about Exynos. So, this makes the S23 very iconic, and it's aging like fine wine.

Compact Size & Design

The moment I switched to the S23, this compact size felt so good. In 2024, getting a compact phone is a rare thing. Companies have just stopped making them. Now, hold on and spot which is the S24 and which is the S23. Congrats to those who spotted it; you have an eagle eye.

The S23 has a glass back, a metal frame, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, which is actually good for ₹40,000. It has a good display, and the S24 is slightly brighter in terms of specs, but if you open an HDR movie on Netflix side-by-side with the S24 and OnePlus 12R, I can hardly see any difference.

Brightness is of three types: manual brightness, high brightness mode (for outdoor sunlight), and peak brightness (for just 1 second in HDR scenes). One con I feel for the S23 display is that at night, in low light, it flickers, whereas the OnePlus 12R doesn't. So, Samsung and iPhones should implement anti-flickering.

Performance

You get these specs, and we noticed something interesting. The Antutu benchmark score increased from 11 lakhs to 14.7 lakhs after the One UI 6.1 update. But benchmarks don’t always tell you how the phone performs in real life. We did a side-by-side video export test with the OnePlus 12R, and the S23 did it faster.

You can play Call of Duty on the S23 at medium graphics and ultra frame rate for 40 minutes, and it performs well. However, for hardcore gaming, maybe the OnePlus 12R or Realme GT6 might be better due to the S23's compact size.

Camera

You get a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide angle camera, and a 10MP 3x telephoto camera. The photos come out so well. We compared side-by-side with the OnePlus 12R, and the S23 most of the times had better skin tones.

Especially in low light, the gradual blur makes photos look like they were taken on a DSLR. It also performs well in social media apps like Instagram, supporting stabilization, HDR, and even night mode.

On the video front, it supports 8K 30 FPS and 4K 60 FPS on the front camera. We often use the S23's camera for reels and shorts because it recognizes external mics every single time.

Software

The S23 runs on the latest Android 14 out of the box, with the One UI 6.1 update bringing the same Galaxy AI features from the S24. You get smart search, translation, and improved keyboard suggestions.

Example: Live Interpreter Mode—It works without the internet. We tested it with Hindi and English, and it worked perfectly.

Updates

The key difference between S23 and S24 is the software update policy. The S23 will receive four years of Android updates and five years of security updates. On the other hand, the S24 will get seven years of updates.

Another point to consider is that the S24 supports 45W charging, while the S23 supports only 25W.

Conclusion

Should you buy the S23 in 2024 at a discounted price? In my opinion, yes. It performs just as well as the S24 in terms of camera, battery, and performance. Often found as low as ₹40,000, it's a great deal for those looking for a compact smartphone or an upgrade for content creation.

However, if you're a heavy user who needs bigger battery life or a larger phone, you might consider the OnePlus 12R or even the OnePlus 12, which is around ₹50,000.

Drop down your experiences if you've used the S23. Your feedback could help other readers.

On that note, Pratik signing off. See you in the next video.

Keywords

  • Samsung Galaxy S23
  • Compact smartphone
  • AI Features
  • Camera performance
  • Software updates
  • Discounted price

FAQ

Q: Why is the S23 considered iconic? A: The S23 is considered iconic because it solved the heating and battery drain issues present in the S22 and came with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

Q: How does the S23 perform in gaming? A: The S23 performs well in gaming, but its compact size makes it less ideal for hardcore gaming compared to devices like the OnePlus 12R or Realme GT6.

Q: What are the unique AI features in the S23? A: The S23 comes with Smart Search, Live Interpreter Mode, and advanced keyboard suggestions, thanks to the One UI 6.1 update.

Q: How does the camera perform? A: The camera on the S23 is excellent, offering features like stabilization, HDR, and good low-light performance. It also integrates well with social media apps like Instagram.

Q: What's the difference in software updates between S23 and S24? A: The S23 will receive four years of Android updates and five years of security updates, whereas the S24 will get seven years of updates in total.

Q: Should I buy the S23 if I need more battery life? A: If you require more battery life or a larger phone, you might want to consider the OnePlus 12R or the OnePlus 12.