Samsung S23 Ultra vs S22 Ultra / iPhone 14 Pro Max / Pixel 7 Pro Battery Test
All digital voice assistants have their quirks, but none quite so frustrating as Samsung’s Bixby. The company’s overzealous artificial intelligence software has a tendency to get in the way, and it’s only gotten worse with age. So it’s no surprise that many Samsung fans have been clamoring for a way to disable the voice assistant entirely.
Fortunately, Samsung has finally listened to its users and introduced a way to disable Bixby entirely on the new Galaxy S23 Ultra. To do so, simply open the Bixby settings menu and toggle the “Bixby Key” off.
Now that Bixby is out of the way, we can take a look at the rest of the phone. The S23 Ultra is a massive device, and it’s clear that Samsung has no intention of making a smaller phone anytime soon. The 6.8-inch display is the biggest we’ve ever seen on a Galaxy phone, and it’s only marginally smaller than the 7-inch iPad Pro.
The extra size is put to good use, as the S23 Ultra has a massive 5,000mAh battery. That’s enough to easily get you through a full day of use, even if you’re a power user. Samsung’s new ultra-wideband modem also makes an appearance on the S23 Ultra, and it’s impressive in its own right.
The modem is capable of downloading data at speeds up to 5Gbps, which is faster than most home internet connections. But with carriers still rolling out 5G coverage, it’s unlikely that you’ll see those speeds in the real world anytime soon.
The S23 Ultra also has a top-of-the-line camera system. It’s the first phone to feature a 200-megapixel sensor, and it’s clear that Samsung is aiming for the high-end market with this phone. The camera is more than capable of capturing beautiful photos and videos, but it’s not perfect.
Low-light performance is solid, but not quite as good as the Google Pixel 5. And the 200-megapixel sensor doesn’t offer any real advantage over traditional sensors, except for the ability to crop photos after the fact.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is a solid phone, but it’s not without its flaws. The Bixby issue is a major problem, and the lack of a headphone jack is a head-scratcher. But if you can look past those issues, you’ll find a phone that’s crammed full of features and capable of delivering a great experience.
