Samsung Galaxy S23 battery life
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The Samsung Galaxy S23 family comes in three models: the regular compact and light-weight Galaxy S23, the bigger Galaxy S23 Plus with longer battery life without being extremely heavy, and then the largest and most impressive Galaxy S23 Ultra model which has the S Pen and longest battery life.
But what are the actual battery sizes for each model? And has the real-world battery life changed compared to the last year models?
In this article, we round up all there is to know about the Galaxy S23 battery, so read on!
Do the Samsung Galaxy S23 models have better battery life?
The Galaxy S23 series have improved battery life, but the upgrade is different for each model.
The smaller models, the S23 and the S23 Plus, get physically larger batteries, while the S23 Ultra model uses the same physical size as the previous version. However, that is not the only factor: the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 system chip and the newer screen are two key factors that also help for longer battery life on the S23 family.
PhoneArena Galaxy S23 Battery Test Results:
In our web browsing test, all Galaxy S23 models outlast their predecessor with a healthy margin, which is great news.
When streaming YouTube videos over a Wi-Fi connection, we measured the Ultra and the smaller S23 model also score a neat improvement, with the S23 Plus version about on par with the last year model.
Finally, for 3D Gaming we again see a neat improvement in battery life, so it's all good news for the S23 series.
Samsung official claims for the battery life of the Ultra are the following.
Samsung Official Estimates for S23 Ultra Battery Life:
- Audio Playback: 99 hours (22% longer than S22 Ultra)
- Video Playback: 26 hours (30% longer than S22 Ultra)
Interestingly, Samsung lists the Galaxy S23+ to have longer battery life for video playback than the S23 Ultra! This doesn't really check out with our battery test. Our test consists of playing back YouTube videos over a Wi-Fi connection, so it might be different than the Samsung one. Below are the official Samsung estimates:
Samsung Official Estimates for S23 Series Battery Life (Video Playback):
- S23: up to 22 hours
- S23 Plus: up to 27 hours
- S23 Ultra: up to 26 hours
How much battery do the Galaxy S23 have?
Both the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus come with a battery capacity increase of around 200 mAh, or around 5%. The Galaxy S23 model features a 3,900 mAh battery, while the Galaxy S23 Plus has a 4,700 mAh battery.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra model has the same 5,000 mAh battery size as its predecessor.
| Galaxy S23 model | Battery capacity |
|---|---|
| Galaxy S23 | 3,900 mAh (+200 mAh compared to S22) |
| Galaxy S23 Plus | 4,700 mAh (+200 mAh compared to S22+) |
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | 5,000 mAh (no change) |
How fast does the Galaxy S23 charge?
The Galaxy S23 series is expected to support the following charging speeds via a cable:
- Galaxy S23 — 25W
- Galaxy S23 Plus — 45W
- Galaxy S23 Ultra — 45W
| Model | Galaxy S23 25W wired | Galaxy S23+ 25W wired | Galaxy S23+ 45W wired | S23 Ultra 25W wired | S23 Ultra 45W wired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| in 15 mins | 28% | 27% | 43% | 27% | 41% |
| 30 mins | 58% | 55% | 74% | 51% | 68% |
| 45 mins | 79% | 80% | 92% | 71% | 89% |
| 1 hour | 95% | 95% | 100% | 91% | 98% |
| Full Charge takes (in hrs / mins) | 1 hour 8 mins | 1 hour 11 mins | 1 hour | 1 hour 19 mins | 1 hour 6 mins |
These are the same charging speeds as the previous Galaxy S22 family, and with those speeds a full charge takes just a bit more than an hour on all of the phones.
Does the Galaxy S23 have wireless charging?
Yes, the Galaxy S23 series support wireless charging across all three models.
Wireless charging speeds are 10 watts, which is actually a bit slower than the 15 watts we used to have in the S22 and S21 series.
| S23 Ultra Wireless Charging | S22 Ultra Wireless Charging | |
|---|---|---|
| in 15 minutes | 14% | 14% |
| in 30 mins | 24% | 24% |
| in 45 mins | 35% | 37% |
| in 1 hour | 45% | 48% |
| Full Charge (1-100% in hours and mins) | 2 hours 37 mins | 2 hours 20 mins |
As you can see the difference is really tiny and you don't need to worry too much about these slightly slower speeds.
Does the Galaxy S23 have reverse wireless charging?
Yes, the Galaxy S23 also supports reverse wireless charging.
This cool feature allows you to use any Galaxy S23 model as a power bank of sorts. Enable this mode and place another gadget with Qi wireless charging support on the back of the Galaxy S23, and the phone will top it up. Keep in mind that this feature will drain the battery on the Galaxy S23 rather quickly.
What charger does the Galaxy S23 use?
All Galaxy S23 phones will be sold in a slim box that does NOT include a charger.
Samsung has a number of official chargers and we suggest looking for one with USB-C output and speeds of at least 25W.
For the Galaxy S23 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, you can purchase the more expensive 45W Samsung charger, just keep in mind that you need to pair that charger with a special cable which is thicker and has 5 amp support. Altogether, this package may run you around $50.
The smaller Galaxy S23 model does not support 45W charging and it instead maxes out at 25W speeds.
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