When you look out on the horizon of the smartphone world, what is it you see? I’ll tell you what I see. I see the dust gently settling to the ground as the big three struggle to figure out their next move.

The does-it-all flagship is back with even more photographic potency

Impeccable camera quality in almost all conditions, Fantastic performance and all-day battery life, Gorgeous display with lots of room for S-Pen note-taking

Charging speeds could be faster, Visually identical to last year’s model, Top-tier specs command a top-tier price

“The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the most complete, most versatile Android smartphone you can buy. It's a big purchase in more ways than one, but it'll last you for years.”

Incredibly powerful processor, Versatile telephoto zoom camera, S Pen adds value, Water-resistant and durable, Long software update commitment, Many interesting features to explore, Large, bright, detailed screen

Wired charging is complicated, and only 45W, Big and heavy

The release of the newer S24 Ultra doesn’t detract from the fact that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a strong all-rounder; it has a stellar display, a top-notch stylus experience, blisteringly fast performance and very good camera performance, even if it can’t quite compete with its...

200MP camera delivers in both well-lit and low-light conditions, Top-notch performance from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, All-day battery life, Stunningly detailed 6.8in 120Hz display

Very expensive, Relatively slow 45W charging, Difficult to use one-handed

There's two ways to look at the Galaxy S23 Ultra: as an upgrade over the S22 Ultra it's marginal, almost like a half-mast 'S' edition rather than full-blown next-level upgrade; but as a standalone device it's an exceptional, refined and accomplished piece of hardware that's easily among the best...

Great design, screen and performance, Integrated S Pen stylus differentiator, Advanced camera system is highly versatile

Mostly the same as S22 Ultra predecessor, Colours are rather dull, It's really not cheap

It's easy to get carried away and lose sight of just how far we've come in the smartphone world. Apple's iPhone 14 is 7.8 millimeters thick but can communicate directly with satellites, boasts photographic talents that eclipse dedicated cameras and action cams, and does so starting at just $799.

Improved low-light camera performance, Clever safety features (you hope you won't need)

Improvements feel evolutionary, eSIM may prove a headache, iPhone 13 offers much the same for $100 less