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You may be wondering what’s the difference between the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs S22 Plus and you’d certainly not be alone.
The Galaxy S23 Plus was released on February 17th and has been met with positive reactions. Though often forgotten when compared to the flagship Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the S23 Plus is a fantastic phone worthy of our attention. Though it shares a number of similarities with its predecessor, the S23 Plus also pulls ahead in a number of key areas that you should be excited about.
But where does that leave the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus? Released only last year, the S22 Plus has a great reputation and remains a force to be reckoned with as a fairly affordable plus-size phone.
You may be weighing up which phone to go for, and how it matches up to what your main usage will be – whether that be for everyday browsing, watching content, or even gaming. It might also be worth checking our chosen alternatives to the S23 if you can’t stop thinking about how amazing the S23 Ultra is, but don’t want to commit to that premium price.
So, we’re going to make things a little easier by comparing what we think are the key comparison areas between the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus and S22 Plus. We’ll look at everything from specs to features, and even design and value for money so you can make an informed choice.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs S22 Plus – specs
| Spec | S22 Plus | S23 Plus |
| Size | 6.6″ | 6.6″ |
| Display | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 | 1080 x 2340 |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| Battery | 4500mAh | 4700mAh |
| Charger | 45W (wired), 15W (wireless) | 45W (wired), 15W (wireless) |
| Cellular | 5G | 5G |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Main Camera | 3 lens (50MP, 10MP, 12MP) | 3 lens (50MP, 10MP, 12MP) |
| Selfie Camera | 10MP | 12MP |
As you can see from the table above, there are a number of key similarities between the S22 Plus and S23 Plus. Both share a refresh rate of 120Hz, and have the same stunning AMOLED display that has helped make Samsung’s Galaxy series stand out from the Android crowd for the last few years.
You’ll also notice that both phones have similar camera specs, each fitted with a 50MP front camera that we’re impressed with. Both phones have an Expert RAW feature and Portrait Mode that deliver high-quality photographs, though potentially not quite on par with the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro made by Google. If phone photography is important to you, you should consider Google’s latest lineup, or consider the S22 Ultra vs S23 Ultra which scores higher in terms of camera performance.
Read More: iPhone 14 vs Samsung S22 – which one should you go for?
There are a few notable differences between the S22 Plus and S23 Plus. While both phones have 8GB of RAM, the S23 Plus has the advantage of the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. This gives a performance edge of up to 25% and is 10% more energy efficient than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
There’s also a slight difference in battery life. The S23 boasts an additional 200mAh at 4700mAh. While this isn’t as high as Samsung’s S23 Ultra flagship, we’re still impressed by the S23 Plus’ battery life.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S22 Ultra – battery life
Battery life is an important consideration, especially if you’re out a lot, or else like to use your phone for taking photos which tends to sap a lot of battery.
Though we’ve pointed out that the S23 Ultra has Samhe edge when it comes to battery life, the difference of 200mAh is fairly substantial. We’re surprised to see that last year’s flagship, the S22 Ultra, boasts a larger battery life of 5000mAh. If battery life is important to you and you don’t want to pay the premium price for Samsung’s latest flagship, you should consider the S22 Ultra as an alternative.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs S22 Plus – design
While we didn’t see any dramatic changes in design between the S23 and S22, we’ve noticed a few key differences in design between Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs S22 Plus.
The Galaxy S23 Plus takes its inspiration from its S22 Ultra predecessor. It shares the same triple rear camera setup situated in the top left corner. However, this time, there is no camera island. Instead, each camera sensor has separate raised rings while the LED flash is flushed into the body of the phone.
Read More: Best S22 Ultra cases – our top picks
Both phones will remain in dimensions, though the S23 Plus is ever so slightly taller, at around 157 x 76 x 7.6mm. They also both have the same Armor Aluminium frame and Gorilla Glass front and back which contribute to the Galaxy’s clean and smart design.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs S22 Plus – value for money
Samsung has impressively managed to keep the cost of the S23 Plus down at $999, the exact same amount an S22 PLus would have set you back on release day. For this, you are getting improved specs and design.
The good news for the S22 Plus is that a new release generally brings discounts to older models. For this reason, the S22 Plus potentially becomes the sweeter deal if you’re slightly strapped for cash.
Though the S23 Plus is a fantastically powerful phone, aided by the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, it comes at a premium price. That being said, it’s still cheaper than the flagship S23 Ultra, so if you want to get a newly released phone but can’t afford the S23 Ultra, the S23 Plus is your best bet.
Price Check: Samsung S22 Plus via Samsung
Price Check: Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus
Which should you go for?
As we’ve come to expect covering the latest tech, your final choice comes down to personal preference. Ultimately, it’s a balancing act between price and performance.
There’s no denying that the S23 Plus is a fantastic phone that offers a number of worthy upgrades from the S22 Plus. While they might not be enough to justify abandoning your S22 Plus, it might just be worth it if you have an older Samsung Galaxy model.
The S22 Plus still seriously delivers with a 120Hz refresh rate, AMOLED panel and great camera set-up. However, though the S23 series is kicking up a lot of fuss, we don’t think that the S22 Plus will stop being a great phone any time soon.
