As a tech analyst, I test most of the top-brand phones that come out, and as long as I’m not in the middle of a review (when I’m using nothing but the phone to review), I can pick which phone to use. It is not difficult. When I can pick it all up, I’m still using the Galaxy S23 Ultra. No other phone comes close to everything I can do with my S23 Ultra, and on my recent trip it proved me right more than ever.
When I say I have the best phones, I really mean it. My friends and family weren’t impressed with my collection of review samples, but when I want to show off, I get the Motorola Razr Plus. It’s the coolest phone I’ve owned and the smallest, so it’s just right for certain situations. Sometimes I need a phone in every situation, not just to show off at parties and dinners.
When I need my phone to be my primary entertainment, I reach for the Google Pixel Fold. I like Samsung’s foldable software better on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, but for everyday use the Pixel Fold is much easier to use both closed and open. Also, the cameras are pretty good, but not the best.
Sometimes I need big cameras, and while the Galaxy S23 Ultra can’t match the large 7.6-inch screen on the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 4, its huge, fast screen is bright, sharp, and bigger than anything else that doesn’t fold nearly in half. Don’t miss out on the extra screen space.
Of course, I also have an iPhone 14 Pro, because I need to keep up with both iOS and Android. The upcoming iOS 17 release looks very exciting, and I am already using the public beta. Even with all the new improvements, I don’t miss a thing about the iPhone when I’m back to using my Galaxy full time. I especially like the iPhone because it allows me to communicate better with other iPhone users.
I left everything at home except for my Galaxy S23 Ultra
Obviously, I have a lot of technology and tend to carry a lot with me. I carry a lot of things with me: a laptop for work, a phone (or two), a tablet, or my best Kindle, plus chargers for everything. I carry around the large Anker 733 battery pack, one of my smartwatches, USB-C ports, and dongles. I have no worries about calling, I’m worried about losing my iPhone.
What if I can only take one device with me?
I recently tried it on a trip to visit family and friends in my hometown. I was taking Mondays off, so I thought I’d just drop everything. No laptop or tablet. Nothing but my Galaxy S23 Ultra. I was as simple as possible, and this was the least tech I’ve had in 20 years.
All was going well until Saturday morning, when I was called into a virtual meeting on Monday morning that required a confidentiality agreement be signed. Honestly, I couldn’t have designed a better test case for the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and I couldn’t be less worried about what I left at home. He was even somewhat excited.
I opened and signed the confidentiality agreement and sent it as soon as possible. My signature looked as if I used a real pen, not my finger. Then I had a fun weekend. On Saturday, at bedtime, I realized that I had forgotten to charge my mobile phone. He’s been fired since Friday night. He still has more than 40% of the power.
On Monday morning, I connected my phone to an external display using the USB-C port. I have connected a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. Samsung DeX appeared. It’s a laptop-like environment that makes it easy to open multiple windows on a larger screen.
I could have used my girlfriend’s laptop but the phone already had accounts preloaded on it. I don’t have to worry about two factor authentication to access my email, calendar and important meeting. I have all of my apps, including Slack and Airtable, out of the box, and there’s no need to download or sign into anything new.
Not only did everything run smoothly, my video chatting could have been better with the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which has a much better selfie camera than my work laptop, a Microsoft Surface Laptop Go that can’t keep up with my smartphone on most tasks.
It’s not just one camera on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, it’s all of them
Whether it’s a business case, a travel plan, or just a moment of fun, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the phone I trust the most. I talk about the S23 Ultra’s cameras all the time, but the joy of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is never having to worry about it.
Galaxy S23 Ultra is the perfect phone for those who like “Look at that weird bird!”. When I have time to plan my photos, I prefer the OnePlus 11, which takes great, stylish photos. I love experimenting with unusual angles with foldable phones like the Motorola Razr Plus. However, my life has surprises and I have to be prepared.
When I discovered the school dance my niece forgot to mention, I needed to know my camera would be able to capture those fleeting moments of choreography and cheerleading.
I reviewed Motorola Razr Plus a while ago. We regret my analytics policy of only using the respective mobile phone. The Razr Plus wasn’t able to take great photos even at the slightest zoom from the back of the stalls. In the resulting photos, my niece was blurry, buxom, and I’ll never have a chance to capture that moment again.
I won’t make the same mistake when high school graduation comes around. If I wasn’t carrying my big Nikon D750, I’d definitely be carrying a superzoom phone like the one that replaces the Galaxy S23 Ultra (Galaxy S27 Ultra?).
This situation certainly plays into the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 10x optical zoom capabilities, but the camera is simply more capable overall than any other phone. When I’m baking a batch of delicious scones, I know the S23 Ultra takes amazing food photos that look like a dream, in the best of ways. When my dog snoozes sweetly, I know my Galaxy S23 Ultra will snap the low-light photo quickly, before she assumes a new pose.
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The Galaxy S23 Ultra has always been well received
One of the more esoteric reasons I prefer the Galaxy S23 Ultra over the rest of my phones is simply reliability. Quite frankly, the equipment needed to properly test network signal strength and connection quality is beyond the reach of all but the most dedicated tech publications. I can say from my own experience that when I need a phone to check network strength, I use the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
As a former summer camp instructor, I spent time in the mountains of Pennsylvania surrounded by friends who clutched their best iPhones. When they couldn’t catch a single service bar, I had no trouble texting and surfing the internet.
when you are in PCMag.com Due to the need to test the best mobile networks in 2022 across the country, they have turned to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, often using one of Samsung’s best phones for this perpetual test. Samsung does not pay for this privilege. PCMag uses Galaxy S phones because Samsung phones reliably get the best service.
There are a lot of great phones to buy, and everyone has different priorities that are totally valid. I prioritize too much. All this is very important. I need a phone that can do everything other smartphones can do, and more. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the best phone you can buy, and the one I use before anyone else.
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