10 Pros and Cons of Samsung Galaxy A23

The Galaxy A23 is a mid-range smartphone that offers affordability without sacrificing quality. It is an alternative to the Galaxy A22 LTE. The primary camera on this phone is a notable feature.

The primary camera of the Galaxy A23 is equipped with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a feature shared with the previous model. This feature is uncommon among smartphones in this price range.

However, OIS is not the only selling factor for this device. The Galaxy A23 has a number of interesting additional features. This article will discuss all these features as well as their potential downsides.

Specification of Samsung Galaxy A23

Pros of Samsung Galaxy A23

The pandemic has caused some people to think of midrange phones as less attractive. Nevertheless, despite these challenges, Samsung was able to design the Galaxy A23, which offers a variety of benefits listed below.

1. Design

Compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy A23 has endured a significant makeover. The design of the camera module and display received the most significant modifications.

The Galaxy A23's camera module now resembles the Galaxy A52, similar to the Galaxy A33 5G and Galaxy A53 5G. This module has a protrusion, but the connection between it and the rear cover is seamless.

While the Galaxy A22 adopted an infinity-u screen design, the Galaxy A23 switches to an infinity-v display. Samsung uses the term 'infinity-u' for screens with a front-camera cutout resembling the letter 'U', while 'infinity-v' describes a 'V-shaped' notch.

Further, the Galaxy A23 has a glossy flat back cover, available in three soothing colors: Black, Peach, and Blue. The latter two are our favorite picks.

On another note, the Galaxy A23 retains a curved frame, despite its flat back cover. This shape makes the phone more comfortable to hold, contouring well with the hand.

Also, there are the volume and power buttons (which also function as a fingerprint scanner) on the right, while the bottom features a microphone, a USB-C port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a speaker outlet.

On the left side, there's a versatile triple-slot tray that can accommodate two SIM cards and a microSD card (up to 1TB) simultaneously. A secondary microphone is located at the top.

2. Display

Samsung has adopted a PLS TFT panel (analogous to IPS LCD) for the Galaxy A23's display, which may seem like a downgrade from the AMOLED screen. However, considering the resolution and screen size, the Galaxy A23 sees an improvement.

The Galaxy A23's display now boasts Full HD resolution (1080 x 2408 pixels), an upgrade from the A22's HD resolution (720 x 1600 pixels). With a screen dimension of 6.6 inches, which is slightly larger than that of the A22, and a higher resolution, the display provides a sharper and more detailed picture.

Even though the Galaxy A23 uses a PLS TFT screen, it supports an adaptive 90Hz refresh rate. This enhancement makes scrolling through your social media feeds like Twitter or Facebook smoother.

According to iPhone Droid, the display's brightness is not as intense as an AMOLED panel, but it still provides a pleasant viewing experience for consuming content and gaming.

Moreover, the Galaxy A23's display has Widevine L1 certification, meaning it supports Full HD playback on Netflix or HBO Go. The display is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, shielding it from potential scratches from keys or accidental falls.

3. Processor

The Galaxy A23 runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 680 SoC, supported by 6GB RAM and 128GB built-in storage. According to Samsung, this model performs 20% better than the Galaxy A22, which was equipped with the MediaTek Helio G80 SoC.

The Snapdragon 680 has an eight-core CPU SoC. It's composed of four Kryo 265 Gold cores with a maximum clock speed of 2.4GHz and four Kryo 265 Silver cores that can reach up to 1.9GHz.

The Kryo 265 Gold is based on the Cortex A73, while the Kryo 265 Silver originates from the Cortex A53. Though these Cortex A73 and Cortex A53 microarchitectures might seem somewhat outdated, they have been upgraded with Qualcomm's modern 6 nm fabrication process in the Snapdragon 680.

Theoretically, this enhances performance and reduces power consumption when compared to the Snapdragon 662, which has similar components but uses an 11 nm fabrication process.

In addition to its eight-core CPU, the Snapdragon 680 features the Adreno 610 GPU (graphics processing unit), Hexagon 686 DSP (digital signal processor), Spectra 346 ISP (image signal processor), and an in-built 4G X11 LTE modem.

As for its performance, we've referred to synthetic benchmark tests carried out by iPhone Droid for an objective evaluation. In the AnTuTu 9 application, the phone scored 246,511 points. On the GeekBench 5 application, it achieved a CPU score of 383 for single-core and 1585 for multi-core.

While these benchmark scores might not seem competitive for their price range, it is important to remember that benchmark scores do not always reflect actual performance. In reality, the Galaxy A23 showed a proficient performance in daily use.

4. Camera

The Galaxy A23 is equipped with four rear cameras. The primary camera is an impressive 50 MP, featuring an f/1.8 aperture, autofocus, and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).

The primary camera is supplemented by three others: a 5 MP ultrawide lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a 123˚ field of view; a 2 MP macro lens with an f/2.4 aperture; and a 2 MP depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. All rear cameras are aided by a single flash.

For selfies, the Galaxy A23 offers an 8 MP front camera with an f/2.2 aperture. All cameras on this phone can record videos up to Full HD (1080p) at 30 fps, except for the macro camera which lacks video recording capability.

The Galaxy A23's photo quality is quite pleasing. The photos are sharp and the colors appear natural, making them ideal for sharing on social media platforms.

However, owing to their natural color balance, some pictures might look slightly washed out. This is noted in both the main camera and the ultrawide camera. Meanwhile, the selfie camera generates pleasing photos with accurate skin color representation, good detailing, and a satisfactory dynamic range.

The inclusion of OIS in the main camera proves extremely beneficial. It minimizes camera shake when shooting in night mode, resulting in sharp low-light photos with minimal noise.

Nikhil Shrestha of Gadget Byte provided several examples of pictures captured by the Galaxy A23.

5. Battery

The Samsung Galaxy A23 is equipped with a substantial 5000mAh battery. Samsung claims that the battery of this device can sustain up to two days for regular use. A PCMark Work 3.0 Battery Life assessment performed by the Gadget Byte team found the battery longevity of this phone to be remarkable.

The battery endurance reaches up to 18 hours and 3 minutes in the 60Hz refresh rate setting. This result is notable since other devices with the same battery capacity have achieved lower scores. For example, the Galaxy A32 scores a battery lifespan of 13 hours and 32 minutes.

One appealing feature of this phone's power functionality is the incorporation of 25W fast charging technology. According to a test conducted by Gadget Byte, it takes roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes to charge the battery from 1% to full capacity, provided that a compatible charger is used.

The charger that comes with the phone in the package delivers only 15W. However, the inclusion of a charger in the package is a positive aspect, especially since some of Samsung's mid-range models are sold without a charger.

6. Sensors and Connectivity

In regards to sensor functionality, the Galaxy A23 is quite well-equipped. The device is equipped with an accelerometer, virtual proximity and light sensors, a biometric sensor, a gyroscope, and a compass.

The phone is well-equipped when it comes to connectivity, but it does not support 5G. In addition to supporting 4G, Bluetooth 5.0, 5 GHz WiFi, and NFC, it offers a 3.5 mm audio jack.

Cons of Samsung Galaxy A23

Before coming up with a decision to buy the Galaxy A23, you should consider these four aspects. If these are not important issues for you, then this phone may be suitable for you.

1. Weight and IP Rating

Due to its 6.6-inch display, the Galaxy A23 has a relatively large body size. This device's dimensions are 164.5 x 76.9 x 8.4 inches. At 195 grams, it is not precisely slim and is somewhat heavy. If you are used to managing smartphones weighing between 170 and 180 grams, the Galaxy A23 will need a little adaptation.

Another key point regarding the Galaxy A23's body design is its lack of an IP rating. This phone does not possess any form of IP rating, whether it be IP53, IPX4, or IP67. Therefore, there is no guarantee that this device will resist exposure to dust or water.

3. Gaming Performance

The Galaxy A23 uses the Snapdragon 680 SoC, specifically made to be power-efficient. This is reflected in its modern 6 nm manufacturing process. The outstanding battery test results we've previously discussed, demonstrate how efficient the power usage of this chip is.

Yet, this power efficiency isn't paired with a significant increase in performance. The Snapdragon 680 employs a slightly older microarchitecture, and its Adreno 610 GPU isn't the fastest on the market.

The YouTube channel GontaGantiHape's testing reveals that the Galaxy A23 doesn't excel in gaming performance. For instance, while playing PUBG Mobile, the phone can only handle "Smooth" graphics and a "High" frame rate. It can also manage "Balanced" graphics at a "Medium" frame rate.

Irfan Hilmy, the owner of the GontaGantiHape channel, pointed out that the Galaxy A23's gaming capabilities fall short compared to the Galaxy M22, M32, and A22, which use the MediaTek Helio G80 SoC.

Compared to the Galaxy A23, the Galaxy M22 is able to play PUBG Mobile at "Balanced" graphics with a "Ultra" frame rate, or "HD" graphics with a "High" frame rate.

4. Video Recording

Although the Galaxy A23 has a gyroscope sensor, it seems that Samsung has not fully exploited this feature. This is suggested by the absence of a Super Steady stabilization option in the phone's video recording.

In sample videos taken by the GadgetByte and GontaGantiHape YouTube channels, there don't appear to be any issues with sound, detail, or color. The only drawback is the lack of effective stabilization to reduce shaking.

Conclusion

The Galaxy A23, which was released in March 2022, meets strong competition in its price range, but it still has unique advantages over its competitors.

The main camera features optical image stabilization (OIS), and the battery life is outstanding. OIS is still uncommon in smartphones within this price range.

The Galaxy A23 is an excellent device for daily use. However, it is not designed for intensive gaming. If you are an occasional user who enjoys photography, the Galaxy A23 seems to be an excellent option. So does this phone spark your interest?