It’s 2025, How Does the Samsung S23 Ultra Hold Up Today?

When the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra launched back in early 2023, it was hailed as a powerhouse: a productivity beast with a 12MP Ultrawide camera, S-Pen support, and enough raw performance to rival laptops. Fast forward to 2025, two years, two generations, and dozens of competing flagships later, and many are asking:

Is the S23 Ultra still worth holding onto today? Or has time finally caught up to Samsung’s 2023 king?

As someone who’s been using the S23 Ultra as my daily driver since mid-2023, here’s how it really holds up, after the hype, the updates, and the inevitable battery cycles.

Camera: Still a Heavy Hitter

The main camera is no longer a headline-grabber in 2025, but that doesn’t mean it’s outdated. With Samsung’s post-launch software updates and improved AI image processing, the S23 Ultra still produces sharp, vibrant images, especially in daylight and portrait modes.

The 10x zoom is where it continues to outshine many newer phones. While other brands have started matching 5x or 6x optical zoom, few do long-range zoom as consistently clean as the S23 Ultra. Low-light shots are decent, though some newer mid-range phones with computational photography tricks are catching up.

If you’re someone who takes photos of documents, pets, or casual travel, it still punches way above what you'd expect from a 2-year-old device.

Performance and Battery Life: Not Slowing Down (Much)

Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, performance is still snappy. Apps open fast, multitasking is smooth, and paired with Samsung’s One UI optimizations, I rarely feel like I’m using “old tech.”

That said, battery life has taken a hit. My S23 Ultra doesn’t last as long as it used to, especially after the new One UI update, or after heavy gaming sessions. It still comfortably gets me through a regular workday, but I now carry a power bank on longer outings, which I didn’t need to do during year one.

Gaming is still great, though it runs warmer now on games like Once Human, or Pokemon GO. The 120Hz display remains buttery smooth, and I’ve yet to feel “held back” by the hardware in everyday use.

The S-Pen and Display: A Love Story That Aged Well

The 6.8-inch AMOLED display remains one of the best in the industry. In 2025, even with the S25 Ultra and foldables pushing refresh rates and peak brightness higher, the S23 Ultra’s screen is still a joy to use, especially for reading, media consumption, and editing photos.

The S-Pen integration is also still underrated. Taking quick notes, sketching, or even photo editing on the go still feels fast, fluid, and natural. If you're a student, creator, or serial list-maker, the S23 Ultra remains one of the few phones that truly gets pen input.

Software & Longevity: Samsung’s Promise Pays Off

With Samsung promising four years of major OS updates and five years of security updates, the S23 Ultra continues to receive Android and One UI upgrades. As of early 2025, it’s running the latest Android version, complete with refreshed UI elements and minor AI features trickling in from newer models.

That said, not all new features make it to the S23 Ultra, especially Samsung’s latest AI-driven camera or productivity tools, which are kept exclusive to newer flagships for “hardware limitations” (read: marketing reasons). Still, the core experience is rock solid.

Verdict: Still a Beast, If You Already Own It

If you already have the S23 Ultra: keep it. It’s aging gracefully, handles most 2025 apps and tasks like a champ, and the camera/screen combo is still elite.

If you’re thinking of buying it secondhand or refurbished? It’s a great choice, as long as:

• You get a model with a healthy battery

• You don’t need the latest AI features

• You can live without the wow-factor of the newest camera modules

TL;DR

• Still a great camera, especially with 10x zoom

• Battery aging is noticeable but manageable

• Performance is solid for 2025 apps and games

• Display + S-Pen are still top-tier

• Great value secondhand; even better if you already own it