A few weeks ago, we discussed the Galaxy S23 Ultra and why it may have marked the end of a 9-year legacy. In short, it might be the last Samsung phone with a curved, a.k.a., ‘Edge' display. And the good news is that it still is awesome in 2024. The bad news is that it isn't cheap, and it's beginning to feel outdated next to its sequel.
If you're a fan of curved screens and aren't ready to switch to flat panels, the Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a valid option in most markets. The phone has a powerful camera system, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip regardless of the region, and a beautiful Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with curved side edges.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is still awesome but expensive
Unfortunately, if you want to hold on to the curved display design for as long as possible, you will have to pay a price. Literally and figuratively. The Galaxy S23 Ultra isn't cheap, and the newer S24 Ultra does make it look more outdated than it is.
Even if the Galaxy S23 Ultra can now run most Galaxy AI tools and features thanks to the One UI 6.1 update, it still lacks some of the things you'll find on the newer Galaxy S24 Ultra, including Super HDR and Photo Ambient Wallpaper.
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You also miss out on a few hardware advancements introduced by the Galaxy S24 Ultra, such as a brighter 2600 nits screen with Gorilla Armor protection and the newer and more powerful Snapdragon 8 gen 3 chip. Furthermore, the S23 Ultra won't provide seven OS upgrades and eight years of security patches.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle in buying the Galaxy S23 Ultra and using a mobile phone with a curved screen is the price. Samsung continues selling new Galaxy S23 Ultra units, but availability can vary, and it isn't a cheap phone by any means.
As of this writing, the unlocked Galaxy S23 Ultra in the USA is available only with 1TB of storage, and it costs $1,619. It's only $40 cheaper than the 1TB Galaxy S24 Ultra, and needless to say, that $40 price difference is too small to make the Galaxy S23 Ultra worth the trouble. Unless you really need a curved screen and are willing to make all these sacrifices.
You can keep looking around for deals while the S23 Ultra is still relatively new and in stock, and if you can find it for a lower price, it is indeed the best curved-screen phone option Samsung still has available. Plus, it might be the last, which kind of makes it a bit of a collector's item.
