Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra suddenly looks less appealing after new specs leak

Samsung's flagship Android phone may struggle to win over fans

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra render front view
(Image credit: SmartPrix)

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of the most highly-anticipated handsets this year. Samsung's flagship Android phone is tipped to be one of the best phones available once it gets released.

A recent leak of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's design render suggested a sleek handset with a gentle, but noticeable, redesign. The bezels were uniformly slim around the display and the camera array looked flush with the back of the case.

It was hugely popular with fans online. Coupled with an earlier leak of the technical specs, the S23 Ultra was shaping up to be a real disruptor in the world of high-end phones.

But that may be about to change, thanks to new information from renowned tipster, Ice Universe. A post on their official Twitter account says, "[S23 Ultra] doesn't have a symmetrical bezel like the CAD rendering, it still has a narrow forehead and a wide chin."

That design is the same as the one found on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. It's not necessarily a bad design, but the uniform bezel depth on the rendered images definitely captured the imagination of Samsung lovers.

The tweet goes on to say, "the laser focus sensor and 3X lens of the camera part are not flat, and there is still a little bulge."

It sounds like the S23 Ultra's design will be much more similar to the previous generation, then. 

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: what's new?

If previous tech spec leaks are to be believed, the S23 Ultra will feature a massive 200MP main sensor. That will pull it in line with the recently released Xiaomi 12T Pro, while a 1/1.3" sensor size keeps it competitive with the iPhone 14 Pro. It looks set to remain part of a five-sensor array, with four cameras and one laser focus sensor on the current generation.

Samsung has traditionally favoured top-spec camera technology in its handsets, and the recent release of the Vivo X90 Pro and the Xiaomi 12T Pro has shown that cheaper devices can keep the pace.

Of course, software is just as big a part of a good phone camera as hardware these days, and Samsung is likely to have the edge there. 

Sam Cross
Staff Writer

Online news writer at T3.com, Sam has five years of experience in online and print journalism, with work featured in publications like Metro and Last Word on Sports. After years writing about music and football, Sam now turns his hand to bringing you news about new phones, smart home products, smart watches, laptops and TVs. Sam is a longtime fan and user of Apple products, including iPhones, MacBooks and Apple Watches.He’s also T3’s resident football expert, bringing you everything you need to know about the big games, including how to watch them. In his spare time, Sam is a keen guitarist, watch lover and (very) amateur golfer.