Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Phantom Black 256GB

The Galaxy S23 Ultra still has one of the best cameras on any phone, with a 99th percentile score and 10x optical zoom. Battery life is excellent, and the S Pen is a genuine differentiator. Performance has slipped to 80th percentile, but at $398 on the low end, this is a ridiculous deal.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 8GB of RAM and UFS 4 storage keeps things snappy. Apps open fast, multitasking is smooth, and the 120Hz display makes everything feel fluid. But the 80th percentile performance score tells the real story: newer flagships like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and OnePlus 13 have pulled ahead in raw benchmarks. That said, the 200MP camera is the star here. It captures absurd detail in good light, and Night Mode genuinely works. The 10x optical zoom is still one of the best on any phone. Video tops out at 8K@30fps, which is overkill for most people but nice to have. The 45W wired charging isn't the fastest anymore, but the 5000mAh battery easily gets through a full day.

Against the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the S23 Ultra wins on zoom and battery but loses on software polish and update longevity. The iPhone 16 Pro Max beats it on raw performance and video quality, but you're locked into iOS and paying a premium. The OnePlus 13 has a newer chip and faster charging, but its camera can't touch the 200MP sensor here. The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is a completely different beast with its foldable form factor, and the Nothing Phone 4a Pro is a budget alternative that doesn't compete on specs. If camera zoom and battery life are your priorities, the S23 Ultra still holds its own against all of them.

Pricing is all over the place right now. US listings range from $398 to $800, and Canadian listings span CAD 636 to CAD 1,148. That's a massive spread, and it means you need to shop carefully. The cheapest US option at $398 is an absolute steal for this hardware, especially if you're okay with a refurb or open box unit. At $800, it's a harder sell when newer phones are right around the corner. If you're in Canada, the CAD 636 listing is the one to hunt for. The value proposition here depends entirely on which listing you land on.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is Samsung throwing everything at the wall and most of it sticking. You get a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED panel that hits 1750 nits, a 200MP main camera, the S Pen tucked inside, and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that still holds its own. It's a big phone at 234g, but it earns that weight with a 5000mAh battery and a camera system that's basically a pocket telescope.

Our database puts the camera in the 99th percentile, which is about as good as it gets on a phone right now. Battery life and features both land in the 96th percentile. The only real knock is performance sitting at the 80th percentile, which sounds low until you remember this chip is still faster than what most people actually need.

Skip this if you need the absolute fastest performance or the longest software support. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is showing its age against newer chips, and Samsung's update timeline for the S23 Ultra won't match what you'd get from a Pixel 9 Pro XL or iPhone 16 Pro Max. Also skip it if you hate heavy phones, 234g is noticeable after an hour of scrolling in bed.

Buy this if you want a phone with a top-tier camera, all-day battery, and the S Pen without paying current flagship prices. It's especially good for photographers, note-takers, and anyone who wants a big screen for media. The performance gap is real but not a dealbreaker for everyday use. Just make sure you're getting one of the cheaper listings.