The Samsung Galaxy F23 5G is Samsung’s latest attempt to compete in the highly competitive sub-Rs. 20,000 smartphone segment, a space largely dominated by Chinese brands. While it boasts some upgrades over its predecessor, the Galaxy F22, including a more powerful SoC with 5G, a higher-resolution display, and a newer main camera, it lacks a major visual refresh and seems to fall short in certain areas. But does the Galaxy F23 5G hold enough to be your next smartphone? Let’s delve into the details and find out.
Samsung Galaxy F23 5G Price in India
The Samsung Galaxy F23 5G starts at Rs. 17,499 in India for the variant with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which we reviewed. There’s a 6GB variant with the same amount of storage for Rs. 18,499. Samsung had offered an instant Rs. 1,500 discount as an introductory offer. Both variants are available in Aqua Blue and Forest Green.
Samsung Galaxy F23 5G Design
The design updates on the Samsung Galaxy F23 5G are subtle and primarily focused on the back panel. The camera module now features a rectangular design with the lenses aligned vertically. The matte finish of the back panel contrasts pleasingly with the glossy frame. While smudges and fingerprints aren’t immediately apparent on the Forest Green variant, you won’t find a case included in the box.
The Samsung Galaxy F23 5G is a bit heavy and chunky, but the sturdy build feels reassuring despite the all-plastic body. The power button on the right houses an integrated fingerprint sensor. The bottom edge houses the headphone jack, USB Type-C port, and single speaker. The SIM tray is located on the left, at the top, supporting two nano-SIMs as well as a microSD card.
The display has seen improvements compared to its predecessor. It features an LCD panel this time, instead of AMOLED, but with a full-HD+ resolution and a 120Hz maximum refresh rate. It also boasts Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. However, the front of the phone looks rather dated with its prominent notch, thick chin, and thick black bezels surrounding the display.
Samsung Galaxy F23 5G Specifications and Software
The Samsung Galaxy F23 5G gets a significant performance boost with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC, making it a substantial improvement over its predecessor. It supports 12 5G bands in India, ensuring some degree of future-proofing. The device comes equipped with the standard assortment of connectivity features, including dual-band Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5, NFC, and multiple satellite navigation systems. However, it lacks stereo speakers and any IP rating for water resistance.
The Galaxy F23 5G runs One UI 4.1, based on Android 12. Samsung has promised two years of software updates and four years of security updates for the phone, a significant commitment in this segment. While it lacks an always-on display and Samsung DeX support, the device provides a familiar experience for users of previous mid-range Samsung models. One UI is feature-rich, offering a smooth user experience despite some initial sluggishness. There are a few preinstalled apps, but these can be uninstalled.
Samsung Galaxy F23 5G Performance and Battery Life
It’s essential to consider the 6GB variant over the 4GB variant of the Samsung Galaxy F23 5G. Our review of the 4GB variant revealed severe RAM management issues, leading to sluggish performance. Despite the RAM expansion feature allocating 4GB of storage as RAM, it didn’t improve the experience significantly.
Even basic tasks like switching between portrait and landscape orientation in the gallery app resulted in notable lag, making the overall usage experience frustrating. Benchmark scores were lower than expected, likely due to RAM limitations. The AnTuTu benchmark could only run the lite version of its 3DBench suite, resulting in a score of 303,898 points. Graphical benchmarks, such as the T-Rex test in GFXBench, fared slightly better, averaging 77fps.
The single speaker delivers loud media and game sounds but lacks stereo sound. The display brightness was satisfactory indoors with good color reproduction, although not as vibrant as an AMOLED panel. However, under direct sunlight, the display washed out significantly, hindering legibility. Automatic brightness adjustment behaved erratically, failing to increase brightness beyond 50% even under harsh sunlight.
Casual games ran smoothly on the Samsung Galaxy F23 5G, but heavier titles struggled. Asphalt 9: Legends displayed a lack of visual fidelity and stuttering, while PUBG: New State defaulted to the Low graphics setting, resulting in unimpressive visuals. While bumping up the visual quality improved the aesthetics, the game ran poorly. The underwhelming performance was surprising considering the SoC’s capabilities.
The battery life of the Samsung Galaxy F23 5G features a slightly lower capacity than its predecessor, but the 5,000mAh battery should be sufficient for most users. We achieved a two-day runtime on a single charge, a highly commendable performance. Our HD video loop test validated this, reporting a runtime of 21 hours and 49 minutes before requiring a recharge.
The Galaxy F23 5G supports up to 25W fast charging, but it necessitates either purchasing Samsung’s charger or using a compatible PD fast charger. Using a 65W power adapter with a Type-C output, we achieved a 44% charge in half an hour and an 80% charge in an hour. It took another 20 minutes to reach 100%.
Samsung Galaxy F23 5G Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy F23 5G features a 50-megapixel primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The front is equipped with an 8-megapixel selfie camera. The camera app is packed with features, including Single Take – a feature seen on higher-end Samsung models, and a ‘Fun’ shooting mode allowing filter application for both front and rear cameras.
During daylight, the main camera performed well with landscapes and close-up shots, capturing decent details and satisfactory colors. However, artificial indoor lighting often resulted in pale, washed-out images. The ultra-wide camera performed better with colors in such scenarios, but with significantly less detail.
Daytime close-ups looked good, featuring a pleasant depth of field and sharp details. Macro shots, however, were underwhelming, lacking sharp details and accurate colors – even under adequate sunlight.
Low-light performance, a significant drawback of the Galaxy F22, has seen marginal improvement on the Galaxy F23 5G, ranking as merely average. Close-up shots were passable under dim lighting, but capturing wider scenes at night proved challenging. While details were acceptable, they were not outstanding. Sadly, Night Mode failed to deliver significant detail enhancement but did correct exposure on light sources. The ultra-wide camera is best avoided in low light unless the scene is exceptionally well-lit.
The selfie camera surprised us with its performance. Under bright daylight, light metering was handled effectively, achieving proper exposure for both the face and the background. Skin tones, hair details, and clothing were captured with great accuracy. In low light, steadiness is crucial to avoid blur, but overall, colors and details exceeded expectations.
The Samsung Galaxy F23 5G can capture videos at up to 4K resolution, but stabilisation is unavailable at this resolution. Daytime quality was good, but low-light footage was average. Video recording at 1080p benefited from effective stabilisation, even when moving on bumpy roads. The camera app allows switching to the ultra-wide camera during recording, a useful feature. Low-light video quality remained poor even at 1080p, and electronic stabilisation introduced unpleasant artefacts into the footage when moving during filming.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy F23 5G shines in battery life, offering an excellent two-day runtime. The upgraded hardware with ample 5G bands and the promise of timely software updates should keep the device relevant for a few years. However, we strongly recommend the 6GB RAM variant over the 4GB variant, as our review revealed frustratingly slow performance with the latter.
Compared to the Galaxy F22 5G, the display boasts impressive specs with a higher refresh rate, but it unfortunately falls short in brightness – limiting its outdoor usability in direct sunlight. The cameras, while showing some improvement, remain only average. Low-light performance, a recurring problem in the F-series, still needs substantial work.
The Galaxy F23 5G faces stiff competition within the sub-Rs. 20,000 segment. You might want to consider the Vivo T1 (with a snappy processor and capable cameras) or the recently launched iQoo Z6. Oppo is making waves with its upcoming K10, expected to be priced under Rs. 20,000. Even the Redmi Note 11 Pro, should you be willing to forgo 5G, remains a strong contender.
Furthermore, older models such as the Realme 8s 5G and Narzo 30 Pro 5G offer strong value propositions and deserve consideration.
In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy F23 5G is a decent effort from Samsung, but it falls short compared to the impressive offerings from competitor brands in the sub-Rs. 20,000 segment. While the battery life and overall software experience are commendable, the performance, camera capabilities, and lack of a brighter display hold it back from becoming a truly compelling option.
