Samsung Galaxy S23

Samsung Galaxy S23

Rather than risk total insanity trying to use the fingerprint reader on my Samsung S22, and having read a review of the S23 that said it had a much improved fingerprint reader, I switched to an S23. I had also tried facial recognition on the S22, but found it failed about as often as the fingerprint reader.

So the S23, after just a few days of use - much better fingerprint reader - larger area of operation, faster, more reliable.

The internet seems faster with the S23. Maybe the new processor or maybe the 5G radio works better. I Heart Radio seems to run much better when I'm out walking - much shorter dropouts.

The S23 is very close to the same size as the S22. In a thin case, it fits nicely into my Turtleback belt case. I have used this case for years with a Pixel 4A and the S22. It's getting a bit ragged around the corners, but still works very nicely. By far, the best phone case that I have owned. And the long life and real leather justifies the price (currently $40 on sale, usually $65).

MagSafe covers are now available for Android phones. I tried a Torras. In addition to the magnet ring, it has a ridge around the back edge that lets the phone lie flat on a table. The ridge adds a bit of thickness but it still fits in my Turtleback belt case.

Samsung Android has an app called Game Booster that puts a settings icon on the screen that is quite annoying. To my knowledge, you cannot disable it on the S23, despite many internet posts that tell you how to disable it on other phones. You get either the settings icon, a gray bar that expands into a settings menu, or notifications that complain that Game Booster is not allowed to be on top of other apps.

The always on lock screen is too dark in dim places and doesn't update quickly after removing it from a case. You have the option of automatic brightness control or a specific brightness setting. Neither of these work well. It needs to be automatic, adjusted by a base brightness. This seems to be a case of save the battery at the expense of useful function. Samsung - please let me choose that compromise. And as with the S22, no next alarm display.

Moving to the S23 was not too bad. Samsung has an automated app to copy everything from your old phone. A few settings don't get passed along. Nova Prime and File Manager Plus didn't copy - easily fixed.

So the S23 is a big improvement over the S22. I feel sorry for people who are stuck with an S22 for two years.

2023-07-21 - after a month - the fingerprint reader on the S23 is far superior to the S22. It works almost every time. A clumsy location compared to the back of the phone on the Pixel 4a, but I can take it off my list of life's annoyances.