Samsung Galaxy S23: price, carriers, and how to buy

Another year, another round of flagship Samsung phones. This time around, Samsung used its Unpacked event to announce a new line of Galaxy Books, in addition to the Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra. The latter probably feels familiar to last year’s S22 generation, as there are once again three models to choose from: a big-ish one, a bigger one, and the biggest one. That last one, the S23 Ultra, features souped-up specs, a stylus, and some big megapixel gains. However, each member of the S23 family is promising faster performance than last year’s model thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processors.

The S23 flock starts at $799.99 and goes up to $1,199.99 (unless you opt for pricey storage upgrades), and all three models are set to arrive on February 17th. That gives you plenty of time to mull over your purchase decision, especially if you don’t feel obligated to be an early adopter. That said, Samsung is once again getting out of the gate early with some promos for those tempted to spring for a new smartphone right away.

We fully support anyone who wants to wait for our full reviews (which are in the works) to make a buying decision. But in the meantime, we’ve compiled a list of where you can preorder (and where you can get the best value) for those who are less patient.

The base Galaxy S23 starts at $799.99 with 128GB of storage and comes in cream, lavender, green, and black. However, if you’re preordering before the phone’s launch on February 17th, you can take advantage of a free 256GB storage upgrade — which normally costs an additional $60. The entry-level phone of the 2023 Galaxy S lineup is available to preorder at Amazon, Best Buy, and direct from Samsung. Each retailer will give you $50 with the purchase as a credit / gift card for a later purchase. Samsung’s site also offers exclusive color options of graphite and lime, though they arrive later on February 28th.

The S23 may be the smallest and cheapest of this new class, but its larger battery and new processor are hoping to quell the power-hungry habits of last year’s S22. If you don’t want a phone that’s way too big (but, like, a little big is okay), then this is likely the one to choose.

The jumbo-size Galaxy S23 Plus starts at $999.99 with 256GB of storage, and it comes in all of the same colors as its counterparts. Like the standard S23, preordering the larger 6.6-inch Plus model before it launches on the 17th will get you a free storage upgrade, allowing you to make the jump to the 512GB model (which is the highest-end configuration of the S23 Plus). It’s available to preorder at Amazon, Best Buy, and direct from Samsung. Preordering from any of them will net you a $100 gift card for that retailer.

The S23 Plus may look a little like the awkward middle child between the base S23 and the Ultra, but it may be just right if you don’t care about using a stylus on your big-screened Galaxy flagship.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra, the ultra-flagship of the S23 line, starts with 256GB of storage for a hefty $1,199.99. The current preorder promo means you can get the 512GB model for the same price, which saves $180. The Ultra is also available in the same four colors as its lesser S23 compatriots at Amazon, Best Buy, and direct from Samsung. Ordering the stylus-equipped 6.8-inch chonker of a smartphone will also net you a $100 gift card from your chosen retailer. If you want some extra-special colors for your Ultra, Samsung offers it in graphite, sky blue, red, and lime.

The S23 Ultra is as flagship-y as Samsung gets when it comes to non-folding phones. Last year’s S22 Ultra shocked us a bit with how competitive its photos looked compared to the iPhone 14 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro, so the promise of a new sensor with even more pixels is certainly intriguing.

• In addition to the free storage upgrade, Verizon is offering a “free” Galaxy S23 or $800 off an S23 Plus or Ultra to new customers who switch or current customers who upgrade their existing phone with a qualifying trade-in. You can also get a “free” Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G with your purchase. These deals require you to be on a qualifying 5G Unlimited plan, and you get the money back for those “free” items as monthly bill credits over time. Those who switch to Verizon are also incentivized with a $200 Verizon e-gift card after signing up.
• AT&T is offering the same free storage upgrade for preorders and is offering new and existing customers $1,000 off a Galaxy S23 series phone with an eligible trade-in. So the S23 and S23 Plus can be had for $0 and the S23 Ultra for $199.99 (after those monthly bill credits finish rolling in).
• T-Mobile has also comped the storage upgrades on Samsung’s S23 phones and is offering new and existing customers $800 off the Galaxy S23 or $1,000 off the S23 Plus or S23 Ultra when you add a line on its Magenta Max plan. That makes either phone “free” at the conclusion of 24 months of parsed-out bill credits.