Android phones launched in 2023 might not seem radically different from their predecessors. Butthis year’s Android flagshipswere among the best in the last few years. They packed all the right upgrades in key areas that made a difference in real-life use, delivering a vastly better user experience. So, what exactly did Android phones get right in 2023, and why did they stand out despite not packing significant upgrades over their predecessors?
1. Better sustained performance
Flagship Android smartphones of 2023 delivered significantly better thermal performance than Android flagships launched in the last few years. In 2021, the best Android flagships used the Snapdragon 888 chip, fabricated on Samsung’s 5nm node. And in 2022, phones like theSamsung Galaxy S22 UltraandOnePlus 10 Proused the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, based on Samsung’s 4nm node.
Both SoCs were known for overheating and throttled heavily under heavy load. Yes, some phones performed better than others due to a beefier cooling solution, but that only helped to a limited extent since the chips were inherently inefficient. Even if you did not game on your phone, the hot SoC was an issue, as your phone would throttle when used under direct sunlight for tasks like Google Maps navigation.
Thankfully, Qualcomm made amends with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip last year by switching to a more efficient 4nm TSMC node. And with theSnapdragon 8 Gen 2, the company made things even better. Thanks to newer CPU cores, an updated core layout, and a newer Adreno 740 GPU, 2023 flagship Android smartphones ran extraordinarily cool. You can play Genshin Impact or Call of Duty for hours on theGalaxy S23 Ultraor theOnePlus 11without them getting extremely hot or becoming a laggy mess due to throttling.
Since getting the Galaxy S23 Ultra earlier this year, I have pushed it hard by recording 4K or 8K footage, downloading big files over 5G with multiple apps running in the background, or having a video call while using Google Maps navigation — all in India’s harsh summer. In all these scenarios, the phone just got warm to the touch, but its performance never suffered. None of the Android flagships I used before the Galaxy S23 Ultra in the last few years could do this.
I was impressed with the iPhone 13 Pro’s thermal performance when I used it as a daily driver throughout 2022, and I am glad Android flagships reached (or even surpassed) that level in 2023.
Google’sPixel 8and 8 Pro is the only exception here. Although its newTensor G3chip is fabricated on a more efficient 4nm Samsung node, the Pixel 8 Pro can throttle when used for extensive 4K recording in direct sunlight or Google Maps navigation.
2. Longer battery life
For the longest time, my biggest complaint with Android flagships has been their average or sub-par battery life. You had to buy a budget phone if you wanted an Android phone that could last a day of heavy use and deliver 7 to 8 hours of screen-on time. Most Android flagships were not capable of lasting so long despite their big batteries.
2023’s Android flagships changed that. They can provide 7 to 8 hours of screen-on time on a full charge. And the best part is that you get this battery life irrespective of whether you go for the regular or the Pro/Ultra version. So, even the compactGalaxy S23can get you through a day of heavy use with 5 to 6 hours of screen-on time despite its tiny 3,900mAh cell.
I have gone on multiple road trips, vacations, and numerous events with the Galaxy S23 Ultra as my daily driver since February. And I never had to worry about the phone running out of juice before bedtime, irrespective of how hard it was pushed. I have taken hundreds of pictures and videos in a day, used Google Maps for navigation, browsed the internet, and more. And yet, the Ultra would have 20-25% juice in the tank. All this without having to worry about carrying a charger with me.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is not an exception but the norm. The OnePlus 11, Galaxy S23, S23+,Xiaomi 13 Pro, and other Android flagships launched this year all deliver fantastic battery life. Even ourfavorite foldable phonesfrom the year had better battery life than their predecessor, making it through a day even when its folding screen was used heavily.
2023 Android flagships helped me get rid of my battery anxiety issues, and now I am not ready to go back to phones with average or sub-par battery life.
3. A more consistent camera experience
Instead of adding gimmicky new camera features, 2023 Android phones focused more on delivering a reliable and consistent camera experience. And it was evident. All Android flagships launched this year delivered better zoom performance than their predecessors. More importantly, the camera experience was much more consistent across lenses, with a minimum difference in color science.
So, you could switch between the ultra-wide and primary shooters when clicking pictures or recording a video without worrying about the colors or contrast changing too much. And despite their small size, telephoto camera sensors also performed better, taking sharper photos with better colors and a more consistent white balance. This improvement might not seem like a big deal, but it adds up to deliver a better user experience.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the unsung hero of 2023
All the improvements noted above are heavily reliant on the SoC. And Qualcomm managed to knock it out of the park with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 this year. The San Deigo chipmaker had a few off years, with its flagship Snapdragon chips in 2021 and 2022 suffering from poor thermal performance and overheating issues. This caused many notable flagship Android phones released during the last couple of years to throttle easily or deliver poor battery life.
The company made amends with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, excelling in both performance and efficiency. And thankfully, this does not appear to be a one-off case. It claims impressive performance and efficiency improvements for itsSnapdragon 8 Gen 3chip. Coupled with all the AI integration, expect 2024 Android flagships to deliver an even better user experience. The best part of these improvements is that you could pick any Android phone on sale in 2023, and you would not have regretted your purchase. And it’s likely going to be the same story in 2024.
