Galaxy S23 First Impressions: Is A 6.1-Inch Flagship The Ideal Form Factor?

Small form factor devices aren't as popular as the big Apple iPhone 14 Pro Plus or the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra models and the ideal form factor of smartphones is a debatable topic.

When it comes to single-handedly operating a phone, big-screen devices fail miserably.

Source : Image: Krishna SinhaChaudhury/ABP Live

The ideal form factor of smartphones is a debatable topic and we all know that smartphones with small form factors aren't as popular as the large Apple iPhone 14 Pro Plus or the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra models as these are great for browsing the internet, binge-watching series and films as well as playing games. To recall, Apple ditched the iPhone mini variant last year when it unveiled the iPhone 14 series, which made me wonder if smaller form factor smartphones aren't as good.

Different sizes and different form factors change the way how you look at a smartphone and it takes some amount of time to get used to.

How pocketable and compact is the Galaxy S23?

When it comes to single-handedly operating a smartphone, big-screen phones fail miserably. There is a chunk of buyers that still prefer compact form factors in smartphones, against the norm of most flagships that go way beyond the 6-inch screen mark. Then there are the buyers with small hands that long for compact devices that can be handled and operated comfortably, without having to worry about dropping the device. 

While I have been a fan of big, bright AMOLED displays, such as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (read our detailed review here), but using the Apple iPhone 14  (read our detailed review here) last year made me realise how important a small form factor is. Furthermore, there is no denying that viewing content on bigger displays is a charm, but using the Galaxy S23, for its screen size and smaller build was super convenient. For me, the S23's 6.1-inch screen and the overall form factor are perfect. Well, almost.

Samsung Galaxy S23: Price in India, availability

The vanilla S23, in fact, is lighter than the iPhone 14. The Galaxy S23's dimensions are 70.9 x 146.3 x 7.6 while iPhone 14's are 71.5 x 146.7 x 7.80. The S23 weighs a little less than the iPhone 14 at 168 grams. The Galaxy S23 has a layer of Gorilla Glass for protection and comes with an octa-core customised for Galaxy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. The S23 also has 8GB of RAM and it is powered by a 3,700mAh non-removable battery. The Samsung Galaxy S23 also comes with fast charging as well as wireless charging. The price of the S23 in India starts at Rs 74,999 for the 8GB/128GB variant and it is currently available for pre-booking. The 8GB/256GB storage model of Galaxy S23 costs Rs 79,999.

It wasn't possible for me to reach the top of the iPhone 14's display during one-handed usage and it's a tad easier to do the same on the Galaxy S23. I could scroll through and check emails without feeling burdened by the S23.

With a smaller footprint and less weight than the rest of the Galaxy S23 models, the vanilla Galaxy S23 has the potential be a tempting flagship, which does not compromise on the top-notch features and is also suitable for one-handed use.