The Arrival
The Package
The fake S23 Ultra arrived after a labyrinth of shady WhatsApp messages and sketchy transactions. To my surprise, the package included a Samsung-branded bag, seemingly designed to fool people into believing it’s authentic. This blatant attempt to facilitate scams highlights the reason why I create such content—to expose counterfeit products.
Inside the package, I found:
- A plastic case
- The fake Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Layers of bubble wrap
First Impressions
The Box
The counterfeit device came in a box eerily similar to the real Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra box. While the color and text were slightly off, someone unfamiliar with the original would likely be fooled. Even the back of the box displayed authentic-seeming details, like “Do not accept if seal is broken.”
Unboxing the Fake S23 Ultra
What’s Inside
The fake S23 Ultra mimicked the real packaging almost perfectly. Inside the box, I found:
- A SIM ejector tool
- Instructions
- A poorly placed USB-C cable
The counterfeit seal was surprisingly convincing, and the phone itself felt heavier than expected. The plastic cover sheet even had instructions similar to the real one.
Comparing Fake Models
Side-by-Side
I compared the fake S23 Ultra to the real one and last year’s fake S22 Ultra. Here’s what stood out:
- Design: Both fake and real devices have similar buttons and an S Pen. However, the fake phone’s SIM card tray didn’t sit flush.
- Screen: The fake S23 Ultra’s screen was more squared than last year’s rounded-corner design.
- Build Quality: The fake device felt heavier, but minor details, like a missing square shape at the top, gave it away.
Internal Specifications
Performance
The fake S23 Ultra runs on an outdated Mediatek 6580WP processor, the same one used in the seven-year-old Zenfone Go. It also claimed to have an Adreno 650 GPU, which is misleading as it mimics the real S23 Ultra’s specs superficially.
IMEI Trick
Alarmingly, the fake phone displayed an IMEI number corresponding to a real Galaxy S23 Ultra. This deceptive tactic underscores the importance of verifying a phone’s authenticity through multiple means.
Features
Battery
The battery claims a capacity of 4,300mAh, but opening the phone revealed a smaller 3,000mAh battery. While it lasted a day during testing, the discrepancy is another red flag.
S Pen
The fake S Pen was surprisingly functional and much improved over last year’s version. It featured better build quality with a rubber tip compared to the all-plastic version of the fake S22 Ultra.
Cameras
The fake S23 Ultra’s camera performance was disappointing, with poorer quality than the fake S22 Ultra. In contrast, the real S23 Ultra’s camera outperformed it by a mile.
Speaker and Microphone
Sound Quality
Testing the speaker and microphone revealed:
- The fake S22 Ultra was louder than the fake S23 Ultra.
- The fake S23 Ultra microphone was slightly better but still subpar.
Opening the Device
Internal Hardware
Opening the fake phone revealed:
- Battery: Incorrectly labeled and smaller than advertised.
- Cameras: Only one real camera sensor; the others were non-functional.
- Build Quality: Cleaner internal assembly compared to last year’s model but still lacking durability and repairability.
