When Samsung announced the launch of the Galaxy S22 range, it was basically normal business – with the Galaxy S22 and S22+ and S22+, at least. Its Galaxy S22 Ultra, on contrary, comes with an entirely new experience that makes it more similar than ever before to that of the Galaxy Note range, with new design and a integrated S Pen.
The question is: does the logical replacement to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra have enough to attract customers, particularly with such a price? While it’s far from being the best smartphone, there’s plenty to like about Samsung’s top-of-the-line Galaxy S22 Ultra in 2022.
We know now what you can tell how the Snapdragon and Exynos variants of the premium Galaxy S22 compare. Find out more.
Design & Build
- Galaxy Note design language
- Slick and premium built
- A slight curvature of the frame looks nice when held in your hand.
In comparison to Galaxy smartphones prior to it, some may think it Galaxy S22 Ultra looks a somewhat basic, but I believe that simple looks fantastic on smartphones. It doesn’t need a lot of glaring designs such as refractive glass patterns or huge, flashy logos, particularly on such a high-end piece of equipment.
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In the case of the S22 Ultra, less is definitely more, thanks to an elegant mixture of glass and metal which does the bulk all the talk.
The most striking difference to the other models in the S22 line is the absence of a camera island that surrounds the cameras that are rear-facing. While this does separate S22 Ultra S22 Ultra from the rest of the line however, it is in line with the sleek design with little details such as polished metal housings for the cameras enhancing the look of luxury.
The square-off, sharp edges are similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra design (I have no idea why) …) and can help S22 Ultra S22 Ultra stand out from the crowd of round smartphones and, in contrast to those with flat sides like the iPhone 13, it has a gentle curve that allow it to rest comfortably in your palm.
The curving edge of this 6.8in display aren’t as sharp as waterfall displays similar to Motorola Edge. Motorola Edge the Edge a couple of years ago. There’s little or no issue with screen presses that are accidental or text disappearing from edges of the screen. It’s only enough to show some curvature along the edge. This allows for a smooth side-swipe.
The 6.8in display – more in comparison to it’s predecessor, the iPhone 13 Pro Max however, does mean this S22 Ultra could be somewhat awkward at times, weighing around 8.9mm thick and weighing 229g. It’s not a major issue for me who have large hands however, using that the S22 Ultra to friends really showed that it’s not made for smaller hands – particularly for single-handed usage.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra looks and feels like a top piece of equipment, with a good feeling in your hand. It’s secured from damage by Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the back to keep it safe from harm as well as water and dust resistance to IP68.
I’ve seen several other reviews that have damage to the rear of their phones, which seems too easily, however it could be because they have a second phone inside their pockets, which isn’t the norm. My test phone did tumble on a floor tile and came through the accident unscathed.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Galaxy S22 Ultra is available in a variety of colors that include Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green and Burgundy.
Display
- Stunning 6.8in AMOLED display
- Buttery-smooth 120Hz adaptive refresh rate
- Amazing brightness
Its 6.8in AMOLED display on the S22 Ultra is undoubtedly one of the best features of the phone, and the primary advantage in comparison to other phones. It provides an impressive, bright clear and precise experience that has an extremely smooth and consistent refresh rate.
The display is 3088 1440 x 3088 (WQHD+) resolution, which is equivalent to an average pixel density of 500ppi, which is a striking contrast with Apple’s flagship iPhone as well as its 23,16 1080×1080 (FHD+) display.
Before you get excited, remember that the S22 Ultra comes running a lower 2316 1080×1080 (FHD+) resolution right out of the box and you’ll need to alter the settings manually by yourself. It’s because a high resolution can actually drain your battery especially during playing games. However, the good news is that even at FHD+ resolution the screen looks clean and crisp.
One of the benefits could be the adaptive rate of refresh that will not only make games and apps look and feel more fluid however the ability to change between 1-120Hz will draw less power from batteries than a conventional 120Hz screen, without a significant distinction in performance.
Samsung S22 Ultra is easy to utilize outdoors and even under direct light, and has some of the highest-quality display on smartphones currently available. Samsung states that at standard settings it will reach 1250 nits. A boosted intensity mode (ideal for outdoor usage) can increase the brightness to a higher 1750 nits.
Although it wasn’t able to reach the same heights as it did in testing, with 711 nits using the Spyder X, it’s comfortably more bright than the majority of models currently available. It’s due of Samsung’s Vision Booster tech that’ll automatically adjust brightness, colour and more based on the lighting conditions in order to give you the best viewing experience.
The display beneath it underneath the screen is an ultrasonic fingerprint reader and despite getting been criticized over the years, I was able to find it to work flawlessly for the S22 Ultra. It’s about three-quarters of the way to the bottom edge. This is the place where my thumb is naturally and the process of unlocking is fast and quick.
There’s also face unlock, but this isn’t as safe as fingerprint or PIN It’s not Face ID after all.
The display also has a small 40Mp holepunch camera that is located on top of the display. However, its size and dimensions display meant that it was not evident in everyday use.
S Pen
- Incredible low-latency performance
- The smartphone is stored in the phone when it’s not when it is not
- Pressure and tilt are sensitive
Although last year’s Galaxy S21 Ultra offered compatibility with the S Pen stylus, the S22 Ultra goes full-Note by including the ability to integrate an S Pen, thus completing the switch to Note-but-not-Note. If you’re enjoying the user experience offered by The Note 20, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the successor with no difference in name.
The slim and flexible stylus is hidden inside its body when it’s not being used, and is you can access it by pressing downwards on the stylus and pulling it out. It’s unlikely to be accidentally snatched away as it has a grippy surface on the pen that requires you to forcefully get it out of its hidden-hole.
Although it’s a bit too small for our hands however, the stylus is enjoyable to use. This is mostly due to Samsung’s magic of latency which has been reduced from 9ms down to an astonishing 2.8ms for Samsung’s S22 Ultra.
It provides a fast response to writing text, giving the most natural pen-to paper feel when writing notes while on the move and sketching with PenUP particularly when paired with Samsung’s sound effects for scribbling.
It’s without doubt one of the most enjoyable stylus experiences available and even when you compare it with the Pencil 2’s 9.20ms response time. And it’s with no additional cost.
Apart from being useful to sketch notes and notetaking and sketching, the S Pen enables extra functionality that includes being able to create intelligent selections of any screen and annotate screenshots, draw in AR and also convert handwritten notes into text in plain language.
The button at the end of the stylus acts as the remote trigger, allowing you to trigger pictures or videos without being in front of the camera.
It’s not everyone who makes the most of the additional capabilities offered by the built-in S-Pen however the capability to utilize a premium stylus anytime you want will appeal to lots of people, especially when you experience a stylus as real like it is with the S Pen. It’s my favorite characteristic that comes with the S22 Ultra and it’s the one I’ll most miss as I switch back to my normal smartphone.
Cameras
- One of the top rear camera setups you can find.
- Major improvements to the 100x zoom in space
- Excellent performance in low-light conditions.
Many people have regarded as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera configuration as the top of the line in 2021. It appears that Samsung was on board – as the sensors on the back on the handset are nearly exactly like the ones on the predecessor.
The S22 Ultra features the same 108Mp wide lens, as well as 12Mp 120-degree ultrawide as well as dual Telephoto lenses with three times and 10 times optical zooms at the rear, the latter able to extend to 100x and the selfie camera is 40Mp in the front.
Here’s a collection made with the S22 Ultra during the testing phase:
One of the few significant changes to the hardware is the size of the pixel for the main camera 108Mp that has increased to an astonishing 2.4mm. When combined together with an f/1.8 aperture, this results in much improved low-light photography that has more clarity, lighting and a more balanced contrast.
It’s not as clear as daylight shots However, it’s amazing to see how much it can be picked up in dim conditions.
There’s also a better optic image stabilisation (OIS) and a superior imaging signal processor (ISP) however the effects of these improvements aren’t as obvious when you use the camera day-to-day. In reality, the majority of improvements to cameras are software-based , which isn’t good considering that the camera’s hardware is top of the line in the majority of ways.
One of the reasons is that the S22 Ultra has vastly improved the Super Steady System used with the 100x zoom in space, which keeps those high-resolution close-ups from slipping when you snap photos.
It seems that the processing of these high-resolution images is also improved. Although it’s sometimes blurry There is now the potential for acceptable images that can be shared on social networks. The images still retain the Picasso-like look of watercolours, however it’s less apparent this time.
There are also enhancements in Samsung’s pixel-binning technology on the 108Mp main lens, which is dubbed Adaptive Pixel from Samsung. The concept is easy to understand It takes a non-binned picture (combining 9 pixels into one to improve image brightness, clarity and contrast) and blends it with the full 108Mp resolution with amazing results.
There’s plenty of clarity Dynamic range, contrast and contrast are all well-done, and the colours appear vibrant, even if they are just a bit excessively over-saturated at times. Importantly, you can take pleasure in extremely detailed photography without needing to keep 108Mp full-res images.
It’s a common pattern across all of models of the S22 Ultra’s cameras. They have the ability to produce some of the most stunning photos I’ve ever seen on a smartphone. Are they among the top? It’s probably down to your personal preferences However, there’s certainly lots to appreciate with Samsung’s impressive camera tech.
Video capture is equally stunning at up to 8K@24fps with impressive optically stabilized video recording with no artifacts noticeable and excellent audio quality as well. It’s tried to compete with the Apple Cinematic Video mode with Portrait Video however it’s not as advanced as the features available on the top iPhones and is unable to apply the faux-bokeh effect to videos that have faces clearly visible.
But, with benefits such as the ability to change between lenses at a moment’s notice or the capability to hold and not stop – video recording is one of the most useful options that aren’t offered on Apple’s flagshipdevice, therefore, it will largely depend on the type of video you’re using.
Specs & Performance
- Exynos 2200 is slower than Snapdragon 8 Gen1 in tests
- It is not noticeable when used it feels snappy in your hand
- A few times, we’ll freeze/restart.
Like its predecessors processor inside this Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra depends upon where you are located around the globe. If you’re located in or around the UK or Australia there’s Samsung’s 4nm Exynos 2200 chipset in the device and those who reside in the US and a lot of other countries are able to use Qualcomm’s four-nanometer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
That’s paired with either 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB of super-fast UFS 3.1 storage. To be fair, I received the 12/256GB version for test purposes.
I’ll go into the differences in the chipsets more depth later however, the Exynos 2200 performance is identical in terms of CPU performance during benchmark tests when in comparison to nearly identical 8-Gen 1 phones, such as that of the Oppo FindX5 Pro.
The Exynos 2200 Graphics performance in WQHD+ is slightly in comparison to the 8 Gen 1 phones, and it’s only when the S22 Ultra drops down to FHD+ that it surpasses its QHDand performance devices like those like the Oppo Find X5 Pro and Xiaomi 12 Pro during tests, just like you’d think.
It’s not even close to the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max and its A15 Bionic in the area of CPU however Apple’s leadership in this area isn’t surprising at this point.
While it gives a good insight into the generally Snapdragon 8’s Gen1 performance, I was able to acquire an Snapdragon version that is S22 Ultra. S22 Ultra to pit the two head-to-head.
With all of this in mind it shouldn’t come as an unsurprising fact to find that when comparing two variants that make up Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 version is superior to the Exynos 2200-equipped model on GPU tests – and quite a bit in certain tests.
Although the Snapdragon variant has superior in terms of performance, it’s beaten with the Exynos in regards to battery efficiency. This isn’t just by a slight margin as the Exynos model allowing an additional one hour or so of screen on time.
This means that you can possibly choose between the Exynos and Snapdragon models based on whether you prefer the battery’s performance or performance more. However, with only one or both available across the globe there’s no choice you’re able to easily make.
Battery Life & Charging
- Battery life all day long
- Might squeeze 1.5 or 2 days from screen with adjustments
- Faster charging however, not as fast as competitors
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra packs the same battery capacity of 5000mAh as its predecessor, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the battery’s life is similar to last year’s S21 Ultra in testing.
The battery’s overall life depends on factors such as the resolution and refresh rate as well as resolution. The S22 Ultra capable of lasting throughout the day thanks to it’s adaptive rate as well as WQHD+ resolution for typical usage, but it’s not going to last an entire second day. It can extend by about 1.5 days when you go the resolution to FHD+, but this is it won’t be obvious to the majority of users.
In our tests we found the S22 Ultra managed to last 10 hours and 30 minutes during our benchmark test with the full WQHD+ resolution. the switch to FHD+ added 2 hours battery time. It came in at 12 hours 30 minutes.
Chargers are an area in which Samsung’s S22 Ultra has improved, increasing from 25W to a more powerful but not yet a leading charge of 45W via USB-C. However, unlike many other Samsung phones, it doesn’t receive a 45W charger inside the box.
If you manage to purchase one, you can expect to be able to see about 66% within 30 minutes and a full charge within approximately an hour. This isn’t at the same level as Black Shark 4 Pro’s 120W fast charging technology however it’s enough for most users.
Similar to wireless charging. With 15W model lagging behind the ultra-fast wireless charging available from other major brands – however at the very least, the low power requirements mean that you’ll be able to utilize the majority of other third party Qi chargers.
Software & Apps
- The device ships with the latest version of Android 12 and Samsung OneUI 4.3
- Advanced features, including photo editing tools – baked into
- Samsung has committed to providing at least the span of four years OS updates
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is with the most recent version of Android 12 out of the box and comes with Samsung’s OneUI 4.3 installed to the top.
It’s not the most significant alteration in Android OS. It’s not the most dramatic change to Android OS compared to skins like Xiaomi’s MIUI and Oppo’s ColorOS however, there are subtleties to the layout and functions that may take a time to get used to and especially so since Samsung has decided to offer their own version of the messaging app as well as the Calendar app, along with the pre-installed Google variations.
It’s one of the more powerful Android skins however, particularly in its video and photo editing capabilities. Utilizing integrated editing features inside the Gallery application, you are able to complete actions like reflection removal, removal of objects and many more, with amazing outcomes.
Also, there’s the added benefit that comes with DeX software, that gives the desktop experience for PCs when connected to the monitor.
Importantly, Samsung has committed to „up to four generations“ of Android OS updates and not just security updates. This could mean that Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra supported all through Android 16 – which is a that is a refreshing departure from the majority of Android manufacturers. In fact, Google is only committing up to 3 years‘ worth of OS upgrades for the Pixel range!
Price & Availability
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is among the top phones available priced at $1199/$1,149 for the 8GB/128GB version but that’s an increase of $100 compared to the previous model.
It is possible to upgrade your model to storage capacity of 256GB as well as 12GB RAM at $100 or $100, with 1TB and 512GB models available to those who need additional storage.
Here’s what this Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra will cost in every configuration:
- 8GB + 128GB: $1,199/PS1,149/EUR1,279
- 12GB + 256GB: $1,299/PS1,249/EUR1,379/Rs109,999
- 12GB + 512GB: $1,399/PS1,329/EUR1,489/Rs118,999
- 12GB + 1TB: $1,599/PS1,499/EUR1,689
Anyone who is interested in purchasing the most expensive smartphone could purchase it through the likes of Samsung as well as Amazon both in both the UK and US and those who are looking to sign up for a contract may choose between carriers such as EE as well as O2 for the UK and Verizon in the US.
For a look at how it compares to the other phones, look through our collection of the top phones.
Verdict
There’s plenty to be awed by regarding Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra; it looks luxurious and the WQHD+ display is top of the line and the camera is among the top currently available, and it’s the first time it’s the first time that the Ultra model comes with a built-in S Pen – just like the Note model.
This, in conjunction to the fact the look is a mirror image of it’s Note 20 Ultra more than the other products in the S22 range, implies this Galaxy S22 Ultra is a Galaxy Note in all but branding, and that’s not a negative thing. Its S Pen performance is incredible and offers lower latency than Apple Pencil for an unmatched drawing and writing experience.
Although Samsung has partnered together with AMD in the GPU of its latest Exynos 2200 processor, it isn’t as fast as the nearly identical Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 smartphones in tests. However, it’s not noticeable in normal usage, and offers a smooth experience when you’re Instagramming and gaming.
It’s not the ideal phone – charging speed is slower than competitors and the size of the phone may cause some to be hesitant and the phone is quite expensive, however, this Galaxy S22 Ultra will tick several criteria for lots of users.
