The Samsung Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra Are Here: Everything You Need to Know About These Flagships
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It’s official: the first flagship smartphones of 2022 have arrived. Samsung’s back to form with the announcement of its trio of smartphones: the Galaxy S22, S22+, and the S22 Ultra. It should come as no shock that we’re once again given three, just because they’re all proper successors to last year’s smartphones and arguably some of the best smartphones around.
Each is bound to set the pace for the rest of the phones expected to be released later this year. Given their top-notch specs and packed features, they’re certainly all geared for power users. Although, we will say that one noteworthy accessory makes its return with one of the phones. Here’s everything you need to know about Samsung’s Galaxy S22 lineup.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S22
Dimensions: 70.6 x 146.0 x 7.6 mm
Weight: 168g
Display: 6.1-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2340) Dynamic AMOLED
Refresh Rate: Up to 240 Hz
Rear Cameras: 12MP F2.2 (Ultra Wide), 50MP F1.8 (Wide), 10MP F2.4 (Tele, 3x Optical Zoom and 30x Space Zoom)
Front Camera: 40MP F2.2
Battery: 3700 mAh
Price: Starts at $799.99
Samsung Galaxy S22+
Dimensions: 75.8 x 157.4 x 7.6 mm
Weight: 196g
Display: 6.6-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2340) Dynamic AMOLED
Refresh Rate: Up to 240 Hz
Rear Cameras: 12MP F2.2 (Ultra Wide), 50MP F1.8 (Wide), 10MP F2.4 (Tele, 3x Optical Zoom and 30x Space Zoom)
Front Camera: 40MP F2.2
Battery: 4500 mAh
Price: Starts at $999.99
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Dimensions: 77.9 x 163.3 x 8.9 mm
Weight: 229g
Display: 6.8-inch QHD+ (1440 x 3088) Dynamic AMOLED
Refresh Rate: Up to 240 Hz
Rear Cameras: 12MP F2.2 (Ultra Wide), 108MP F2.2 (Wide), 10MP F2.4 (Tele, 3x Optical Zoom) 10MP F4.9 (Tele, 10x Optical Zoom and 100x Space Zoom)
Front Camera: 40MP F2.2
Battery: 5000 mAh
Price: Starts at $1,199.99
Buy: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra $1,199.99
Design
It’s no surprise that three models are on tap: the Samsung Galaxy S22, S22+ and the S22 Ultra. At the bare minimum, they’ll be able to handle basic functions such as surfing the web, sending emails, and watching videos on YouTube, but choosing the best model for you will largely depend on your size preference.
It’s the same Goldilocks and the Three Bears story we’ve heard all too often before. The Galaxy S22’s more reasonable size would be best if you prefer something more hand-friendly. Conversely, those who want a bigger phone should go with the Galaxy S22 Ultra, while the S22+ sits snugly right in between them.
Regardless of what you prefer, these are gorgeous-looking phones constructed from premium materials. For the most part, the design language isn’t a dramatic departure from last year’s lineup featuring armor aluminum frames, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, and clean edges. Although, the rear cameras still give the phones a little bit of a hump.
Display
Being the largest of the bunch, the S22 Ultra can be a bit unwieldy because it packs a very generously sized 6.8-inch AMOLED display. Due to its size, one-handed operation is almost out of the equation, but people will appreciate the larger screen for constant content consumption. That’s because it’s packing the highest resolution of the three at 1440 x 3088 pixels, versus the 1080 x 2340 resolution with the S22 and S22+ displays.
Cameras
This one’s hardly a surprise because we all know smartphone camera technology continues to evolve at a rapid rate. Both the Galaxy S22 and S22+ wield the same triple-camera system, offering users the utility of capturing subjects near, far and very far. We won’t get into all of the gritty details since you can check out the entire setup above in the specifications, but all the typical improvements relate to low-light performance and portraits.
Not surprisingly, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the phone for serious content creators with its class-leading cameras. While the 108MP F2.2 primary camera is there for general use, Samsung yet again pushes the boundaries with the 10MP telephoto camera that gives users a 10x optical zoom — and up to 100x Space Zoom for those far-reaching subjects. In comparison, the telephoto camera in the Galaxy S22 and S22+ tops out at 3x optical zoom or 30x space zoom.
One new feature we’re most excited about is smart framing, which makes recording videos of multiple subjects in a frame much more straightforward. Everything’s done automatically, so even when one, two, three or four people enter the frame, the Galaxy S22 Ultra will adjust the framing all on the fly. In fact, advanced auto framing can accommodate up to 10 subjects, so the only thing you’ll need to worry about is just pressing the record button.
S-Pen
After saying goodbye to its long-time productivity-centric flagship line, the Galaxy Note, many loyal users have missed the S-Pen stylus. Well, there’s something to be excited about because the fabled stylus makes its return with the Galaxy S22 Ultra. And we couldn’t be any more excited about it.
Functionally, it brings back the legacy features we’ve seen in past S-Pens, making it ideal for drawing, jotting down notes, and even acting as a mouse to hover over things. Compared to the faux S-Pen made for the previous Galaxy S21 Ultra, this proper version has 70% lower latency, resulting in a more realistic experience.
Even though there aren’t any new features with the S-Pen that we haven’t seen before, we’re nonetheless still excited for its return. That said, it has a leg up over most of the flagship smartphones out there because the S22 Ultra is the only powerhouse to provide this kind of utility.
Battery
There’s all-day power at your disposal regardless of which phone you end up picking. That’s because even if you’re a power hog, all three phones offer support for 45W fast charging through a wired connection or 15W wireless. Of course, the S22 Ultra is sure to provide users with extra longevity due to its 5000 mAh battery capacity.
Pricing And Availability
Pre-orders for all three phones are available starting today, Feb. 9, with prices for the Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra starting at $799.99, $999.99, and $1,199.99, respectively. They’ll be on sale through Samsung’s website, carriers, and retailers on Feb. 25.
Buy: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra $1,199.99
Samsung sweetens the deal on its new phones because, until Feb. 24, those who pre-order will be eligible to receive additional credits to spend on other Samsung gadgets, as well as up to 25% off any Galaxy Tab S8.
What Are Some of The Alternatives?
Are you not sold on the new Galaxy S22 line? The smartphones we’ve listed below cover a wide range of use cases and give Samsung’s phones good competition. We’ve selected phones that cover the gamut as top-of-the-line behemoths accompanied by the fastest processors from Qualcomm. No matter what you’re looking for in a smartphone, you’ll find some worthy suitors in the lineup below.
1. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
This pick makes perfect sense, just because being the previous generation device, you know it’s still a capable smartphone — but now discounted in anticipation of its successor. With the announcement of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, its predecessor will likely receive deep discounts, so you can save money while enjoying top-notch features with the existing Galaxy S21 Ultra. Take its quad-camera system, for example, which is still one of the most versatile because it covers all situations.
Buy: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra $784.95
Buy: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra $650.00
2. Apple iPhone 13
Are you looking for a flagship caliber smartphone that won’t be a burden in your pockets? Well then, the Apple iPhone 13 will not only be easier to stow away in your pockets because of its smaller size, but you won’t also be hit too much in the pockets buying it either. That’s because it features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display that makes the phone more pocketable than the majority while still offering superb performance running all of your favorite apps with its A15 Bionic chip.
3. Google Pixel 6 Pro
The Google Pixel 6 Pro is a monster of a smartphone, which closely matches the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra brings to the table. With the Pixel 6 Pro’s quad-camera system and Google’s intelligent image processing, you’ll capture stunning photos and videos that look like a professional took them. If the camera is a top priority on your list, you won’t be disappointed with this one.
Buy: Google Pixel 6 Pro $900.00
4. OnePlus 9
Matching the expected size of the Galaxy S22+, the OnePlus 9 is a close competitor widely regarded as a great all-around smartphone. That’s because it features a premium design, a 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED Display with a 120 Hz panel, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip. Watching video is especially gratifying as the 120 Hz dynamic refresh rate means animations and movement across the interface are smooth.
Buy: OnePlus 9 $599.99 (orig. $729.99) 18% OFF
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