Samsung, days ago, showed us a glimpse of what to expect from its next-gen Galaxy S22 lineup when it is finally available in the market. This lineup consists of three models (Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and Galaxy S22 Ultra), and comes with upgrades to major areas including design, camera quality, and chipset.
We will, in this article, be comparing the specifications of the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra to help you understand the differences and how they measure up against each other and also help you decide which of the three devices is the right one for you.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs S22+ vs S22 Ultra: Spec Sheet
| Galaxy S22 | Galaxy S22 Plus | Galaxy S22 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Android 12 | Android 12 | Android 12 |
| Display | 6.1-inch | 6.6-inch | 6.8-inch |
| Resolution | 1080×2340 | 1080×2340 | 1440×3088 |
| Refresh rate | Up to 120Hz | Up to 120Hz | Up to 120Hz |
| Dimensions | 70.6 x 146 x 7.6 mm | 75.8 x 157.4 x 7.6 mm | 77.9 x 163.3 x 8.9 mm |
| Weight | 168g | 196g | 229g |
| Battery | 3,700mAh | 4,500mAh | 5,000mAh |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB, 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Rear cameras | 50MP (f/1.8) wide, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 10MP (f/2.4) telephoto | 50MP (f/1.8) wide, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 10MP (f/2.4) telephoto | 108MP (f/2.2) wide, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 10MP (f2.4 / f4.9) telephoto |
| Front cameras | 10MP | 10MP | 40MP |
| Front video | 4K at 60fps | 4K at 60fps | 4K at 60fps |
| Rear video | 8K at 24fps, 4K at 60fps | 8K at 24fps, 4K at 60fps | 8K at 24fps, 4K at 60fps |
| S Pen | No | No | Yes |
| Biometrics | Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, facial recognition | Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, facial recognition | Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, facial recognition |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| Starting price | $799 | $999 | $1,199 |
Design/Display
The first obvious difference is in its design. The regular Galaxy S22 and the S22+ models are direct design upgrades from the Galaxy S21 – bearing the same contour design Samsung introduced in that series a year ago. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, however, features a completely new design; its design inspiration was gotten from Samsung’s Galaxy Note smartphone.
It has got all the features (boxy shape, S Pen in the box, etc.) of a Galaxy Note, the only difference is its name. Furthermore, at 6.8-inch, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the largest in the pack. Also, keep in mind that the regular Galaxy S22 is even slightly smaller than its predecessor in the Galaxy S21 series.
All three of the devices in this series come with Dynamic AMOLED displays. What this means is, the screen on each model can refresh up to 120Hz. And while the Galaxy S22 Ultra can adjust its refresh rate down to 1Hz for static images, the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ have been improved significantly to go as low as 10Hz (an improvement from 48Hz in the Galaxy S21).
Related: The New Galaxy S22 Ultra is a Note-like Device
Camera Quality
The Galaxy S22 Ultra stands out and it is light years ahead of the Galaxy S22 and S22+ in the camera area. Its rear camera features a quad camera tray that includes a 108MP main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide sensor, and two 10MP telephoto cameras that are capable of 10x optical zoom and 3x zoom.
Together, you get 100x digital zoom on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. This dwarfs the 50MP main sensors, 12MP ultrawide sensor, and 10MP telephoto cameras that you’ll get if you opt for either the regular Galaxy S22 or S22+.
For the front-facing camera, the Galaxy S22 Ultra features a 40MP punch hole camera with an 80-degree field of view. The Galaxy S22 and S22+, on the other hand, both come with 10MP punch-hole cameras.
A lot was said about the battery quality of the Galaxy S21 series when it was released a year ago. A lot of users weren’t impressed with how long the battery on the Galaxy S21 and the S21+ lasted. But disappointingly, not a lot was done (at least, on paper) to improve the battery of this series. For instance, the Galaxy S22 Ultra maintains the same battery spec as its predecessor – a 5,000 mAh battery.
While the Galaxy S22+ is comes powered by a 4,500 mAh battery. The regular Galaxy S22 sports a disappointing 3,700 mAh battery. And to make matters worse, it comes with only 25W charging. To put it in context, the Galaxy S22+ and S22 Ultra both support 45W wired.
Which should you go for? This should be an easy one: The Galaxy S22 Ultra is obviously the most impressive of the pack. The Note-like design and the inclusion of the S Pen is enough reason to pick the Ultra over any other model in the series. However, if you are considering upgrading from a Galaxy S21 or S21+ and you feel the Galaxy S22 Ultra is on the high side (price-wise), your best bet is the Galaxy S22+.
