In what should amount as a surprise to no one, the next flagship Samsung Galaxy phones are officially real. You’re looking at either the base Samsung Galaxy S22, the extended screen real estate of the Galaxy S22+ or the no-compromise screen size and bolstered photography of the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Let’s take a look at how the three Galaxy smartphones compared when stacked next to each other.
But before we go too far down the comparison rabbit hole, here’s how the three core S22 models look next to each other in terms of hardware:
Samsung Galaxy S22 Specifications
| Galaxy S22 | Galaxy S22+ | Galaxy S22 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1-inch flat | 6.6-inch flat | 6.8-inch curved |
| Resolution | 1080p+ with 120Hz | 1080p+ with 120Hz | Quad HD+ with 120Hz |
| Rear Cameras | 50MP + 12 MP + 10MP | 50MP + 12MP + 10MP | 108MP + 12MP + 10MP + 10MP |
| Front Camera | 10MP | 10MP | 40MP |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Storage | 128GB - 256GB | 128GB - 256GB | 128GB - 1TB |
| Water-Resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| Battery | 3,700mAh | 4,500mAh | 5,000mAh |
| S Pen | No | No | Yes |
| 5G | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Price | From $1,249 | From $1,549 | From $1,849 |
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. S22+ vs. S22 Ultra: Price
As is the trend, if you’re looking for the cheapest price, you’ll want the Samsung Galaxy S22. Alternatively, spend a bit more for the S22+ screen-size upgrade, or go all out for the S22 Ultra.
In terms of outright costs, here’s what you can expect to pay:
- Samsung Galaxy S22 (128GB): $1,249
- Samsung Galaxy S22 (256GB): $1,349
- Samsung Galaxy S22+ (128GB): $1,549
- Samsung Galaxy S22+ (256GB): $1,649
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (128GB): $1,849
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (256GB): $1,999
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (512GB): $2,149
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (1TB): $2,449
If you’d prefer to not take the outright hit to your wallet, you can also pay off a Samsung Galaxy S22, S22+ or S22 Ultra as part of a postpaid phone plan. The cost of the handset is added to the monthly plan price, but divided by either 12, 24 or 36, depending on which handset repayment terms you opt for.
While handset discounts come and go, and telcos sometimes compete on price, you should expect to pay more for the same mobile plan with a Samsung Galaxy S22+ or S22 Ultra compared to just buying the S22.
For an idea of Galaxy S22 plans, look at the list of cheap picks below from each provider:
Samsung Galaxy S22 Plans
|
#1
|
Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$86.85/mth
Min. cost $1,187.40
Out of stock
|
|
#2
|
Optus
$69 Optus Promo Plan
$116.85/mth
Min. cost $1,217.40
Out of stock
|
|
#1
|
Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$91.02/mth
Min. cost $1,287.48
Out of stock
|
|
#2
|
Optus
$69 Optus Promo Plan
$121.02/mth
Min. cost $1,317.48
Out of stock
|
And below is a snapshot of Galaxy S22 Ultra plans:
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Plans
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. S22+ vs. S22 Ultra: Camera
Cameras are used to sell smartphones, and that’s no different with the Samsung Galaxy S22 trio. The Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ have an identical tri-camera configuration on the back: 12MP ultra-wide lens, 50MP wide lens and 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. Flip the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ over and you have a 10MP selfie camera.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra ups the rear camera count to four instead of three. The 12MP ultra-wide primary lens is the same as its cheaper siblings, but there’s also a huge 108MP wide camera, plus dual 10MP telephoto lenses: one with 3x optical zoom and another with 10x optical zoom. On the front, the Galaxy S22 Ultra boasts a 40MP selfie cam.
In terms of cameras, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a clear edge over the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+, but we’ll see how they stack up once we go hands-on with them.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. S22+ vs. S22 Ultra: Design
Compared to the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+, the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ have had a screen shave of 0.1 inches. The Galaxy S22 measures in at 6.1 inches, while the Galaxy S22+ has a 6.6-inch display; both models sport 1080p+ screens. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S22 Ultra boasts a 6.8-inch Quad HD+ display, which should make it a little sharper. The Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S22+ boast 1,750 nits brightness, which should make it easier to see what’s on screen in full sunlight. The Galaxy S22 is a little dimmer at 1,300 nits, but that shouldn't be an issue.
The high-refresh-rate trend continues with the Samsung Galaxy S22 variants, all of which can reach up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling, compared to the traditional 60Hz refresh rate for most smartphones. Running a screen at 120Hz constantly, though, drains the battery faster, which is where dynamic refresh-rate adjustments come in. The Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ have refresh rates that go as low as 10Hz, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s refresh rate can drop down to 1Hz.
Whichever Samsung Galaxy S22 model you opt for, all three variants are available in your choice of four colours: Phantom White, Phantom Black, Green, or Pink Gold. The Galaxy S22 Ultra trades Pink Gold for Burgundy.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. S22+ vs. S22 Ultra: Performance
Locally, the Galaxy S22 range are all powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, which is a 4 nanometre (nm) processors, As such, you can safely expect to have performance benefits compared to the 5nm and 7nm processors of yesteryear. Basically, smaller nanometre numbers mean better performance potentiality, including better battery life. Performance should identical across all three phones, however.
All Samsung Galaxy S22 models also come with at least 8GB of RAM, which is plenty to keep up with even the most fervent of multitasking smartphone users. Those who opt to buy the cheapest Galaxy S22 Ultra model get 8GB of RAM, but the other three versions with larger internal capacities come with 12GB of RAM.
5G is standard for the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+ and Galaxy S22 Ultra, but those latter two options also are a bit more
future-proofed with support for WiFi 6e, which is an even speedier variant of WiFi 6.
At the time of writing, WiFi 6e wasn’t approved for use in Australia, so it’s not that much of a competitive edge locally.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with an inbuilt S Pen, which means you don’t have to fork out extra for it. This stylus is also reportedly more responsive than previous iterations, which should make for more seamless doodling and scribbling.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. S22+ vs. S22 Ultra: Battery
The battery capacity is different depending on which Samsung Galaxy S22 model you buy. For the Galaxy S22, that means a 3,700mAh capacity, while the Galaxy S22+ is bumped to 4,500mAh and the Galaxy S22 Ultra has the best of the lot at 5,000mAh.
In practice, larger screens with higher resolutions and higher refresh rates tend to drain batteries faster (we’re looking at you, Galaxy S22 Ultra), so that extra capacity is handy for offering better battery life. 5G also tends to drain battery faster than 4G, though that will hopefully change in the future as the 5G providers optimise their respective networks.
That’s all theory, though. Fingers crossed the entire Galaxy S22 range is capable of all-day battery life at the very least; we’ll let you know once we go hands-on with them.
Which Samsung Galaxy S22 model should I buy?
The Samsung Galaxy S22 model you choose to buy will be determined by your budget and whether the extra cost of the more expensive options is worth the investment. For most people, the Galaxy S22 base model is a great pick, though 128GB may not be enough for those who love to snap lots of high-res pics and capture lots of videos.
Extra inches on the screen matter not just to make things easier to see but for bigger hands, which is where the Galaxy S22+ swings in with a screen size that’s bigger without the price of the S22 Ultra. While specs are mostly identical between the S22 and S22+, it’s nice to see a decent battery capacity boost in the latter (3,700mAh vs 4,500mAh).
For those whose budgets extend to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, you’re mainly investing in a bigger, high-resolution screen alongside boosted camera options and an included S Pen.
Nathan Lawrence
Freelance Contributor
Related Articles
