Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus Review: Perfectly fine

The Galaxy S22+ is fine. It's a perfectly acceptable flagship phone that does the things you'd expect. There are no real red flags, but there's also nothing about it that feels truly new. Phones have been boring for a while, at least in terms of splashy new features, but the Galaxy S22+ is a particularly iterative device. How much this matters depends on what exactly it is you're looking for from a phone.

Only the finest glass-and-metal sandwich

As is the norm, it's hard to fault Samsung on its industrial design. The Galaxy S22+ is a well-made slab of a phone, with almost no bezel on the front and a fingerprint-resistant matte glass back. Most phones may look the same these days, but Samsung does an impeccable job with how its high-end phones feel. The Galaxy S22+ is a premium device, at least as far as aesthetics are concerned.

The Galaxy S22+ isn't too different from its predecessor in terms of design, but there are a few subtle changes. The screen is 0.1-inch smaller, now measuring in at 6.6-inch. I'm a fan, as it makes one-handed use a touch more natural. In a similar vein, Samsung has plonked the volume rocker and power button further down the phone, making them easier to reach without readjusting your grip.

As with last year's models, the Galaxy S22+ features a flat display, eschewing the curved design Samsung became known for. Samsung has also flattened out the back this time around, making the Galaxy S22+ a little more like an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 in terms of look and feel. There's nothing pillowy about it, marking a clear departure from the design language Samsung has been using on phones as old as the Galaxy S7.

The Galaxy S22+ screen itself is gorgeous. It looks great from every angle, has a silky 120Hz refresh for smoother scrolling, and can get ridiculously bright.

In a similar vein, I've got no complaints about the Galaxy S22+'s performance. It's a fast and responsive phone.

Playing catch-up

Photo quality is one area where I was hoping for more from the Galaxy S22+. It can certainly take a nice photo, but in some ways, it's playing catch-up to last year's devices.

Improved low light photography is one of Samsung's key marketing claims for the Galaxy S22 family, and look, the results certainly aren't bad. While I'm sure many would be happy with the photos the Galaxy S22+ takes, it trails phones from last year like the iPhone 13 Pro and Pixel 6. The iPhone 13 Pro takes more detailed images, has a faster shoot time, and a more natural look to low light photography that still preserves some shadows. The Pixel 6 is less prone to camera noise, while Galaxy S22+ photos can get somewhat blotchy.

Here's a shot from the Galaxy S22+

Here's the same from the Pixel 6:

Here's the iPhone 13 Pro take:

And here's a comparison of 100% crops:

Samsung's also made a big deal about how its new phones feature an improved portrait mode, that even works on pets. It doesn't quite live up to the claim of being able to separate wispy hair from a background - whether animal or human - but it does do a very good job of isolating your subject for the most part. Check out this photo of Billie, for example:

While the Galaxy S22+ can capture lovely photos of your pets, it relies on them staying relatively still. When shooting puppy pics, I've found the faster lens of the iPhone 13 Pro much more reliable. Even the iPhone 13 Pro misfires and ends up with a blurry from time to time, but it was much harder getting a sharp shot with the Galaxy S22+. If Billie was even a little animated, I found myself taking a dozen photos in pursuit of a good one.

Here's one that didn't quite work out (although certainly not the result I got):

And here's a nicer one as a cleanser: 

The Galaxy S22+'s secondary lenses are fairly good for the most part. The ultra-wide takes reliable photos in most environments, but the 3x zoom lens is mostly useless at night. Photos are too prone to blur. While you can push as far as 30x digital zoom, quality starts dropping significantly at 5x on for busy subjects. If you’re just shooting architecture, you can comfortably push to around 10x digital zoom.

Here's a zoom comparison:

Adequately sized and in charge 

When it comes to battery, Samsung's latest is a solid performer. The Galaxy S22+ doesn't reach the glorious heights of the iPhone 13 Pro Max and even fall shorts of the standard iPhone 13, but it should still comfortably last a full day per charge with a solid buffer.

In my testing, I found I was comfortably able to hit five hours of screen time per charge, which exceeds what many of last year's Android flagships were capable of. More importantly, I didn't have to disable the 120Hz display to do so. 120Hz displays tend to be one of the biggest culprits when it comes to underperforming battery.

I did however have to disable WiFi Calling, which was using a disproportionate amount of battery in the background despite me rarely ever making phone calls. I presume that this is a software glitch, and will hopefully be addressed by launch.

It's also worth pointing out I tested a US Galaxy S22+ model for the sake of this review, which isn't able to connect to Australian 5G networks. As such, I wasn't able to get a gauge on whether 5G makes any significant impact on battery performance when compared to 4G and WiFi. However, when testing Samsung phones last year - including the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 - I found disabling 5G didn't do much to how much charge I was getting per day.

Samsung Galaxy S22+ - Final Thoughts

The Galaxy S22+ is a phone that plays it safe. Samsung has refined its phone formula, but it hasn't done much to push it further forward.

Nothing about the Galaxy S22+ is bad; the battery life is solid, performance is snappy, and the screen is gorgeous. I just would have loved to see Samsung do more with camera, because as it stands, it hasn't managed to match last year's best phones.

If you're a Samsung fan, the Galaxy S22+ is a good upgrade if you're on an S10 or older, especially if you don't want to spring for the Ultra. If you want the best camera you can get on a phone, it's worth considering a device from Google, OPPO, or heaven forbid, Apple.

Samsung Galaxy S22+ camera samples

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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