As we saw yesterday afternoon, Samsung Galaxy S22, Samsung Galaxy S22+ and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra were officially presented, the new flagships of the first part of the manufacturer.
Also considering some similarities in terms of design and the price differences at which it is possible to buy them, we decided to go head to head with last year’s model, the Samsung Galaxy S21.
What changes between Samsung Galaxy S21/S21+ and Samsung Galaxy S22/S22+
What are the differences between Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22 + compared to direct predecessors, Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21+? In terms of design at first glance it is not so easy to distinguish them, new colors and sizes apart: the former has been launched (and are already in pre-order on Amazon ) in the Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green and Pink Gold versions, the latter in those Phantom Gray (Black for S21+), Phantom White (Silver for S21+), Phantom Violet and Phantom Pink.
The design solutions are similar, although not identical, but the materials of the more compact model change: Galaxy S21 has a rear shell in Glasstic, a high-quality plastic designed to be similar to glass to the touch, while the entire Galaxy S22 range features Gorilla Glass Victus+.
The biggest changes can be seen under the hood, as they say. For example, the Galaxy S21 series offers the Exynos 2100 SoC at 5 nm, while the Galaxy S22 debuts the Exynos 2200 at 4 nm: on the memory side there are no differences, with 8 GB of RAM and a starting version from 128 GB (not expandable).
In reality, the displays also change , mostly in terms of size: Galaxy S22 and S22 + “lose” 0.1 inches compared to their predecessors (6.1 against 6.2 the first, 6.6 against 6.7 the second), what which makes both newcomers slightly more compact. However, these are Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels, which on the new ones offer a variable refresh between 10 and 120 Hz.
Size Comparison:
- Galaxy S21: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm, weight of 172g
- Galaxy S22: 146 x 70.6 x 7.6mm, weight of 168g
- Galaxy S21 +: 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8mm, weight of 202g
- Galaxy S22 +: 157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6mm, weight of 196g
As for the photographic sector, here is what the datasheets of the four Android smartphones make available:
Rear camera:
- Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 +: triple, with 12 MP (f / 1.8) main sensor, 12 MP ultra-wide-angle and 64 MP 3x zoom telephoto (f / 2.0)
- Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 +: triple, with 50 MP (f / 1.8) main sensor, 12 MP ultra-wide-angle and 10 MP telephoto with 3x zoom (f / 2.4)
Front Camera:
- Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 +: 10 MP sensor (f / 2.2)
- Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 +: 10 MP sensor (f / 2.2)
In terms of functionality, the newcomers can obviously count on the advances of “Nightography”, with sensors 23% larger and Adaptive Pixel technology to capture more light and more details. There are also steps forward with AI, thanks for example to the AI Stereo Depth Map function for Portrait mode.
For video, the S22s offer Auto Framing, capable of detecting up to 10 subjects for focus, and VDIS technology that minimizes vibrations.
Some of the innovations brought to the software level with the One UI 4.1 will probably also be brought to the Galaxy S21 series, but we will have to wait a few weeks to find out more. Connectivity side Galaxy S22 and S22 + offer Bluetooth 5.2 (against 5.0) and Wi-Fi 6E (“Plus” only).
And what about the prices? In our country, the launch ones are identical: it always starts from 879 euros or 1079 euros for the 8-128 GB versions and reaches 929 and 1129 euros for those from 8-256 GB. Of course, at the moment last year’s models can count on much cheaper figures.
What changes between Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Let’s now discover the differences between Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S21 Ultra, which are the top models of their respective ranges. In some respects what has already been said in the paragraph above applies, such as the example regarding the Exynos SoC (2200 or 2100), but the changes are not to be underestimated even from the point of view of design.
The 2022 smartphone offers a decidedly more boxy appearance, which comes closest to that of the Galaxy Note series. The reason is obvious: this time the device has a slot to store the S Pen, while S21 Ultra was “only” compatible with the stylus. The 2022 model integrates the lenses directly into the body, no longer relying on last year’s eye-catching photographic module. The dimensions are quite similar, given that what the new model “gains” in height is made up for in width.
Size Comparison:
- Galaxy S21 Ultra: 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm, weight of 227g
- Galaxy S22 Ultra: 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm, weight of 229g
The display is a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X on both models (3200 x 1440 pixels on the S21 Ultra and 3080 x 1440 on the S22 Ultra), but the latest one offers a dynamic refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hz (instead than from 10 to 120) which could lead to greater energy efficiency in certain situations (for example with the Always On Display).
In terms of memories, we always find 12 or 16 GB of RAM and 128, 256 or 512 GB of internal storage (not expandable), but Galaxy S22 Ultra can also be purchased in the exaggerated 1 TB version (exclusively on the Samsung Shop).
Here is the photographic sector:
Rear Camera:
- Galaxy S21 Ultra: Quad, with 108 MP (f / 1.8) main sensor, 12 MP ultra-wide angle (f / 2.2, FoV 120 °), 10 MP telephoto (f / 2.4) with 3x optical zoom and telephoto 10 MP (f / 4.9) with 10x optical zoom
- Galaxy S22 Ultra: Quad, with 108 MP (f / 1.8) main sensor, 12 MP ultra-wide angle (f / 2.2, FoV 120 °), 10 MP telephoto (f / 2.4) with 3x optical zoom and telephoto 10 MP (f / 4.9) with 10x optical zoom
Front Camera:
- Galaxy S21 Ultra: 40MP sensor
- Galaxy S22 Ultra: 40MP sensor
Notice any difference? No? Don’t worry, you have no vision problems: on paper, the two smartphones offer the same cameras. We will see with our review and comparisons what the changes in the rendering of the shots will be.
The S22 Ultra should stand out for its larger pixels (2.4 um) and the Super Clear Glass lens for smoother, brighter night videos, hard-to-spot data on a spec sheet.
We close with the prices, which also in this case do not undergo variations. The launch price list reads for both 1279 euros (12-128 GB), 1379 euros (12-256 GB) and 1489 (16-512 GB). As mentioned, Galaxy S22 Ultra is also available in the 16 GB – 1 TB version, which can be purchased for 1689 euros only on the Samsung Shop.