Why You Can Trust CNET Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. Plus vs. Ultra: The difference is in the details
We compare the newly announced Galaxy S22 phones by price, specs, cameras and more.
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Samsung took to its virtual Unpacked stage on Wednesday to show off its next-gen Galaxy S22 lineup, consisting of the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus and Galaxy S22 Ultra. All three models are available for preorder now. The phones' features, such as their cameras, have been upgraded for 2022.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra (right) looks quite different from the S21 Ultra.
The regular entry-level Galaxy S22 phone starts at $800 (£769, AU$1,249), then the price goes up to $1,000 (£949, AU$1,549) for the Galaxy S22 Plus and $1,200 (£1,149, AU$1,849) for the S22 Ultra.
The three devices have a similar glass and metal build, and share the same processor (the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1), the same display refresh rate (up to 120Hz) and the 40-megapixel selfie camera. The S22 is considerably more compact than its Pro siblings, with a 6.1-inch AMOLED display that's notably smaller than the S22 Plus' 6.6-inch screen and the Ultra's 6.8-inch screen. It appears to be a much lighter device, too, at just 168 grams as compared with the S22 Plus' 196 grams and the Ultra's 229 grams.
By and large, however, the regular S22 isn't all that different from the Plus model. Some of the key features, like the processor and camera module, are virtually identical. The S22 and S22 Plus each have three rear cameras consisting of a 50-megapixel wide lens, a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens. The S22 Ultra has a four-camera module on the rear, headlined by a 108-megapixel main shooter. There are also two telephoto lenses and an ultrawide camera.
Many of these are the sort of iterative upgrades expected from next-generation devices. But the Ultra's new Note-like features are what set it apart from the rest of the S22 lineup and the broader premium phone market. For the first time, a Galaxy S Ultra phone will come with a stylus included inside the box and will also have a slot for storing it on the phone -- just like Samsung's all-but-discontinued Note series. S Pen fans who bought last year's Galaxy S21 Ultra had to pay for the stylus separately and find a specific phone case that could store it.
The S22 Ultra is also the only device in the series to support ultrawideband, a radio technology that helps power features such as digital car keys and lost item tracking.
For more details on how Samsung's S22 series phones stack up against each other, take a look at our specs sheet below.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. S22 Plus vs. S22 Ultra
| Galaxy S22 | Galaxy S22 Plus | Galaxy S22 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 6.1-inch AMOLED 2X; 2,340x1,080 pixels | 6.6-inch AMOLED 2X; 2,340x1,080 pixels | 6.8-inch AMOLED 2X; 3,088x1,440 pixels |
| Pixel density | 422 ppi | 390 ppi | 501 ppi |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | 70.6x146x7.6mm | 75.8x157.4x7.6mm | 77.9x163.3x8.9mm |
| Weight (ounces, grams) | 168 grams | 196 grams | 229 grams |
| Mobile software | Android 12 | Android 12 | Android 12 |
| Camera | 50MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide), 10MP (telephoto) | 50MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide), 10MP (telephoto) | 108MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide) 10MP (telephoto) 10MP (telephoto) |
| Front-facing camera | 40MP | 40MP | 40MP |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 gen 1 |
| Storage/RAM | 8GB RAM + 128GB; 8GB RAM + 256GB | 8GB + 128GB; 8GB + 256GB | 8GB + 128GB; 12GB + 256GB; 12GB + 512GB; 12GB + 1TB |
| Expandable storage | None | None | None |
| Battery/charger | 3,700 mAh (25W wired charging) | 4,500 mAh (45W wired charging) | 5,000 mAh (45W wired charger) |
| Fingerprint sensor | In-display | In-display | In-display |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | No | No | No |
| Special features | 5G (mmw/Sub6), 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, 3x optical zoom, 30x Space Zoom | 5G (mmw/Sub6), 120Hz, 45W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, 3x optical zoom, 30x Space Zoom | 5G (mmw/Sub6), bundled S Pen, 100x Space Zoom, 10x optical zoom, 47W charging support, UWB |
| US price | $800 | $1,000 | $1,200 |
| UK price | £769 | £949 | £1,149 |
| Australia price | AU$1,249 | AU$1,549 | AU$1,849 |
See also
The Samsung Galaxy S22 returns to the flat screens of the Galaxy S7. The regular Galaxy S22 is the smallest of the bunch, with a 6.1 inch screen, but it's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. It's a proper beast, even if it is diminutive compared to its bigger brothers.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is very similar to the smaller S22, but features a 6.6-inch screen and can host up to 12GB of RAM. It does use the same three camera setup as the smaller S22. The S22 Plus is also missing the Note-esque stylus that comes with the S22 Ultra.
Samsung's latest flagship superphone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has an impressive lineup of specs, including a quadruple rear camera, a big, vibrant display and the S Pen stylus you might remember from the Galaxy Note series. It comes with a high price, but those of you looking for one of the best Android phones around should have this on your short list.
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