Thanks to a consistent user experience, superior hardware, and other factors, Samsung’s Galaxy S flagship has long served as the preferred handset for Android consumers. As a result of improvements made over the last several years, Samsung is continuing its winning streak this year with the Galaxy S22 , which also brings one of the greatest enhancements to the company’s flagship smartphone in almost three years.
A SPECIAL AND WONDERFUL FEELING OF HARDWARE Visually, the Galaxy S22 resembles its predecessor. There are a few tiny tweaks, but it still has the same cornered camera bump and polished metal frame. The camera module has been isolated from the rest of the frame by Samsung, although you won’t be able to see that at a right angle. Additionally, the back glass is no longer curved, giving the frosted glass an unusually comfortable but nearly sharp feeling.
Although the metal frame is slightly flatter as well, it still has some curve to it. Although the pink gold color I have here is stunning in person, it is difficult to capture on photography. But I couldn’t help but wish I’d had a chance to see the shades of green, violet, or sky blue. The best color selection can be found on Samsung.com, where I would definitely choose Sky Blue if I were to purchase this phone.
Many of these design elements are unironically reminiscent of Apple’s most recent iPhones, yet they function perfectly within the framework of Samsung’s design. Although the phone still stands out visually, I think it feels even better in the hand than it did previously.
At least in this Plus variant, the hardware has a satisfying weight to it. With the phone being substantially shorter than the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Pixel 6 Pro but nearly the same width, the new smaller size is also almost ideal.
SAMSUNG’S ARE THE BEST, AND FLAT DISPLAYS ARE BETTER. However, the fact that the display is flat may be the nicest feature of this design in the context of the Galaxy S22 family. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, on the other hand, has pronounced curves on either side of the display. Although I did note that the display would cling on to dust and little hairs tightly, especially when it was in a case, I did notice that the flat glass lowers reflections and is more comfortable to use overall.
That flat glass’s supporting panel is also of the highest caliber. Despite having a 1080p panel, the content maintained its sharpness and had the vibrant colors and deep blacks one would expect from a top Samsung phone. The touch response was nearly flawless for everything from everyday scrolling to my brief gaming sessions, and the 120Hz refresh rate never stutter-ed. Samsung continues to deploy one of the industry’s top ultrasonic fingerprint sensors, which consistently unlocks devices quickly.
The switch to a 6.6-inch display is welcome in terms of size. Even though it is only slightly smaller than the 6.7-inch Galaxy S21 , the difference is noticeable while holding the phone since it seems lighter. I believe Samsung is settling on a nearly ideal smartphone size with the Galaxy S22 , unless you really require a little phone. The display’s nearly equal bezels around each side are likewise quite good, but I’ve never understood the preoccupation with this small design element. In any case, it looks good!
The best Android update strategy is provided by stable and quick software. In our evaluation of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, we went further in-depth, but in essence, the Galaxy S22conclusion ‘s is the same. One UI 4.1 from Samsung is loaded with helpful additions and improvements, including Material Design from Android 12. With the vivid pink wallpapers that were used in my evaluation unit, you created a theme that I found quite enjoyable.
Despite the Galaxy S22system ‘s having 4GB less RAM than the Galaxy S22 Ultra, performance was identical. Although Samsung’s skin is still a little bit tougher than I’d like on some background processes, this phone still moves quickly and has no trouble keeping most apps active in the background for a while even with 8GB of memory.
Furthermore, Samsung’s software is the greatest in the Android market not just for its features or style, but also for its lifespan, which cannot be stressed enough. In terms of significant Android upgrades and security patches, Samsung promises to support the Galaxy S22 and its other recent releases for four years from their initial release. You won’t get better official long-term support anywhere else save an iPhone. It undoubtedly makes the $999 price tag for the S22 much simpler to accept.
By making Google Messages the default SMS app and making RCS easy to use on this smartphone, Samsung has also made significant strides in the messaging department. However, several US carriers will take over the RCS backend on the Galaxy S22, S22 , and S22 Ultra in particular, as Google has indicated since the S22’s launch.
LIFE OF BATTERY AND CHARGING RELIABLE ENDURANCE, UNREASONABLY HIGH CHARGES The Galaxy S22battery ‘s capacity has decreased from the year before, going from a 4,800 mAh cell to a 4,500 mAh pack. The smaller display, when combined with the difference, did not significantly affect how I used the device.
In general, I couldn’t kill the Galaxy S22 in a day without deliberately attempting to do so. I used the Galaxy S22 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m./ 12 a.m. every day, and during that time, I never had it shut off completely, and only twice did the battery level fall below 20 percent. Of course, the main qualification to that is that I work from home, and my phone is typically wired to WiFi all day. But weekends remained unaffected in the same way. I never observed a significant decrease in battery life as a result of switching to cellular connections over Wi-Fi, even with many excursions to the shop and more usage during the day. Of course, playing games might drain the battery, but overall, the Galaxy S22battery ‘s life is about what you would hope for. The majority of users won’t have their phone die in a single day, but those who use it frequently may occasionally seek for a charging wire in the late evening.
The Galaxy S22 charges quickly as well. Although several testing have revealed that the phone doesn’t actually benefit from that input when compared to 25W, Samsung rates the phone for 45W charging speeds. In any case, the charging speed in my tests was significantly faster than the Pixel 6 Pro I often use, and the one night I neglected to charge the phone, it was simple to get a top off.
However, the fact that Samsung doesn’t provide a charging brick in the box and, worse still, charges $50 for one that charges this phone at full speed negates a lot of the advantages of the charging scenario. Customers would be more than glad to receive a coupon for a free charger after making a purchase, and it would also be beneficial for the environment to reduce some needless e-waste.
Finally, a new sensor for the camera The Galaxy S22new ‘s camera, which has undergone a significant update for the first time since the Galaxy S10 series, is one of the greatest enhancements. With a larger physical sensor that can capture more detail and create more realistic bokeh in photographs, the new 50MP primary sensor is an updated version of what ships with Google’s Pixel 6.
I’ve been quite happy with this camera in practice. When there is lots of light, it can take some incredibly beautiful pictures. Even if this new one still falls short of the Ultra models, detail and bokeh really stand out when compared to the sensors Samsung employed on its prior Galaxy S handsets. Additionally, the S22 lacks the Ultra’s outstanding telephoto lenses, which made zoom images subpar. Night images are acceptable, but I didn’t find them to be particularly noteworthy.
Beautiful photographs are those with good lighting!
This picture was almost spoiled by shutter lag and HDR.
Low lighting provides room for development Of course, a smartphone camera’s physical capabilities are limited. Software is essential, and Samsung still has some issues in this area. Although Samsung still oversaturates certain photographs, HDR processing produces effective results and produces attractive images that are ready for sharing right away. My main complaint was the shutter latency. Sharpness would be lost in the final image if either the camera or the subject moved. This was very difficult while photographing a dog, for instance, and would only be more annoying when attempting to photograph a youngster.
See full-size sample images here
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The Pixel 6 series and Apple’s iPhone 13, especially the Pro models, are more reliable and consistent in their results, leaving Samsung in a clear third place in the camera competition.
A GO-TO FOR ANDROIDS JUST GOT BETTER, IN THE END Samsung’s Galaxy S flagship is the standard year after year for a good reason. These phones are simply good, simple to purchase, and historically reliable. Overall, the Galaxy S22 continues that tradition. It is an improved version of what came before, and I believe it to be the surprise star of Samsung’s portfolio for 2022. The Galaxy S22 Ultra will be extremely popular with fans and anyone who previously owned a Note, but for the general public who just wants a smart phone, this is the greatest flagship-level product in Samsung’s lineup right now.
Nevertheless, the fact that the Galaxy S21 FE belongs to the same class is the only thing that makes it a bit harder to recommend. Its camera isn’t as good, and its processor is a year old. However, the majority of people won’t pay much attention to those points. For a $300 price difference, I would find it difficult to suggest the S22 over the S21 FE, but in either case, you’re getting a phone that is absolutely fantastic—the Galaxy S22 is simply slightly more fantastic.
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