The S22 Plus is close to what we saw in its predecessor, but it doesn't get as much attention as the cheaper, shrunken S22 and the powerful S22 Ultra. Don't ignore its middle child's energy.
Even if the S22 Plus misses out on a few key upgrades, it's still too expensive and unwieldy for a lot of people. The Plus offers a traditional pro-quality experience that makes it our current #1 pick for the best phone in 2022.
The best battery life of the S22 lineup, a bright display, and upgraded rear and front camera sensors make the S22+ an easy recommendation. Is it a good idea for owners of S21 or S20 phones to upgrade? Is it a good idea to wait, given the thermal issues of all the phones? The review should help you make a decision.
The Winter Unpacked event was held in February of 2022. It is said that it pushed the announcement to make room for the delayed S21 FE. The item was shipped on February 25.
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The price of the S22+ is $1,000 and it comes with 8 gigabytes of ram and 128 gigabytes of storage. The S22 costs more than the S22 Ultra. For $50 more, you can upgrade to a larger amount of storage, but you won't be able to upgrade to RAM or expand storage.
All major retailers have theGalaxy S22+ in Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green, or Pink Gold. It is also available in Sky Blue, Cream, and Graphite from the website.
The best deals of the day are from the SAMSUNG GALAXY S22+.
Remove the Apple logo, swap out the Play button-shaped sensor array and square housing for a thinner, vertical camera housing, and you're good to go. The back panel of the S series has been fully flattened for the first time. It's up to you whether you like it stylish or boring.
When it came back to a glass back design, it raised eyebrows. The glasstic design was praised by our S21 reviewer for its durability and style, and without reigniting the glass vs plastic debate. You're still going to want an S22+ case to prevent accidents despite the fact that the fears were wrong.
The image is the first of four.
The image was taken by Michael Hicks.
The image was taken by Michael Hicks.
The image was taken by Michael Hicks.
The image was taken by Michael Hicks.
The power button and volume rocker buttons are colored to blend into the aluminum edge so they are not noticeable. The top, left, and bottom-right edges don't have any texture to them. The S22+ can squeeze the bottom-firing speakers, USB-C port, and dual-SIM card slot onto the phone bottom, thanks to the fact that the S22+ was denied a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The camera housing is mostly the same as the S21 lineup. It stuck out a bit along the phone's rounded edge last year. The S22+'s housing was separated from the camera by a thin line. If you choose one of the four main S22+ models, the housing color and phone color will match.
Finding the right grip for one-handed browsing can be a challenge, but it's not nearly as uncomfortable to hold as the boxy S22 Ultra.
A case should solve the problem of the phone wobbling if you tap it on a hard surface like a desk.
People with smaller hands may not be able to hold a phone for an extended period of time with or without a case. It's not specific to the S22+, but it's more comfortable to hold to the S22 Ultra.
It can be difficult to find a grip that offers good thumb positioning for one-handed browsing. I like to cradle it on my fingers so my thumb can reach across, but if I held it outside it would fall. I'm more likely to hold it in my off-hand so I can grab it. You may want to consider investing in a Popsocket if that sounds like a hassle.
In his hands-on with the S22+, Nick Sutrich said the design was "decidedly artificial" and compared it to older models. It's more natural for me to rest the S22+'s flat edges against my palm than it is to touch them. To each of them.
I like that Samsung gave us three distinct phone designs by shrinking the S22, Note-ifying the Ultra, and making the S22+ the "traditional" flagship.
The S22+ in Pink Gold has a subtle coloring that isn't as shiny as previous models and doesn't accentuate finger smudges. The square iPhone module looks bloated or excessive compared to the narrower S22+ camera housing of the S22+. The S22 Ultra and its unhoused camera sensors attract a disgusting amount of dust and lint that ruin the unique look of this housing.
Maybe the S22 Ultra is the Note 22 in all but name, but I like that it has three different designs. The S22+ is the traditional flagship with a compelling design of its own and shoppers have good options at each price point.
We saw flat display excellence with last year's phones. Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology has bright, accurate colors that look great in high definition. The refresh rate is retained for seamless scrolling and touch sampling while the game is being played. The Eye Comfort Shield is an effective blue light blocker.
| Category | Samsung Galaxy S22+ |
|---|---|
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Exynos 2200 |
| Display | 6.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display1080x2340120Hz refresh rate (48-120Hz) with 240Hz touch sampling There could be up to 1,750 nits. |
| Memory | 8GB RAM |
| Storage | 128-256GB |
| Rear cameras | 50MP, ƒ/1.8, 1.0μm, (85-degree wide-angle)12MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.4μm (120-degree ultra-wide) 10MP, / 2.4, 1.0m, 3x optical zoom. |
| Front camera | 10MP, ƒ/2.2, 80-degree wide-angle |
| Battery and charging | 4,500mAh45W Fast Charging 15 watt wireless charging |
| Connectivity | WiFi 6E (6GHz)Bluetooth 5.25G mmWave and sub6 The band is ultra wide. |
| Dimensions | 75.8 x 157.4 x 7.6 mm / 2.98 x 6.2 x 0.3 in 199g, 6.9oz. |
| Protection | IP68 The glass is called gorilla glass. |
| Colors | Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green, Pink Gold Sky blue, cream, and violet are exclusive to the website. |
Vision Booster is the major improvement for this year's model, which will keep it visible in the sun. The S22 model hit 1300 last year, so you can easily read or watch content outside, but that extra 450 nits changes the game for people who live in sunny climates.
It measured slightly above 1,300 nits, compared to the S21 Ultra's 830 nits. It is clear that the 450nit increase over last year's model is not false advertising. Even when streaming content outside, the S22+ keeps the display visible in California sunlight, so it won't drain your battery.
You will burn through your battery life quickly if you watch QHD at 120Hz. The Plus's display is larger than the Ultra's, so it makes most people happy. There are other $1,000 phones that offer QHD, so you can still question the decision to reserve it for the Ultra only.
The S22 Ultra has a display that supports refresh rates as low as 1hertz for longer battery life. The refresh rate range for the S22 and S22+ was recently updated by the company to be between 48 and 120Hz. The "data transfer rate" drops as low as 10hertz, sparing the processor a bit, and the display sticks to 48hertz or higher, which will give your battery a harder time.
It's a relief that the S22 models have an under-display fingerprint sensor, and it's even better that the S22 models have an Ultrasonic sensor.
You'll have very few complaints with the S22+ display if you add in attractively thin bezels and the option to manually change the colors. It makes using it a pleasure. You might want to invest in a screen protection for the S22+.
By the time the OneUI 4 update was released for the S22, many of the phones that had received it had already been updated. The look and utility of 4.1, as well as the privacy features and notifications, were mostly unchanged.
The "new" OS brought the two companies closer together, by making the default app for both phones, and by enabling Duo Live Sharing for sharing your screen with friends. The feature was disappointingly underbaked after field testing it.
The only software launch highlights that made the S22 series exciting were the by-products of improved update speed.
Samsung has become the undisputed champion of Android updates.
In both longevity and speed, it has become the leader of the pack. Four software updates and five years of security updates are included in the price. The S22+ will get OS updates for years to come, while other brands keep former flagships waiting through the spring or summer.
If you want to try out the latest software tricks, you'll be able to do so on the S22 series, as the OneUI 5Beta will arrive this summer. The stable launch of the S22+ should happen in the fall or early winter.
Let's discuss performance. I received the variant exclusive to the U.S., Canada, and China, so those in other territories won't have the same experience.
In my initial review, I had no issues with my performance. You can't use your fingers to open the phone, but you can use the facial recognition software. The scrolling and swiping look good. I've tested apps on phones before and they load quicker. The Play Store apps take less time to download than on other phones.
Slow speeds can be seen when the phone is first turned on, as well as some slight shutter lag. I wouldn't call it a deal breaking.
When playing graphically demanding games like Genshin Impact or Sky: Children of the Light, and when filming 4K video, the phone got consistently warm. It didn't seem to affect performance despite the heating issues encountered by my colleagues.
The topic of controversy has grown since then. There were thermal issues in theGalaxy S22 series. The Game Optimizing Service (GOS) was being used by the company to slow down 10,000 apps, dropping performance by as much as 50%. Sales of the S22 dropped after Geekbench banned the flagships from its site.
The S22+ gets consistently warm (bordering on hot) trying to keep up with demanding Android games — but it can play them.
Do you think the performance controversy means you shouldn't purchase the S22 Plus? It's a lot of work. The phone is fast for day-to-day tasks, and it was fixed months ago. The S22+ is capable of handling almost any of your favorite games.
The S22 Plus was kept at 8 gigabytes with no upgrade option. Similarly priced phones like the Pixel 6 Pro offer 12GB, and I'd argue thatSamsung fell into archaic thinking by only giving the flagship a memory upgrade. If you're going to make the Ultra a Note, don't penalize the people who want a better phone.
The overheating issue will be fixed this summer with the arrival of the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 which will offer a 30% efficiency boost and 10% performance boost. Even if the S23 won't arrive until next year, you can still hold out for the Z flip 4 since it's the same price as the S22 Plus.
When we're perfectly happy with the performance of the S22+, we don't need to hold off on it.
I came into my review expecting the worst, given that the Plus battery was slashed from 4,800 to 4,500. I was impressed with the phone's ability to hold a charge even when not in use.
It lasted 12 hours with 5 hours of active screen time across its first day of use, and it felt like I had left it in the sun.
It remained at 15% for about 10 hours. It took less than an hour for it to charge up. You'll have the option to top off a drained phone with some emergency juice in just a few minutes if you have a compatible charging device.
On my next day of active testing, I had 5 hours of fully active screen time, including gaming, streaming, Slacking, Chrome browsing, camera testing, and two hours of idling time, which took the phone to just 50% battery life. It's nice to know that my phone won't ruin the battery if I go on a gaming binge or watch a movie in bed.
Don't stress about the S22+'s battery "downgrade" compared to last year. It didn't have any practical, negative impact that I could measure.
The battery life of our parent company's S22+ stress test was less than ideal, as it lasted less than 10 hours while loading content over 5G on low brightness. My colleague fell into the single digits with regular use by the end of the day, even though the S22 Ultra lasted an hour less under the same conditions.
Don't worry about the S22+'s battery "down grade" compared to last year. I could not measure the impact.
We needed a hardware upgrade for the S21 lineup since the S20 camera sensor was retained. The 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP selfie camera remains the same as they were before. The main sensor was upgraded from 12MP to 50MP and the zoom was increased from 3X to 5X.
Improvements to night photography and better focus in portrait shots can be attributed to the reworked neural processor.
The S22+ takes decent photos with good color accuracy and decent detail, but you can see some blur when you zoom past 3X. Portrait mode seems to be able to capture some beautiful shots with a focus on the subject.
I was able to get some action shots of birds flying or cars driving by, though in other cases moving people or pets looked blurry, because of the fast processing speed. The S22 phones seem to have more trouble in this area.
It's fair to say that the S22+ beats mid-range phones for photo quality, but with so many brands developing or using 100-200MP camera sensors with powerful zoom, it's fair to say the S22+ feels a bit last-gen compared to the previous generation
If you're looking for aflagship that matches the S22+ in most specifications, the Pixel 6 Pro is a good choice. For $100 less, you'll get 12GB of RAM, QHD+ resolution as an alternative to the 120Hz mode, a 5,000mAh battery, and access to the latest features of the internet. The 6 Pro has slower charging, a dimmer display, and has had issues with cellular and fingerprints. If you prefer stock software, the S22+ is a good choice.
The S22 has the same performance and cameras as the S22+, so it's a good choice if you want a one-handed phone. 450 nits of brightness and ultra-wideband are lost, 25W charging and 3,700mAh capacity are dropped, and you have to go back to 6E.
It's possible to choose the S22 Ultra for an extra $200 or $300, depending on the amount of ram you want. You'll get a QHD+ resolution, a second lens with a 10X zoom, and a built-in S Pen with that upgrade. The S22 Plus is more suited to one-handed use.
If you don't live in North America, you might want to avoid the Exynos 2200 variant, which has been reported to have worse issues than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. You can find the Find X5 Pro in Europe and Asia. Our reviewer said it was the perfect alternative to the S22+, with its QHD 120Hz AMOLED display, 80W fast charging, and the same 8 Gen 1 Chipset. The cost is closer to the S22 Ultra because it has one fewer OS update.
If you do, you should purchase this.
If you buy this, you should not.
The review was titled "avoiding the Ultra Note trap" despite the fact that the S22 Ultra is the better phone. What's the reason? The S22+ is an excellent phone that has all the essentials in a better form factor.
With the speed, display, and cameras that you need in a phone you can hold one-handed, the S22 Plus is a better option than the Ultra. It's not a "flagship" but most people don't need one, and if you're going to spend a lot of money on the S22 Ultra, you should look at a foldable. It won't cost that much more.
Despite all of the controversy surrounding the launch of the S22+, it's clear that the device beats most of the competition. The outdoor screen brightness, smooth scrolling, and workhorse battery life of the S22+ is something you will love. If you find a clear case, you'll enjoy the look of the phone without the risk of a glass shattering disaster.
It's not a perfect phone, and S21 owners who've waited this long can wait a bit longer since the processor hasn't lost its edge. Keep an eye out for trade-in deals or Black Friday deals because this phone is worth buying.
The review was published in February. There was an update in June.
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