Big, square and definitely eye-catching: it’s brand new. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. In the test, the most expensive of the three new Galaxy S22 models should prove itself in various disciplines. At first glance, it is clear that it is not only significantly different from the S22 and S22 + in terms of price. IMTEST tested the variant with 256 GB of internal memory (price new: 1349 euros). Samsung did not provide the S22 and S22+ models for this test. This test shows if the S22 Ultra is really the leader among the still young smartphones of the year.
In addition, Samsung’s top 2022 model should compete with its direct predecessor, the Galaxy S21 Ultra, Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max, Google Pixel 6 Pro, and the all-new Oppo Find X5 Pro in display and photo quality tests. , speed and battery life.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in the test: with a stylus and Android 12
As for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, the first thing that stands out in the test is the angular body: while the screen on the other two S22 devices, as well as on the previous model, the S21 Ultra, is flat, it is rounded on the sides. on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Then the smartphone looks quite angular from the top and bottom. Despite its dimensions of 163 x 78 millimeters in length and width, it fits well in the hand. And with five photo and sensor lenses that attach separately to the rear panel, as well as a stylus (S-Pen), it offers two unique advantages. Also on board:
- current Exynos 2200 mobile processor
- Latest generation 6.8″ AMOLED display
- current android version 12
4 lenses and one sensor: The S22 Ultra’s camera block is drop-shaped. © IMTEST
Galaxy S22 Ultra with redesigned interface
As is typical for Samsung, Google’s operating system (which is purely based on Pixel 6 Pro works), but redesigned with an adapted user interface. Particularly for newcomers to Samsung, this means a certain amount of time to get familiar with all the applications of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra with ease. Samsung has delivered on the promise of an update to the Android system very well. There should be three versions available for the Galaxy S22 Ultra (i.e. up to Android 15) and security updates will be released even after 2025.
S22 Ultra becomes Galaxy Note
With its angular design and S-Pen slot, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is reminiscent of the Galaxy Note 20. Samsung released the latest model in this series in August 2020. Now Galaxy S22 Ultra, apparently, should completely replace Note smartphones. Moreover, the S-Pen known from the Note is now firmly seated in a Galaxy smartphone for the first time – in a slot at the bottom of the case. It can be unlocked and pulled out after pressing the button, or locked again in the opposite direction. It ran smoothly in the test, and the pen function itself was also convincing in performance. S-Pen works seamlessly with specially designed applications – for example, for drawing or taking notes.
Take out the pen, run the app…
The S-Pen in the S22 Ultra makes it very convenient to work with many applications.
Weaknesses of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra?
But there is also criticism of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. For example, some testers report disappearing when swiping or typing. You can also read about display issues while playing videos online. Therefore, a flickering bar across the screen should interfere with the image. With the Galaxy S22 Ultra, IMTEST did not find any stuttering or streaks during video playback in this test. The endurance of the 5000 mAh battery is also not always delightful. The points of criticism are somewhat reminiscent of incidents from the past: for example, in 2017, Samsung had to recall the Galaxy Note 7 around the world due to the fact that some copies caught fire in the battery.
As a result of these reports, there has recently been a discussion among tech journalists about whether it would be better to delay testing. Find out what IMTEST thinks about it in this Comment to the discussion S22 Ultra.
Galaxy S22 Ultra in comparison test: which device has the best display?
In addition to camera quality, IMTEST also measures the battery life, performance speed and display quality of smartphones with great effort and reproducible methods in the lab. Comparison of Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in the test with its predecessor S21 Ultra gives the following result:
© IMTEST
size and resolution: The 6.8-inch (diagonal: 17.27 cm) AMOLED display (QHD+) on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the same size as its predecessor, the S21 Ultra. However, its OLED screen offers a slightly higher resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels, which is also noticeable in pixels per inch (ppi). The predecessor offers 516 ppi, the S22 Ultra 497 ppi.
brightness: At maximum brightness (candela per square meter, cd/m2) at the center of the screen as measured with a professional meter Gossen Company, the S21 Ultra at 1170 cd/m2 is only slightly ahead of the Galaxy S22 Ultra at 1065 cd/m2. In direct and strong sunlight, the contents of both screens are still legible.
color accuracy: Testers found clearer differences in color reproduction, i.e. in color accuracy. While the S21 Ultra offers very high color accuracy, the Galaxy S22 Ultra displays greens and skin tones in particular too brightly in the test.
IMTEST uses a colorimeter to measure color accuracy and grayscale display accuracy. © IMTEST
On the entire test field, the Galaxy S21 Ultra can withstand iPhone 13 Pro Maxdominated by the Google Pixel 6 Pro and finally the S22 Ultra.
Which smartphone will last the longest?
The battery life of a smartphone is highly dependent on how the device is used. To achieve comparable results, IMTEST tests all smartphones under the same conditions. The screen is set to a moderate brightness of 300 cd/m2. In the test scenario, the smartphone then streams Full HD video in an endless loop through a local server via WLAN until the battery is completely depleted.
When is the battery really fully charged? IMTEST determines the exact time using a measuring device. © IMTEST
With the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, this was already the case after 7:29 hours in the test. By comparison, the S21 Ultra lasted 10:35 hours. However, no smartphone in the test field came close to Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max: 17:06 hours of continuous use offered by the 4352 mAh battery in the iPhone is currently the maximum.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra must also admit defeat when it comes to quickly charging its 5,000 mAh battery: it can be fully charged back to 100 percent in 50:04 minutes with a 45W fast charger (not included, from €25). ). but it’s even faster Oppo Find X5 Pro. The 5,000mAh battery charges from 0 to 100 percent in just 32:46 minutes with the included 80W fast charger.
Find out everything you need to know about the compact energy dispenser.
What is the fastest smartphone?
In Europe, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra ships with the latest Exynos 2200 mobile processor. This is also the target of criticism. Because Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which is found in the S22 models for the US market, for example, apparently causes sometimes significant differences in the speed of the smartphone in speed tests. IMTEST determines the frequency of the processor using the “reference values” of the Geekbench 5 program.
Unlike the fastest smartphone to date, the iPhone 13 Pro Max (with the Apple A15 Bionic processor), the performance of the Galaxy S22 Ultra is more than 1300 points lower. However, a Geekbench score of 3438 points still means fast performance. The graphics performance of the new Exynos 2200 chip is rated in the 3D-Mark gaming test – the same as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, Pixel 6 Pro and Oppo Find X5 Pro – with the maximum value. Predicate: very high!
Galaxy family at a glance
Processor, battery capacity, camera resolution: a brief overview of the main features of the Samsung S22 Galaxy and Galaxy S21 Ultra.
© IMTEST
How good is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra camera in a comparison test?
There are five lenses on the back of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (including a depth sensor). The main camera has a very high resolution of 108 megapixels (MP). The ultra wide-angle camera has a resolution of 12 megapixels. In addition to a 3x optical zoom, there is a second one with a 10x zoom – both lenses offer 10 MP each. The camera in the Galaxy S22 Ultra provides this quality compared to other smartphones in the test:
The optical zoom on the Galaxy S22 Ultra delivers a very high level of resolution detail in the 3x zoom test. Like the S21 Ultra, the S22 Ultra performs very well. However, when it comes to zooming, the iPhone 13 Pro Max clearly leads the test: at 4x zoom, its photos are still rich in detail. There is also a macro mode. This allows you to take close-up pictures from a distance of just a few centimeters and allows you to see the most delicate structures.
The high-resolution main camera of the S22 Ultra was also available in its predecessor. It delivers colors that are too bright and sometimes too pale. Compared to the S21, the blacks are too pale. Small details are also somewhat distorted and a bit grainy in the facial structures. The iPhone also wins here. It delivers more daylight detail, sharper images, and noticeably less noise than two Galaxy smartphones.
Currently, the best camera in an Android smartphone is in the Google Pixel 6 Pro. During the test, its 50-megapixel camera took detailed and realistic pictures. In low light, strong lightening made a lot of things recognizable. However, this makes the colors look a bit paler and there is a slight loss of detail. On the other hand, the Galaxy S22 Ultra makes little noise. However, the picture looks sharp and only slightly blurry – overall a little better than the S21 Ultra.
Especially in dark environments, the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 40MP front lens causes image graininess and captures too little detail when shooting. The camera on the Pixel 6 Pro performs well overall, with sharp photos even in low light, very low noise, and good color reproduction. The 32 MP front camera in Oppo also shoots well.
Proper zoom without losing detail works well with the Galaxy S22 Ultra. © IMTEST
Even if the camera in the Samsung S22 Ultra is in some ways better, or at least as good as the S21 Ultra, the Google Pixel 6 Pro still has the best camera of any Android smartphone. The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max offers the best camera in a smartphone, delivering plenty of detail and natural color reproduction in both daylight and darkness.
108 megapixels: The main camera of the S22 Ultra can capture panoramas convincingly. © IMTEST
CONCLUSION: Galaxy S22 Ultra is not number 1
Despite a very bright display, good pen handling, and good photo quality when shooting in dark conditions, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is not a new star in the smartphone sky. Its predecessor is even more convincing in direct comparison. The best high-end smartphone will also be released by Apple in 2022 with the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Google offers a good and cheaper alternative to Android with the Pixel 6 Pro, thanks in part to a better camera.
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