The Galaxy Note is back in a big way, indeed if not by name. Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra( starting at$ 1,199.99) exhibits all the hallmark features of the Note lineup, with a big figure, important tackle, long battery life, and, of course, a erected- in S Pen stylus. The new model performs better than the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra from last time, as well as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra( albeit slightly), and is an excellent choice if you want the most phone possible. That said, of the three Galaxy S22 models, the S22 gets our top recommendation for delivering utmost of the same features as the Ultra at a lower price and in a more nicely sized design.
Big Body Loses the Angles
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is available in several configurations, including 8 GB RAM with 128 GB storehouse($ 1,199.99), or 12 GB RAM with either 256 GB($ 1,299.99), 512 GB($ 1,399.99), or 1 TB of storehouse($ 1,599.99). Note that the 1 TB model appears to be a Best Buy exclusive. The phone comes in matte dark, burgundy, green, orwhite.Despite its name, the Galaxy S22 Ultra takes its design cues from the Galaxy Note lineup. Whereas bias in the Galaxy S series have softer angles, Galaxy Note models generally sport squared- off top and nethermost edges with twisted, cascade sides. At6.43 by3.07 by0.35 elevation( HWD) and8.08 ounces, the S22 Ultra is wider than the2.98- inch S21 Ultra( to accommodate the S pen), but it weighs the same.
Ultra Connectivity
The S22 is the first US phone line with Qualcomm’s X65 modem, though that tackle is likely to appear in the OnePlus 10 Pro and Apple’s iPhone 14 lineup. We tested the X65 in low- signal areas and set up that it has significantly better weak- signal event than last time’s models.
Samsung frustratingly holds the sanctioned list of frequence bands that the S22 Ultra supports like a nonpublic state secret. The phone reconfigures itself every time you fit a SIM, and shows only the bands each carrier wants to support.
still, we know that the phone supports all current 4G and 5G bands from US carriers. Samsung also verified to Cnet that this will be the first phone to support AT&T’s forthcoming3.45 GHz band that the carrier will use to bring faster, C- band- suchlike pets and content to further of the US latterly this time.
There are also at least six global variants of the Galaxy S22 Ultra
- The US one ends with a” U”( vended by carriers) or” U1″( uncorked). This model has millimeter- surge 5G, as well as all the other technologies US carriers use.
- Samsung’s Canadian website shows a” W” model. In former times, this interpretation has been veritably analogous to the US model, but without millimeter- surge 5G. I can not yet confirm that difference in this case.
- The” B” model, on trade in Europe, uses the Samsung Exynos chipset and Shannon modem, according to a firmware dump oncacombos.com. This model seems to have much more defined 5G bands than the others, but that could be an error on cacombos’ part.
- An Asian” E” model uses the Qualcomm chipset and supports a much broader range of 5G bands, just no millimeter- surge.
- Geekbench shows an” N” model for South Korea.
As usual, we suggest buying the right model for your region, as the different bones
may support different frequence bands and features.( AT&T may not allow Wi- Fi calling on the non-” U” models, for case.) Make sure to double- check the model number if you are buying from Amazon or B&H, as those retailers tend to mix up argentine- request phones with US units.
Galaxy S22 Ultra Performance, Battery Life, and Call Quality
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset does not offer a huge performance advantage over last time’s Snapdragon 888 processor. Our marks show 9 to 13 better CPU performance and about 20 better GPU performance compared with last time’s model. That is a measurable enhancement, but outside of snappier S Pen performance( which I bandy below), the phone does not feel livelier than the S21, or, for that matter, the Note 20 Ultra. It also falls behind the iPhone 13 lineup in a number of standard tests.
Thermal issues might be limiting the performance. The S22 Ultra strangled briskly and harder under heavy use than the S21 Ultra, which helps expain the fairly small gap between the two. That said, I did not witness dropped frames in violent games like Genshin Impact, and the phone is specially much further able than a Galaxy S9 or S10 model.
Galaxy S22 Ultra Software Features
The phone vessels with Android 12 and Samsung’s One UI overlay, and Samsung promises upgrades to Android 16( with security updates through the Android 17 cycle). That is a nice perquisite, but just flash back that updates occasionally arrive sluggishly because Samsung does everything through the wirelesscarriers.One new change I appreciate The phone now defaults to Google dispatches rather than Samsung dispatches, and on my test phone, RCS converse features are on bydefault.However, that gets Samsung possessors the read bills and codifying pointers that iMessage druggies have loved for times, If the carriers do not squinch this up.
else, Samsung’s integration with Microsoft’s Your Phone app on Windows PCs is worth a citation; I have been enjoying it for months. It lets you respond to textbook dispatches, drag and drop lines, and glass apps on your PC. It’s basically the Windows interpretation of Apple’s durability point.
The S Pen’s the Thing
The S Pen is a niche point. Artists love it, for illustration. While you can get add- on styli for other bias, the S Pen tucks right into the body of the S22 Ultra, which makes it much harder to lose and always ready to use. The integrated stylus is a big part of why the S22 Ultra is bigger than the S21 Ultra however. And if you do not use it, that redundant bulk may be delicate tooverlook.The new S Pen is the same size and shape as the Note20’s S Pen. It’s flat on the sides, has a single button in the middle, and uses a sharp, flexible tip. But the body material is different the Note 20 Ultra’s S Pen was hard and candescent, while this one uses a matte, more resilient material.
Samsung says it reduced the S Pen’s quiescence from 9ms on the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra to2.8 ms on this model. I was originally skeptical that I would be suitable to tell a difference, but the stylus does feel more responsive on the S22 Ultra. Samsung says it uses an AI algorithm to prognosticate where you are going to draw before you do, so whereas the Note20’s essay follows your pen, the S22 Ultra’s essay nearly precedes it.
Galaxy S22 Ultra Camera Capabilities
The Galaxy S22 Ultra offers the same imaging options as last time’s model. For reference, that is a 12MPultra-wide camera; a 108MP main camera that substantially shoots 12MP prints with nine- pixel binning; a 10MP 3x drone; and a 10MP 10x drone on the reverse. There is also a 40MP front- facing camera that substantially shoots 10MP prints using four- pixel binning. The phone captures up to 8K videotape through the primary camera, and 4K videotape through the frontalcamera.Samsung says it bettered the low- light imaging capabilities so much that it now refers to the experience as” nightography.” I suppose that is overdoing the case in a big way. The S22 is better than the S21 in low light, but not dramatically so.
Low- light shots from the S22 show better depth of field, more logged colors, and lower lens flare than from the S21 Ultra. But the night mode does not work any more snappily — it still takes between two and three seconds to capture a shot and the 10x drone lens still produces extremely dark results at night. It uses an f/4.9 lens after all, which lets by much lower light than the f/1.8 main lens or f/2.4 3x lens.
Should You Upgrade to the Galaxy S22 Ultra?
I have carried around a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra for utmost of the last time as my primaryphone.However, I do not see a need to drop$ 1, 200 or further right now on the S22 Ultra, If you have a Galaxy S21 Ultra or a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Yes, you get a lot of incremental advancements with the new model, but there are no advance features then.