Galaxy S22 Ultra In the test and review : lots of power, great camera, mediocre battery
Samsung’s S series is the spearhead of the Korean smartphone portfolio, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra also combines the Note series. Can this go well?
Samsung is the only major manufacturer to stick with its stylus, which was originally the trademark of the Galaxy Note series. The South Korean manufacturer did not continue this last year, instead it is now part of the S series. This only affects the top model, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Impression Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Because while the S22 and S22+ rely on a rounder design, Samsung gives the Ultra model a different design that, with hard edges at the top and bottom and curved display edges, is not entirely reminiscent of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (test report) . The new model not only adopts the design, but also the complete pen functionality.
Of course, this is also reflected in the price: the top smartphone costs 1249 euros in the smallest memory configuration. Only 1649 euros is the end of the top configuration. That’s a lot of money. In the test, we checked whether the S22 Ultra is worth its money.
Design Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
It has already been indicated: The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is not only clearly different from the S22 and S22+ in terms of technology, but also in terms of design. Because while these two models are based on the design of the previous generation with rounded corners and their special camera design. Samsung turns back time with the S22 Ultra and relies on the Note look from 2020.
We don’t think that’s a bad thing, on the contrary. With the flat front and bottom, the manufacturer cleverly picks up on the Note design again, we really like that.
The sides are so flat that the smartphone can even stand on a smooth, straight surface, at least on the front. On the foot side, the minimally protruding stylus prevents this kind of display. But it will be a balancing act anyway.
Comfort Design Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Nevertheless, the model lies well in the hand – at least much better than one would expect from the angular design and dimensions. Two things support hand comfort: On the one hand, the long side edges are curved in a tight radius, which affects both the back and the display in front. On the other hand, the S22 Ultra is very well balanced, the center of gravity is pretty much in the middle.
Since the processing quality is also perfect and the transitions from the glass front and back to the shiny metal frame are almost seamless and flowing, the S22 Ultra is almost flattering to the touch, despite all the adversities.
If you are worried about unwanted reflections on the rounded sides of the display, you can rest easy: the curvature is so strong that there is hardly any room for reflections.
On The Back Design Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
The design on the back, on the other hand, may not appeal to everyone. Instead of integrating the individual lenses into a protruding camera unit, as with the S21 generation and the other two S22 models.
Samsung uses lenses that stand out individually from the housing in the Ultra model. In addition to a smorgasbord of sensors, five “eyes” are looking at the user – it is not entirely unreasonable that some people are reminded of an insect.
IP68 Ready On This Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
But we don’t find it that optically unattractive, what bothers us is the fact that dust and fluff quickly accumulate between the lenses in the trouser pocket . And depending on the shape of the trousers and body size, the Ultra fits in there without any problems.
Only cleaning or washing up will help, thanks to IP68 the smartphone is again protected against dust and water. Incidentally, the holder for the stylus is again at the bottom left of the smartphone; it protrudes a few millimeters when you press it lightly and can then be pulled out completely. The only way to put it back the wrong way is by force.
Test Screen Samsung S22 Ultra
The screen of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which is protected by the latest Gorilla Glass Victus Plus. Should be up to 1750 cd/m² bright – that would be a new record. For the first time, there is now an extra button in the display settings called “Additional brightness”. Which actually increases the luminosity visibly again.
Nevertheless, we could “only” measure 700 candela in manual mode, only in automatic mode and in bright sunlight does the measured value increase to over 1350 cd/m². That’s great and makes the high manufacturer’s specification for certain HDR content credible. Of course, the high brightness comes at a cost to battery life – we’ll discuss that later in the “Battery” section.
Resolution Samsung S22 Ultra
Not only in terms of brightness, but also in terms of the rest of the display equipment, Samsung is big. Up to 3088 x 1440 pixels are spread over a huge 6.8 inches, and Samsung continues to use AMOLED technology.
“Up to”, because the S22 Ultra also supports extended HD and Full HD resolution. With Full HD in particular, the panel no longer achieves a grandiose 500 pixels per inch (ppi). But it forms a good compromise between image sharpness and battery life.
However, you don’t have to make such a compromise with the refresh rate. Samsung offers adaptive control in its top model. Which theoretically varies between 10 and 120 frames per second – depending on the content. This is intended to ensure a smooth display of moving content and less power consumption for static content.
State of the art Screen
In general, the display of the S22 Ultra screen is excellent. Depending on the setting, colors are displayed intensely or naturally. The RGB color space is exceeded by 40 percent, and DCI-P3 is almost completely covered. Contrasts are terrific, the black value enormous – that’s how an OLED screen should be.
Thanks to the great viewing angle stability and the exorbitant brightness, readability in direct sunlight is not an issue . If you don’t see anything here, you should visit an optician. The display of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is state of the art, but that was also the case for the screen of the predecessor.