Samsung continues its tradition of large phones featuring stylus-equipped phones with the Galaxy S 22 Ultra. Aimed at Note fans looking for 10X zoom cameras in larger displays, this phone caters specifically to them.

This lightning-fast phone never pauses or hesitates; it effortlessly navigates long feeds or sheets, races through Real Racing or COD: Mobile matches quickly, and handles complex photo editing effortlessly.

Camera

Samsung’s main upgrade here is in terms of camera hardware: with its 200MP sensor leapfrogging that of the S21 Ultra and providing greater low-light detail capture as well as improved AI processing, Samsung promises better portrait shots with their new smartphone.

Photo shootouts showed us that the Galaxy S 22 Ultra can compete head to head with other smartphones like OPPO’s Find X5 Pro, Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max and Google Pixel 6 Pro when it comes to sensors and software upgrades. Photos captured with it exhibit natural-looking effects while outshone other competitors when depicting dark scenes.

That is particularly evident with its night shots, where its aggressive exposure ramping packs plenty of detail into the frame. Both its main and ultra-wide cameras deliver great results with brighter exposures, vibrant colors and narrow depth of field.

However, its zoom camera can sometimes struggle to expose scenes correctly and display heavy-handed processing that makes images look unnatural compared with those taken with Find X5 Pro or Pixel 6 Pro zoom cameras. But its selfie camera stands out, providing some of the best portrait features seen on any flagship phone.

Battery

Samsung has spent years refining their smartphones, and the Galaxy S 22 Ultra is proof. Boasting rich audio from stereo speakers and an unimaginably bright AMOLED display that remains legible outdoors without squinting, along with variable 120Hz refresh rate that makes Instagram or Twitter scrolling responsive and S Pen latency (2.8ms compared with 26ms on Note 20 Ultra), its 10x zoom camera makes this an upgrade option for earlier Galaxy Note owners or anyone wanting a big screen smartphone with great camera features.

The Galaxy S 22 Ultra has an exceptional battery that will easily last an entire day with light usage or two days with heavy use, due to efficient display usage and its fast charger.

Our tests indicate that the Galaxy S 22 Ultra can reach 100% in just under half an hour with a 25W wireless charging pad, which is pretty impressive compared to some phones such as iPhone 13 Pro Max or Pixel 6 Pro. Furthermore, this smartphone did not feel hot after charging which adds another plus point in its favor.

As with other Galaxy phones, Samsung One UI software makes it simple and straightforward to customize settings and optimize battery management. Regular software updates also bring numerous efficiency upgrades for both cameras and batteries.

Design

The Galaxy S 22 Ultra is an exquisite example of modern mobile technology, boasting a design resembling but also surpassing that of last year’s Note device in terms of shape. Its powerful performance keeps apps opening quickly and smoothly, while its stunning AMOLED display keeps text legible without the need to squint even on sunny days – its variable 120Hz refresh rate intelligently adjusts itself down to 1Hz when not being used – saving battery.

Samsung has designed its Pro-grade camera system with an incredible 108MP sensor and ultrawide lens; combined with 10x optical zooming capability and ultrawide functionality. As a result, this phone rivals the best phones on the market in terms of versatility and quality.

This year’s One UI software includes many upgrades, such as an easier media player and customizable Bedtime mode to help you wind down before bedtime, plus spatial audio support for high-end headphones. Bixby has also received an upgrade: now responding to calls with text is even easier if your phone is out of range!

Though there may be some user interface niggles and reception issues with the Galaxy S 22 Ultra, it remains an eye-catching flagship worthy of consideration. Its S Pen may make this smartphone unique; making it ideal for use as daily driver.

Performance

Galaxy S 22 Ultra offers all of the amenities one would expect of a flagship phone: quad cameras with telephoto periscope zoom lenses, an embedded S Pen stylus for creative playback on phones, the latest processor and record-setting brightness and refresh rates. However, it also comes equipped with some unique extras that set it apart from competitors.

Samsung’s DeX mode, for instance, allows you to create a desktop-like environment on any television or monitor by connecting with wireless keyboard and mouse. It’s similar to Apple’s Continuity feature found on iPhone XS Max and OnePlus 10 Pro phones; but with their own special touches.

Samsung’s 5,000mAh battery delivers ample juice. When I conducted a light usage session with Wi-Fi and mobile data usage, social media scrolling, an hour of gaming/video playback and Wi-Fi browsing at low power settings I still had about 20 percent battery remaining by day’s end.

The Galaxy S 22 Ultra has a 6.8-inch WQHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with Vision Booster that Samsung claims can help users see details in darker scenes and better balance color across its frame. With 1750 nits peak brightness and meeting VDE Germany’s 100 percent mobile color volume standard for 100 percent mobile color volume mobile displays. In addition, HDR support enables viewing Netflix content or other supported video formats on this display.