Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra early impressions: Say hello to the S Pen

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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra early impressions: Say hello to the S Pen

Micheline Lykke

February 9, 2022

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra early impressions: Say hello to the S Pen

Samsung’s costliest nonfoldable telephone is taking a lesson from the corporate’s previous. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, introduced on Wednesday alongside the Galaxy S22, S22 Plus and the Galaxy Tab S8 successfully replaces the Galaxy Note in Samsung’s lineup. The Galaxy S22 Ultra begins at $1,200 (£1,149, approx. AU$2,170) and launches on Feb. 25, with preorders dwell now.The Galaxy S22 Ultra is the primary Samsung telephone for the reason that Galaxy Note 20 to not solely incorporate S Pen help, just like the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Z Fold 3, but additionally embody a bodily slot on the telephone for stowing the stylus. S Pen followers who purchased final yr’s Galaxy S21 Ultra had to purchase the stylus individually and go for a selected telephone case that would retailer it. Other upgrades to the telephone are extra iterative, together with steps ahead within the processor, digital camera and display screen.
Samsung declined to touch upon future merchandise when requested if it will launch new Galaxy Note telephones sooner or later. But it did say the corporate is now pondering of the Galaxy Note as an “experience” greater than a product line, and it plans to level Note followers towards the Galaxy S22 Ultra in future.The Galaxy Note, which debuted greater than a decade in the past, was an business disrupter. It popularized larger screens, and Samsung additional distinguished the road with unique options that have been lacking from different Galaxy telephones. But the Note’s place has develop into much less clear. In 2020, Samsung squeezed the Note lineup in between the Galaxy S20 and S20 Ultra. The Note line skipped 2021 completely. Now, the Galaxy S22 Ultra represents what seems to be a much-needed merging of the Note and the Ultra.A extra Note-like expertise on the Galaxy S22 UltraThe Galaxy S22 Ultra appears to be like like a full Galaxy Note alternative.
Richard Peterson/CNET
In addition to full S Pen help and a spot contained in the telephone to retailer it, Samsung additionally made some enhancements to the way in which its stylus works. The latency is decrease, and it will possibly transcribe handwritten notes to textual content in 88 languages. In the temporary time I needed to attempt the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the S Pen felt fluid and responsive, though it is laborious to inform if it was any completely different than earlier than. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has additionally inherited the Note’s extra streamlined design, which has sharper edges and a extra angular look in comparison with the usual Galaxy S telephones. This provides it the extra “notebook” like form that Note followers are possible conversant in, and it might be useful for studying and reviewing paperwork. The common Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus, which Samsung additionally introduced on Wednesday, have a extra rounded aesthetic by comparability. This makes the S22 Ultra really feel indistinguishable from the Galaxy Note, and it is a visually hanging design that works properly on such a big telephone. It additionally helps the Ultra stand out from the common S22 and S22 Plus, because it ought to contemplating the hole in worth. The S22 Ultra will likely be accessible in black, white, inexperienced and burgundy.Samsung’s Galaxy Note and Galaxy S Ultra telephones are identified for his or her gigantic screens, and that is no completely different this time round. The Galaxy S22 Ultra’s show measures 6.8 inches diagonally, similar to the Galaxy S21 Ultra, and it has a QHD Plus decision. All three new Galaxy telephones also can enhance their screens’ refresh fee to 120Hz for smoother scrolling. Samsung can be including a characteristic it calls Vision Booster, which adjusts shade and distinction primarily based in your setting. This ought to make it simpler to look at darker scenes in films and TV reveals. It’s accessible on all three Galaxy S22 fashions, however the firm says the Ultra and Plus have Samsung’s brightest screens but.

An identical digital camera with higher evening picturesThe Galaxy S22 Ultra has a four-lens digital camera, in contrast to the common Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus.
Richard Peterson/CNET
The Galaxy S22 Ultra’s digital camera is just like the one on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, a minimum of on paper. There’s a quadruple-lens rear digital camera with a 108-megapixel essential sensor, 12-megapixel ultra-wide digital camera and two 10-megapixel telephoto lenses. The discipline of view on the huge and telephoto lenses is barely wider on the Galaxy S22 Ultra in comparison with its predecessor.But Samsung claims there are different upgrades that ought to make the machine higher at taking pictures at evening and framing a number of topics. The Galaxy S22 Ultra can detect as much as 10 topics and regulate the framing accordingly, even when new individuals enter the scene. That’s a rise in comparison with the earlier technology, in keeping with Samsung. Samsung can be emphasizing the telephone’s capability to take higher images and movies at nighttime. All of Samsung’s new Galaxy S22 telephones use a course of known as pixel binning, which mixes a number of pixels into one bigger pixel to enhance brightness. This course of by itself is not new to Samsung telephones. But what’s completely different is the way in which the S22 lineup combines pixel binning with the decision from the telephone’s essential digital camera sensor to enhance each brightness and readability, Samsung says.
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Even although this course of works throughout all cameras, the Galaxy S22 Ultra ought to have a bonus on this division over the S22 and S22 Plus because it has a much bigger 108-megapixel essential sensor. The different two S22 telephones every have a 50-megapixel essential digital camera by comparability. Portrait Mode additionally works at evening because of the S22’s upgraded processor, and Samsung claims the digital camera’s new processing algorithms ought to enhance element too. The S22 Ultra’s digital camera also can seize 4 instances as a lot knowledge, which ought to deliver basic picture high quality enhancements throughout the board.Read extra: Photographers, the Galaxy S22 Ultra in all probability is not price your moneyWhen taking pictures video, all three telephones also can mix a number of exposures right into a single body to enhance brightness and select the right body fee robotically to optimize gentle.But by way of what actually units the Ultra aside from the usual Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus, not a lot has modified since final yr. Many of Samsung’s basic image high quality enhancements appear to use to all new Galaxy fashions. The 108-megapixel lens, further telephoto lens and 10x optical zoom nonetheless appear to be the largest differentiators, which can be disappointing to anybody who hoped to see a much bigger leap like Samsung’s new 200-megapixel picture sensor within the S22 Ultra.Processor and different particularsThe Galaxy S22 Ultra has a sharper form with extra angular edges, similar to the Galaxy Note.
Richard Peterson/CNET
The Galaxy S22 lineup will run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip within the US and different markets the place Samsung’s Exynos chip is not accessible. There’s a 5,000-mAh battery within the Galaxy S22 Ultra, similar to the Galaxy S21 Ultra, and it helps as much as 45-watt quick charging when plugged in. The beginning configuration will include 8GB of RAM and 128GB of inside storage, whereas the high-end mannequin contains 12GB of RAM with 1TB of storage.Many of those upgrades, reminiscent of sooner processors and higher cameras, are anticipated from next-generation gadgets. But the Ultra’s new Note-like options are what distinguishes it from the remainder of the S22 lineup and the broader premium telephone market.

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That’s particularly vital since many superior options that have been as soon as reserved for high-end telephones — reminiscent of multilens cameras, 5G help and screens with excessive refresh charges — are actually turning into the usual on reasonably priced telephones. As such, corporations like Samsung should work more durable to persuade individuals to splurge on top-of-the-line gadgets. Now we’re getting a greater sense of how Samsung intends to try this on the S22 Ultra.Check out the chart beneath to see how the Galaxy S22 Ultra compares to the remainder of Samsung’s Galaxy S22 lineup. For extra, check out how the Galaxy S22 compares to the iPhone 13, Pixel 6, Galaxy S21 and S21 FE.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Lineup Specs

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

Samsung Galaxy S22

Display measurement, decision

6.8 inches; QHD+

6.6 inches; FHD+

6.1 inches; FHD+

Pixel density

TBD

Dimensions (Millimeters)

77.9 x 163.3 x 8.9 mm

75.8 x 157.4 x 7.6 mm

70.6 x 146 x 7.6 mm

Weight (Grams, Ounces)

229g, 8.1oz

196g, 6.9oz

168g, 5.9oz

Mobile software program

Android 12

Camera

Quad digital camera with 108MP huge, 12MP ultra-wide, twin 10MP telephoto lenses

Triple digital camera with 50MP huge, 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP telephoto lens

Front-facing digital camera

40MP

10MP

Video seize

8k at 24 FPS, 4K at 60 FPS

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

RAM/Storage

8GB RAM with 128GB inside storage 12GB RAM with 256GB inside storage 12GB RAM with 512GB inside storage 12GB RAM with 1TB inside storage

8GB RAM with 128GB inside storage 8GB RAM with 256GB inside storage

Expandable storage

None

Battery/Charger

5,000 mAh with as much as 45W wired charging and 15W wi-fi charging

4,500 mAh with as much as 45W wired charging and 15W wi-fi charging

3,700 mAh with 25W wired charging and 15W wi-fi charging

Fingerprint sensor

Yes, ultrasonic

Connector

USB-C

Headphone jack

None

Special options

S Pen included, quad digital camera, extremely wideband location detection tech, 120Hz refresh fee display screen

Triple digital camera, extremely wideband location detection tech, 120Hz refresh fee display screen

Triple digital camera, 120Hz refresh fee display screen

Price off-contract (USD)

$1,200

$1,000

$800

Price (GBP)

£1,149

£949

£769

Price (AUD)

AU$2,170 (transformed)

AU$1,790 (transformed)

AU$1,450 (transformed)