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[i2pc pros_icon=”icon icon-thumbs-s-up” cons_icon=”icon icon-thumbs-s-down” show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]Perfect display (120 Hertz 2K AMOLED)
Unrivaled S Pen
Good battery life
Pure performance (Exynos 2200, UFS 3.1, DDR5)
Excellent videos and photos with all cameras
Premium processing[/i2pros][i2cons]Super slippery and unwieldy
S-Pen is inevitably integrated
No fast charging
No longer a real Note smartphone[/i2cons][/i2pc]
Because Pro and Plus were simply no longer enough for smartphone manufacturers, it has been possible to buy so-called ULTRA smartphones for a long time. All of the smartphones have one thing in common: they are all EXTREMELY expensive.
Of course, this also applies to the current flagship of the market leader. However, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has a special feature on board with an integrated stylus that distinguishes it from other Ultra flagships. On the other hand, the device doesn’t perform that well in some categories.
I know we’re late with this test, but as the saying goes, better late than never. The device is now occasionally available for 179,999 Tk, so we at Mobileshopsbd.com are ready to test the best Samsung smartphone of 2022. In this review, you will learn everything you should know before you buy.
If you don’t feel like reading this long book, here’s a quick tip: if you’re convinced that you should use your smartphone with a stylus, then there’s no alternative. You can theoretically think about the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, which is older but also much cheaper and also has a pen with it.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is actually supposed to replace the Galaxy Note series, at least that’s what the integrated stylus suggests. With dimensions of 163.3 x 78 x 9 millimeters and a 6.8-inch display, it joins the ranks of perfectly normal high-end smartphones. Theoretically, the maximum weight of 228 grams would be sufficient for a genuine phablet.
The so-called Samsung S-Pen is perfectly integrated into the case and doesn’t bother me in the slightest. However, I never voluntarily came up with the idea of using the pen. A short press on the bottom left of the frame is enough and you can pull out the stylus. Then the notepad starts automatically and you can get started.
High-quality materials are actually unusual for Samsung, but there are no compromises with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. A high-quality metal frame with a flat top and bottom, in combination with Gorilla’s glass, Victus+, provides the necessary stability and the premium feel that an ultra smartphone needs.
The back is matte and looks really good. Unfortunately, the back is still extremely slippery but well protected against scratches and greasy streaks. However, the entire back, especially the area with the sensors, magically attracts dust.
Samsung foregoes a central camera hill with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, instead inserting the lenses of the four cameras individually into the back. That’s ultimately a matter of taste, and the fact that the smartphone is shaky on the table doesn’t change anything.
However, three cameras only protrude 1.5mm from the back, and that’s really not much. As expected, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has become a perfectly finished, large, and heavy smartphone. The IP68 certification has been set at Samsung for years. Samsung even has waterproof smartphones for the middle class.
Almost all connections, openings, and buttons on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra are located on the bottom and left of the frame. The frame is broken by a few antenna strips that are supposed to provide better reception. There is only a lonely, noise-canceling microphone on top.
There is a lot going on below because, from left to right, the S Pen is followed by a loudspeaker, the USB-C (3.0) connection, the main microphone, and the SIM card slot. The single speaker, of course, creates stereo sound in combination with the earpiece.
As usual, the power button and the volume rocker are located on the right side of the frame. Both keys are slightly higher than you’re used to seeing from other manufacturers. But it didn’t really bother me.
To unlock the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, you can use face recognition via the centered front camera in the punch-hole notch. Alternatively, a fingerprint sensor under the display is also available. This is placed pleasantly high and is really usable for Samsung.
In the past, Samsung used catastrophic sensors, which also affected the Pixel 6 Pro. This year, at least on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, the problem seems to be solved, and I’m quite happy with the speed and the detection rate (8/10).
However, there is a world between such punctual fingerprint sensors and the area sensors from Vivo when it comes to quick and convenient unlocking. When it comes to operation, you can, of course, choose between the familiar swipe gestures or configurable on-screen buttons.
We usually talk about the scope of delivery now, but apart from a short USB-C to USB-C cable, a SIM needle, and some paperwork, there is simply nothing included. A charging adapter and a case would have been nice because, without a case, I definitely had a hard time using the device during the test period. Like almost every high-end smartphone, the device is simply extremely slippery.
Except for the scope of delivery, Samsung can hardly be faulted in this category. The high-quality materials in combination with flawless workmanship speak for themselves. The fingerprint sensor is also good, and not every manufacturer in this price range has a USB-C 3 connection. The S-Pen is a special feature of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra that you should also use.
An ultra smartphone is hardly conceivable without a curved display, and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra also has one with a display diagonal of 6.8 inches. The maximum resolution is 3088 x 1440 pixels and content is displayed pin-sharp at 501 pixels per inch.
However, there is no visible difference between the Full HD resolution that is also available. Samsung sets the resolution to FHD+ ex-works (like every other manufacturer, by the way). This saves some battery life, which we will look at in more detail later in the battery life.
Content is broadcast at a maximum of 120Hz. The display is displayed very fluently, and in particular, the navigation in the system is rapid and smooth as butter. In terms of settings and features, everything is actually included, but sometimes it’s not quite as extensive as it seems.
So there is only a choice between 60Hz and “adaptive” (i.e., automatic) for the refresh rate. An intermediate step with 90Hz would have been nice here. However, the automatic works well, and if you do nothing on the display for a short time, the refresh rate drops to 24Hz.
With apps like YouTube, however, Samsung sticks to 120Hz, which doesn’t necessarily make sense. In manual mode, you can adjust the display from 1 to 760 lux. As soon as you activate the automatic brightness, the display of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra boosts to a maximum level of 1730 lux. The readability outdoors is correspondingly excellent.
An always-on display (AOD) is integrated into the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and can be extensively adjusted. Other settings for color reproduction are also possible, although the competition also offers more options here. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra can only choose between vivid (unrealistic strong AMOLED colors) and natural in the system. The white balance can be selected in 5 levels and a little more under “Advanced Settings”.
Ultimately, with these settings, everyone should be able to customize their display to their individual preferences. There are even three modes for display resolution, but they are not automatic. So you define HD+, FHD+, or WQHD+. A reading mode and a dark mode are, of course, not missing from Samsung either. Unfortunately, only the DC dimming option for sensitive users is missing.
Just like the back, the front is, of course, also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+. The touchscreen is super responsive and accurate. If you’re having trouble typing, just switch to the Gboard keyboard. That was actually a problem for me because the pre-installed Samsung keyboard just takes some getting used to.
Otherwise, you get the brightest, probably best display in the Android universe. It’s not for nothing that other manufacturers advertise with Samsung displays, and where would we be if Samsung didn’t reserve the best for its ultra smartphone?
For Europe, Samsung still relies on its own Exynos chipset. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, this is the Exynos 2200, and it delivers good results in practice. Nevertheless, it is inferior to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in benchmarks, which Samsung also delivers to other markets. The new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, on the other hand, shouldn’t be given too much thought.
Samsung combines the Exynos 2200 with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, with at least 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. While I can still tolerate the 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, the 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage is just too small. In the test, we have the black version with 12/256GB of memory.
By the way, the hard drive is lightning fast and delivers top transfer rates of 2007/1333MB/s. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is definitely ultra-fast and everything runs smoothly on the device. And that, of course, even if it can’t compete at the top of the benchmarks. The integrated GPU of the Exynos processor is particularly to blame for this.
Samsung’s Exynos processor has the same heat problems as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or the Google Tensor chip. In the throttle test (CPU load), it goes steadily and steeply downhill to 70% performance and 45°C at the warmest point.
The same applies to the GPU-heavy 3DMark stress test. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra also fails here and produces a waste heat of 46°C at the warmest point. The temperatures are therefore within limits, but that is to be expected given the loss of performance.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a lightning-fast smartphone and is definitely well suited for gaming. Like every flagship, it gets warm under load, although it doesn’t exceed 42°C after 30 minutes of gaming.
Samsung wants to stand out from the competition with an ultra-plenty of updates, and they’re doing it with a hard-hitting promise. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra gets four major Android updates and a security patch every five years. All competitors tend to rely on the 3 + 4 promise, and there are also manufacturers who make no official promise at all.
A promise is not guaranteed, but a longer update supply for smartphones is definitely desired, and Samsung is leading the way with a role model function. Hopefully, the other manufacturers won’t follow Samsung’s example when it comes to accessories or firmly bonded batteries ?.
The Samsung UI is now available in version 4.1 and is based on the current Android 12. The system is undoubtedly one of the most heavily customized systems and thus fits in seamlessly with MIUI (Xiaomi) or ColorOS (Oppo, Realme, OnePlus). You don’t just have to find your way around visually; the many additional options can also be overwhelming.
However, after a few days or if you are already familiar with the One UI, you will benefit significantly from the system. Additional APPs (bloatware) are also pre-installed on Samsung, and you can easily get rid of almost all of them with our instructions. After that, you have a clean, fast, and functional system on your Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
If the camera is your priority, then the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is undoubtedly a good choice. The differences between the most expensive representatives in the normal smartphone market are mostly revealed in the details. With four cameras at Samsung, however, a glance at the data-sheet is surprising.
Together with the 40-megapixel front camera, there are even five cameras in total. A 108-megapixel pixel binning sensor (HM3) is initially responsible for the normal wide-angle shots with the main camera. With 9 to 1 pixel binning, it delivers the usual 12-megapixel images. The competition tends to use 50-megapixel sensors for the main camera, but as we have known for a long time, megapixels barely make a difference in practice.
As an ultra-wide-angle camera, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra only uses a 12-megapixel sensor, but ultra-typical, of course, with autofocus. Two telephoto cameras are somehow surprising, and both rely on a 10-megapixel sensor. One has a 3X optical zoom and the other is a price scope camera with a 10X optical zoom. Somehow, 10X is too much of a good thing, but now let’s take a closer look at the recordings.
Samsung, the former dynamic world champion, falters in the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. I can’t achieve the well-known WOW effect even with activated scene optimization. The S22 Ultra stumbles when there are shaded areas in the picture. The recordings are generally detailed and sharp.
But a certain amount of over-sharpening can also be seen when zooming on the PC. With this, Samsung causes a few unnecessary problems, especially in the simplest category. In the individual camera comparisons, you can take a closer look at the problem against the competition. This is, of course, ultra nagging at a very high level.
Unfortunately, the ultra-wide-angle camera doesn’t knock my socks off either. These are decent results for a flagship, but I would have expected the best recordings from the class leader. Ultimately, the recordings are sharp, detailed, and have an appealing dynamic.
The 3X zoom camera is also used for portraits, and the results are great, even with normal shots. The color profile matches the main camera, and the result is detailed and sharp shots. By the way, I like the portraits better with the 3X camera than with the main camera. The separation between foreground and background is excellent with both cams.
I can’t do much with the 10X periscope camera. Maybe I don’t understand the intended use somehow. Feel free to leave me a comment. All I can think of is observing animals or people from a distance. A UFO sighting could also be captured very well with the camera.
Maybe it’s cool for the private detective or for the animal lover (zoo visitor). Otherwise, 10X is actually too much of a good thing, even if the quality is really impressive. At 30X or 100X zoom, it becomes ridiculous accordingly.
After Samsung had to suffer a bit in daylight, unfortunately, it doesn’t get much better at night. The recordings all have a noticeable amount of noise, although the overall result is really good. So again, keep in mind that this is only a comparison with the best cameras on the market.
The colors in the recordings are consistent, and the dynamics are sufficient. The night mode artificially brightens some of the images but also reveals significantly more details and reduces the noise. The mode can also be used with the ultra-wide-angle camera and the 3X zoom camera. Both of the cameras mentioned can definitely be used at night, although the difference in quality compared to the main camera is clearly visible.
Samsung can still earn the Ultra title when it comes to selfies. They’re close to perfection and I haven’t held a cell phone in my hand in recent years that could compete with them. Super detailed, super sharp, and with perfect color matching.
When it comes to videos, Samsung has mostly got the hang of it and delivers 4K and 60 FPS recordings across the board with all sensors. All resolutions are also reliably stabilized. However, the stabilization cannot be left unchallenged, because clear image errors creep into the background, especially with the front camera.
Overall, the stabilization is still excellent, even if it is not the leader in this smartphone class. In any case, detailed and sharp recordings with crisp colors are available with all cameras, and with 4K/30 FPS, it is, of course, also possible to switch between all cameras smoothly.
When it comes to sound, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra does not deliver the best quality. However, this is also due to the strong noise suppression, which actually makes the weakened sound acceptable. The video above was shot in strong winds, and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra does an excellent job of suppressing that.
If you are looking for the best camera, you always have to look in detail at what kind of pictures you want to take. For example, anyone who is red hot for absurd zoom shots will be well served with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. In addition, after more than 200 pictures, I didn’t have a single shot that somehow went really wrong.
That’s really impressive. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is also an excellent choice for video fans, especially for selfie videos. Samsung cannot quite keep up with perfectly normal daylight or night shots. But let’s take a closer look at these indirect comparisons. The best camera is always the one that can be oriented individually to your use. If you hardly ever make videos, you don’t even need a flagship, for example. The Samsung S22 Ultra certainly lives up to its title, and overall, this is an Ultra camera.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is one of the few smartphones that can be used with an eSIM. Normal dual-SIM functionality with two normal nano-SIM cards is also possible. A memory expansion, on the other hand, is not planned and has long been unusual in this price range. With the following 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE), and 5G frequencies, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is well equipped for worldwide use:
2G: GSM: 850/900/1800/1900
3G: UMTS band: B1 (2,100), B2 (1,900), B4, B5 (850), B8 (900)
4G: FDD-LTE: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B12, B13, B17, B18, B19, B20, B25, B26, B28, B32, B66
4G: TDD-LTE: B38, B39, B40, B41
5G: N1, N2, N3, N5, N7, N8, N12, N20, N25, N28, N38, N40, N41, N77, N66, N75, N78
The SAR values are 1.05 W/kg (head) and 1.59 W/kg (body). The signal quality was good and the VoLTE and VoWiFi features are supported.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra delivers excellent value on my WiFi 6 network. Two walls and 10 meters away from the router, I still get 768/50MBit/s from my gigabit line. The Bluetooth 5.2 standard worked without any problems in the test, but the codecs from Samsung are a bit modest. At least LDAC and aptX are supported.
For a flagship, however, LHDC, aptX-HD, and aptX-adaptive would be quite appropriate. With Samsung headphones, however, you can benefit from Samsung’s “Scalable Codec” (comparable to aptX-HD). Of course, you also need the appropriate headphones for this, although the Galaxy Buds Pro even convinced us without a high-resolution codec (to the test of the Galaxy Buds Pro).
The location determination worked perfectly in practice, and Exynos at least has an advantage over Qualcomm here. Even if the location can be determined more precisely than 3 meters away, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra connects to just under 30 satellites. Other flagships manage up to 60 pieces. Nevertheless, the navigation worked as a pedestrian and in the car without any restrictions.
Stereo sound is, of course, mandatory in this price range, and the quality of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is appropriate. Nevertheless, a Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra or an iPhone 13 Pro Max are audibly louder and also provide more bass. So here, too, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra satisfies us, but it’s not ultra good.
Samsung makes no compromises when it comes to sensors with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Xiaomi fans might miss the infrared transmitter. Otherwise, in addition to the standards (acceleration, proximity, and brightness sensors), a gyroscope, compass, and Hall sensor (for smart cases) are also installed.
Anyone who is used to a mid-range smartphone and switches to a flagship will inevitably have to get used to it. I notice that anew with every new cell phone test. A flagship that can last a day of intensive use with 5–6 hours of DOT (display-on time) is good. And the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has become just such a device.
The 5000 mAh battery is well dimensioned and delivers a solid 11 hours in the PCMark battery test (FHD+, adaptive heart rate-with 120Hz being used almost continuously). In practice, I always got through the day, but in the end, I couldn’t do more. An hour of YouTube on the WLAN results in a 6% battery life.
Fast loading speeds are not Samsung’s specialty, and so follow the tragedy of Apple and Google. The big brands can obviously afford that. After all, you already have a charging adapter at home; why do you need an additional one? That’s not a problem for me, but not everyone has a PD PPS charger lying around at home, and charging with other charging adapters is correspondingly slow.
If you buy a Samsung fast charging adapter for just under 2500 Tk or already own one, you will benefit from the 45W charging speed. That may be more than a Google Pixel 6 Pro or an iPhone 12 Pro Max, but compared to all other flagships, it is significantly less. It goes from 0 to 60% in just under 30 minutes, and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is fully charged after 65 minutes.
Even with wireless Qi charging, Samsung seems somehow left behind, with a maximum of 15 watts and 5 watts of reverse charging. It is also somewhat noticeable that the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra gets noticeably warm with “fast charging” at 45 watts. The charging speed does not really correspond to the advertised 45 watts, but rather other smartphones with 30 watts are charged just as quickly.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 is a large smartphone with ultra-processing, ultra-display, and ultra-camera. However, the performance, the battery life, and the scope of delivery are not Ultra. At this point, I clearly have to criticize the slow loading speed (no matter how you load it), the completely neutered scope of delivery, and the audacity to offer a memory version with 128GB in this price range.
128GB of memory has nothing to do with Ultra anymore. The version that is then at least on offer is just under 180,000 Tk. However, my recommendation is the combination with a mobile phone contract, because then you get your data volume more or less free of charge. Overall, the camera is on par with other Ultra devices, although it has clear weaknesses.
The flagship 2022 model of the world market leader has an integrated stylus as a killer feature. If you’ve been waiting for this pen, you don’t have to think long because there is nothing comparable on the market. Otherwise, you have to think about your priorities.
To a certain extent, flagships do not offer good value for money. As an alternative, I recommend the older Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, which now starts at 1,30,000 Tk and is actually in no way inferior to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
