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Samsung’s Galaxy S22 range brings bright screens, big batteries, and a Note-killer option

The Samsung Galaxy Note is dead, long live the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Samsung galaxy s22
Image: KnowTechie

Samsung’s main Unpacked event for 2022 just wrapped up, with the Galaxy S22 range being the highlight of the show this time around.

The latest iterations of Samsung’s flagship device, the Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra all improve on last year’s devices while staying at the same price tags. Overall, they look like impressive offerings from the company.

Here’s the skinny on the first big flagships to be released in 2022.

The Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus

Samsung galaxy s22
Image: Samsung

READ MORE: Samsung is releasing a purple Galaxy S22 – here’s how to get it

With all of the leaks leading up to the event, it’s hard to imagine we didn’t already know everything about the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus. That’s mostly true, but some details are worth repeating.

Both handsets are built on a common core, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor for the US market, and the Exynos 2200 for pretty much everyone else; either option has 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. Both also have a triple-lens camera array, with a 50MP wide-angle lens, a 12-MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 10-MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.

READ MORE: Samsung has been caught throttling over 10,000 apps on the Galaxy S22

They both come in Phantom Black, Phantom White, Pink Gold, and Green.

The S22 and S22 Plus also both run Samsung’s One UI 4 on top of Android 12. Samsung is committing to four generations of Android OS updates. That means you’ll still going to be getting major updates when Android 16 comes out, giving your handset even more longevity.

Galaxy s22 camera
Image: Samsung

A deeper partnership with Google also means more features coming to the Galaxy S22 range before other handsets, like live sharing on Google Duo so you can draw in apps like Jamboard, or do watch parties with YouTube videos.

With so many common features, there are a few differences that change the price between the two handsets. The S22 has a 6.1-inch FHD+ display with a claimed 1,200 nits peak brightness, while the S22 Plus has a 6.6-inch FHD+ display and a claimed 1,750 nits peak brightness.

READ MORE: The Galaxy S22 Ultra’s battery life drags behind the S21 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max

Both are Samsung AMOLEDs, with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate when in Game Mode.

The smaller S22 has a 3,700 mAh battery, while the S22 Plus has a 4,500 mAh battery. Additionally, the S22 doesn’t have Wi-Fi 6E or ultra-wideband capabilities, so if those matter to you, get the S22 Plus.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra

Samsung galaxy s22 ultra
Image: KnowTechie

The device everyone was waiting to hear more about is the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It’s essentially a Galaxy Note, with the refinements of both the Note and Galaxy S ranges blended into one fantastic flagship.

Powered by the same Qualcomm 8 Gen 1 processor for the US market, and the Exynos 2200 for pretty much everyone else, you get either 8GB or 12GB of RAM depending on which storage option you go for.

You’ll need to order the 256GB or higher storage option to get 12GB of RAM, and you can increase storage up to 1TB. Powering all of that is a 5,000 mAh battery.

The 6.8-inch QHD AMOLED display has the same 120 Hz refresh rate as the smaller devices, including the 240Hz touch sampling when put into Game Mode. Note that’s only 240Hz for sampling, and not the frequency the picture on your screen will refresh at. It’s also claiming a 1,750 nit peak brightness.

Samsung galaxy s22 ultra camera
Image: Samsung

The back has four camera modules, a 12 MP ultra-wide, a 108 MP wide-angle, a 10 MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 10 MP telephoto with 10x optical zoom and 100x hybrid “Space Zoom.”

The big thing for the S22 Ultra is the S-Pen stylus support. It’s got 70-percent less latency than previous devices, according to Samsung, and now lives inside the body of the S22 Ultra. Previously, S-Pen support on Galaxy S devices meant needing an external case to carry the stylus around.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra comes in Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green, and Burgundy.

Preorders and availability

Samsung galaxy s22 ultra screen
Image: Samsung

The Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus are up for pre-order starting today, with retail availability on February 25. Prices start from $799.99 for an S22 with 128GB of storage, and from $999.99 for an S22 Plus with 128GB of storage.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra starts from $1,199.99 for the 128GB storage model, is open for pre-order today with availability on the 25th of February.

Preordering on Samsung.com before 2/24/22 at 11:59 pm EST gets you $100 of Samsung Store credit on the S22, $150 of credit on the S22 Plus, and $200 credit on the S22 Ultra. These credits can’t be used on your handset purchase, only on additional eligible products on Samsung.com.

Also only on Samsung.com preorders, you’ll get a memory upgrade on all three handsets if you preorder before 2/24/22 at 11:59 pm EST.

The Galaxy S22 or S22 Plus 256GB gives you a $50 discount at checkout, and the S22 Ultra 256GB or 512GB gets a $100 discount. That makes them the same price as the lower tier of storage.

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Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.

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