The smaller 6.1-inch S22 model, the enormous 6.8-inch and curved screen of the S22 Ultra (with integrated S Pen stylus), and the flat-panel 6.6-inch S22+ are all part of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S series line-up for 2022. Given its position in the triumvirate, the Plus model may well be the right sweet spot for many folks.
The Samsung Galaxy S22+, like the smaller S22, is all about gradual refinement, with a moderately smaller screen and overall scale compared to its S21+ predecessor and a different camera setup.
Do such tweaks help this mid-tier flagship differentiate itself from the other S22 models in the lineup and the recently released S21 Fan Edition model? Or does it seem like the S series has reached a stalemate, with little fresh to offer in terms of standout features?
Design
- IP68 dust/weather resistance
- Fingerprint scanner built into the display
- 75.8 x 157.7 x 7.6mm; 196g
- Colours: Phantom Black, White, Green, Pink Gold
It’s sometimes necessary to go backward to move forward. The Galaxy S22+ rejects the trend of devices increasing their scales and bending their screen borders to greater extremes, following a spate of handsets. Compared to its S21+ predecessor, this Plus model has a smaller screen, falling from 6.7 to 6.6 inches.
That display size, along with the fact that it’s a flat-screen here (the sides and edges don’t bend around the phone to make it appear fancy for no reason, as they do on the S22 Ultra), should make the Plus model immediately appealing to anyone looking for a realistic scale balance.
More than the display size reduction, the physical proportions have been squashed by a few millimeters here and there compared to the S21+. However, this has put a strain on the S22+’s battery capacity, cut by slightly over 6% overall. That isn’t the usual trend in smartphones, and as the hardware improves year after year, battery demands continue to rise.
Otherwise, the S22+ may be mistaken for the S21+ in design, but a little smaller. However, this does not imply that the rear would be made of the same plastic as before; instead, the entire range will be glass. Recyclable plastic is used inside, with an aluminum frame forming the core. It’s all wrapped up in a stylish design that comes in four colour variations. We also believe that the colours, which are less blingy, help the camera unit appear more integrated.
Because of the flat form of the screen, there’s quite a bit of edge surrounding it, and some people may find it less pleasant to hold than something with curved edges. You’re unlikely to notice the difference if you’re wearing a case.
Display
- 6.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel
- 2340 x 1080 pixels, 390ppi
- 120Hz refresh rate (adaptive)
We’ve used all kinds of phones over the years, with manufacturers trying out different aspect ratios, curved edges, and sizes. The Galaxy S22+ is like a voice of reason in the midst of all the testing and experimenting we’ve done over the years. It has a flat screen, a fast refresh rate, and a large but manageable size in one hand without needing an overly long aspect ratio to make up for anything.
However, the Galaxy S21 FE hasn’t been on the market for long, and it has a 6.4-inch screen. There could be some appeal if you’re looking for something a little smaller but don’t want to go down to the S22 scale. So why does Samsung have so many S series phones? Especially when the Fan Edition model comes out so late that it almost comes out with the next-generation model. The choice is there, and that can be good.
If you want to get even more significant, we won’t rule out the S22 Ultra, which has a 6.8-inch screen and is even more effective than the S22. It has a curved edge panel, making it feel very different to hold. Flat phones are more popular than curved phones, making it hard to accidentally touch, change contrast, or change colour at the edges. These are things to think about when you choose your next phone.
There’s no need to describe how the Galaxy S22 Plus looks with a word like “flat.” Even if the device seems more boxy, that’s not what we’d call “flat.” AMOLED technology and a good resolution ensure that the colours are bright and the details are precise. However, there are no extra pixels here to make up for the bigger screen space than the standard S22 model. However, we can confidently say that you won’t look at any of the three S22 models and think they don’t have everything you need.
Samsung hasn’t gone overboard when it comes to refreshing rates. The S22+ has a dynamic 120Hz panel, which means it can automatically change how many times it refreshes the screen every second based on what the content needs to look smoother.
When you go outside in bright sunlight, you can see the excellent peak brightness that Samsung’s phones have to help you see better in the sun. So the content looks good. But it also takes a lot of battery power to do that. When we looked at the phone in the morning, we thought it was too bright. It’s easy to knock down a little.
Cameras
- Triple rear cameras
- Main: 50MP, f/1.8, PDAF, OIS
- Wide (120 degrees): 12MP, f/2.2
- Zoom (3x): 10MP, f/2.4, PDAF, OIS
- Front-facing camera: 10MP, f/2.2
The S22+ and S22 both have the same cameras, so there’s no difference in this area. It’s different from the Ultra, which has a very different camera design, more lenses, more resolution, and more power.
So, as we said about the S22, the Plus shows that it’s a top-of-the-line phone by including an actual zoom lens and not including any of the cheap, low-resolution macro or depth sensors that so many manufacturers are putting in phones these days.
Instead, Samsung keeps things simple by having the primary camera, an ultra-wide lens, and a zoom lens. That’s the same arrangement as in the S21+, but the resolution has changed. The S22+ has a 50-megapixel primary sensor instead of putting the key in the zoom lens as the S21+ did. This means that the S22+ has more resolution than the S21+ did.
Is the experience different? No, but Samsung is now using its primary sensor for more. Before, it couldn’t shoot 8K, so the S21+ had a 64-megapixel zoom sensor because it couldn’t do that. You can now also take a 50-megapixel picture from the primary camera instead of the default 12-megapixel picture.
In the end, how does this all change the S22camera? +’s Not that much. The Samsung Galaxy S22+ still takes excellent pictures. There’s a little bit of boosting of the saturation to make the sky bluer, but in general, it’s easy to get great-looking photos with any camera you choose.
In general, the ultrawide is excellent, but when you zoom in a little, the zoom gets a little mushy, so it’s best not to use it. There’s a way to get rid of people or things from photos, but you have to go through many menus in Samsung’s Gallery app to find it. So why doesn’t Samsung make it more visible? It works pretty well, so we don’t know why they don’t do that. Read also; Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Review: It’s A Good Phone, But The Price Is Too High.
Samsung talks about night mode on this phone, and it will indeed make night into day, but that isn’t as unique as it used to be. Many phones at this level can do the same thing. The front camera is good, but it can be noisy in dark places. We like the wide-angle option it has.
The main thing that we like about this place is how simple everything is. When you pick up the S22+, quickly open the camera app, point, pinch, or tap to take a picture. You can do this any way you want. There is optical stabilization in the right places, good autofocus, and a night mode that will automatically turn on when needed. You don’t even have to think about it. There are a lot of different phones out there, but this one is just more cohesive than most of them. For example, Google’s Pixel 6 Pro will put Samsung to the test.
Hardware
- Samsung Exynos 2200 (UK, Europe, Asia) / Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (USA, China)
- 4500mAh battery capacity, 45W fast-charging, 15W wireless charging
- 8GB RAM, 128GB/256GB storage options
Battery talk: The 4,500mAh battery on this phone has slimmed down a little. While Samsung thinks that the optimization of this device will make up for the slight shrinkage, there are a lot of devices of this size with bigger batteries. There are some things to keep in mind, though. If you’re playing Call of Duty Mobile on it all the time, it might not be able to last a whole day.
There’s also 45W wired and 15W wireless charging to cover all the bases. There’s no charger in the box. Is that important? Some people think this is a bad idea. With many devices now having USB-C chargers, your laptop or tablet charger might be able to charge your new phone, too. For the fastest charging rates, though, use the correct charger. We’re still far from the much better charging that other brands can do. It comes down to how you charge your phone and how often you need it to be recharged quickly.
If you live in the United States or China, you’ll get a phone with a processor called Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 instead of Exynos 2200. As long as Samsung has been doing this for a long time, it’s not surprising. As you know, there’s always a debate about which is better. It’s usually true that there are very few practical differences between them.
Smooth and fast: Our review sample of the Exynos 2200 has been smooth and fast, but there hasn’t been any real difference from the last generation of devices. On paper, they might be faster, but they’re almost the same when it comes to real life.
Android 12 is the operating system on this phone, with Samsung’s One UI 4.1 interface. This means that you can buy the S22 with the confidence that it will last at least as long as expected with the most up-to-date security and features through updates from Samsung.
Because this is an S22, the experience here is almost the same as on other S22s and S21s that have been updated. There are many things to do on the Galaxy S22, and we’ve covered them all in a detailed guide to the phone’s features. Read more; Snapdragon Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is way better than the Exynos.
Many things could be better, like the apps tray that opens vertically and then scrolls horizontally and Samsung’s habit of duplicating apps even when they don’t make sense. A lot of people don’t like the Samsung keyboard and browser. It’s time for Samsung to move on. Let’s put all that effort into making the user experience better instead.
Verdict
People might not want to buy the Samsung Galaxy S22+ because it’s very similar to the Galaxy S21+ in 2021. It has the same design, the same experience, and it’s just slightly different, but not a whole lot. It also has to deal with the fact that it’s in the shadow of a newer version of the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
When the S Pen is added to the S22 Ultra, some people might think the phone is going in a direction that they don’t want to go.
This phone from Samsung is a great one at its very core. I like how it looks and sounds, how easy it is to use and how long the battery lasts. But you could get a similar experience from the S21 FE or the S21+ for a little less money, but it would cost more.
It makes sense for people who already have a Samsung phone to upgrade to the Galaxy S22+. This phone will work well in all areas, but it isn’t a massive change from the last one.
