The Galaxy S22 Ultra is a monumental addition to Samsung’s iconic family of premium phones. Believe it or not, the newcomer is a direct successor to not one, but a duo of Galaxy products, headlined by last year’s Galaxy S21 Ultra.
On the other hand, because of its distinctive design and integrated S Pen stylus, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is an undeniable sequel to the 2020’s Galaxy Note20 Ultra, too. Save for a different name, the range-topping Galaxy S offers everything you’d expect from a Samsung phone that sports a Note moniker.
And curiously, the S22 Ultra arrived almost exactly a decade after the first-generation Samsung Galaxy Note. The device debuted alongside the Galaxy S22, the Galaxy S22+, and three premium Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 tablets. Its $1,200 starting price is the same as last year’s Galaxy S21 Ultra sticker.
Having tested every Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Note from 2011 onwards, I was eager to put the latest Ultra through its paces. After a week of using it as my primary phone, the big Galaxy categorically surpassed my sizable expectations. Here's why its design, hardware, and overall performance make it the best big-screen Android phone yet.
DESIGN
Because of its unique shape, the Galaxy S22 Ultra looks like a Samsung Galaxy Note. Its rectangular silhouette has been a Galaxy Note calling card since 2019’s Galaxy Note10 and Galaxy Note10+. (The Galaxy Note20 Ultra has the same form, too.)
For comparison, the Galaxy S20 Ultra and the Galaxy S21 Ultra looked like their siblings, only bigger. Galaxy S phones have always featured rounded corners, but the latest Ultra is a clear exception.
Another design feature that separates the Ultra from the rest of the Galaxy S22 lineup is its camera layout. The newest installment has camera sensors perfectly integrated into its back panel, instead of rocking a massive bump like the S20 Ultra and the S21 Ultra. The new setup makes the phone the sleekest Galaxy to date and more elegant than any big phone, regardless of the brand.
Regarding craftsmanship and durability, the Galaxy S22 Ultra ticks every box a top-shelf smartphone should. The fully waterproof phone has a luxurious build, headlined by a metal frame and glass front and back panels. The panels utilize Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ — an upgraded version of a remarkably tough material.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra weighs a rather substantial 8 ounces. That’s on par with its predecessors, yet still a noteworthy improvement. The new Ultra has an onboard S Pen, for instance, whereas the S21 Ultra didn’t. You could also store the bigger stylus in an optional protective case, making the phone considerably bulkier.
DISPLAY
A vibrant AMOLED display with millions of individually backlit pixels has been a defining Samsung Galaxy S (and Note) feature for a long time, and the new Ultra is no exception. The massive 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel of the range-topping S22 is once again the best in its class, thanks to captivating colors and infinite contrast.
Combined with a high refresh rate that can automatically adjust depending on the content you're viewing, the above qualities made using the Galaxy S22 Ultra consistently enjoyable. Multitasking was also a breeze on the big screen, and so were my S Pen interactions.
S PEN
The Bluetooth-toting S Pen stylus is the most important Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra novelty, making it more capable than any predecessor. The retractable accessory that resembles a minimalist pen, combined with the unique design, makes the phone a legit Samsung Galaxy Note follow up.
The S Pen is super precise and accurate to use, regardless of the task on hand. I enjoyed using it to jot down notes, control the cameras with air gestures, and unwind by coloring pictures, among other tasks. Having constant access to such a powerful accessory is reason alone why you should be upgrading to the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
CAMERA
The S22 Ultra packs the same camera hardware as the Samsung Galaxy it replaces, including a large wide sensor and the best zoom range in the business. The ability to record 8K video that’s four times sharper than 4K content — a signature Galaxy S feature since 2020 — sets the product apart from the iPhone and most Android rivals.
However, the device’s new chip takes the camera’s prowess to a whole new level. The phone can snap better low-light images than the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Its portrait mode photography is also improved with more creative tools alongside the ubiquitous ones for adjusting the background and adding studio lighting effects. You can also alter the background's color or add circular and spinning blur effects.
The video recording capabilities of the phone have also leaped forward. The S22 Ultra can keep 10 people in focus — more than any previous iteration. Capturing live memories of large gatherings with the device is easier than ever.
Best of all, you don’t need to be a mobile photography expert to tap into the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra's immense capabilities. Its camera app has an intuitive interface with optional features that enthusiasts can grow into.
The same goes for its rich set of tools for editing photos and video — another scenario where the S Pen came in handy. Object eraser is one of the coolest worth your attention. Like the Magic Eraser on the Google Pixel 6 Pro, it makes removing objects that can potentially ruin a good photo a breeze.
During my testing, the phone captured photos and video with superb quality. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is possibly the best camera phone, offering more megapixels and bigger zoom than any rival: Avid iPhone shutterbugs should take note!
PERFORMANCE
Samsung equipped the Galaxy S22 family with Qualcomm’s all-new, range-topping Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. The component is manufactured via a 4-nanometer process, cramming more transistors in less space. In addition to jumps in processing and graphics power over the 5-nanometer Snapdragon 888 that precedes it, the Gen 1 also brings advanced AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities and speedier wireless connectivity, among many other improvements.
I gave the hardware a good test by simultaneously toggling among a double-digit amount of apps that included a Chrome browser with multiple open tabs, Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, and Slack (to name just a few), all while streaming lossless content from Qobuz. The S22 Ultra version with 12GB of RAM (that’s more than many laptops have) easily powered through my desktop-resembling workflow, showing no signs of slowing down in the process. You will be hard-pressed to slow the phone down in real life.
Of course, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is also an excellent mobile gaming rig, whether you're into high-quality Android titles or cloud services like Google Stadia, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, or Xbox Game Pass. The beautiful screen and powerful chip are excellent tandem for these kinds of tasks.
A ginormous 5,000 mAh battery has been onboard Galaxy S Ultra phones since 2020, and the latest one continues the trend. Having such a vast power source, an energy-efficient chip, and a high-tech display with an adjustable frame rate helped the phone make it through a day of heavy use without giving me power outlet anxiety.
The phone’s wired and wireless charging capabilities are as speedy as the rest of its hardware. There’s no bundled adapter, so you’ll have to spend extra for a Samsung-made or third-party charger to take full advantage of the charging, though.
USER EXPERIENCE
The Android 12 experience that the Galaxy S22 Ultra offers is instinctive and jam packed with customization tools. You can choose between an old-school home screen setup with a navigation bar or more up-to-date gesture controls. You can even change the icon grid layout and customize the interface's colors to your exact preference.
Samsung’s commitment to treat the Galaxy S22 Ultra to major Android and security updates for four and five years, respectively, is the most exciting thing about the user experience. Such long-term support trumps Google’s commitment to the Pixel 6 smartphone, which will give its creation three years’ worth of platform updates.
WRAP-UP
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is the best big-screen Android phone available today by a significant margin. Its design, hardware performance, and user experience make it a no-brainer option for Android upgraders, and well worth its considerable price tag.
This is the phone to get if you own an older big-screen Galaxy S or Galaxy Note. That said, if you recently snagged a Galaxy S21 Ultra and don't need an integrated S Pen, you can skip this cycle. The Pixel 6 Pro, on the other hand, is a stellar (if less capable and feature-packed) big-screen option if you're looking to keep your new-phone budget below $1,000.
Spending $1,200 will get you a Galaxy S22 Ultra with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Bumping up the RAM to 12GB and doubling or quadrupling the storage costs $100 and $200 extra. I highly recommend it, though, because you’ll get better multitasking capabilities alongside the storage upgrade.
