The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a large flagship that brought the S Pen to the Galaxy S series. Samsung announced it on February 9, 2022, and sales began on February 25, 2022. In the US, it started at $1,199.99 for the 128GB model. The phone is now discontinued, and Samsung’s own store no longer lists it.
Design and display
The phone uses a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a resolution of 3088 x 1440 pixels. Its refresh rate adapts between 1 and 120Hz, and peak brightness reaches 1,750 nits. Gorilla Glass Victus+ covers both sides, and an Armor Aluminum frame holds them together.
The body measures 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm and weighs 229 grams. It has an IP68 rating, and the S Pen slides into a silo at the bottom. Samsung sold it in Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green and Burgundy. Graphite, Red and Sky Blue were online exclusives on Samsung.com in select markets.
Performance
In the US and many other markets, the phone runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, built on a 4nm process. European models use Samsung’s Exynos 2200 instead. Memory starts at 8GB of RAM with 128GB of storage. Other versions pair 12GB of RAM with 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of UFS 3.1 storage. There is no microSD slot.
Cameras
The rear has four cameras. The main camera uses a 108MP sensor with an f/1.8 lens. A 12MP ultrawide camera covers a 120-degree view. Two 10MP telephoto cameras provide 3x and 10x optical zoom, and Space Zoom goes up to 100x digitally.
The front camera has 40MP. Rear video goes up to 8K at 24fps, and the selfie camera records 4K at 60fps. Expert RAW support lets users save 16-bit RAW photos and adjust settings by hand.
Battery and charging
A 5,000mAh battery powers the phone. It supports 45W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. Wireless PowerShare can top up earbuds, watches or other phones. Samsung did not include a charger in the box.
Software and updates
The phone launched with Android 12 and One UI 4.1. Samsung promised four generations of Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates. This policy covered the whole Galaxy S22 series.
Should you buy the Galaxy S22 Ultra?
The Galaxy S22 Ultra suits buyers who want a built-in stylus, 10x periscope zoom and a QHD+ screen. It also offers Wi-Fi 6E, stereo speakers and an ultrasonic fingerprint reader. However, Samsung no longer produces or sells it. The direct successor is the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which keeps the S Pen design.
