You know you want to upgrade to the latest S22 model, but you’re not sure if the S22 Ultra or the S22 Plus is right for you. Ever since Samsung decided to start releasing both the Plus and Ultra larger high-end smartphones, it can be a tough choice to decide between the Ultra or Plus for each new S-series phone. Before you get your new Samsung Galaxy phone, we’ll dive into the different specs and compare both models to help you decide which one is right for you.
Why Choose the Samsung S Series?
- Customization — Samsung is for the rule-breakers. It’s for anyone who enjoys customizing their phone and making it unique to the way they operate. If you want more control of the look and feel of your phone, go for a Samsung.
- Pricing — While the Samsung is pricier than the comparable Google Pixel 6, it’s basically the same price as the iPhone 13. The S22 base model starts at $800, while the iPhone 13 begins at $799.
- Design — According to Samsung, the latest S22 models are more durable than ever. They’re designed with their strongest aluminum frame and the latest Gorilla® Glass. The phone is designed with an IP68 water and dust rating. If you’re wondering what that means, IP stands for Ingress Protection — as in how good the phone is at stopping stuff from getting inside the phone.
General Comparisons
- S22 (Base Model) — Whether you get the base model or upgrade all the way to Ultra, you’ll have the same standard chipset: a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. In terms of day-to-day performance, you’ll have serious processing power with any of these models.
- S22 Plus — Both the S22 and S22 Plus have 8GB of RAM along with options for 128GB or 256GB of storage. The battery charging capacity of the S22 Plus is slightly better than the S22, jumping from 3,700mAh and 25W to 4,500mAh and 45W.
- S22 Ultra — With the Ultra model, you’ll be able to upgrade to 12GB of RAM from 8GB, or you can keep it at 8GB. You can also upgrade the storage to 512GB or even 1TB. The display for the S22 Ultra has a superior refresh rate to the S22 and S22 Plus with a 1~120Hz refresh rate. The battery charging capacity is superior to both the S22 and S22 Plus, with 5,000mAh and 45W fast charging.
- Which Phone Is Better? — On paper, the S22 Ultra makes the most sense. The Ultra offers a lot for just $400 more than the base model. It has the largest display and battery capacity of all three models. It offers a more versatile camera setup. As sleek as any of these models look and feel, be sure to protect whichever model you get with a phone case.
Featured: Black Contrast Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Case
Pricing
- S22 (Base Model) — The S22 starts at $800. This is the smallest of the other models, but it’s still pretty sizable at 70.6 x 146 x 7.6mm. The S22 series has an Armor Aluminum chassis, the strongest frame Samsung has ever used so far. There are Gorilla® Glass Victus+ panels at the front and rear of the phones. All models have in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensors and stereo speakers.
- S22 Plus — Other than the battery capacity, ultra-wideband connectivity capability and slightly larger dimensions, there aren’t a whole lot of differences between the S22 and S22 Plus. Compared to the S22, the S22 Plus offers ultra-wideband connectivity, while the S22 only has 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC. This model begins at $1,000.
- S22 Ultra — If you’re looking for a serious upgrade and don’t mind paying just $200 more than the S22 Plus, it may be worth it to go straight to the S22 Ultra rather than the S22 Plus. If you’re looking for a unique color, only the S22 Ultra comes in red and is available to order online.
- Which Phone Is Better? — If you want to upgrade your phone with all the hottest specs, go for the S22 Ultra. However, if you want a smaller screen and are looking to save just a bit of money, opt for the S22 Plus. One of the main perks of the S22 Ultra is that it comes with an S pen. All of the latest specs and a handy S pen can be yours with the S22 Ultra starting at $1,200.
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Design
- S22 (Base Model) — The S22 and S22 Plus are very similar in terms of design. They both have flat edges and displays. The camera hump of these phones blends into the chassis. The S22 and S22 Plus both have the Flat FHD+ design.
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S22 Plus — The design of the S22 Plus is virtually the same as the S22. The S22 Plus is just slightly larger than the base model at 75.7 x 157.4 x 7.6mm.
Get a Samsung S22 Plus case to fit this phone perfectly. - S22 Ultra — The S22 Ultra is the largest of all three models. The dimensions of the Ultra are 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm. If you’re a fan of the design of the Samsung Galaxy Note, the Ultra has a similar design to the Note series with rounded sides and a somewhat curved display. The Ultra is also designed with a flat top and bottom edges. The Ultra has the Edge Quad HD+ design.
- Which Phone Is Better? — If you have small hands or just prefer smaller screens, choose the S22 Plus. If you want a larger screen size and more battery capacity, go for the S22 Ultra.
Display
- S22 (Base Model) — The S22 has the smallest display of the three models. It has a maximum brightness of 1,300 nits and a 6.1-inch display.
- S22 Plus — The S22 Plus is slightly bigger than the S22. The S22 Plus has a 6.6-inch display with a maximum brightness of 1,750 nits.
- S22 Ultra — The S22 Ultra is simply massive. It comes in with a whopping 6.8-inch display. While it tops out at 1,750 nits like the S22 Plus, it has a superior 1~120Hz refresh rate. Both the S22 and S22 Plus have a 48~120Hz refresh rate.
- Which Phone Is Better? — As more people spend more time on their phones, we’re seeing more Android users opting for larger display screens. The S22 Ultra is the winner of the biggest display.
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Cameras
- S22 (Base Model) — All three models have a 12MP f2/2.2 ultrawide lens. They all have 8K video recording. The Portrait mode has also been improved compared to previous models. These features continue to be shared camera functions between all three phones.
- S22 Plus — The S22 and S22 Plus have essentially the same camera specs. They both feature a 50MP primary camera. The telephoto lens has a 3x optical zoom. However, the S22 and S22 Plus don’t have the 10x optical zoom capability like the S22 Ultra has.
- S22 Ultra — When it comes to versatility, there’s just no beating the S22 Ultra. It has a quad-camera setup. There’s a 108MP main camera along with two 10MP telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x optical zoom.
- Which Phone Is Better? — The S22 Ultra is the clear winner for the best camera experience. If you’re going to be taking serious selfies or engaging in high-quality video calls on your phone, you want the best phone camera you can possibly find. The 40MP camera on the S22 Ultra’s hole-punch display will be your new best friend. Keep your camera protected with an S22 Ultra case.
Battery Life
- S22 (Base Model) — When it comes to battery capacity, all three models have noticeable differences. The S22 has a 3,700mAh battery along with a 25W charging speed. All phones support 15W wireless charging. Keep in mind that if you’re doing wired charges, Samsung is only compatible with USB-C cable chargers.
- S22 Plus — The battery life of the S22 Plus is slightly better than the base model. It has a 4,500mAh battery with a 45W charging speed.
- S22 Ultra — The S22 Ultra has the most battery life of all, with a 5,000mAh battery.
- Which Phone Is Better? — You’ll notice that the S22 and S22 Plus have smaller batteries than their predecessors. The 5,000mAh cell of the S22 Ultra is massive. If a long battery life matters to you, opt for the S22 Ultra. If you don’t look at your phone all that much or have a handy charger near you throughout the day, the S22 Plus will do just fine.
Comparing Samsung Galaxy S to Similar Competitors
- Apple iPhone 13 — Many people flock to the iPhone for its easy-to-use interface and simple camera. While Apple cameras, in general, are said to be more reliable than Android cameras, there’s one less camera compared to the S22. The battery life in the latest iPhone 13 is better than the previous iPhone 12. The iPhone 13 is available in a new alpine green along with classic black, white, blue, pink and red. The iPhone 13 starts at a similar price to the Samsung S22 at $799. To compete with Samsung’s storage offerings, the base iPhone 13 model no longer starts at just 64GB. It now starts at 128GB with options to upgrade to 256GB and 512GB. However, upgrading from 128GB is quite hefty at $899, while 512GB starts at $1,099.
- Google Pixel 6 — The Google Pixel 6 may be an option for anyone looking for a less expensive smartphone with comparable features. The Pixel 6 starts at $599 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. This model comes in three colors, including a pinkish Kinda Coral, green and yellow Sorta Seafoam and a Stormy Black mixture of black and gray. Compared to previous models like the Google Pixel 4 with a shorter battery life and unreliable face unlock feature and the Pixel 5 with a mid-range chipset, the Google Pixel 6 has made great improvements.
Which Phone Wins?
- S22 (Base Model) — The S22 is a fine base model for anyone who is a fan of the Samsung Galaxy S series. If you’re looking to switch from an iPhone to a Samsung, the S22 may be the model to switch to.
- S22 Plus — The S22 Plus only costs $200 more than the S22. For both the S22 Plus and the S22, you can upgrade the storage from 128GB to 256GB for an additional $50.
- S22 Ultra — If you want to upgrade the storage in the S22, you’ll need to pay an additional $100 to upgrade from 128GB to 256GB.
- Should I Get the S22 Ultra or S22 Plus? — The standard S22 could be the fit for you if you want a compact, well-rounded phone at a reasonable price and don’t care that much about battery life. For a large display, S pen and seriously awesome camera, get the S22 Ultra. If you want a phone with a battery life that lasts throughout the day when you’re streaming on your phone, go for the S22 Ultra. The S22 Ultra is perfect if you require a versatile camera setup as well. If you want to save some money but get a phone that’s a touch above the base model, the S22 Plus will do the trick. The S22 Plus is ideal for those who want a larger display than the S22 but is still easy to use one-handed compared to the larger S22 Ultra. If you don’t want that slightly curved display, opt for the S22 Plus instead of the slightly curved S22 Ultra.
Whether you choose the S22 Ultra or the S22 Plus, Pela Case has a wide array of Samsung phone cases to keep your phones protected. What makes Pela Case phone cases so unique? They’re the world’s first compostable phone case. Get your new S22 phone case today and find out why over 857,000 happy customers have switched to Pela.
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