Samsung’s New Galaxy S22 Ultra Comes With a Built-in S Pen Stylus
The company also unveils Galaxy S22 and S22+ models with a new processor and a larger camera sensor
Samsung introduced three new flagship phones on Wednesday, all outfitted with a new processor and faster charging technology, the company says.
But the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra goes one step beyond its siblings, emerging as a bona fide successor to the manufacturer’s popular Note models.
With sharper angles and an embedded S Pen stylus, it could be considered a Galaxy Note in all but name. (Samsung says the phone has inherited “the Galaxy Note DNA.”)
Despite soaring inflation and ongoing supply chain issues, Samsung will hold fast to its 2021 pricing, releasing all three models at the same cost as their S21 counterparts. The base S22 will sell for $800, while the S22+ starts at $1,000 and the S22 Ultra at $1,200.
In fact, if you factor in the free S Pen—a $40 add-on for the S21 Ultra—the S22 Ultra is actually cheaper than its predecessor. Unlike the S21 Ultra, the new Ultra has a built-in silo for storing the S Pen, too.
The three new phones are available for pre-order today from Samsung. They arrive in stores Feb. 25.
If you place a pre-order, Samsung will toss in a gift card worth up to $200 (depending on the model you choose) and a storage bump (see details below).
These are still expensive phones, of course, but they come with 5G connectivity, wireless charging, and other premium features we expect in top-tier models. Let’s take a look at what’s new.
Subtle and Not-So-Subtle Design Tweaks
Photo: Samsung Photo: Samsung
For the S22 Ultra, it’s all about the pen, which functions more like that on the Note20 than the one created for last year’s S21 Ultra. The S22 Ultra’s stylus is an integral part of the device, rather than an optional accessory. Besides having a storage silo within the phone body, the redesigned S Pen now interacts with the phone at a higher level.
According to Samsung, it has 70 percent lower latency, which basically means better, faster responsiveness when you’re writing on the screen. New top and side buttons let you start and stop videos and otherwise control the phone in ways the S Pen for the S21 Ultra could not.
Camera Upgrades and Other New Features
So, you might be asking, what’s under the hood? The S22 phones sport a new processor and, according to Samsung, faster battery charging, but the most significant improvements are with the camera’s photo and video capabilities. They’re iterative upgrades, though, mostly geared toward low-light and nighttime shooting.
More megapixels and bigger image sensors: The main rear camera on the S22 and S22+ has been upgraded with a larger sensor, and the resolution has been bumped from 12MP to 50MP. A larger sensor captures more light, which is useful if you shoot at night or, say, in a dimly lit restaurant. But more megapixels doesn’t always mean better quality photos or videos. We’ll be putting both to the test soon.
New AI camera tricks: As with last year, the camera advances in the new models are largely software-based. Samsung says its new and enhanced AI-assisted tools can automatically sharpen details and reduce noise in photos, depending on your lighting conditions. The S22 Ultra’s zoom has been boosted from 30x to 100x, so you can take more detailed shots of, say, your kid across the soccer field or your favorite band at a concert. For videos, the phones can automatically adjust the frame rate, as well as the focus based on how many people join your shot.
For pro-level photography, Samsung says, the S22 phones’ new Portrait mode does a better job of distinguishing human or pet hair from the background—a detail that separates a great photo from an okay one—and the Expert RAW app provides DSLR-like controls for adjusting white balance and changing ISO and shutter speed settings when editing and shooting.
Faster battery charging: The S22+ and S22 Ultra both support 45W charging, compared to the slower 25W charging in previous models. This means you could fully charge your phone in as little as 20 minutes, according to Samsung. Stand by for results from our battery life tests.
New processor: The S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra are the first Samsung phones to use a 4nm processor. In theory, that should lead to better AI processing and graphics performance. It’s not likely to help you solve Wordle, but it could give you a performance boost if you’re running a more graphics-intensive game like Call of Duty.
Buying Options
As noted above, the S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra are available for pre-order today. From now through Feb. 24, Samsung is offering the gift card worth up to $200, plus a free memory upgrade of up to 256GB for the Galaxy S22 and S22+ or 516GB for the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
The Galaxy S22 starts at $799.99 with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage. A 256GB option is available as well. The model has a 6.1-inch display and 3,700mAh battery.
The Galaxy S22+ starts at $999.99 with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage. A 256GB option is available. It has a 6.6-inch display and 4,500mAh battery.
The S22 Ultra starts at $1,199.99 and is available with 8GB or 12GB of memory. Storage options range from 128GB to 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. The model has a 6.8-inch display and a 5,000mAh battery.
