Review Summary
Expert Rating4/5
Design★★★★★★★★★★ Display★★★★★★★★★★ Software★★★★★★★★★★ Camera★★★★★★★★★★ Performance★★★★★★★★★★ Battery★★★★★★★★★★
Pros
- Stunning display
- Stylish, weatherproof design
- Excellent cameras
- Built-in S Pen
Cons
- Gaming performance could’ve been better
- Sub-par battery backup
Samsung redefined the perception around big-screen phones with the original Galaxy Note which, at the time, offered a “big” 5.3-inch display. Coupled with its handy stylus, the smartphone was a productivity fiend and the device immediately resonated with power users. Well, a decade in and Samsung’s Galaxy Note phones have only gotten bigger and more powerful. What’s more, the S-pen has seen a host of improvements too and is quite possibly, the best accessory to ever debut with a phone.
Regardless, the company’s Galaxy S series of phones often overlapped with the brand’s Note series, be it in terms of features, or specs. Furthermore, possibly due to the onset of foldable flagships, Samsung decided to forego the Note lineup. That’s not to say that the company turned its back on Note loyalists, mind you. Case in point, the all-new Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which isn’t just loaded to the brim with industry-leading specs, but it also brings the goodness of S Pen and is the first non-Note device to house a silo for the iconic stylus. Can then, the smartphone appease both power-users and photography enthusiasts? Let’s find out in this review.
Table of Contents
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the most loaded flagship from the company’s stables yet, scoring high on most aspects like performance, cameras and usage experience. The included S Pen acts as the cherry on top, and is a highly useful accessory to have. Provided you can stomach its price, the device will not disappoint you.
Design
From a distance, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the Galaxy S22 Ultra from the Galaxy Note20 Ultra (review) launched over a year ago. In fact, save for their camera modules (or lack thereof, in the S22 Ultra’s case), the duo looks resoundingly similar and both the phones offer a boxy design with sharp, edgy cutouts bordering the display. For what it’s worth, I quite like the design of the phone, even though it’s not inherently unique or new. In fact, if you’re a sucker for minimalistic phones, then you’ll find the Galaxy S22 Ultra right up your alley too – the handset exudes elegance and is void of any gaudy patterns or decals. In contrast, the phone offers a glass-metal sandwich enveloped in a single hue which, in the case of my review unit, is Burgundy. That said, you can pick up the phone in Phantom Black and White colours too.
