Before Purchasing the Samsung Galaxy s22 Ultra here's What I need Know
The Galaxy Note product line has officially ended, but has it? Last week along with S22 and s22 +Plus, Samsung announced the s22 Ultra, the successor to the now-aging Galaxy Note Ultra. But I'm going to call it for what it is; this is still a Galaxy Note, the upgrade version with an incremental change to design while still having the famed S-pen.
You know what? I still plan on purchasing the s22 Ultra; it's about time to upgrade to a new smartphone. Don't get me wrong, my current Galaxy Note 20 Ultra still serves me well and, in my opinion still one of the best smartphones on the current market. Some might think I'm insane to even think about purchasing an s22 Ultra. But for me, it's an improvement over my current device. Most may lean towards buying the affordable option, the s22 and s22+ which have the same processor.
With that said, I still plan on proceeding with the upgrade. Before I purchase the Galaxy S22 Ultra, from hardware specification to design, here's everything I need to.
What I need to know about the Chipset and Processor
As expected, the Galaxy S22 has an upgraded chipset and processor, a significant upgrade I might add from my current Galaxy Note Ultra. It has a Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8-Gen chipset featuring an octa-core processor. In addition, the visuals are made possible by an Adreno 730 GPU.
What I need to know about storage and memory
When it comes to storage and memory, you get a minimum of 128GB 8GB RAM starting with the entry-level option. Other choices are 256GB 12GB RAM 512GB 12GB RAM and 1TB 12 RAM. The smartphone is the primary device to shoot video and capture images, consuming a great deal of storage space. So the obvious choice is the higher capacity option. All the Samsung s22 variants don't have an SD card slot which eliminates expandable storage.
What I need to know about the Display
Samsung maintained its reputation for making the best displays on mobile devices with the Galaxy S22 Ultra. To say the display is the most significant selling point is an understatement. The display is rather large for smartphones, measuring 6.8 inches with a QHD Plus resolution.
The technology used is AMOLED with an adjustable refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which means fluid animation and images. The refresh rate can go all the way down to 1Hz when you're just reading text on the smartphone. What's unique display is the refresh rate can remain high while at 1440p resolution—the brightness level on the smartphone peaks at 1750 nits.
What I need to know about the Design
Regarding design, the s22 Ultra is similar to the last Note iteration. But more refined with tight rectangular corners and a slightly curved display. Those fortunate enough to test out the s22 Ultra stated the device appears to be much thicker and heavier, likely due to new materials used on the smartphone. Glass now replaces the plastic on the back of the smartphone with a slightly thick aluminum frame.
Of course, you can't have a device similar to the Note without having the S-Pen slot, which the s22 Ultra has. Unlike past iterations, the S Pen no longer matches the smartphone's frame and now features a new AI software for increased accuracy.
What I need know about the camera
The camera specs on the Galaxy S21 and s21 Ultra are almost identical to the s22 Ultra. So if the camera is the main selling point, then no need to upgrade. But for people like myself who own older Samsung models, the camera is a significant improvement from its predecessor. Let's talk about that camera because, on paper, the specs are pretty impressive. On the rear, you have four cameras, starting with a 108 MP lens, a 12MP ultrawide camera, 10MP telephoto with 10X optical zoom. In addition, you can shoot videos in 8K 24FPS.
Added features to improve the image and video quality are new Super Clear Glass lenses reducing glare and lens flare. Samsung also made improvements to optical image stabilization with new hardware, claiming its photography AI will now shoot better Portrait and Nightography shots.
Probably the most significant improvement s22 Ultra has over the s21 Ultra is the 40MP selfie lens, compared to just 10MP front-facing.
What I need to know about battery
The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a massive battery measuring 5000 mAh, fast charging at 45 watts. There is, of course, the industry-standard Qi wireless charging at 15 W reverse wireless charging at 4.5 W. How long battery power to hold charge varies with users. Several factors can rapidly deplete battery power, high refresh, constant notifications, and video streaming. However, thus far, many publications which already reviewed the s22 Ultra have reported excellent battery life.
What I need to know about the price
The s22 Ultra is a flagship smartphone with top-notched specs and features, with a premium design. So it should not come as no surprise this device is rather pricey. Flagship smartphones that range from $899-to $1000 are the new normal these days. OK, so let's talk numbers. The Samsung s22 Ultra 128GB and 256GB models is priced at $1,199, 256GB $1,299. The smartphone comes in five different color schemes, Burgundy, Phantom Black, Phantom White, and my personal favorite Green. Currently, you can now pre-order the s22 Ultra. All devices are scheduled to ship on February 25th.
