iPhone 13 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22+: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?

The iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22+ represent the pinnacle of smartphone engineering from their respective ecosystems. While both offer premium experiences, they diverge significantly in approach – Apple prioritizing optimized software and a tightly integrated ecosystem, while Samsung focuses on feature richness and display technology. This comparison dissects these differences to determine which phone best suits your needs.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S22+ emerges as the better value. Its superior battery endurance (97h vs 85h) and brighter display (1214 nits vs 1063 nits) provide tangible benefits in everyday use. While the iPhone 13 Pro’s A15 Bionic is potent, the S22+ offers comparable performance at a potentially lower price point.

PHONES
Phone Names Apple iPhone 13 Pro Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2638, A2639, A26401, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2638, A26391, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 MbpsHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL)
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A26361, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2021, September 142022, February 09
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, September 24Available. Released 2022, February 25
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back, stainless steel frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm (5.78 x 2.81 x 0.30 in)157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6 mm (6.20 x 2.98 x 0.30 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight204 g (7.20 oz)195 g / 196 g (mmWave) (6.88 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised)
Display
ProtectionCeramic Shield glassCorning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Resolution1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~393 ppi density)
Size6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio)6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeSuper Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUHexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)Octa-core (1x2.8 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A510) - EuropeOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) - ROW
ChipsetApple A15 Bionic (5 nm)Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - EuropeQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) - ROW
GPUApple GPU (5-core graphics)Xclipse 920 - EuropeAdreno 730 - ROW
OSiOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
 NVMeUFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)-
Triple12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), PDAF, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video
Video4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, stereo sound rec.8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 -32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE5.2, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSSGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioNoNo
USBLightning, USB 2.0USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspotWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 Ultra Wideband (UWB) supportSamsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
ChargingWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Ion 3095 mAh (12.11 Wh)Li-Ion 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsGraphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine GreenPhantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, Cream, Bora Purple
ModelsA2638, A2483, A2636, A2639, A2640, iPhone14,2SM-S906B, SM-S906B/DS, SM-S906U, SM-S906U1, SM-S906W, SM-S906N, SM-S9060, SM-S906E, SM-S906E/DS, SM-S906L
Price€ 398.00 / $ 365.86 / £ 300.00€ 236.99 / $ 194.37 / £ 349.00
SAR1.20 W/kg (head)     1.19 W/kg (body)1.19 W/kg (head)     1.08 W/kg (body)
SAR EU0.99 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)0.57 W/kg (head)     1.40 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 85h Endurance rating 97h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -24.9 LUFS (Very good) -26.0 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 794348 (v9) GeekBench: 4687 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 722495 (v8), 886916 (v9) GeekBench: 3528 (v5.1) GFXBench: 68fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

  • Exceptional video recording quality
  • Optimized software and ecosystem integration
  • Strong resale value

  • Slower charging speeds
  • Lower peak display brightness
  • Less flexible operating system

Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G

  • Brighter and more vibrant display
  • Faster charging speeds (45W)
  • Reverse wireless charging

  • Potential for thermal throttling (Exynos variant)
  • Software processing can be aggressive
  • Android ecosystem fragmentation

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22+ boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 1214 nits compared to the iPhone 13 Pro’s 1063 nits. This translates to better outdoor visibility, particularly in direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, but the S22+'s higher peak brightness is a clear advantage. While both are excellent, the S22+’s panel is more immediately impactful in real-world viewing conditions. The lack of LTPO on either device means refresh rate scaling isn't as efficient as newer models, but both offer smooth scrolling.

Camera Comparison

Both phones excel in photography and videography, but approach it differently. The iPhone 13 Pro is renowned for its cinematic mode and consistently high-quality video recording. While both offer versatile camera systems, the iPhone’s video capabilities are generally considered superior. The S22+’s camera system, while capable, relies more heavily on software processing, which can sometimes result in over-sharpened images. The lack of detailed sensor information for both devices makes a direct comparison difficult, but the iPhone’s reputation for natural image processing gives it a slight edge for users prioritizing realism.

Performance

The iPhone 13 Pro’s A15 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, delivers exceptional single-core performance. However, the Galaxy S22+’s Exynos 2200 (Europe) or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (ROW), built on a 4nm process, offers a competitive octa-core configuration. The Snapdragon variant generally exhibits better thermal management, mitigating potential throttling during sustained workloads. While the A15 excels in raw processing power, the S22+’s more efficient chipset can maintain performance for longer periods, particularly in graphically demanding games. The choice between Exynos and Snapdragon significantly impacts the S22+’s sustained performance.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S22+ holds a clear advantage in battery endurance, achieving a measured 97 hours compared to the iPhone 13 Pro’s 85 hours. This is despite a similar battery capacity. The S22+ also supports 45W wired charging with PD3.0, allowing for a significantly faster 0-100% charge (estimated under 60 minutes) compared to the iPhone 13 Pro’s 50% in 30 minutes via PD2.0. The S22+ also includes 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the iPhone 13 Pro without the iOS 17.2 update for Qi2.

Buying Guide

Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro if you are deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem, prioritize video recording quality, and value long-term software support. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G if you prefer a brighter, more vibrant display, faster charging speeds, and the flexibility of the Android operating system, especially if you're a power user who benefits from features like reverse wireless charging.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 2200 in the European Galaxy S22+ overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Exynos 2200 variant of the Galaxy S22+ is known to be more prone to thermal throttling than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 version, especially during extended gaming. While not catastrophic, users may experience frame rate drops and reduced performance after approximately 30-45 minutes of intensive gameplay. Optimizing game settings and ensuring adequate ventilation can help mitigate this issue.
❓ Is the 15W wireless charging on the iPhone 13 Pro sufficient for daily use, or is it too slow?
The 15W wireless charging on the iPhone 13 Pro, utilizing MagSafe, is adequate for overnight charging, but it's considerably slower than the 45W wired charging offered by the Galaxy S22+. A full charge via wireless can take over 3 hours. The Qi2 standard, requiring iOS 17.2, aims to improve wireless charging efficiency, but still won't match the speed of wired charging.
❓ How does the image processing differ between the iPhone 13 Pro and the Galaxy S22+?
Apple generally prioritizes natural-looking images with accurate color reproduction, while Samsung tends to apply more aggressive processing, resulting in punchier colors and increased sharpness. This difference is subjective; some users prefer Samsung's vibrant aesthetic, while others appreciate the iPhone's realism. Both phones offer excellent image quality, but the processing style is a key differentiator.