Honor Magic3 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: A Flagship Face-Off

The Honor Magic3 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra represent distinct approaches to the premium smartphone market. The Magic3 Pro, with its focus on rapid charging and a powerful Snapdragon processor, aimed to disrupt the established order. The S22 Ultra, meanwhile, refined Samsung’s established formula, integrating the S Pen and pushing camera capabilities further. This comparison dissects their key differences to help you choose the right flagship.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing a versatile camera system and long-term software support, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the better choice. However, the Honor Magic3 Pro delivers faster charging and competitive performance, making it a compelling option for power users who prioritize speed and aren't concerned about Samsung's software ecosystem.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor Magic3 Pro Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA 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
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2021, August 122022, February 09
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, September 01Available. Released 2022, February 25
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back or vegan leather back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions162.8 x 74.9 x 9.0 mm or 9.5 mm163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight212 g / 213 g (7.48 oz)228 g / 229 g (mmWave) (8.04 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus, 2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Resolution1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.9% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~90.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)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
ChipsetQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm)Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - EuropeQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) - ROW
GPUAdreno 660Xclipse 920 - EuropeAdreno 730 - ROW
OSAndroid 11, Magic UI 5Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 -UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesColor spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom 64 MP, f/1.8, (monochrome) 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), PDAF TOF 3D (depth)108 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.82", 0.7µm, PDAF
Video1080p@30fps4K@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
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a)GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging66W wired 66W wireless 5W reverse wireless 5W reverse wired45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4600 mAhLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsGolden Hour (Vegan Leather), Black, WhitePhantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue, Bora Purple
ModelsELZ-AN10SM-S908B, SM-S908B/DS, SM-S908U, SM-S908U1, SM-S908W, SM-S908N, SM-S9080, SM-S908E, SM-S908E/DS
PriceAbout 800 EUR€ 397.07 / $ 269.98 / £ 304.99 / ₹ 63,899
SAR-1.18 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-1.05 W/kg (head)     1.58 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life-Endurance rating 108h
Camera-Photo / Video
Display-Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker--27.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance-AnTuTu: 968359 (v9) GeekBench: 3657 (v5.1) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Honor Magic3 Pro

  • Significantly faster charging (66W wired & wireless)
  • Competitive Snapdragon 888+ performance
  • Potentially better thermal management due to 5nm process

  • Less versatile camera system compared to S22 Ultra
  • Software support may be less consistent than Samsung
  • Display brightness likely lower than S22 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

  • More versatile camera system with superior zoom
  • Integrated S Pen for productivity and creativity
  • Brighter display for better outdoor visibility

  • Slower charging speeds (45W wired, 15W wireless)
  • Exynos 2200 (Europe) may exhibit throttling
  • Higher price point

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1266 nits, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the Honor Magic3 Pro. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. Both displays feature an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. While the Magic3 Pro’s display specs aren’t detailed, Honor typically employs high refresh rate OLED panels, likely matching the S22 Ultra’s smooth scrolling experience. The S22 Ultra’s larger size and higher resolution will provide a more immersive viewing experience, but the Magic3 Pro may offer a more color-accurate panel based on Honor’s display tuning.

Camera Comparison

Both phones excel in photography, but approach it differently. The S22 Ultra’s camera system is more versatile, offering a wider range of focal lengths and advanced features. While specific sensor details are missing for the Magic3 Pro, the S22 Ultra’s large main sensor and sophisticated image processing algorithms deliver consistently excellent results in various lighting conditions. The S22 Ultra’s 10x optical zoom is a significant advantage for long-distance photography, a capability the Magic3 Pro likely lacks. The S22 Ultra’s video recording capabilities are also more refined, with features like 8K recording and improved stabilization. The Magic3 Pro’s camera is capable, but the S22 Ultra offers a more complete and polished experience.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipset. The Galaxy S22 Ultra ships with either the Exynos 2200 (Europe) or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (ROW), both fabricated on a 4nm process. The Honor Magic3 Pro utilizes the Snapdragon 888+ 5G, built on a 5nm process. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200 offer architectural improvements with the Cortex-X2 core (2.8/3.0 GHz vs 2.99 GHz on the Magic3 Pro’s X1), the 5nm process of the 888+ can offer better thermal efficiency. The S22 Ultra’s CPU configuration (3x A710 vs 3x A78) provides a performance edge in multi-threaded tasks, but the Magic3 Pro’s optimized Snapdragon 888+ can hold its own in gaming. The Exynos 2200 has been known to exhibit throttling under sustained load, a potential disadvantage for the S22 Ultra in Europe.

Battery Life

Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 108 hours, suggesting similar overall battery life despite differing battery capacities (not specified for the Magic3 Pro). However, the charging speeds are drastically different. The Honor Magic3 Pro supports 66W wired and 66W wireless charging, significantly faster than the S22 Ultra’s 45W wired and 15W wireless charging. This means the Magic3 Pro can go from 0-100% in a fraction of the time, a crucial advantage for users who frequently need to top up their battery. The S22 Ultra’s slower charging speeds require a longer commitment to the wall, despite its comparable endurance rating.

Buying Guide

Buy the Honor Magic3 Pro if you need blazing-fast 66W wired *and* wireless charging, and prioritize raw performance for demanding tasks like gaming. You'll also appreciate its more aggressive pricing. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G if you prefer a more polished software experience, a more versatile camera system with superior zoom capabilities, and the integrated S Pen functionality for productivity and creativity.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 2200 in the European Galaxy S22 Ultra overheat during extended gaming sessions?
The Exynos 2200 has been reported to throttle under sustained load, leading to reduced performance during prolonged gaming. While Samsung has implemented software optimizations, users in Europe may experience more noticeable thermal throttling compared to those with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 variant.
❓ Is the 66W wireless charging on the Honor Magic3 Pro compatible with standard Qi wireless chargers?
No, the Honor Magic3 Pro’s 66W wireless charging requires a compatible Honor charger to achieve those speeds. Standard Qi wireless chargers will charge the device at a significantly slower rate, typically around 5W.
❓ How does the image processing differ between the Honor Magic3 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra?
Samsung’s image processing tends to produce more vibrant and saturated images, while Honor typically aims for a more natural and realistic look. The S22 Ultra also employs more aggressive noise reduction, which can sometimes result in a loss of detail. The Magic3 Pro’s image processing is generally more subtle.
❓ Does the Galaxy S22 Ultra support 90fps gaming in popular titles like PUBG?
The Galaxy S22 Ultra can achieve 90fps in PUBG Mobile with the highest graphics settings enabled, but this requires enabling the 'Extreme' frame rate setting within the game. Performance may vary depending on the specific game and region.