Honor Magic4 Ultimate vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: The Ultimate Flagship Battle

The Honor Magic4 Ultimate and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra represent the pinnacle of smartphone technology. Both boast impressive specs, stunning designs, and advanced features, but which one truly deserves your money? This comprehensive comparison dives deep into every aspect, from display quality to camera performance, to help you decide.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The S22 Ultra offers a more refined software experience and broader ecosystem integration. However, the Magic4 Ultimate delivers significantly faster charging and potentially better camera versatility. It's a close call, with the S22 Ultra edging ahead for most users, but the Magic4 Ultimate is a compelling alternative for charging speed enthusiasts and photography buffs.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor Magic4 Ultimate 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
Announced2022, March 172022, February 09
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, April 22Available. Released 2022, February 25
Body
BuildGlass front, ceramic back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions163.6 x 74.7 x 11.4 mm (6.44 x 2.94 x 0.45 in)163.3 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)
Weight242 g (8.54 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
ProtectionScratch-resistant glassCorning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Resolution1312 x 2848 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size6.81 inches, 113.7 cm2 (~93.0% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~90.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)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 SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - EuropeQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) - ROW
GPUAdreno 730Xclipse 920 - EuropeAdreno 730 - ROW
OSAndroid 12, Magic UI 6Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal512GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.12", 1.4µm, PDAF 64 MP, f/2.2, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.7µm 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/2.5", 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
Single12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.82", 0.7µm, PDAF
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit audio stereo recording32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a)GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, 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, ultrasonic), 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
Charging100W wired, 100% in 30 min 50W 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
ColorsCeramic Black, Ceramic WhitePhantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue, Bora Purple
ModelsLGE-AN20SM-S908B, SM-S908B/DS, SM-S908U, SM-S908U1, SM-S908W, SM-S908N, SM-S9080, SM-S908E, SM-S908E/DS
PriceAbout 1150 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 Magic4 Ultimate

  • Blazing-fast 100W wired charging
  • Unique variable aperture camera
  • Competitive price
  • Excellent display

  • Software experience less polished than Samsung
  • Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load
  • Availability may be limited in some regions

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

  • Refined Android experience
  • Seamless Samsung ecosystem integration
  • Versatile camera system with excellent video
  • Bright and vibrant display
  • Long battery life

  • Slower charging speeds compared to Magic4 Ultimate
  • Exynos variant (Europe) may have slightly lower performance
  • Higher price point

Display Comparison

Both phones feature exceptional displays. The S22 Ultra boasts a measured peak brightness of 1266 nits, making it incredibly visible outdoors. The Magic4 Ultimate's display is also excellent, though specific brightness figures are harder to confirm. The S22 Ultra's infinite contrast ratio (nominal) suggests deep blacks and vibrant colors. Both offer smooth 120Hz refresh rates.

Camera Comparison

The S22 Ultra excels in versatility, offering a range of focal lengths and excellent video recording capabilities. The Magic4 Ultimate's camera system is unique, featuring a variable aperture lens, allowing for greater control over depth of field. Both phones capture stunning photos in various lighting conditions, but the S22 Ultra's image processing tends to be more consistent.

Performance

The Magic4 Ultimate utilizes the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, a powerhouse chipset. The S22 Ultra's performance varies by region – Exynos 2200 in Europe and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in ROW. While both offer top-tier performance, the Snapdragon variant of the S22 Ultra generally edges out the Exynos in sustained performance and efficiency. Both handle demanding games and multitasking with ease.

Battery Life

The S22 Ultra boasts an impressive endurance rating of 108h, suggesting excellent battery life. The Magic4 Ultimate's battery capacity is comparable, but its 100W wired charging is a game-changer, allowing for incredibly fast top-ups. The S22 Ultra's wireless charging is slower at 15W.

Buying Guide

The Honor Magic4 Ultimate is ideal for users prioritizing blazing-fast charging, unique camera features (like the variable aperture), and a more aggressive price point. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is best suited for those seeking a polished Android experience, seamless integration with Samsung's ecosystem, and a versatile camera system with excellent video capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which phone has better software support?
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra generally receives longer and more consistent software updates due to Samsung's established update policy.
❓ Is the Honor Magic4 Ultimate worth buying if I'm outside of China?
Availability can be a challenge. If you can find it, the Magic4 Ultimate offers excellent value, but be aware of potential software localization issues and limited support.