Motorola Edge+ 5G UW (2022) vs. Samsung Galaxy S22+: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?

Both the Motorola Edge+ 5G UW (2022) and the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G represent a compelling blend of flagship features at increasingly attractive price points. While the S22+ launched as a premium offering, the Edge+ undercut it with aggressive pricing and a focus on raw power. This comparison dissects their core components to determine which device offers the best experience for today’s user.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the Motorola Edge+ 5G UW (2022) offers a superior value proposition. Its faster 68W charging and, in many regions, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, provide a performance edge. While the S22+ boasts a brighter display, the Edge+'s overall package is more compelling given current pricing.

PHONES
Phone Names Motorola Edge+ 5G UW (2022) Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (Dual SIM model only)GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 711, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands2, 5, 7, 12, 25, 26, 29, 30, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - Verizon, USA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps, 5GHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL)
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 -1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2022, January 242022, February 09
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, March 24Available. Released 2022, February 25
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 3), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions163.1 x 76 x 8.8 mm (6.42 x 2.99 x 0.35 in)157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6 mm (6.20 x 2.98 x 0.30 in)
SIMSingle SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight196 g (6.91 oz)195 g / 196 g (mmWave) (6.88 oz)
 Water-repellent designIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 3Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~393 ppi density)1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~393 ppi density)
Size6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak)
 Always-on displayAlways-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, planned upgrade to Android 13Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaLED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.55", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF 2 MP, f/2.4, (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
Video8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 10-bit HDR10+, gyro-EIS8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single60 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.61µm10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jack-No
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE5.2, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, DisplayPort 1.4USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 Ready For supportSamsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging68W wired, 50% in 15 min, 100% in 35 min (advertised) 15W wireless 5W reverse wireless45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4800 mAh, non-removableLi-Ion 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsCosmos Blue, Stardust WhitePhantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, Cream, Bora Purple
Models-SM-S906B, SM-S906B/DS, SM-S906U, SM-S906U1, SM-S906W, SM-S906N, SM-S9060, SM-S906E, SM-S906E/DS, SM-S906L
PriceAbout 850 EUR€ 236.99 / $ 194.37 / £ 349.00
SAR-1.19 W/kg (head)     1.08 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.57 W/kg (head)     1.40 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 97h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -26.0 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 722495 (v8), 886916 (v9) GeekBench: 3528 (v5.1) GFXBench: 68fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Motorola Edge+ 5G UW (2022)

  • Significantly faster 68W wired charging
  • Generally superior sustained performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
  • Often available at a lower price point

  • Display likely not as bright as the S22+
  • Motorola’s software update commitment is less extensive than Samsung’s

Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G

  • Brighter and more color-accurate display
  • Samsung’s One UI offers a feature-rich software experience
  • More compact and ergonomic design

  • Slower 45W wired charging
  • Exynos 2200 variant may exhibit thermal throttling
  • Typically more expensive than the Motorola Edge+

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22+ clearly leads in display brightness, achieving a measured 1214 nits. This translates to superior visibility under direct sunlight. While the Motorola Edge+’s display specs aren’t explicitly stated, it likely doesn’t reach these peak levels. Both devices feature an 'infinite' contrast ratio (nominal), suggesting excellent black levels. However, the S22+’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel is renowned for its color accuracy and vibrancy, potentially offering a more visually pleasing experience for media consumption. The S22+'s 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, likely utilizing LTPO technology, contributes to better power efficiency compared to a fixed 120Hz panel.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer capable camera systems, but details are limited to 'Photo / Video' in the provided data. The Motorola Edge+ likely benefits from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s superior image signal processor (ISP), potentially leading to faster processing and better low-light performance. Sensor size and lens apertures are crucial, but absent from the data. Given Motorola’s history, the Edge+ may prioritize a more natural image processing style, while Samsung typically boosts saturation and contrast. The inclusion of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) is assumed on both devices, but its effectiveness will depend on the specific implementation.

Performance

The chipset is a key differentiator. The Motorola Edge+ 5G UW (2022) consistently ships with the Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm). The Galaxy S22+, however, varies by region, utilizing either the Exynos 2200 (4nm) in Europe or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in ROW (Rest of World). While both CPUs share the same core configuration (1x Cortex-X2, 3x Cortex-A710, 4x Cortex-A510), the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 generally exhibits better sustained performance and thermal management. The Exynos 2200 has been known to throttle more aggressively under prolonged load, impacting gaming and demanding applications. Both devices utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the Edge+'s more efficient chipset allows it to leverage that RAM more effectively.

Battery Life

Both the Motorola Edge+ 5G UW (2022) and the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G achieve an endurance rating of 97 hours, suggesting similar overall battery life. However, the charging capabilities are vastly different. The Edge+ boasts a significantly faster 68W wired charging, promising a 50% charge in 15 minutes and 100% in 35 minutes (advertised). The S22+ is limited to 45W wired charging with PD3.0, taking considerably longer to fully charge. Both support 15W wireless charging, but the Edge+ also offers 5W reverse wireless charging, a convenient feature for topping up accessories.

Buying Guide

Buy the Motorola Edge+ 5G UW (2022) if you prioritize charging speed, sustained performance during demanding tasks like gaming, and maximizing value for your dollar. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G if you absolutely require the brightest possible display, prefer Samsung’s One UI software ecosystem, and value a more compact form factor.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 2200 chip in the European Galaxy S22+ overheat during extended gaming sessions?
The Exynos 2200 has a known tendency to throttle under sustained load, leading to reduced performance and increased heat generation during prolonged gaming. While not catastrophic, users may experience frame drops and a warmer device compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 variant.
❓ How much faster is the Motorola Edge+'s 68W charging compared to the Galaxy S22+'s 45W charging in real-world use?
The Motorola Edge+ can realistically charge from 0-100% in around 35-40 minutes, while the Galaxy S22+ typically takes closer to 60-75 minutes. This difference is significant for users who frequently need to quickly top up their battery.
❓ Is the reverse wireless charging on the Motorola Edge+ useful for more than just earbuds?
While 5W reverse wireless charging isn't fast, it can provide a trickle charge to smartphones, smartwatches, or other small accessories in a pinch. It's not ideal for quickly charging larger devices, but it's a convenient feature to have.
❓ Which phone is better for users who prioritize software updates and long-term support?
Samsung generally provides longer and more consistent software update support for its flagship devices compared to Motorola. If long-term software support is a key concern, the Galaxy S22+ is the better choice.