Realme GT2 Explorer Master vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: The Ultimate Flagship Battle

The smartphone landscape is fiercely competitive, and two titans clash today: the Realme GT2 Explorer Master and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G. Both offer premium features and impressive specs, but which one truly delivers the best overall experience? Let's dive into a comprehensive comparison to help you decide.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Realme GT2 Explorer Master boasts incredible battery life and a powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip at a more attractive price. However, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra offers a brighter display, a more versatile camera system, and the prestige of the Samsung brand. It's a trade-off between value and premium features.

PHONES
Phone Names Realme GT2 Explorer Master Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 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, 17, 18, 19, 26, 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, 41, 77, 78 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
 -1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2022, July 122022, February 09
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, July 19Available. Released 2022, February 25
Body
BuildGlass front, ceramic back or eco leather back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions161.3 x 74.3 x 8.2 mm (6.35 x 2.93 x 0.32 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)
Weight195 g (6.88 oz)228 g / 229 g (mmWave) (8.04 oz)
 -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+
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~393 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.4% 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 (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 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 SM8475 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, Realme UI 3.0Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 -UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesDual-LED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad-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
Triple50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.2, 150˚ (ultrawide) 3 MP, f/3.3, 20mm (microscope), AF, 40x magnification-
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
Features-HDR
Single16MP, f/2.5, 25mm (wide)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
BluetoothYes5.2, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavICGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANYesWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), 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 wired45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type5000 mAhLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsGray, White, GoldPhantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue, Bora Purple
ModelsRMX3551SM-S908B, SM-S908B/DS, SM-S908U, SM-S908U1, SM-S908W, SM-S908N, SM-S9080, SM-S908E, SM-S908E/DS
PriceAbout 500 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 126h Endurance rating 108h
Camera Photo / VideoPhoto / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -25.8 LUFS (Very good) -27.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance AnTuTu: 1045876 (v9) GeekBench: 4021 (v5.1)AnTuTu: 968359 (v9) GeekBench: 3657 (v5.1) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Realme GT2 Explorer Master

  • Exceptional battery life (126h)
  • Powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset
  • Blazing-fast 100W charging
  • Excellent value for money
  • Good display quality

  • Camera not as versatile as S22 Ultra
  • Less premium build materials
  • Software support may not be as long-lasting as Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

  • Stunning, brighter display (1266 nits)
  • Versatile and high-quality camera system
  • Premium design and build quality
  • Long-term software support
  • S Pen functionality

  • Higher price point
  • Battery life not as impressive as Realme
  • Performance can vary depending on chipset (Exynos vs Snapdragon)
  • Charging speed slower than Realme

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra takes a clear lead in the display department. Its 1266 nits peak brightness significantly outshines the Realme GT2 Explorer Master's 798 nits, making it easier to view in direct sunlight. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (nominally infinite), but Samsung's Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel provides richer colors and better overall visual quality. The S22 Ultra also benefits from a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate for smoother scrolling.

Camera Comparison

Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra reigns supreme in the camera arena. Its versatile quad-camera system, headlined by a 108MP main sensor, offers incredible detail, dynamic range, and zoom capabilities. The Realme GT2 Explorer Master's camera is competent, but lacks the S22 Ultra's advanced features and overall image quality, especially in challenging lighting conditions. Video recording is also stronger on the S22 Ultra.

Performance

The Realme GT2 Explorer Master's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 delivers exceptional performance, often matching or exceeding the S22 Ultra in benchmarks. While the S22 Ultra's chipset (Exynos or Snapdragon, depending on region) is powerful, the 8+ Gen 1 generally offers slightly better efficiency and sustained performance. Gaming and demanding tasks will feel fluid on both devices, but the Realme has a slight edge.

Battery Life

The Realme GT2 Explorer Master absolutely dominates in battery life, boasting an impressive endurance rating of 126 hours. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, while still offering good battery life at 108 hours, falls significantly behind. The Realme's 100W charging also provides incredibly fast charging speeds, further solidifying its battery advantage.

Buying Guide

The Realme GT2 Explorer Master is ideal for users prioritizing battery life, raw performance, and value for money. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is perfect for those seeking a top-tier camera, a stunning display, and the latest Samsung features, regardless of price.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which phone has better performance?
The Realme GT2 Explorer Master generally offers slightly better raw performance due to its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, although both phones are very capable.
❓ Is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra worth the extra money?
If you prioritize camera quality, a brighter display, and the Samsung ecosystem, then yes. However, the Realme GT2 Explorer Master provides excellent value for money with its impressive battery life and performance.