Realme GT2 vs Samsung Galaxy S22 5G: A Detailed Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G represented a return to a more compact flagship form factor, but at a premium price. The Realme GT2, arriving later, aimed to disrupt the market with flagship-level specs at a significantly lower cost. This comparison dissects the key differences between these two devices, focusing on where each excels and who will benefit most from their respective strengths.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing battery life and charging speed, the Realme GT2 is the clear winner. Its 65W charging and superior endurance rating outweigh the Galaxy S22's brighter display and potentially more refined camera processing. However, the S22's more compact size and potentially wider software support remain compelling advantages.

PHONES
Phone Names Realme GT2 Samsung Galaxy S22 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, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International1, 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, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International1, 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, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2022, January 042022, February 09
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, January 08Available. Released 2022, February 25
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions162.9 x 75.8 x 8.6 mm (6.41 x 2.98 x 0.34 in)146 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm (5.75 x 2.78 x 0.30 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight194.5 / 199.8 g (6.88 oz)167 g / 168 g (mmWave) (5.89 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~398 ppi density)1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~425 ppi density)
Size6.62 inches, 105.8 cm2 (~85.7% screen-to-body ratio)6.1 inches, 90.1 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55Octa-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 12, Realme UI 3.0Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesColor spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaLED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single16 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.0µm10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro)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@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR
Single16 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.0µm10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSSGPS, 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/6, 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)
Battery
Charging65W wired, 100% in 33 min25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type5000 mAhLi-Ion 3700 mAh
Misc
ColorsPaper White, Paper Green, Steel Black, Titanium BluePhantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, Cream, Bora Purple
ModelsRMX3310, RMX3312, RMX3311SM-S901B, SM-S901B/DS, SM-S901U, SM-S901U1, SM-S901W, SM-S901N, SM-S9010, SM-S901E, SM-S901E/DS
PriceAbout 790 EUR$ 172.63 / C$ 304.00 / £ 186.11 / € 198.01
SAR-1.03 W/kg (head)     1.15 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-1.21 W/kg (head)     1.59 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 115h Endurance rating 85h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -26.8 LUFS (Good) -26.4 LUFS (Good)
Performance AnTuTu: 810512 (v9) GeekBench: 3487 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 745496 (v8), 881428 (v9) GeekBench: 3682 (v5.1) GFXBench: 69fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Realme GT2

  • Significantly faster 65W charging
  • Superior battery life (115h endurance)
  • More affordable price point

  • Lower peak display brightness
  • Potentially less refined camera processing
  • Larger form factor

Samsung Galaxy S22 5G

  • Brighter display for outdoor visibility
  • More compact and pocketable design
  • Wireless and reverse wireless charging

  • Significantly slower charging speed
  • Inferior battery life (85h endurance)
  • Higher price

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22 5G boasts a brighter display, reaching 982 nits measured, compared to the Realme GT2’s 846 nits. This translates to better visibility under direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels. While the GT2 lacks the adaptive refresh rate technology found in some S22 variants, the difference in peak brightness is the most noticeable distinction for everyday use. The S22’s smaller 6.1-inch panel also contributes to a higher pixel density, potentially offering a slightly sharper image, though this is less impactful than the brightness difference.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer capable camera systems, but details are limited to 'Photo / Video' in the provided data. However, we can infer differences based on brand reputation. Samsung typically prioritizes vibrant, saturated colors and aggressive image processing, while Realme often aims for a more natural look. The S22’s potential for advanced computational photography features, like improved night mode and portrait effects, is higher. Sensor size and lens apertures are unknown, but these are critical factors. The presence of OIS on both devices is assumed, given their flagship positioning. The 2MP macro camera on the GT2 is likely a marketing feature with limited practical utility.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Realme GT2 utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm), while the Galaxy S22 ships with either the Exynos 2200 (4nm - Europe) or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm - ROW). The newer 4nm process of the S22’s chips *should* offer better thermal efficiency, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 has been known to throttle under sustained load. The Exynos 2200 also faced similar criticism. The GT2’s Snapdragon 888, while older, is well-understood and generally performs consistently. The S22’s CPU, featuring the Cortex-X2 core, offers a slight architectural advantage, but real-world performance differences will be nuanced and application-dependent. Both phones feature ample RAM, but the S22’s LPDDR5X RAM (likely) provides a marginal speed advantage.

Battery Life

Battery life is where the Realme GT2 truly shines. Its endurance rating of 115 hours significantly surpasses the Galaxy S22’s 85 hours. This difference is compounded by the charging speeds: 65W wired for the GT2 versus 25W for the S22. The GT2 can reach 100% charge in just 33 minutes, while the S22 takes considerably longer. The S22 does offer 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the GT2, but these are secondary benefits compared to the GT2’s sheer charging speed and battery endurance.

Buying Guide

Buy the Realme GT2 if you need exceptional battery life, incredibly fast charging, and don't mind a slightly larger form factor. It's ideal for power users, gamers, and those who frequently find themselves away from a charger. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G if you prioritize a truly compact design, a brighter display for outdoor visibility, and the Samsung ecosystem, and are willing to compromise on battery endurance and charging speed.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 2200 in the European Galaxy S22 5G overheat during demanding tasks like gaming?
The Exynos 2200 variant of the Galaxy S22 5G was known to experience thermal throttling under sustained load, particularly during gaming. While Samsung implemented software optimizations, it didn't fully resolve the issue. The Realme GT2's Snapdragon 888, while older, generally maintains more consistent performance due to its more mature thermal profile.
❓ Is the 65W charging on the Realme GT2 safe for the battery's long-term health?
Realme employs charging algorithms designed to protect the battery from degradation caused by fast charging. While fast charging *can* contribute to battery wear over time, the GT2's charging system manages heat and voltage to minimize this effect. The convenience of a full charge in 33 minutes often outweighs the minimal long-term impact on battery health.
❓ How does the camera processing differ between the Realme GT2 and the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G?
Samsung typically employs a more vibrant and saturated image processing style, often enhancing colors and details. Realme generally aims for a more natural and realistic look. This means the S22's photos may appear more immediately appealing, while the GT2's photos may require less editing to achieve a desired aesthetic.
❓ Will the Realme GT2 receive the same level of software support and updates as the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G?
Samsung generally provides longer and more consistent software support for its flagship devices. While Realme has improved its update cadence, the Galaxy S22 5G is likely to receive more major Android updates and security patches over its lifespan. This is a key consideration for users who prioritize long-term software support.