Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs. S22: A Detailed Comparison of Samsung's Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G offers a better overall value. Its superior battery life (114h endurance vs. 85h) and often lower price outweigh the S22's incremental performance gains. However, users prioritizing the latest chipset and a slightly more compact form factor may prefer the S22.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | Samsung Galaxy S22 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-G998U1 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G998U1 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G998B | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, January 14 | 2022, February 09 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, January 29 | Available. Released 2022, February 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm (6.5 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) | 146 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm (5.75 x 2.78 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) | Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 227 g (Sub6), 229 g (mmWave) (8.01 oz) | 167 g / 168 g (mmWave) (5.89 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus support | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~425 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 90.1 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - InternationalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA/China | 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 |
| Chipset | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China | Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - EuropeQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) - ROW |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China | Xclipse 920 - EuropeAdreno 730 - ROW |
| OS | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 72mm (telephoto), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 240mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video | - |
| Single | - | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Triple | - | 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 |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.7µm, PDAF | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (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 | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 3700 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy | Phantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, Cream, Bora Purple |
| Models | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 | SM-S901B, SM-S901B/DS, SM-S901U, SM-S901U1, SM-S901W, SM-S901N, SM-S9010, SM-S901E, SM-S901E/DS |
| Price | $ 240.01 / C$ 353.20 / £ 202.99 / € 264.99 | $ 172.63 / C$ 304.00 / £ 186.11 / € 198.01 |
| SAR | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) | 1.03 W/kg (head) 1.15 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.71 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) | 1.21 W/kg (head) 1.59 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 12GB RAM | $ 384.99 | - |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | $ 998.00 | - |
| 512GB 12GB RAM | $ 1,179.99 | - |
| RENEWED | $ 459.00 | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 114h | Endurance rating 85h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) | -26.4 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 657150 (v8) GeekBench: 3518 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 745496 (v8), 881428 (v9) GeekBench: 3682 (v5.1) GFXBench: 69fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Significantly longer battery life (114h endurance)
- Brighter display for outdoor use (1023 nits)
- Often available at a lower price point
- Older chipset (Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888)
- Larger and heavier form factor
Samsung Galaxy S22 5G
- Newer, more powerful chipset (Exynos 2200/Snapdragon 8 Gen 1)
- More compact and easier to handle
- Potentially improved image processing
- Shorter battery life (85h endurance)
- Lower peak display brightness (982 nits)
- Potential for thermal throttling
Display Comparison
The S21 Ultra boasts a peak brightness of 1023 nits, noticeably exceeding the S22’s 982 nits. This difference translates to better visibility under direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, typical of Samsung’s AMOLED panels, but the S21 Ultra’s larger size provides a more immersive viewing experience. While both utilize adaptive refresh rates, the S21 Ultra’s larger panel demands more power, contributing to its battery life impact. The S22's smaller display may be preferable for users who find the S21 Ultra's size unwieldy.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer versatile camera systems, but the S21 Ultra’s larger sensor size (details not provided in context, but generally larger than S22) likely contributes to better low-light performance. Both phones are capable of excellent photo and video capture. The S22’s image processing may offer slightly more refined colors and detail, but the difference is likely subtle. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on both devices is largely a marketing feature, offering limited practical benefit compared to the main sensors. The S21 Ultra's superior zoom capabilities (details not provided in context, but S21 Ultra is known for its zoom) give it an edge for distant subjects.
Performance
The S22, equipped with the Exynos 2200 (Europe) or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (ROW) on a 4nm process, represents a generational leap over the S21 Ultra’s 5nm Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888. The Cortex-X2 core in the S22’s chipset offers improved single-core performance, while the A710 cores provide gains in multi-core tasks. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is known to run hotter than the Snapdragon 888, potentially leading to thermal throttling during sustained workloads. The S21 Ultra’s larger chassis provides more surface area for heat dissipation, potentially mitigating throttling issues. Both phones feature 12GB of RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking.
Battery Life
The S21 Ultra’s 114-hour endurance rating significantly surpasses the S22’s 85-hour rating. This difference is a direct result of the S21 Ultra’s larger battery capacity (details not provided in context, but S21 Ultra has larger battery) and the more efficient chipset. Both phones support 25W wired charging, PD3.0, 15W wireless charging (Qi), and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. While charging speeds are identical, the S21 Ultra’s larger battery will take longer to fully charge, but will also provide considerably more usage time.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you prioritize all-day battery life, a brighter display for outdoor visibility, and are looking for the best value in a premium smartphone. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G if you prefer a more manageable size, want the latest processor for demanding tasks, and are willing to accept a trade-off in battery endurance.