Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. S21 Ultra: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra remains an excellent choice, especially given its significantly lower price point. However, the S22 Ultra’s brighter display, faster charging, and slightly improved performance make it the superior device for power users and those prioritizing camera versatility.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 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) | 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 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) | 228 g / 229 g (mmWave) (8.04 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) Stylus, 2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~90.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 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 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Laser AF, 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 | 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 |
| 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 | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.82", 0.7µm, 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/6e, 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) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy | Phantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue, Bora Purple |
| Models | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 | SM-S908B, SM-S908B/DS, SM-S908U, SM-S908U1, SM-S908W, SM-S908N, SM-S9080, SM-S908E, SM-S908E/DS |
| Price | $ 240.01 / C$ 353.20 / £ 202.99 / € 264.99 | € 397.07 / $ 269.98 / £ 304.99 / ₹ 63,899 |
| SAR | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) | 1.18 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.71 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) | 1.05 W/kg (head) 1.58 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 108h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) | -27.3 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 657150 (v8) GeekBench: 3518 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 968359 (v9) GeekBench: 3657 (v5.1) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Longer battery endurance (114h)
- More affordable price point
- Excellent overall performance
- Slower charging speed (25W)
- Less bright display
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
- Brighter and more vibrant display (1266 nits)
- Faster 45W charging
- Improved processor performance
- Slightly lower battery endurance (108h)
- Potential for throttling with Exynos 2200
Display Comparison
The S22 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1266 nits compared to the S21 Ultra’s 1023 nits. This translates to improved visibility in direct sunlight. Both feature 'Infinite' contrast ratios, but the S22 Ultra’s increased peak brightness is a tangible benefit for outdoor use. While both utilize adaptive refresh rate technology, the S22 Ultra’s panel benefits from refinements in color accuracy and viewing angles, though the difference is subtle. Both displays are excellent, but the S22 Ultra edges ahead in real-world usability.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in photography and videography, but the S22 Ultra refines the formula. While both offer versatile camera systems, the S22 Ultra’s image processing algorithms demonstrate improvements in low-light performance and dynamic range. The S22 Ultra’s software enhancements, like improved Night Mode and enhanced portrait capabilities, provide a more polished final image. While both phones offer excellent video recording, the S22 Ultra’s stabilization is slightly more effective. The S21 Ultra’s camera is still excellent, but the S22 Ultra offers a more refined and versatile experience.
Performance
The S22 Ultra’s chipset – either the Exynos 2200 (Europe) or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (ROW) – represents a generational leap over the S21 Ultra’s Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888. The Cortex-X2 core in the S22 Ultra’s processors offers improved single-core performance, while the Cortex-A710 cores provide gains in multi-core tasks. The move to a 4nm process (vs 5nm on the S21 Ultra) theoretically improves thermal efficiency, though reports of throttling under sustained load have surfaced with the Exynos 2200 variant. The S21 Ultra’s performance remains strong, but the S22 Ultra offers a noticeable boost for demanding applications and gaming.
Battery Life
Despite a similar battery capacity, the S22 Ultra’s Endurance rating of 108h is slightly lower than the S21 Ultra’s 114h. This is likely due to the more power-hungry processor and brighter display. However, the S22 Ultra compensates with significantly faster 45W wired charging, reducing 0-100% charge times considerably compared to the S21 Ultra’s 25W charging. Both support 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The S21 Ultra offers slightly better overall battery endurance, but the S22 Ultra’s faster charging mitigates this difference for many users.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you need a premium Android experience at a substantially reduced price, prioritizing excellent battery endurance (114h) and a still-stunning display. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G if you prefer a brighter, more vibrant display (1266 nits), faster 45W charging, and the latest processor generation for demanding tasks and future-proofing.