Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G vs. Galaxy S22+ 5G: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G remains the better value. Its superior battery endurance (114h vs 97h) and often lower price point outweigh the S22+'s incremental improvements in display brightness and charging speed. However, users prioritizing the absolute fastest charging and latest chipset will find the S22+ appealing.
| 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) | 157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6 mm (6.20 x 2.98 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) | 195 g / 196 g (mmWave) (6.88 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 (~393 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~88.3% 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 6.1.1 |
| 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 | - |
| 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/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 4500 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-S906B, SM-S906B/DS, SM-S906U, SM-S906U1, SM-S906W, SM-S906N, SM-S9060, SM-S906E, SM-S906E/DS, SM-S906L |
| Price | $ 240.01 / C$ 353.20 / £ 202.99 / € 264.99 | € 236.99 / $ 194.37 / £ 349.00 |
| SAR | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.71 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) | 0.57 W/kg (head) 1.40 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 97h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) | -26.0 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 657150 (v8) GeekBench: 3518 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 722495 (v8), 886916 (v9) GeekBench: 3528 (v5.1) GFXBench: 68fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Superior battery life (114h endurance)
- Often available at a lower price
- Potentially larger camera sensors
- Slower charging speed (25W)
- Older chipset (Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888)
Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G
- Brighter display (1214 nits)
- Faster charging (45W)
- Newer chipset (Exynos 2200/Snapdragon 8 Gen 1)
- Shorter battery life (97h endurance)
- More prone to thermal throttling
- Generally more expensive
Display Comparison
The S22+ boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 1214 nits measured peak brightness compared to the S21 Ultra’s 1023 nits. This translates to improved visibility in direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, indicating excellent black levels. While both are excellent, the S22+'s brightness advantage is noticeable in outdoor scenarios. Both utilize dynamic refresh rates, but the S21 Ultra's larger size allows for a potentially more immersive viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer versatile camera systems capable of excellent photo and video capture. The S21 Ultra’s camera system is more feature-rich, but the S22+ benefits from improved image processing. While specific sensor details are not provided, the S21 Ultra’s larger form factor allows for potentially larger sensors, improving low-light performance. Both phones offer optical image stabilization (OIS). The S22+'s image processing leans towards more vibrant colors, while the S21 Ultra aims for a more natural look. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on both devices is largely inconsequential.
Performance
The S22+ features the newer Exynos 2200 (Europe) or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (ROW) built on a 4nm process, while the S21 Ultra uses the 5nm Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888. The 4nm node offers improved power efficiency, but real-world performance differences are often subtle. The S22+’s Cortex-X2 core (2.8GHz/3.0GHz) represents an architectural upgrade over the S21 Ultra’s Cortex-X1 (2.9GHz/2.84GHz), potentially improving single-core performance. Both phones ship with 12GB of RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking. However, the S22+’s chipset is more prone to thermal throttling under sustained load, potentially impacting long gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The S21 Ultra’s 114-hour endurance rating significantly surpasses the S22+'s 97-hour rating. This difference is attributable to the S21 Ultra’s larger battery capacity (not specified in the data) and the more efficient 5nm chipset. The S22+ compensates with faster 45W wired charging (compared to the S21 Ultra’s 25W), reducing 0-100% charge times. Both support 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The S21 Ultra’s superior endurance makes it the better choice for heavy users.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you need maximum battery life, a versatile camera system, and are comfortable with a larger, heavier device, all while saving money. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G if you prefer a more manageable size, prioritize faster 45W charging, and want the latest processor generation, even if it comes at a cost to endurance.