ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G: The Ultimate Battle

The smartphone landscape is dominated by giants, but can ZTE challenge the established order? We're pitting the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition against the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G, two powerhouses packed with cutting-edge technology. This comparison will help you decide which phone deserves your hard-earned money.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Galaxy S22 Ultra offers a more polished and feature-rich experience, particularly in software and camera versatility. However, the Axon 40 Ultra delivers impressive performance and a unique design at a more competitive price, making it a compelling alternative for value-conscious buyers.

PHONES
Phone Names ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition 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, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 661, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 781, 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 / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1x 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2022, November 292022, February 09
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, December 06Available. Released 2022, February 25
Body
BuildGlass front, ceramic back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions163.3 x 73.6 x 8.4 mm (6.43 x 2.90 x 0.33 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)
Weight204 g (7.20 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+
Resolution1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~92.9% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~90.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak)Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 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 SM8450 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, MyOS 12Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 18GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDRLaser 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
Single16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 1.22µm, under display-
Triple64 MP, f/1.6, 35mm (standard), 1/1.7", PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/3.5, 91mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom (vs. 26mm cam) 64 MP, f/2.4, 16mm, 112˚ (ultrawide), 1/1.7", PDAF-
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10‑bit video8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 1.22µm, under display40 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
 24-bit/192kHz audio32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive5.2, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-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
Charging80W wired, PD3.0, QC445W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlackPhantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue, Bora Purple
ModelsA2023PSM-S908B, SM-S908B/DS, SM-S908U, SM-S908U1, SM-S908W, SM-S908N, SM-S9080, SM-S908E, SM-S908E/DS
PriceAbout 800 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 108h
Camera-Photo / Video
Display-Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker--27.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance-AnTuTu: 968359 (v9) GeekBench: 3657 (v5.1) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition

  • Faster Charging (80W)
  • Unique Design
  • Competitive Price
  • Flagship Performance

  • Less Established Brand
  • Camera Not as Versatile
  • Software Support Uncertain

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

  • Premium Build Quality
  • Exceptional Display
  • Top-Tier Camera System
  • Established Brand & Software Support
  • Longer Battery Life

  • Higher Price
  • Exynos Variant Performance Concerns (Europe)

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra boasts a stunning Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1266 nits, offering exceptional visibility even in direct sunlight. Its infinite contrast ratio provides deep blacks and vibrant colors. The Axon 40 Ultra features an AMOLED display, but its brightness and contrast likely fall short of the S22 Ultra's capabilities. While the Axon's display is good, the S22 Ultra's is exceptional.

Camera Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra's camera system is arguably its strongest asset, offering incredible versatility with its multiple lenses and advanced features. It excels in both photo and video recording. The Axon 40 Ultra features a high-resolution main sensor, but its overall camera system may lack the refinement and versatility of the S22 Ultra. Samsung's image processing is also generally considered superior.

Performance

Both phones are powered by high-end chipsets. The Axon 40 Ultra utilizes the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, while the S22 Ultra uses either the Exynos 2200 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 depending on the region. Performance is generally comparable, with the Snapdragon variant of the S22 Ultra potentially holding a slight edge. However, real-world usage will likely feel very similar on both devices.

Battery Life

The Galaxy S22 Ultra boasts an endurance rating of 108 hours, indicating excellent battery life. The Axon 40 Ultra's battery capacity is comparable, but its 80W charging speed provides a significant advantage in charging time. While both offer all-day battery life, the S22 Ultra's longevity is impressive.

Buying Guide

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Space Edition is ideal for users seeking flagship performance and a distinctive design without breaking the bank. It's a great choice for those comfortable with a less established brand. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G is perfect for users who prioritize a premium experience, top-tier camera capabilities, and the stability of Samsung's software ecosystem, even at a higher price point.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra a good phone?
Yes, the Axon 40 Ultra offers excellent value for its price, delivering flagship performance and a unique design. However, it's important to consider the less established brand and potential software support limitations.
❓ Which phone has better camera quality?
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra consistently delivers superior camera quality and versatility thanks to its advanced hardware and software processing.