Samsung’s Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus are here, and ready to last

You’ll have to look past the design of the new Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus to see what’s new, but we think it’s worth it. The 6.1-inch Galaxy S22 and 6.6-inch Galaxy S22 Plus have upgraded cameras, a new processor, and the promise of multiple software updates to keep them fresh for years.

The Galaxy S22 is the smallest of the three new Galaxy S22 series phones — don’t forget, these two are joined by the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which looks quite different — with a 6.1-inch, FHD+ resolution AMOLED screen complete with a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling. The Galaxy S22 Plus has the same screen specification, but it’s a little bigger at 6.6-inches. Both have a new feature called Vision Booster, which Samsung says can up the brightness to a massive 1,750 nits for better outdoor viewing.

On the back are three cameras. Each phone has a 50-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture main camera with optical image stabilization and Dual Pixel autofocus, plus a 12MP wide-angle camera and a 10MP telephoto with a 3x optical zoom. This is a substantial upgrade over the S21 and S21 Plus and will make the camera more versatile to use.

On the screen is a 10MP selfie camera. Samsung has added a few software features to up the interest, including a Pet Mode that takes portrait-style bokeh shots of animals, an Auto Framing mode that tracks up to 10 people at a time to keep them in the frame during videos, and because the sensors are larger than the Galaxy S21’s sensors, night photography has been improved too.

There are two versions of the S22 and S22 Plus, with a choice of 128GB or 256GB storage space and 8GB of RAM. Samsung’s OneUI 4 is installed with Android 12, and it’s promised both phones will get four generations of Android software updates. Samsung hasn’t confirmed which processor will feature in the phone, but we expect the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 for the U.S., and the Samsung Exynos 2200 for the U.K. and some other regions. There are obviously size and weight differences between the two. The Galaxy S22 weighs 168 grams and is 70mm wide and 146mm tall, while the Galaxy S22 Plus is 75mm wide and 157mm tall, with a weight of 196 grams. Both are 7.6mm thick.

Are there any major differences between the two? The Galaxy S22 has a 3,700mAh battery and 25W wired and 15W wireless charging, while the Galaxy S22 Plus has a bigger 4,500mAh battery and 45W wired fast charging and the same wireless charging. You don’t get a charger in the box, though, so to take advantage of the S22’s faster charging you’ll have to splash out for Samsung’s own special charger and cable.

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What about the design? Samsung has stayed with the attractive “Contour Cut” style, where the camera module is part of the phone’s chassis and extends over the back panel. The surround is body color here, unlike the S21 series, and the rear on both phones is Gorilla Glass Victus. Samsung has also made the chassis tougher with its Armor Aluminum material, the same as you’ll find on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, plus there’s IP68 water resistance. There are four colors to choose from, Phantom Black, Phantom White, green, and Pink Gold.

Samsung will open pre-orders for both on February 9, with a release date of February 25. The Galaxy S22 starts at $800, and the Galaxy S22 Plus at $1,000. In the U.K. the Galaxy S22 Plus starts at 949 British pounds, and the Galaxy S22 for 769 pounds, and both will be released on March 11.

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