Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: What's The Difference?

The Samsung Unpacked event has finally showcased the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and it does not disappoint, but how does it stack up against the Galaxy S21 Ultra?

Here's everything that stood out to us, and why we think that Samsung may have just created their best entry yet to the series.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Display

The screen of the S22 Ultra has been improved further this time around, and in ways that you may not have expected.

This time around, the S22 Ultra's display has features that make it incredibly effective in strong daylight environments.

Not only do they claim the smartphone can reach up to 1750 nit brightness, which is around the same brightness as QD-OLED TV we might add, but they also have a new Vision Booster, which optimises the image further automatically.

samsung s22 ultra vs samsung s21 ultra
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Credit: Samsung

The screen itself is a 6.8 AMOLED display with an up to 120hz refresh rate, and 240hz touch sampling rate.

The only real difference here is that the S22 Ultra looks to be a touch brighter and better for daylight viewing and potentially HDR content.

We're looking forward to seeing the Vision Boost mode for ourselves!

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra design

On the design front, there are some small changes on the surface, but the most notable is the inclusion of the S-Pen built into the phone itself.

The S21 Ultra is compatible with the pen, but it doesn't provide the docking station for it.

That being said, the S22 Ultra still looks slimline enough in our eyes, so we think it's a good move.

In terms of colour, we're getting four different colourways. You'll be able to get the S22 Ultra in silver, navy, brown, and titanium.

These aren't colours that really 'pop' when compared to some of the more colourful entries from other brands, but we think they look great regardless and offer something for everyone.

And let's face it, most of us will be using a case with it anyway.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Battery

We didn't hear much about the battery in the Samsung Unpacked event, but we'll update this section when we know more.

The listing on the site claims that the battery is an all-day battery with super-fast charging (45W), so we're expecting great things, but as to the size of it, we'll still have to confirm.

With some of the new improvements, such as a variable refresh rate that can reduce when not needed, we're expecting the S22 Ultra battery to be a step up from the S21 Ultra.

The S21 Ultra has a 5000 mAh battery, which is kind of on the small side for something so powerful, but more than enough for most people.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Chipset

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset or Exynos 2200, with up to 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

That's an improvement on the S21 Ultra which has a Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, with 12GB of RAM and 512GB storage.


The S21 Ultra, meanwhile, is powered by the previous generational Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 (again, depending on region), which is based on a 5nm process.

Interestingly, the S22 Ultra is based on a new 4nm process, which is said to be an improvement on the 5nm process of the S21 Ultra.

We'll have to wait for more hands-on reviews and benchmarking to see exactly how these two compare when it comes to performance, but we think that the S22 Ultra should tick all the right boxes.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Camera

While the S22 Ultra camera is the same as the S21 Ultra camera in many ways (quad sensor arrays, 40mp front camera, and a 100% Space Zoom) there are some new features that caught our eye.

Predictably, these are to do with Night photography, which has been an 'issue' with many of the best smartphones on the market.

Samsung seems to have tackled this head-on, by including new features designed to reduce the unwanted effects of taking photos at night. That means blurry video due to slower shutter speed for example.

One of the cameras can even physically move to reduce motion blur at night too.

There's also the expected night portrait and selfie modes, plus a Pro mode for any of the more serious photographers out there.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Price

The Samsung S22 Ultra is available to pre-order starting at £1,149.00, which is also the same price the Samsung S21 Ultra was on launch.

You can pre-order the phone here from Samsung, and we'll let you know when the phone becomes available at other retailers too.

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