(Pocket-lint) – Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S series line-up for 2022 delivers three different phone sizes: the smaller-than-previous 6.1-inch S22 model; the 6.8-inch and curved-screen of the S22 Ultra (complete with integrated S Pen stylus); and this, the S22+, which on account of its 6.6-inch flat panel might well sit in the ideal sweet spot for most people.
Much like we said about the smaller yet S22, the S22 Plus model is all about subtle refinement, moderately shrinking the handset’s screen size and overall scale compared to its S21+ predecessor, while tweaking the camera arrangement too.
Do those changes help this mid-positioned flagship stand out from the other two S22 models in the trio and, indeed, the recent release of the S21 Fan Edition model? Or does it feel as though the S series has plateaued and has little new to offer in the way of killer features?
Design
- IP68 dust/weather resistance
- Under display fingerprint scanner
- Dimensions: 75.8 x 157.7 x 7.6mm / Weight: 196g
- Colours: Phantom Black, White, Green, Pink Gold
Sometimes you have to go back to go forwards. After a spate of handsets expanding their scales and bending their screen edges to greater extremes, the Galaxy S22+ shuns that way of thinking. That’s because this Plus model is actually a little ‘minus’ compared to its S21+ predecessor, shrinking the screen size from 6.7- to 6.6-inches.
That panel size – and the fact it’s a flat screen here, as the corners and edges don’t bend around the phone to try and look all fancy for no real reason (like the S22 Ultra) – ought to give the Plus model immediate appeal to those who want a sensible balance of scale.
Moreso than the panel size’s reduction, however, is squashing of the physical dimensions by a few millimetres here and there compared to the S21+. That has resulted in a squeeze on the S22+’s battery capacity, though, which is reduced by just over six per cent overall. However, unlike the far smaller S22 model, we suspect that will have less an overall impact in this model.
Otherwise, in terms of design, you could look at the S22+ and assume it was the S21+, albeit a whisker smaller. That means the same plastic rear and aluminium frame make-up behind the scenes, but it dresses the phone up in an attractive style, which is available in four colour options (the black photographed here, perhaps the least interesting of the lot). We do think the colours, which are altogether less bling, make the camera unit appear even better integrated too.
Display
- 6.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel
- FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2340)
- 120Hz refresh rate (adaptive)
We’ve handled all manner of phones over the years, with manufacturers experimenting with aspect ratios, curved edges, and differing scales. The Galaxy S22+ seems like a voice of reason in among all that testing and experimentation over the years: it’s like that handset to say “hey, this just works”, delivering a flat panel, fast refresh rate, and a scale that’s large but manageable in one hand without needing an overly long aspect ratio to counter for anything.
That said, the Galaxy S21 FE hasn’t long been available, offering a 6.4-inch panel – so if you’re after something a tad smaller, without venturing down to the base S22 scale, then there could be appeal there too. It does beg the question as to why Samsung has so many S series handsets, especially when the Fan Edition model arrives so late it almost overlaps with the next-gen release proper. Anyway, the choice is there, and choice can be a good thing.
If you’re looking for bigger still then we wouldn’t rule out the S22 Ultra’s appeal, which at 6.8-inches is even larger, but it is a curved edge panel so feels really different to hold. Flat seems largely on trend, as curved displays can cause issues with accidental touch, contrast and colour fall-off towards those extremities.
Flat isn’t the word that we’d use to describe the visual experience offered by the Galaxy S22 Plus though. The use of AMOLED display technology and a decent resolution ensure delivery of punchy colours and crisp detail. That said, there’s no additional pixels here to compensate for the larger screen real-estate compared to the base S22 model. Having handled all three S22 models, however, we can confidently say you won’t look at any and think they lack.
Samsung also hasn’t gone overboard when it comes to refresh rate, offering a dynamic 120Hz panel, so the S22+ can automatically adjust whether it’s refreshing that screen 10 times every second or up to 120 times – it all depends on whether the content needs that additional cycling to appear visually smoother. If the Korean company had used a 144Hz or 165Hz refresh rate – as we’re seeing on various gaming phones – then we suspect the benefit would be negligible and there’d be an impact on battery life too.
Hardware
- Samsung Exynos 2200 (UK, Europe, Asia) / Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (USA, China)
- 4500mAh battery capacity, 45W fast-charging, 15W wireless charging
- 8GB RAM, 128GB/256GB storage options
Speaking of battery, the 4,500mAh cell on board here ought to be ample enough. It’s less than the previous S21+’s 4,800mAh cell, sure, but Samsung is convinced that its software advances and screen technology will counter any concerns here. There’s also 45W wired and 15W wireless charging to cover all bases.
One specification area you might not expect is in what’s under the hood: Samsung has deployed its own Exynos 2200 processor in the S22 series in all but the USA and China (these regions get Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 instead). At this stage, however, having not used the S22+ as if it’s our own, how this hardware will link together in terms of power and battery life results we’ll find out when we review in full.
In terms of software you’ll find Google’s Android 12 operating system with Samsung’s One UI 4.1 interface over it. Samsung is also promising four generations of updates for the software, so you can buy the S22 safe in the knowledge that it’ll serve you for at least its expected term with all the latest security and features through updates.
Unlike the S22 Ultra, the S22+ doesn’t feature an integrated S Pen stylus, when you might think this mid-to-large flat screen scale would be prime for such a benefit. However, it’s compatible with the pen, you’d just have to obtain it from elsewhere – and we imagine that storage would be far from ideal.
However, as we said of the Ultra model, there’s a question mark over whether typical S series buyers would gravitate towards a stylus-donning device anyway. If the now defunct Note series from 2020 has been hung up, its time done and dusted, then the S22 Ultra may struggle to find its mass audience anyway. If anything, maybe the Plus model should be the one with the bigger screen, in order to offer that to customers, S Pen irrelevant.
Cameras
- Quad rear cameras
- Main: 50-megapixels, f/1.8 aperture, dual pixel autofocus (PDAF), optical stabilisation (OIS)
- Wide (120 degrees): 12MP, f/2.2
- Zoom (3x): 10MP, f/2.4, PDAF, OIS
- Front-facing camera: 10MP, f/2.2
The S22+ and S22 have identical cameras, so there’s no difference in this department. It’s a whole different deal comparing to the Ultra, however, which has a totally different camera design, more lenses, more resolution and ultimately more capability.
Anyway, as we said of the S22, the Plus asserts its flagship nature in the cameras department by including a proper zoom lens and foregoing any of the throw-away stuff that so many manufacturers seem to be plonking into phones these days – so there’s no nonsense low-resolution macro or depth sensors to find here.
Instead, Samsung keeps it fairly straightforward by offering a main camera, ultra-wide, and zoom lens. That’s the same arrangement as in the earlier S21+, with the resolution shifting. The S22+’s use of a 50-megapixel main sensor is a significant resolution increase over the S21 before it (which had all the resolution in its zoom lens, oddly enough), opting for the 3x zoom lens to take a step down in the resolution stakes, at 10-megapixels.
But how does this all really change the S22+’s camera operation? Not dramatically, really. Where Samsung is keen to show-off the S22 series’ advances is with its various modes. There’s Stereo Depth Map to improve software-derived background blur. Auto Framing will detect faces and zoom in, adjusting as more enter the frame, including in video capture.
The big appeal for us is how straightforward everything is. Pick up the S22+, quickly load the camera app, point, pinch, tap, just shoot how you want. There’s optical stabilisation in the right places, decent autofocus, and a night mode that’ll automatically kick in as needed without you needing to think. It’s just more cohesive than many out there – although the likes of Google’s Pixel 6 Pro will more than put Samsung to task.
Out of the three Galaxy S22 models to arrive, we feel the S22+ fits into that sweet spot the best out of the lot. It’s slightly smaller than the S21+ from before, adding refinement to the familiar design.
That it’s got a flat screen, not a curved one like the S22 Ultra, and doesn’t dabble in S Pen stylus integration – a feature that we’re not convinced all S series users will want anyway (that’s what the Note was for) – seems all the more contemporary for a 2022 arrival. And while the Plus’ cameras are identical to the smaller S22’s setup, the added battery life of the bigger model will bring that little more assurance.
All in all, then, while the generation to generation updates are unremarkable, the Samsung Galaxy S22+ might well be pick of the 2022 bunch – and an example of a top drawer Android flagship where refinement rather than reinvention can go a long way.
Writing by Mike Lowe.
