The Samsung Galaxy S22+ wants to be the intermediary between the accessible and the unreasonable. By offering an improved version of the classic Galaxy S22, this smartphone is a very interesting proposition. However, is it really perfect to the point of already being able to place it as the best smartphone of 2022?
Table of Contents
Our brief review of the Samsung Galaxy S22+
The Galaxy S22+ is placed in a high price segment. It is part of the three flagships of the beginning of the year from Samsung. This smartphone is therefore very complete in every way, but has small gaps. It is therefore composed of many qualities, but also of some faults, enough to offer a questioning formula.
Technical sheet
50MP
10MP
12MP
6.55 Inches
Full HD+
120Hz
Dynamic AMOLED
Android 12
OneUI 4
128 / 256 GB
4800mAh
45W
Exynos 2200
8 / 12 GB
From 1049€
Detailed article of the Samsung Galaxy S22+.
An austere unboxing
If you want to see the contents of the box of this smartphone, you can find the unboxing below. However, noteworthy fact, this year, the content is reduced even more. After the repeal of the law requiring the provision of a hands-free kit, there is nothing left in this box. We simply find the smartphone and the USB-C to USB-C cable. It’s really poor and a shame, even more so for the missing 45W charger block.
Design and hardware of the Samsung Galaxy S22+
This is the point that places this smartphone at the top of the basket. The design of this smartphone is one of the most refined on the market. By keeping the formula of the previous Galaxy S21 + for the back side, sobriety is in order. In the model lent by the brand, the black color is simply very beautiful, the back side is matte. This offers a very good grip. Plus, with medium-sized hands, it fits comfortably in the hand. This is due to slightly less rounded edges, without bringing closer to the sharp edges of iPhone either.
For the front, we keep the same sobriety, and a real job has been done. The edges of the screen are simply symmetrical at all points. Unlike other smartphones, there is therefore no protruding chin. It’s a crazy comfort in many situations. The format of the screen being 20/9, when watching a YouTube video, or photos in this format, we simply benefit from a brick of glass. We completely forget the borders and the punch.
A quality screen, proof of Korean know-how
This is always a strong point of Korean. The screens being built by Samsung directly, this Samsung Galaxy S22+ is no exception to the rule. It offers a very high quality screen. In the continuity of the comfort that we mentioned earlier, in overall use, it is very satisfactory. By offering adaptive Full HD+ at 120Hz, navigation in the OS of this smartphone will be problem-free. In concrete terms, games compatible with 120 Hz will be reminiscent of PC gaming.
Screen off
Screen on
The previous photo does not do justice to another strong point of this smartphone: its brightness. It is a strength of this screen that has been greatly pushed by Samsung. With brightness at over 1000 nits, and even higher peaks, there will be no problem using this smartphone in the sun. This is now a problem in the summer, and this smartphone offers a largely interesting solution.
Lower performance for the European market
We hear a lot about it recently, and there is clearly a problem with this Samsung Galaxy S22+. The performance, linked to the lareview Exynos 2200, is clearly less important than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 version. Indeed, the European market is equipped with Samsung’s in-house processor. For the American market, we find the chip signed Qualcomm. And here again, we are harmed, even though the performance is supposed to be increased.
During the announcement of the Exynos 2200, Samsung brought to fruition several years of partnership with AMD. The graphic part was therefore signed by the manufacturer of the graphics cards for PC. However, performance in games and in advanced tasks is rather disappointing. Where with an RDNA 2 architecture, we could have had a real improvement in mobile gaming, we end up with lower performance than the competitor. And that drop in performance comes with RAM too, which comes in at 8GB in the standard model, up from 12 last year.
A clearly successful photo component
It’s also a big strength of Samsung’s S range. The photo part is always very advanced and versatile. This requires high-performance image processing software and always-relevant sensors. We therefore find here a triplet composed of an ultra wide angle, a main wide angle, and a telephoto lens. On the following photos, it is the optical / digital zoom part that can be observed.
We can clearly see it in these photos, a certain colorimetry is preserved between the sensors. It’s satisfying when you share several shots taken with the different sensors. This gives less the impression of having applied an instagram filter on certain photos. We also note that the x10 has clearly improved, compared to the previous generation. It’s much more usable. However, the digital x30 offered in the photo software is more of a gadget than anything else.
On classic photos that we could take every day, the S22+ is very pleasant. On a wide color panel, each one is very well transcribed to the image. And this even if the light was lower, the sun being hidden in this alley. The touch of Samsung on the photos is often characterized on the plants, by proposing very “farting” green. And we also notice it here. Overall, this smartphone is therefore versatile, consistent and competent in photography.
Just enough battery and autonomy
We now move on to the second pet peeve of this smartphone: autonomy. On paper, we keep a solid base of 4500 mAh. The S22+ even has the luxury of switching to 45W against the 25W of the S21+ last year. Yet neither is really useful. Indeed, for the second, recharging, this switch to 45W is simply useless. We had described it in an article, and we confirm it in use, the 45W recharge is equivalent to 25W. This recharge will therefore be done in about an hour, it remains suitable, without pushing the standards of the market.
For autonomy, this is really a weak point of this smartphone. It will clearly not be necessary to try to leave in the early morning, and return in the middle of the night without going through the charging box. Concretely, we can reach 5 to 6 hours of screen time, with a discharge of 100 to 0%. It’s rather weak, and it will be worse if we add video games or other energy-intensive tasks. Being equipped with its charger during the day could be a prerequisite.
Conclusion: What is the Samsung Galaxy S22+ worth?
Despite some rather major flaws, the overall balance of the Galaxy S22+ is attractive, even for its high price. We are still above the 1000€ mark, and this is reflected in its design. By offering this very refined formula, a complete photo section, and a high quality screen, you will get your money’s worth. However, the most gamers among you, or globetrotters, the performance and autonomy will be disappointing.
The notes of this Galaxy S22+
- Design: 20/20
- Screen: 20/10
- Performance: 16/20
- Photo and video: 18/20
- Battery: 15/20
