It has been simply over 18 months since we last held a

Samsung Galaxy Note

 and it seems that was apparently the ultimate within the Observe sequence. Since then, we’ve got seen Samsung add S Pen performance to the

S21 Ultra

 and

Z Fold 3

, however neither of these gadgets got here with an S Pen, didn’t assist Air Actions, and didn’t have an built-in silo to retailer and carry the S Pen.

The brand new

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

 is the true successor to the Observe 20 Extremely. It gives distinctive experiences when in comparison with different Android smartphones, together with the built-in stylus features, excellent and dependable mobile efficiency, and excellent telephoto outcomes.

LG used to supply stylus experiences, but it surely’s not making smartphones.

Motorola’s G Stylus

 cellphone has very primary stylus assist, however nothing like we see from Samsung. No different Android or

iPhone model

 can examine in terms of telephoto efficiency. Samsung additionally leads in mobile efficiency, with Apple near matching now that it makes use of Qualcomm chips. Google continues to wrestle with mobile efficiency on the

Pixel 6 series

.

The S22 Extremely begins at $1,199.99, with the 1TB mannequin priced at $1,599.99. There are 4 commonplace colours obtainable (Burgundy, Phantom Black, Phantom White, and Inexperienced) with Samsung.com unique colours of Graphite, Sky Blue, and Purple. Pre-orders had been very talked-about, so supply dates for many coloration and storage choices are a number of weeks away. We examined a 256GB Phantom Black mannequin with 12GB of RAM.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely specs

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
• Important show: 6.8 inches, 3088 x 1440 pixels decision (500PPI), Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O with adaptive 120Hz refresh fee
• Working system: Android 12 with OneUI 4.1
• RAM: 12GB/16GB LPDDR5
• Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB inside storage choices
• Cameras: 10MP rear f/4.9 telephoto with 10x optical zoom and a second 10MP f/2.4 telephoto digital camera with 3x optical zoom, 108MP f/1.8 wide-angle digital camera, and 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide digital camera (120 levels field-of-view). 40MP f/2.2 front-facing underneath show digital camera.
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS/Galileo/GLONASS/Beidou, NFC, UWB
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Corridor Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Gentle Sensor
• Mud/water resistance: IP68 ranking
• Battery: 5000mAh non-removable with quick wi-fi charging. Wi-fi PowerShare can be obtainable.
• Dimensions: 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm and 228g
• Colours: Phantom Black, Phantom White, Inexperienced, Burgundy, Graphite, Sky Blue, Purple

Once you take a look at the S21 Extremely compared, the one apparent variations, by way of specs, are the newer Qualcomm processor, colours, and higher integration of the S Pen. The show, RAM, storage (aside from the 1TB possibility), connectivity, digital camera {hardware}, battery capability, and the remaining are all the identical. The cameras have been enhanced with software program enhancements, however the focus right here is clearly on the marginally totally different kind issue and S Pen assist.

Additionally: Best Samsung phone: Explore a new Galaxy

{Hardware}

Final 12 months’s S21 Extremely integrated Samsung’s Contour Lower digital camera housing that extends the metallic body out from the precise aspect and across the again. The S22 and S22 Plus seems to have an identical design as final 12 months’s S21 models whereas the S22 Extremely has a easy, minimalistic rear digital camera structure with 5 raised circles protruding out the again of the cellphone on a discipline of matte Gorilla Glass Victus Plus. Each my spouse and I first considered a spider’s eyes once we noticed the cameras on the again of the Phantom Black S22 Extremely, so now, at any time when I take a look at the again, I consider a spider.

4 cameras are discovered on the again, with two of them serving as telephoto cameras, one as an ultra-wide, and the opposite as the primary 108MP shooter. Ten occasions optical seems nice, whereas zooming in as much as 30 occasions nonetheless leads to usable photos with readable textual content. The 100x Area Zoom is incredible for capturing photographs of the moon, however for different objects in daylight, you will wish to mount the cellphone to a tripod to stabilize the shot.

I’ve at all times used Samsung telephones for his or her excellent macro outcomes, however this 12 months my testing revealed that the

iPhone 13 Pro Max

 carried out higher for close-up pictures.

One different {hardware} distinction that I didn’t discover for the primary couple of hours is that the 40MP front-facing digital camera isn’t a standard heart gap punch digital camera because it seems. The digital camera is definitely positioned underneath the glass show, so the glass over the digital camera is easy with no cutout for the digital camera. It seems this isn’t a real under-display digital camera like we see on the Z Fold 3, and that is a superb factor as a result of that front-facing digital camera is actually solely good for video calls. The digital camera is underneath the glass however continues to be reduce out of the viewable show, so there isn’t a show layer excessive of the digital camera, and front-facing digital camera pictures look nice.

The foremost change right here with the S22 Extremely is the inclusion of the S Pen and a silo to retailer and cost it. Since it’s a Bluetooth stylus, it’s charged within the silo and helps wi-fi Air Actions. Samsung additionally lowered the S Pen latency to only 2.8 milliseconds (from 9 milliseconds), so your pen will movement flawlessly throughout the show.

The Galaxy S22 Extremely is a beautiful piece of {hardware} with minimal prime and backside bezels and no aspect bezels, with the edges of the show curved down right into a rounded aspect design. The curved sides are delicate, and I’ve not skilled any inadvertent display activations or degradation within the efficiency of the S Pen. The show is beautiful, brilliant, and vivid, similar to one would anticipate from Samsung.

The highest and backside are flat, so the design components of the previous Observe sequence is clearly current right here. The facility/Bixby and quantity buttons are on the precise aspect, with nothing on the left aspect. The SIM card slot, USB port, and bottom-firing speaker are on the underside. A mic opening is simply a few millimeters away from the SIM card launch opening on the underside with a microphone opening on the highest.

Samsung equipment

Samsung gives a number of

accessories for the S22 Ultra

 and as a part of my overview expertise, Samsung despatched alongside a few chargers and a case. The

S22 Ultra Silicone Cover with Strap

, $39.99 worth, is a novel case obtainable in Navy or White. The Navy one which I used to be despatched has the colours of my faculty, so it was applicable that I spent a while with this orange and blue case. The silicone materials provides severe grip to the cellphone but additionally tends to gather lint and dirt. Completely reduce digital camera openings are current in order that they’re properly protected and absolutely practical.

The strap serves as an alternative choice to a Popsocket with a cushty broad strap that allows you to slide your fingers in and maintain the cellphone securely in place. You’ll be able to join a carabiner or different loop to the metallic finish and even swap out the strap for different designs. The S22 Extremely nonetheless expenses up wirelessly whereas mounted within the silicone case.

The Galaxy S22 Extremely helps 45W quick charging, however there’s solely a USB-C cable within the retail bundle, so it’s important to buy a charger individually. The

45W PD Power Adapter

 is priced at $49.99. When you had been supplied Samsung retailer credit score, this may be a worthy accent to assist the quick and secure charging of your S22 Extremely.

For simply $10 extra, $59.99, you may decide up the

65W PD Power Adapter Trio

 that gives a 65W succesful USB-C port, 25W max USB-C port, and a 15W max USB-A port so you may cost a number of gadgets directly. It is a nice charger for folks with a Samsung cellphone, watch, and earbuds.

Software program

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely launches with Android 12 and Samsung One UI 4.1. The January 1, 2022, Android safety replace is current on our overview unit. Samsung’s new software upgrade policy means you’ll probably obtain as much as 4 working system upgrades and 5 years of safety updates. The corporate has a confirmed stable monitor document of normal safety updates, and we stay up for experiencing prolonged assist for these costly flagship telephones.

The colour palette options from Android 12 are current, as you may clearly see while you undergo the cellphone setup course of. It is nice to have Android 12 out of the field, and there are some areas the place we see Google and Samsung working collectively greater than previously. Whereas there are nonetheless two textual content messaging apps, each named Messages, put in on the cellphone, the Google Messages app now seems a bit extra like Samsung Messages and even contains the Textual content on Galaxy gadgets performance.

I personally discover worth in some Samsung apps, similar to Web, Calendar, Gallery, Samsung Notes, and Samsung Well being. They’re put in by default and provide a barely totally different expertise than commonplace Google apps. Microsoft apps, together with Workplace, OneDrive, Outlook, and LinkedIn, are additionally put in on the S22 Extremely by default.

Additionally: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review: Room for improvement

After briefly utilizing a Google Pixel 6 after which an iPhone 13 Professional Max, I do not perceive why producers like Samsung proceed to make core features tough for the patron. One instance that bothers me, particularly after years of the identical frustration, is visible voicemail. Google and Apple have assist for visible voicemail natively within the cellphone app, whereas Samsung gadgets on T-Cellular require you to obtain and set up a separate T-Cellular visible voicemail app so voicemail is separate from the cellphone and it is usually not very dependable. It is the little issues like this that I hope to see resolved sometime on Samsung telephones.

The digital camera software program is essentially the most vital app from Samsung on the S22 Extremely. It’s just like previous variations, which suggests there are a ton of settings, choices, and modes so that you can discover. Taking pictures modes embrace single take, portrait, evening, picture, video, professional, professional video, meals, panorama, tremendous slow-mo, slow-motion, hyper-lapse, portrait video, and administrators view. You can too obtain different modes from the Galaxy Retailer and embrace modes within the AR Zone. If there are modes that you just use typically, then faucet and maintain on the mode and drag it into the short entry menu in order that you do not have to first faucet on the Extra choice to view the entire modes.

Filters, side ratios, timers, flash settings, scene optimizer, and way more are designed that will help you seize the perfect content material potential with the S22 Extremely. You’ll be able to toggle on shot options to assist information you, and it is a nice possibility for serving to you discover ways to finest use the cellphone’s cameras.

Each day experiences and conclusions

Over the previous couple of weeks, I took many photographs with each the S22 Extremely and an iPhone 13 Professional Max. Outcomes had been incredible from each telephones, with the Samsung Galaxy providing a bit extra saturation and pleasing look in lots of circumstances. The S22 Extremely evening pictures had been a bit lighter than the iPhone, however in some circumstances, it was virtually an excessive amount of gentle. You actually cannot go improper with both cellphone for many capturing situations. In the case of taking photographs of the moon, a really area of interest scenario, nothing beats the S22 Extremely, and the outcomes had been virtually unbelievable.

I have been utilizing Samsung telephones for a very long time, however I’m beginning to discover small issues that proceed as points for me over a few years. On the S22 Extremely, this contains no assist for visible voicemail on T-Cellular within the native cellphone app (Google and Apple present this), adverts that seem in notifications and the Galaxy Retailer, and two apps named Messages with one from Samsung and one from Google. I do know these are small annoyances, however I do not expertise them on the iPhone 13 Professional Max and in a world the place smartphone parity is nearly reached, it’s the little issues that imply much more.

One purpose I moved from the Z Fold 3 to the iPhone 13 Professional Max was battery life, and the iPhone continues to beat the S22 Extremely within the potential to proceed working properly past one full day of heavy utilization. The S22 Extremely lasts longer than the Z Fold 3, however at occasions I can watch the remaining battery proportion tick off at an everyday cadence.

The S Pen could be very properly supported on the S22 Extremely, and whereas it’s primarily helpful for fast notes on such a small, non-tablet show, I discover myself utilizing it to navigate across the cellphone, scroll by way of lengthy lists or webpages, and like to make use of the S Pen for a greater total interactive expertise as an alternative of utilizing my finger on the show.

The S22 Extremely is clearly the perfect Android smartphone obtainable immediately, and you probably have an previous cellphone to trade-in or took benefit of the pre-order specials, then I am assured you may be very comfortable along with your costly new cellphone. There may be nonetheless some room for enchancment, and I stay up for future Samsung telephones with an built-in S Pen.