Google is ever on the quest to improve the general perception of security and privacy on its mobile operating system. The latest effort is called “Protected by Android” and that branding looks set for a broader rollout.
The Android YouTube channel today uploaded a 50-second video about how the OS “is all about keeping you and your information safe so you can focus on what matters most.” Still images of people using smartphones – presumably Android-powered ones, but we’re pretty sure there’s one of an iPhone 8 Plus at 0:05 – with short captions are used throughout:
From detecting and defeating bad apps to helping you control your personal information, you’re always protected by Android.
A slick animation sees the green Android head morphs into a checkmarked shield: “Whatever you’re up to, you’ve got peace of mind when you’re protected by Android.” Highlighted platform and ecosystem features include:
Verified by Play Protect: “You’re safe from malware and harmful apps”
Monthly security updates: “Defended by non-stop security”
Location access permissions: “And in control of your personal information”
The ending tagline is “Android has you covered so you can focus on what matters,” while there’s a link to protectedbyandroid.com though that just redirects to android.com/safety.
Besides this ad, Google at I/O 2022 showed off Android 13’s upcoming unified “Security & privacy” settings page. Underneath the prominent “Scan device” button there’s the same “Protected by Android” branding and shield.
The page will be anchored by new action cards that notify you of critical steps you should take to address any safety risks. In addition to notifications to warn you about issues, we’ll also provide timely recommendations on how to enhance your privacy.
The Pocophone brand is often associated with performance on the cheap, and that’s probably the apt description for the latest phone we have for review – the Poco F3. It’s more than that, though – it’s like a flagship on the cheap, or as this other company would have called it – a flagship killer.
The Poco F3 is jam-packed with top-notch features starting with its beautiful glass body with a sturdy plastic frame. The F3 has a 6.67″ AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh, one of the fastest platforms available today – the Snapdragon 870 5G chip, loud stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, a versatile triple-camera setup, and a large battery with fast charging.
The rear camera is your typical budget arrangement, and that’s probably the biggest cost-cutting decision to happen on the F3. There is a 48MP primary, an 8MP ultrawide shooter, and a 5MP macro enhanced with autofocus. The punch-hole at the front contains a 20MP selfie shooter. Sure, it’s no real flagship, but hey, it’s not too shabby either.
The Poco F3 is among the first phones to employ the enhanced version of last year’s Snapdragon 865. That’s the new Snapdragon 870, which should be about 10% faster. Paired with that 1080p screen, the hardware should also be doing a fabulous job in graphics-intensive tasks, too.
The Poco F3 isn’t a massive upgrade over the F2 Pro, though. It sure packs a better 120Hz AMOLED and stereo speakers than its predecessor, but we expect the processing performance to be similar. The F2 Pro even had higher-resolution main and ultra-wide cameras. But there is a big case to be made here – the Poco F3 price at launch is almost half the Poco F2’s, and that’s a big deal.
Indeed, the Poco F3 seems to be packing a lot of unexpectedly good specs. Let’s scroll through those now.
Xiaomi Poco F3 specs at a glance:
Body: 163.7×76.4×7.8mm, 196g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame.
We appreciate the stereo speakers and the fast charging, but we can’t but miss the microSD slot and the 3.5mm jack. The writing has been on the wall for a couple of years now, sure, but still. Poco users usually expect these features to be present, and they are not on the F3. There is no FM radio on the Poco F3, if you were wondering.
Enough with the introductions, it’s time we unbox it.
Unboxing the Poco F3
The Poco F3 ships within a big black box with the usual yellow Poco insignia. The retail bundle is your typical Xiaomi treatment – there is a fast 33W power adapter, a 3A-rated USB-A-to-C cable, and a transparent silicone case. That case has a small protective cover for the USB port, which boosts the ingress protection, but gets annoying fast when you need to charge the phone or plug a wired headset.
And speaking about headsets, the Poco F3 doesn’t offer a 3.5mm jack, and that’s why the maker is also offering a 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter as part of the bundle. Nice!
Finally, if you are an avid Poco fan, you’ll also be happy to find a bunch of Poco stickers, which you can put on your favorite gadgets, PCs, or maybe your car bumper?
The Poco F3 comes with this very thin screen protector that was applied in the factory, but it was so cheap and hard to keep to clean from smudges that we got rid of it quickly.
Alternatives
The Poco F3 is one capable smartphone with a great design, an impressive screen, a powerful chipset and a large battery. It’s not a water-resistant phone, and its camera experience is rather average, but with a price of €350, or even €300, it’s a killer deal.
Xiaomi is having a blast these couple of weeks – it has launched a couple of devices jam-packed with high-end features devices and incredibly low prices.
Take the €50 cheaper Poco X3 Pro, for example. It shares many specs with the Poco F3, but there are a few notable differences, too. The Poco X3 Pro is IP53-rated for splash resistance, and it packs a similar screen with an LCD panel instead of an AMOLED. The X3 Pro runs on the slightly inferior Snapdragon 860 chip with 4G connectivity, which is still a beast, all things considered. The rest is the same – speakers, cameras, software. It’s an excellent alternative to the F3, cheaper at that.
Then there is the even cheaper €280 Redmi Note 10 Pro. This Redmi also has a lot in common with the Poco F3 – similar glass design, the same 120Hz AMOLED screen, the secondary cameras are a match. The Redmi Note 10 Pro uses the mid-range Snapdragon 732G chip – it may not be a flagship, but it handles games well, but it really shines with the flagship-grade 108MP primary camera.
You should also consider the €50 more expensive Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G. This one has a 90Hz AMOLED, but it supports 10-bit color and can show more than 1 billion colors (compared to 16 million on the F3). The Snapdragon 780 5G chip is a particularly good alternative to the SD870, so no complaints here. And the camera experience seems to be on par, if not better, as the main camera is now 64MP.
Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro • Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
There are also many alternatives outside Xiaomi‘s backyard fighting for a change in this price bracket. The €300 Realme 8 Pro impressed us with its 108MP primary camera and its 3x lossless zoom. It does pack an AMOLED screen, but it’s limited to 60Hz. Then the chipset isn’t impressive either – it’s the mid-range Snapdragon 720G. Oh, and there is just one speaker on the Realme.
The €350 Samsung Galaxy A52 sounds like one very reasonable offer. It has an IP67-rated body and packs a 90Hz Super AMOLED screen. The camera quality is better on the A52, even if the setup is similar. It does feature stereo speakers, too, but can’t offer the same performance – the A52 runs on the SD720G.
The OnePlus Nord price has dropped down to about €370, and it’s a phone to consider if you are after the smoothest software experience thanks to the 90Hz Fluid AMOLED and the Oxygen OS. The Nord isn’t as fast, but it will make up for that with better photo quality and a second ultrawide selfie camera.
Finally, the €500 Moto G100 is powered by the same Snapdragon 870 chip, and while more expensive, it has its nice quirks. The Moto offers a water-repellent design and a 90Hz LCD screen. It has better cameras on both sides (there are two selfies), and the “Ready For” PC-like experience did turn out pretty good.
Realme 8 Pro • Samsung Galaxy A52 • OnePlus Nord • Motorola Moto G100
The verdict
The Poco F3 is a great smartphone that offers unbeatable performance at a bargain price. This, coupled with the great HRR AMOLED screen, earns it an immediate recommendation. But there is more, too.
We appreciate that the maker has taken the extra step and has provided some value-adding features like stereo speakers, fast charging on the large battery, and even a premium-looking design. The Poco F3 isn’t perfect, of course. Only the main camera offers good results, and there is no 3.5mm jack, or a microSD slot, or an official IP rating either.
Yet, at €300-€350 price, the Poco F3 is still tough to match, let alone beat in most aspects, and without a doubt, it will become the first choice for many potential buyers. And if they can live with the mediocre camera, they’ll love the F3 as we did.
Pros
Stunning design with a premium build.
Excellent AMOLED screen, 120Hz refresh rate.
Outstanding battery life, fast to charge, too.
Class-leading performance, 5G connectivity.
Good stereo speakers.
Good daylight photo and video quality.
Latest Android and MIUI.
Competitive price.
Cons
No 3.5.mm jack, no microSD, no FM radio.
Ultra-wide camera is mediocre in both photos and videos.
Will it ever end? Xiaomi‘s Mi 11 lineup numbers as many as 8 devices at the time of writing this review, spanning a wide range of feature sets and price points. It’s the Mi 11i we have for you this time, following a couple of Lites, an Ultra, and the Mi 11 proper, which we all reviewed recently.
A few more words on naming and market positioning are needed for the sake of clarity, though ‘clarity’ might be an unattainable goal. We’ll be referring to the phone as Mi 11i because that’s what it says on the box we have here, but essentially the same device goes by Mi 11X Pro in India, and the two are in turn nearly identical to the Redmi K40 Pro+ sold in China. Here’s how they compare specs-wise.
Looking at the specs of the Mi 11i, we’re pegging it as a member of the ‘flagship killer’ breed if we assume that’s still a thing. It’s got the top-end Snapdragon 888 chip to justify being mentioned in the same sentence as the big boys, but that’s coupled with little downgrades throughout to be able to fit the killer budget.
Little being the operative word. The display isn’t 1440p as on the higher-specced Mi 11s, but it’s still a 120Hz-capable Super AMOLED with HDR support and sky-high brightness. The camera system is almost the same as on the Mi 11 proper – an 108MP main unit (albeit a different, smaller sensor), an ultrawide (lower-res, but with equally fixed focus) and the same 5MP sort-of-tele macro that’s better than most. A few dozen milliamp-hours in the battery capacity and 33W charging instead of 55W or 67W, meanwhile, are the definition of little downgrades as is the GG5 protection instead of Victus.
Xiaomi Mi 11i specs at a glance:
Body: 163.7×76.4×7.8mm, 196g; IP53 dust and splash protection.
The Mi 11i ships in the same white box with copper lettering we got on the Mi 11 proper. That’s in contrast to the black box we got the Mi 11 Ultra in.
That said, the India-bound Mi 11X Pro comes in a black box with a different design that includes a likeness of the phone on the lid.
The box contents, on the other hand, are identical for the Mi 11i and the Mi 11X Pro (well, minus the charger prongs, which vary by region). You get the 33W charger and a USB-A-to-C cable, a headphone dongle, and a clear silicone protective case.
Competition
The Mi 11i is facing some serious competition in Europe, where its €650 put it up against rivals within the Mi lineup, a few Galaxies (relatively new or slightly older), maybe a OnePlus too. The Mi 11X Pro alter ego is placed in a different context in India, where the INR40K price tag can get you a different OnePlus, or maybe a vivo, while Galaxies are harder to come by within the budget. Let’s go over the options.
For starters, the Mi 11 proper. For €50 to €100 extra, the series’ namesake will get you a more premium build (aluminum frame, Victus on the front), a higher-res display (1440p vs. 1080p) with a fingerprint reader in it and a couple of rear camera upgrades (bigger sensors on the main and ultrawide units). The Mi 11i, on the other hand, snatches a win for endurance, and that’s about it. We’re leaning heavily towards spending the extra money and getting the Mi 11 here.
The OnePlus 9 retails for €700, so another slightly pricier alternative to the Mi 11i. It has a superior set of main and ultra wide cameras but the Mi 11i counters with a more useful macro shooter. You’ll likely get slightly better battery life on the Mi while the OP is quicker to charge and features wireless charging. OxygenOS vs. MIUI is an entirely personal choice and feels like the only deciding difference between the two.
The Galaxy S20 FE can be had for anywhere between €500 and €700 depending on chipset version, storage level and retailer, and it’s not a bad idea to give it a shot if you’re eyeing the Mi 11i. The Galaxy has an IP68 rating and a tele camera, plus goodies like a microSD slot, wireless charging, and an under-display fingerprint sensor. The Mi 11i wins hands-down for performance thanks to its latest chip, but the Galaxy feels like a more well-rounded package.
Come to think of it, €700 buys you a Galaxy S21, the small one. Perhaps it wouldn’t be your first thought if you’re contemplating a Mi 11i, simply because of the size difference, but the S21 has virtues of its own. It uses a current-gen chipset, so the Mi’s performance advantage isn’t as pronounced. Victus on the front, wireless charging, IP68 rating, arguably better cameras overall – perhaps going small may not be such a bad idea.
Xiaomi Mi 11 • OnePlus 9 • Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G • Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
From the standpoint of the Mi 11X Pro, the competition looks different. OnePlus sells the 9R for the same price in India, and it’s got small advantages like a more premium aluminum frame, an under-display fingerprint reader, and NFC. The 9R’s SD870 chip isn’t as brawny as the Mi 11X Pro’s, however, so if performance is key, get the Mi.
The vivo X60 is in a similar position. With SD870 under the hood, it can’t quite match the Mi’s performance but offers a tele camera, NFC, and an under-display fingerprint sensor, though it has a single speaker. The vivo is the lightest of the three, which could be a consideration too.
OnePlus 9R • vivo X60
Verdict
The Mi 11i is a tough sell in Europe, pitted against marginally more expensive offerings from within or from the competition. While it has its strong points, it doesn’t really stand out in any particular way, and we’d pick one of the alternatives above.
As for the Mi 11X Pro, in its own local context, we’d say it makes more sense. It’s the best-priced entry into the world of SD888 performance, which can be reason enough for some buyers. And even if it’s missing NFC and a dedicated tele camera, it’s got enough merits in key areas to deserve your attention.
Pros
Excellent display – bright, accurate, HRR.
Top-tier chipset at a reasonable price.
Battery life around the top of the class.
Very good photo quality from the main camera in daylight and at night, okay ultrawide shots in good light.
Great video quality from the main camera, excellent video stabilization from both.
Cons
Plastic frame isn’t quite as premium, rear panel is a fingerprint magnet.
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor may not be to everyone’s liking.
IP53 rating isn’t quite like proper IP68-grade water resistance.
Now that we’ve covered the Galaxy S22 Plus, as well as the S22 Ultra in their own respective in-depth reviews, it’s time we take a closer look at the vanilla Galaxy S22 as well.
Most of you are likely already familiar with the Galaxy S22 lineup in at least some extent, but we still feel like we need to preface the review by saying that expectations towards the trio should be moderated. Not regarding the quality of the products. That is still excellent, but rather regarding any major generational changes or innovations. Those are few and far between on the S22 line. Well, perhaps sans for the reincarnation of the Galaxy Note line in the S22 Ultra, but without the legendary “Note” branding.
While arguably getting increasingly boring (or tamer for lack of better words) over the last few years, Samsung‘s flagship offers are nothing if not consistent. That has a lot of merit in itself. Apple proved that much time and time again with its incremental year-over-year strategy. So, what’s new with the S22 this year? Well, summing things up before we dive into the nitty-gritty – you get a new camera setup, new chipsets and slightly less battery that Samsung promises it will offset through better chipset and display efficiency. The displays on the vanilla and plus are now slightly shorter but do promise certain technological improvements.
The vanilla S22, which is the subject of this particular review, has shrunken down in overall size considerably compared to its Galaxy S21 predecessor. So much so, in fact, it can now be considered part of a rare breed of “compact” flagship devices. All in relative terms, of course.
The phone measures 146 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm and it tips the scale at 167 grams (168 for the mmWave version). Compare that to the S21 and its 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm, 170g, or so, body. The new 6.1-inch display on the S22 has gotten shorter, which is a trend across the entire S22 line. Unfortunately, a smaller body has also mandated a smaller 3,700 mAh battery back. Down from 4,000 mAh last year.
Aside from the obvious move to the latest flagship chipset generation – the Exynos 2200 in Europe and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 pretty much everywhere else, the S22 also has a new main 50MP camera, with a 23% larger sensor than last year’s 12MP model. Also, a new 10MP telephoto with optical rather than hybrid 3x zoom. The ultrawide and selfie cams are carried over from the S21.
Samsung Galaxy S22 5G specs at a glance:
Body: 146.0×70.6×7.6mm, 167g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins), Armour aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised).
Another thing Samsung has been doing exceptionally well over the past few Galaxy S generations is segmentation. Obviously, the Ultra is in a feature league of its own this year, even if it’s lacking a “Note” moniker. Comparing the vanilla S22 to the S22+, though only reveals a few significant differences. The S22+ is obviously bigger, with a larger 4,500 mAh battery and advertised 45W fast charging support instead of the 25W that the S22 carries forward from older Samsung devices. We’ll get into more detail in the charging section, but, spoiler alert, the 45W omission is hardly significant. The omission of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) support on the vanilla S22 is hardly a deal-breaker too. The difference in display panels between the two is a bit more complex and goes beyond size. We’ll dive into that as well, but the vanilla S22 does miss out on the small yet nifty generational OLED brightness improvements of the S22+ and S22 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S22 • S22 Plus • S22 Ultra
None of these “omissions” in the vanilla S22 are that important and hardly take away from its undisputed and well-rounded flagship nature. That’s what we mean by great segmentation – for most prospective buyers, the choice between an S22 and S22+ will come down to size and, of course, price.
Speaking of budget, Samsung has remained impressively consistent on that front as well. You can check detailed pricing on the entire S22 lineup and the Galaxy Tab S8 here, but the S22 basically starts at $800, €850 or £770, which is essentially the original S21 MSRP. Getting the same price point is not an insignificant feat given the ongoing tough situation regarding supply chain and material shortages in the tech industry as a whole.
Samsung Galaxy S22 • S22 Plus • S22 Ultra
So, that’s the S22 in a nutshell – an incremental boring upgrade for some, a consistently-solid all-around flagship with no unexpected potentially deal-breaking surprises or price hikes for others. As usual, the devil is in the details. Follow along as we dig through them and really see what makes the Galaxy S22 tick.
Unboxing
Just like its S22+ and S22 Ultra sibling, the vanilla S22 ships in a minimal retail box in every sense of the word. In case you were wondering, there is still no charger in the box. That seemingly went away for good with the Galaxy S21 generation. The S22 family ships with a relatively short, sturdy USB Type-C to Type-C cable and a SIM ejector, plus some obligatory paperwork. And that’s it. As barren of a package as conceivable, but that’s the rule of the day.
Of course, there is the ecological angle to consider. The thin and compact two-piece box is made from 100% recycled paper, and Samsung has limited the use of plastics in the packaging as much as it can too. The printing is done with soy-based ink as well, making this among the most ecological retail packages around.
Competition
The Galaxy S22 trio is not cheap by any means. Even so, pricing is mostly unchanged from last year’s models, which should be considered an achievement given the even-climbing prices of materials, scarcity, and other ongoing global economic and relater factors. Plus, the vanilla S22 is naturally the cheapest of the bunch, with an MSRP of $800/€850/£770 for the base 128GB variant and $850/€900/£820 for the 256GB one. As per our price-tracker, as of writing this review, actual retail pricing has even come down a bit in some places.
Beyond being the cheapest of the bunch, which might be alluring to certain customers, the Galaxy S22 has another potentially even bigger thing going for it, pun intended – its size. Very few devices offer a full flagship experience in quite as compact of a form factor. That, coupled with the fact that the S22+ offers almost nothing over the vanilla S22 except for size, battery, and at a notably higher price, convinced us to leave it off of the list. What is a viable option, though, is the older Galaxy S21. It is still a great, all-around flagship. You’ll have to live with the controversial plastic back panel, which is mostly us joking since the S21 still has great build quality. You do also get a bigger battery. Plus, the S21 gets to benefit retroactively from Samsung‘s new promise of extended software support.
The same is also true for the Galaxy S21 FE 5G. It is a great way to get a comparable modern Samsung experience while also saving a few bucks in the process. You do have to be ok with a notably larger device, though, and last year’s flagship chipset and Samsung camera setup, which we have already established, still hold up in 2022.
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G • Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Circling back to the topic of compact flagships, while your options are limited, there are still a few devices to consider. The Asus Zenfone 8 is an interesting device in more than a few ways. It is compact but without skipping on major flagship features, like a great 120Hz, HDR10+ Super AMOLED panel, great stereo speakers, IP68 ingress protection and a respectable 4,000 mAh battery. Asus has its priorities aligned a bit differently than most going out of its way to fit additional hardware like an FM radio, NFC, 3.5mm jack and even a notification LED into the small Zenfone 8. Its ZenUI software is also a particular mix of clean and AOSP-like and highly customizable. The Zenfone 8 does, however, come with some notable camera compromises.
Asus Zenfone 8 • Apple iPhone 13 Pro • Sony Xperia 5 III
The Sony Xperia 5 III places much more emphasis on the camera department. It is also an all-around flagship in most other aspects, with IP65/IP68 ingress protection, stereo speakers, and a Snapdragon 888 chipset. It does have a bit of a “quirky” extra tall, “skinny” aspect ratio and a matching 21:9 display that is also a bit off in its BT.2020 HDR support but still excellent all-around with 120Hz refresh rate and 10-bit colors.
A valid argument can be made that the Xperia 5 III and the Zenfone 8 are “particular” in their own way. That’s pretty much us saying that they are not what we would consider “mainstream flagships” like the Samsung Galaxy S22. Enter the Apple iPhone 13 Pro – arguably the most viable and actual competitor to the Galaxy S22. There is hardly any need to sing the praises of the iPhone 13 Pro. We’ll just remind you that not unlike the S22 and S22+, the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max are basically all-around identical in their excellent flagship features, with size and battery capacity as the sole major differences.
Our verdict
The vanilla S22 is pretty much an incremental update like the rest of the Galaxy S22 line. Samsung is playing it safe yet again – no major breakthroughs or innovation and no jarring and potentially disruptive changes. It uses a familiar formula that has proven effective in drawing in crowds of satisfied, even if often unexcited users.
It’s hard to find any significant faults with the Galaxy S22. We can keep on dreaming of microSD cards and 3.5mm jacks, but that’s clearly not happening. And sure, its battery life could have been better or at least as good as the S21, and perhaps the Exynos 2200 overpromised a bit compared to its initial delivery.
Even so, the entire S22 lineup is as solid as ever. For better or worse, it is kind of the definition of “a safe choice”. Consistency is the name of the game, and it’s arguably the most difficult game to play in the smartphone realm, particularly with flagships. While it’s cool to be disruptive and strive to tread new ground with things like amazing charging speeds or price-defying specs at the expense of other cutbacks, that’s not how you stay on top of the game. The likes of Samsung and Apple have proven time and time again that the key is relentless consistency and extremely calculated moves and incremental upgrades while always building on a solid foundation year over year. That’s how you get the new iPhone and the next Galaxy S device.
The flip side of that reality is that while the S22 is engineered to be as good as possible for as many people as possible, it is pretty boring. Once again, boring in a dependable sense, but still hardly the device that is going to tickle a smartphone enthusiast’s fancy. We definitely wish we could have a more exciting smartphone scene like years past when even titans like Nokia could afford to roll the dice and experiment. Then again, there is something to be said about having an ever-dependable choice in the latest (and greatest) Galaxy S phones. That is a significant draw for many users out there. Plus, the vanilla S22, in particular, has the size aspect going for it, potentially drawing in a crowd seeking a true flagship experience in the smallest possible form factor. And that’s on top of those users simply wanting to pick up the cheapest of the S22 trio.
If you believe you fit nicely into either category getting the Galaxy S22 is a pretty easy decision. If “default” is not your style, there is a vast sea of more interesting and exciting devices out there for anyone willing to explore them.
Pros
Industry-leading build quality with IP68 rating. Small and compact in modern terms. The new flatter and more symmetrical design is still very recognizable.
Excellent 120Hz AMOLED display with great brightness, improved sunlight legibility, superb color accuracy and a great HDR video experience.
Solid all-around hybrid stereo speaker system.
Likable no-nonsense OneUI 4.1 OS with powerful features and extended software support (four OS updates and five years of security patches).
Solid flagship camera experience both in photos and videos. Incrementally better or just as good as the S21 generation, it adds further small refinements here and there, particularly in low-light photography.
Cons
No charger in the box and no pre-applied screen protector.
Worse battery life than last year’s Galaxy S21 5G.
The new RDNA2-based Xclipse 920 AMD GPU collaboration looks promising, but is experiencing some early bugs and we feel its potential is nowhere near fully utilized in practice yet.
It’s that time of year again, and we have the new Galaxy S smartphones in our hands. We’ll start our reviewing spree with the Galaxy S22 Plus.
It’s important to approach this year’s devices with the right expectations. Maintaining the pace of innovation year after year is impossible, so as you’ll see, major changes are rather few and far between. Well, perhaps sans for the reincarnation of the Galaxy Note line in the S22 Ultra, but without the legendary “Note” branding.
While arguably getting increasingly boring (or tamer for lack of better words) over the last few years, Samsung‘s flagship offers are nothing if not consistent. That has a lot of merit in itself. Apple proved that much time and time again with its incremental year-over-year strategy. So, what’s new with the S22 this year? Well, summing things up before we dive into the nitty-gritty – you get a new camera setup, new chipsets and slightly less battery that Samsung promises it will offset through better chipset and display efficiency. The displays on the vanilla and plus are now slightly shorter but do promise certain technological improvements.
The Samsung Galaxy S22Plus 5G is the subject of this particular review. Compared to last year’s Galaxy S21 Plus 5G in a bit more detail, it has gotten a bit shorter and ever so slightly wider and just a bit thinner and at 195/196 grams, also slightly lighter. Those last two bits probably have to do with the battery capacity reduction from 4,800 mAh last year to 4,500 mAh.
This time around, the S22 Plus has 45W fast charging, up from 25W last year. The display, while slightly shorter, gets an impressive brightness boost this year, thanks to Samsung OLED development. Then there is the new camera setup – a new main 50MP camera, with a 23% larger sensor than last year’s 12MP model. Also, a new 10MP telephoto with optical rather than hybrid 3x zoom. The ultrawide and selfie cams are carried over from the S21 Plus.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus 5G specs at a glance:
Body: 157.4×75.8×7.6mm, 195g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins), Armour aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised).
Another thing Samsung has been doing exceptionally well over the past few Galaxy S generations is segmentation. This year, obviously, the Ultra is in a league of its own, even if it’s lacking a “Note” moniker. Comparing the regular Galaxy S22 to the S22 Plus, however, basically comes down to size and, of course, price. The S22 Plus has a notably bigger 6.6-inch display that does get brighter, which we will discuss at length in the display section. Its body is proportionally bigger and houses a bigger battery, now with 45W charging support, as already mentioned. Though, that hasn’t proven to offer a huge practical advantage over Samsung’s 25W tech in the past.
The S22 Plus also gets Ultra Wideband (UWB) support. Other than that, the two phones are basically identical both inside and outside. This is truly great to see since all the user needs is to pick a size and/or budget.
Speaking of budget, Samsung has remained impressively consistent on that front as well. You can check detailed pricing on the entire S22 lineup and the Galaxy Tab S8 here, but the S22 Plus basically starts at $1,000, €1,050 or £950, which is essentially the original S21 Plus MSRP. Getting the same price point is not an insignificant feat given the ongoing tough situation regarding supply chain and material shortages in the tech industry as a whole.
So, that’s the S22 Plus in a nutshell – an incremental boring upgrade for some, a consistently-solid all-around flagship with no unexpected potentially deal-breaking surprises or price hikes for others. As usual, the devil is in the details. Follow along as we dig through them and really see what makes the Galaxy S22 Plus tick.
Unboxing
Unboxing the Galaxy S22 is not much of an “experience” in the conventional sense. If you were wondering, Samsung didn’t reverse its decision to exclude a charger from the retail box. That seemingly went away for good with the Galaxy S21 generation. The S22 family ships with a relatively short, sturdy USB Type-C to Type-C cable and a SIM ejector, plus some obligatory paperwork. And that’s it. As barren of a package as conceivable, but that’s the rule of the day.
On the flip side, though, there is almost no unneeded stuff in the box. The thin and compact two-piece box is made from 100% recycled paper, and Samsung has limited the use of plastics in the packaging as much as it can too. The printing is done with soy-based ink as well, making this among the most ecological retail packages around.
Competition
If you’re considering the Galaxy S22 Plus – a device that starts at $1,000, €1,050 or £950, as the saying goes, “the world is your oyster”. There’s no point in beating about the bush, that’s a lot of money to give up for a phone, so it better be good enough to live up to pretty much any expectation. Since you are effectively shopping in the top niche of the current smartphone market, phones in this price bracket are as good as smartphones get in 2022.
Premium buyers frequently tend to have at least some degree of “brand loyalty” for any number of reasons, be in pre-existing immersion into a given device ecosystem or experience with customer support or simply fastidious and specific care for any number of very particular aspects and features offered by one manufacturer or another.
Keeping that in mind, if you are in the market for an S22 Plus, it is very likely that you know for a fact you want a Samsung and you already considered and rejected the obvious alternatives of the vanilla Galaxy S22 and the S22 Ultra for any number of potential reasons. That’s what we mean by particular. Allow us to point you in a few less-obvious directions, like the Galaxy S21 FE 5G. It’s sort of the “sensible” alternative. You will have to “settle” for a slightly smaller and not as bright display, without automatic refresh rate switching, the older flagship Snapdragon 888 5G or Exynos 2100 chipset and some slightly-older camera sensors for the otherwise very comparable camera setup. Short of a few niche features like Samsung DeX and minor compromises in connectivity, that’s honestly about the extent of the “downgrade”. All the while, the potential savings are significant.
Beyond that, we have to admit that things are currently a bit weird in the flagship Android realm, mostly since some big-ticket phones are yet to get proper international availability. The Xiaomi 12 Pro’s European release is probably right around the corner, though. It is a great all-around device that comes very close to the Galaxy S22 Plus in terms of overall specs. Its most notable omission is probably ingress protection. Then again, it has many benefits of its own too. Since the older Xiaomi 11T Pro is already widely available and not far off in terms of specs, we’re mentioning it as well.
OnePlus is in a similar boat with the new OnePlus 10 Pro. We are currently expecting its global release sometime before the end of March. It is another solid all-around flagship offer with similar specs to the S22 Plus. Notably, a bigger 5,000 mAh battery, but also no ingress protection. It gets a soft recommendation as a viable alternative, mostly since the OnePlus 9 Pro is very similar specs-wise, widely available and does offer IP68 protection. Unfortunately, with a smaller 4,500 mAh battery.
Naturally, since we are talking about a Galaxy S22 device, arguably the definition of a “mainstream flagship”, we can’t fail to mention that an Apple iPhone is always a viable choice to make. Those do tend to be quite pricy, though, so the notably physically smaller iPhone 13 is probably the best you’ll be able to get off-contract without upping your budget over $1000.
Our verdict
It’s hard to find any significant faults with the Galaxy S22 Plus. We can keep on dreaming of microSD cards and 3.5mm jacks, but that’s clearly not happening. And sure, its battery life could have been better, and perhaps the Exynos 2200 overpromised a bit, compared to its initial delivery. Even so, the entire S22 lineup is as solid as ever. For better or worse, it is kind of the definition of “safe choice”. Consistency is the name of the game, and it’s arguably the most difficult game to play in the smartphone realm, particularly with flagships. While it’s cool to be disruptive, put out a “flagship killer” or go for an enticing title like “the first phone with…”, that’s not how you stay on top of the game. The likes of Samsung and Apple have proven time and time again that the key is relentless consistency and extremely calculated moves and incremental upgrades while always building on a solid foundation year over year. That’s how you get the new iPhone and the next Galaxy S device.
The flip side of that reality is that while the S22 Plus is engineered to be as good as possible for as many people as possible, it is pretty boring. Once again, boring in a dependable sense, but still hardly the device that is going to tickle a smartphone enthusiast’s fancy.
Keeping all of this in mind, the decision to get an S22 device is a simple and equally boring one – do you want and/or need the new Samsung flagship with all of the familiar positives and negatives that come with it? Nothing massive has really changed about this very same question going back at least a couple of Galaxy S flagship generations. The S22 Plus remains an ever-dependable default choice, and for a good reason. If “default” is not your style, there is a vast sea of more interesting and exciting devices out there for anyone willing to explore them.
Pros
Industry-leading build quality with IP68 rating. Perfect weight distribution. The new flatter and more symmetrical design is still very recognizable.
Excellent industry-leading 120Hz AMOLED display with major brightness improvements, improved sunlight legibility, superb color accuracy and a great HDR video experience.
Great all-around hybrid stereo speaker system.
Likable no-nonsense OneUI 4.1 OS with powerful features and extended software support (four OS updates and five years of security patches).
Solid flagship camera experience both in photos and videos. Incrementally better or just as good as the S21 generation, it adds further small refinements here and there, particularly in low-light photography.
Cons
No charger in the box and no pre-applied screen protector.
45W charging is still more wishful thinking that doesn’t translate to real-world gains and the charger situation is poorly communicated by the PR team.
The new RDNA2-based Xclipse 920 AMD GPU collaboration looks very promising, but is experiencing some early bugs and we feel its potential is nowhere near fully utilized in practice yet.
The Note that isn’t a Note, yet it may very well end up being the last Note – Samsung‘s Galaxy S22 Ultra has some big shoes to fill. Attempting to appeal to both productivity-focused stylus lovers and photography enthusiasts, the latest Ultra will either be the ultimate phone, period, or fall short for either group in some way. We’re here to find out which one is it.
The S Pen fans will have little to complain about on the face of it. The S22 Ultra has the same stylus as the Note20 Ultra and, like a true Note, it has a silo for keeping the thing inside the phone – none of that carry-it-separately-until-you-inevitably-lose-it nonsense with the S21 Ultra. The significant improvements in latency also sound promising, not that the old one was bad.
The camera crowd shouldn’t be disappointed either. You’re getting the same quad setup as the S21 Ultra (in principle, at least) and includes a couple of telephotos reaching all the way to 10x zoom, as well as an autofocusing ultrawide (that Samsung insists on keeping exclusive to the Ultra). That’s in addition to the big-sensor nona-binning 108MP main camera, of course.
The lengthy specsheet (summarized below) includes what appears to be the brightest display on a smartphone to date, latest chipsets from Qualcomm or Samsung (depending on locale, as usual), a 1TB storage option (next to a 128GB base tier not befitting the UItra’s stature), and a bump in battery capacity and rated charging power (we’ll see about that).
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G specs at a glance:
Body: 163.3×77.9×8.9mm, 228g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins), Armour aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised).
The S22 Ultra ships in a black cardboard box that’s now even smaller than before (the environment appreciates it) with a stylized number ’22’ on the lid and a sparkly ‘S’ in a color to match the actual paintjob of the phone inside.
High-end Galaxy unboxings have become simple tasks over the past couple of years since bundled chargers became a thing of the past – the flipside of the slimline box. Inside it, you’ll find the bare minimum – a USB-C cable and a SIM eject tool, and the phone itself. But what a phone it is.
Competition
If you’re eyeing up the Galaxy S22 Ultra, consider yourself lucky – obvious alternatives don’t exist and if the latest ultimate Samsung does it for you, no other phone will. Because the S22 Ultra is both the Note that didn’t happen last year, and the S Ultra that was always coming this Spring. As such, it is, indeed, everything to everyone – or, at least, most things to most people. But just telling you to pick up the Ultra without giving it much thought would be lazy reviewing and we only do that in the peak of summer, so let’s see what your options are.
The last Note by name, the 20 Ultra (rumor has it that there was also a non-Ultra Note in 2020, but nobody has seen it), is dated. It has a two-year-old chipset inside, and even when it came out, it wasn’t cutting-edge in terms of camera hardware. Sure, it does have what is essentially the same S Pen as this year’s model, but we’re not ones to condone buying a 2020 smartphone in 2022, flagship as it may have been at the time.
At 12-months-old, the S21 Ultra just barely passes the relevance test, so we might allow it. Its camera hardware may be superior in some obscure minor ways, but its output, in general, is not, so if the most capable Samsung cameraphone is needed, the S21 Ultra doesn’t cut it. Plus, it’s just a pretend-Note – it supports an S Pen, but has nowhere to store it, so what are the odds that you carry it on your person every time you need it.
You could say the same thing about the Galaxy Z Fold3 and its accessory S Pen. But if productivity is truly why the S22 Ultra is on top of your list, then maybe allowances could be made for the foldable that has 57% more screen area on just one of its screens (consider the other as a bonus), all the while being a mere 19% heavier. The Fold can’t quite compete with the Ultra for camera prowess though, so it’s looking like a classic case of ‘win some, lose some’.
You’d be winning in image quality if you go for another Ultra, the Mi 11 Ultra, even if that one isn’t exactly brand new either. Close to a year after its release, it remains our favorite cameraphone, and if that’s higher on your list than a stylus, it may be well worth tracking a Mi down (they’re not too widely available). There’s also the Mi 12 bunch that should be arriving soon, but we don’t know much about a possible next-gen Mi Ultra.
Last on this list is the iPhone 13 Pro Max, simply because the latest and best Galaxy is always going to be compared to the latest and best that Apple has put out. The Pro Max has neither the camera versatility, nor the stylus of the S22 Ultra, so that makes it somewhat of a tough sell if camera versatility and a stylus are what you’re after the Galaxy for, but iPhones can tickle people in odd and not exactly quantifiable ways.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is in such a market segment that the concept of value doesn’t necessarily apply to it and affect purchasing decisions. So the €1250/$1200 price is little more than just a number.
But the Ultra does, in fact, provide a lot of value. An upmarket phone with a stylus is essentially a Samsung-exclusive offering – competing efforts from Apple, Google, Xiaomi, Oppo, or Huawei simply do not exist. This is the latest and most powerful one and it can carry that S Pen inside it unlike the Fold or last year’s Ultra, so it’s unique even in Samsung‘s present realm too.
It’s not as clear cut when it comes to the camera, where we could come up with potential alternatives – as good, or maybe a touch superior in this or that. But there’s no denying that the S22 Ultra is a superbly capable all-rounded cameraphone, easily Samsung’s best yet.
It’s properly good when it comes to the fundamentals too, unsurprisingly. The brightest smartphone display we’ve seen excels in all other areas as well, battery life is about as solid as you can expect from a modern-day flagship, the software is refined and feature-rich, the design is understated, yet recognizable and stylish.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra may not have ‘Note’ in its name, but deep inside we know it is one, probably the last of its kind. From our Note-loving hearts and level reviewer heads alike, it’s an easy recommendation.
Pros
Traditional Note design with modern premium touches – big display, boxy shape, curved edges, unique camera styling.
S Pen has wide-ranging functionality for work and play, is virtually without competition.
Display is simply spectacular.
Battery life is pretty great, all things considered.
Ultra-grade camera system is one of the best on the market, zooming capability is hard to rival.
Cons
S Pen eats up internal volume and adds weight, which isn’t ideal if you’re in for the S Ultra and not the Note Ultra.
Poorly communicated fast charging capability (actually quite speedy in the Apple-Google-Samsung universe, but others are way faster).
Samsung is bringing 5G to the masses with the Galaxy A51 5G and the Galaxy A71 5G. We have the smaller one for review to find out what’s changed from the 4G version with the inclusion of the next-gen connectivity.
For starters, the chipset is different – it’s the Exynos 980 that is bringing that 5G capability and, along with it, a bump in performance over the modest 9611 SoC of the older model. A bigger battery is also among the new bits, a welcome upgrade to meet the increased power demand.
If you’re willing to pay the premium for 5G this early in its adoption, even on a midranger like the A51 5G, chances are you’d probably enjoy a more upmarket build and Samsung has obliged. It’s replaced the plastic midframe with an aluminum one. This remodeling, complete with the battery capacity bump and the extra antennas all means that the A51 5G is now 15g heavier – a not insignificant increase that robs it of all claims for lightness.
And that’s about everything that’s changed when going from 4G to 5G on the Galaxy A51. Here’s a quick refresher on the other key specs.
The Galaxy A51 5G comes in the same retail packaging as the 4G version, but proudly flying a 5G banner. It’s a proper cardboard box with a lid as opposed to lesser A-series models that replace the lid with a sleeve.
Inside the box there’s a full set of accessories. A 15W Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging adapter is bundled, maxing out the phone’s charging capability, and there’s a USB-A-to-C cable to go with it. A pair of earbuds with a three button remote is included and a soft silicone case will give your phone protection straight out of the box.
Competition
2020 has been the year of 5G phones going mainstream and next-gen connectivity support can now be seen not just on flagships, but on more and more handsets in the midrange. The Galaxy A51 5G, Samsung‘s most affordable entry in the field, comes in at a price point of $500/£430/€470 and there are worthy competitors on either side of that number.
The most affordable 5G handset in the western world at the time of writing, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G, retails for about €330, making it a bargain next to the Galaxy. The Xiaomi will give you 60fps video in 1080p, an IR blaster, and an HDR10+ capable display – granted, none of these are really game-changers. The camera system is similar, as is the performance of the Snapdragon 765G chip. The battery tests on Mi are ongoing, but we think the Galaxy will prevail if by a little. Going for it, the Samsung has a MicroSD slot and FM radio capability.
Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G • Motorola Edge • Huawei P40 lite 5G • LG Velvet • Samsung Galaxy A71 5G
The Motorola Edge launched at €600, and that remains its MSRP, but we’ve seen it for €500, and at that price, it could make sense as a viable alternative to the Galaxy. It’s got a more versatile camera system with an extra telephoto cam, stereo speakers, and a 90Hz refresh rate OLED display. Come to think of it, these can be worth the premium to even get the Moto at full retail.
It’s harder to justify the €650 price of the LG Velvet against the Galaxy, if it’s solely for the 5G. The Velvet does offer IP68-rated dust and water resistance and stereo speakers, but unless you can get it in a bundle with the Dual Screen and have some use for said Dual Screen, LG’s posh midranger isn’t great value.
If you’d rather not splurge, but insist on the 5G support, the Huawei P40 lite 5G could be your thing – specifically the 5G version, because there’s a 4G P40 lite as well. Going the Huawei route might save you around €80/£70 but will also cost you Google Play services support and the OLED display which the A51 5G has.
In the US, the A51 5G should maybe become available at some point, but it isn’t for the time being. On the other hand, the A71 5G has been discounted to $430 (down from the $600 MSRP), and that’s not a half-bad deal, particularly in a market that’s missing affordable 5G options – the US doesn’t get the Moto Edge (just the Edge+) and LG Velvet, nor Xiaomi or Huawei altogether. The A71 5G is more or less the same phone as the A51 5G, with an extra 0.2 inches in display diagonal and larger main camera sensor.
Verdict
At a passing glance, the Galaxy A51 5G may look like a pointless addition to an already overpopulated lineup of Galaxy As. Closer inspection proves it to bring improvements in performance, battery endurance and even camera quality over the 4G version.
And that’s before you account for the fact that it’s the most affordable point of entry into 5G coming from Samsung. It’s not as good value as what Xiaomi can give you, but competing offers from other big names like LG and Motorola come at an even larger premium if they’re available at all. As such, the Galaxy A51 5G is shaping up to be an easy recommendation for early 5G adopters that would like to reap the benefits of the faster connectivity without shelling flagship money.
Pros
Upmarket build.
Excellent battery life, reasonably fast charging.
Super AMOLED display that’s plenty bright and good with colors.
Android 10 out of the box, One UI 2 has plenty going for it.
Competitive performance in the upper midrange segment.
Capable camera setup in daylight, decent low-light performance.
Uncompromising gaming experience on the cheap. That’s what Xiaomi is aiming for with its second-best gaming phone, the Black Shark 4. It offers pretty much everything the Pro version has but tones down the chipset to Snapdragon 870 and swaps the main 64MP camera for a 48MP one. It may sound like a significant downgrade, but the competitive price tag of just €500 may be enough to convince you to pull the trigger. And the Black Shark 4 has two of those.
On top of the already standard 144Hz OLED panel, Xiaomi has included other gaming-specific features such as the physical shoulder triggers. That may not sound much given that Asus and nubia are doing it too, but these ones are physical, clickable buttons. And nothing beats those when it comes to gaming.
Xiaomi Black Shark 4 specs at a glance:
Body: 163.8×76.4×9.9mm, 210g; Glass front and back, metal frame.
The handset is also geared with a set of powerful loudspeakers and a proper cooling system making sure performance lasts. However, the camera setup covers only the bare minimum. Then again, that’s probably not what you are after if you are already here reading a gaming phone review.
What concerns us the most is the below-average battery capacity of 4,500 mAh. Hopefully, the extra fast 120W charging will make sure charging sessions are as short as possible. Xiaomi promises a full charge in just 17 minutes.
It’s also important to note that if you reside outside of China, the Pro model is probably out of reach anyway so this model is as good as it gets from Black Shark. The 4 Pro is a China-only exclusive at the time of writing, so the non-Pro model has the uneasy task to challenge the Snapdragon 888-equipped nubia Red Magic 6, which falls in the same price range.
So in this review, we will see if the trade-off for Snapdragon 870 is worth it, considering competition and pricing. We will also test various games on the Play Store and see if Xiaomi‘s gaming phone can saturate the 144Hz screen with the corresponding framerates. Gaming optimization is the Achilles heel of modern gaming smartphones, and so far, Asus has the lead with the most supported HRR games.
Unboxing the Xiaomi Black Shark 4
The Black Shark 4 comes in a standard retail box that weighs a little more than expected, mostly due to the chunky 120W charger. In case you are in China or a reviewer because the global variant of the handset ships with a 67W charger instead. The USB-A to USB-C cable for charging and data transfer is also at hand, along with a hard, plastic, semi-transparent case as a bonus.
The case doesn’t wrap around the whole handset, and we can’t say that it provides a good grip. On the upside, it doesn’t make the phone bulkier than it already is.
The Competition
Since the gaming smartphone segment is still in its early stage, competition isn’t big, but there are still some alternatives to consider. The vanilla Black Shark 4‘s main advantage is its price. By providing a sub-flagship SoC, the handset manages to undercut the competition by few hundred bucks, in some cases.
The Black Shark 4‘s direct competitor is undoubtedly the OnePlus 9R. The only issue is that the latter’s availability is quite limited. It’s available in India where the Black Shark 4 is yet to launch but something tells us that pricing won’t be all that different from the 9R’s. Anyway, they both run on the same Snapdragon 870 chipset but the 9R “settles” for a less impressive 120Hz OLED panel, which is also smaller in size too. But the camera setup is more competent and offers shoulder triggers too. On the other hand, the Black Shark 4’s limited HRR control doesn’t make good use of the full 144Hz OLED. So this leaves the considerably faster charging, and the physical, clickable shoulder triggers as its only advantages.
Spending around €100 more for the nubia Red Magic 6 ensures a true flagship SoC – Snapdragon 888 and an even faster, more responsive 165Hz display. Taking advantage of the HRR display on the Red Magic 6 in games seems to be an easier task too. Nubia’s contender runs more games above 120fps than the Black Shark 4. It also has a built-in cooling fan, which although a bit noisy, does the trick during long gaming sessions. The shoulder triggers are touch-capacitive but are just as responsive and recognize different pressure levels.
And an honorable mention would be the Asus ROG Phone 5 just because there aren’t many gaming-oriented smartphones, to begin with. The pricing is way above the three phones mentioned above but it provides undoubtedly the most uncompromised gaming experience. It can run more games at 144Hz than the rest, offers gives the user much more control over the hardware and the accessories’ ecosystem is unbeatable. It all comes at a price premium, of course, as the current price of the vanilla ROG Phone 5 starts at around €750, which is €250 above the entry price for the Black Shark 4 and €150 more than what the Red Magic 6 asks.
Our Verdict
On paper, the Black Shark 4 seemed like an easy recommendation. It offers an excellent price/performance ratio, it has a unique set of physical shoulder buttons for gaming, a fast and bright 144Hz OLED panel, great-sounding stereo speakers, insanely fast charging and dependable camera performance.
But as we dug deeper, the 144Hz display turned out to be a gimmick in a large portion of the games. Running at 144Hz wasn’t even possible in simple menus and apps. Support for HRR gaming is also extremely limited, beating the purpose of buying the Black Shark 4 solely for gaming. And when you add the not-so-great battery life and the lack of 4K video stabilization to the cons list, it makes it hard for us to give the handset a higher score.
Pros
Bright, 144Hz OLED display with HDR10+ support.
Great-sounding stereo speakers.
Dependable camera experience overall.
Plenty of useful gaming features, physical shoulder triggers with additional functionalities.
Super fast 120W charging.
Awesome haptic feedback around.
Solid sustained performance.
Cons
Quite limited HRR gaming support.
Poor HRR control outside of gaming too, limited to just 120Hz.
The cheapest 5G smartphone any given manufacturer currently has on the market has become sort of a weird competitive category in itself this year. For Samsung, that used to be the Galaxy A32 5G, which was released back in January, alongside the A52 5G and A72 5G. Now that title has officially been transferred over to the Galaxy A22 5G. Like its higher-tier sibling, the A22 is available in both a 5G variant and regular 4G. And once again, cramming in 5G, without deviating too much from the original price point has necessitated some major downgrades, compared to the LTE model.
For the Galaxy A22 pair goes, in particular, some of the major advantages the LTE model has over its sibling include its Super AMOLED display – slightly lower resolution, but otherwise better all around. Also, slightly better cameras, including an 8MP ultrawide, 2MP dedicated macro and a 13MP selfie cam. As of writing this review, all of this will set you back €209 for the base 64GB/4GB model.
On the flip side, the Galaxy A22 5G has an MSRP of €230, which will require you to settle for a 90Hz LCD display, a 5MP ultrawide, no depth camera and an 8MP selfie cam. However, the Galaxy A22 5G also has quite a few redeeming qualities. One thing that stands out, in particular, is its FHD+, 90Hz LCD display, which is notably better than the basic 60Hz, 720p+ LCD on the Galaxy A32 5G – a device that technically stands higher in the lineup and is still a bit pricier than the A22 5G. That’s what half a year’s worth of developments on the budget mobile scene can result in. Impressive stuff.
Video capture:Rear camera: 1152p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 15W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); FM radio; 3.5mm jack.
There are plenty of other interesting aspects of the A22 5G to examine beyond that as well, like its Dimensity 700 chipset, which on the surface sounds like just a slight downgrade compared to the Dimensity 720 powering the Galaxy A32 5G, yet has some particular limitations of its own, like a 2K maximum video capture resolution. But, we’ll get to all that in due time.
Circling back to the important bits, just like its siblings, the Galaxy A22 5G is part of Samsung‘s new and ambitious plan for the best-selling Galaxy A family. The new “Awesome is for everyone” tagline fits like a glove. The value proposition is a clear priority on all of these devices.
Offering both 4G and 5G versions of all of the handsets is another way of making the lineup as appealing as possible. Speaking of which, budget or not, the Galaxy A22 5G still gets all the benefits and goodies that come with One UI 3.1, on top of Android 11, as well as Samsung’s better and longer-term software support commitment, as of late.
Unboxing
As a budget offer, the Galaxy A22 5G understandably comes in a rather plain box. Perhaps Samsung can do a bit better for protection during transit.
On a more positive note, at least the A32 5G itself comes well wrapped in plastic all around, including thin strips stuck along the plastic frame, for extra protection.
Speaking of protection, or lack thereof, the Galaxy A22 5G does not have a pre-applied screen protector, nor is there a case in the box. Both are common with budget phones from other manufacturers. What you do get is a basic 15W wall charger (9V@1.67A or 5V@2A) and a simple and fairly short USB Type-A to Type-C cable. At last, there is no proprietary charging scheme at play here, so you don’t necessarily need to stick to the included cable to get the full 15W.
Our Galaxy A22 5G unit also came with a wired handsfree (buds with an inline microphone) in the box. This is a fairly basic Samsung-branded unit, nothing too fancy, though you do get an inline button as well. It is worth noting that this might be a regional accessory that not all packages get because we didn’t get buds with the higher-tier A32 5G.
Competition
At the time of writing, the Galaxy A22 5G will set you back about €250 for the base 4GB + 64GB variant. The A22 5G’s specs sheet appears to have been strategically downgraded to allow for the coveted 5G connectivity to be included while still keeping within the target price point of the A22 series.
The vanilla Galaxy A22 can currently be had for just over €200, while also offering an arguably better 90Hz Super AMOLED, 720p+ display, as well as a slightly-better camera setup. The point here is that 5G clearly comes at a cost. This is the reality all manufacturers currently have to deal with, especially in this price range.
If you don’t necessarily need 5G in your next phone, it is easy to get better overall specs in a 4G handset instead.
You don’t even have to look far either, as the vanilla Galaxy A32 is pretty much comparably priced like the A22 5G. Unlike the A32 5G, which also sacrifices on some specs for the sake of 5G, the vanilla offers things like a notably better FullHD, Super AMOLED, 90Hz display with 800 nits of advertised brightness. Also, a better all-around camera setup, plus a few extra features here and there, sprinkled within One UI 3.1. Better still, unlike the A22 5G, the A32 gets to partake in Samsung‘s new initiative for three major OS updates and four years of security patches.
There is arguably better value still to be had in camp Xiaomi. The Redmi Note 10 Pro costs as much as the Galaxy A22 5G while rocking hardware like a 120Hz, HDR10-enabled AMOLED panel and a 108MP main camera. Also, things like stereo speakers and an IP53 rating and 33W fast charging. Just to name a few. The list is definitely longer.
You can even save some money and go for something like the Redmi Note 10, which tones down many of the specs of the Redmi Note 10 Pro, but still manages to preserve the core experience. It outshines the Galaxy A22 5G in pretty much every hardware aspect. We are also throwing in the Poco X3 Pro for those out there seeking the best raw performance possible on a budget. While its raw power does come with some compromises here and there, a Snapdragon 860 chipset at just over €200 is almost a market anomaly and deserves due attention.
Circling back to the question of 5G, if you absolutely must have 5G for €250 or less, most manufacturers are clearly faced with the same general hardware decisions and compromises, which have resulted in the niche getting occupied by surprisingly similar devices.
Handsets like the Realme 8 5G, Poco M3 Pro 5G and the Redmi Note 10 5G all rock 90Hz LCD panels, just like the Galaxy A22 5G and even use the same Dimensity 700 chipset – the entry-level chip in MediaTek’s Dimensity line. All three also have triple camera setups, with a 48MP main snapper. Also, 5,000 mAh batteries with 18W charging. The list goes on, and it’s almost like some homework copying has taken place. Or rather – this is just currently the budget 5G hardware setup that makes sense. Sure, the Realme 8 5G does have a slightly better selfie cam, but it also costs a bit more than the others. Going for the Poco can probably get you the best value due to its lower price.
Our overarching point here, however, is that your decision on which €250 5G phone to get will mostly come down to subtle differences in specs and the software experience and features. Samsung might just have a leg up there for many, thanks to One UI 3.1.
Beyond that, you might just have to look around really hard, wait for promos or potentially even go for an imported unit, which definitely has its drawbacks. That way, it might be potentially possible to get more for your money. For instance, the Galaxy M42 5G costs about as much as the Galaxy A22 5G, but comes with a Super AMOLED panel, higher-res selfie, a macro camera and a Snapdragon 750G chipset. Its availability, however is pretty limited.
Verdict
Samsung has created a solid phone in the Galaxy A22 5G. While it’s not getting the full benefits of three major OS updates and four years of security patches, like its bigger siblings – A32, A52 and A72, it still gets most of the feature trickle-down. Its FullHD, 90Hz LCD display is not spectacular in terms of performance, but it is still a good neck above what you used to be able to get from Samsung’s previous cheapest 5G device – the Galaxy A32 5G.
The Dimensity 700 chipset delivers solid battery life from the 5,000 mAh pack, as well as modern features and connectivity and plenty of performance for most tasks. Even light gaming is no issue for the A22 5G, with most games we tried successfully making use of the 90Hz refresh rate of the panel for extra-smooth gameplay.
While very simple, Samsung’s software setup and handling for the high refresh rate mode is perfectly functional, which is not always a given with the competition.
In fact, most aspects of the One UI 3.1/Android 11 combo on the Galaxy A22 5G are well-crafted, polished and surprisingly feature-rich. With all said and done, the excellent user experience is a big part of the appeal of Samsung’s cheapest 5G phone. It’s likely the reason some might want to go for it instead of one of the many similar offers from other manufacturers like Realme and Xiaomi.
And that’s kind of leads to the elephant in the room – should you even get a 5G phone for under €250? If you really need 5G in your next device and can’t stretch your budget any further, then the Galaxy A22 5G is worth considering. If you can compromise and settle for a 4G model instead, there is much more overall value to be had from other devices in this price range.
Pros
FullHD+ resolution and 90Hz are a welcome sight at this price point, even if the panel has somewhat disappointing performance. 90Hz mode works great.
Very solid battery life.
Latest Android and One UI, with most features intact.
The MediaTek 700 is a modern, efficient and well-equipped chipset, with decent performance for the price.
Decent main camera performance, including potent and useful Night mode.
Cons
Body feels a bit hollow and there is no ingress protection, no pre-applied screen protector and no official info on display glass protection.
Pretty slow charging.
Just a single loudspeaker with underwhelming performance.
Poor all-round ultrawide performance. No 4K video capture. 2K capture is a mixed bag.
Samsung did an unquestionably great job with the latest batch of Galaxy A phones. The Korean giant clearly decided to focus its efforts on what is officially its best-selling line. The new “Awesome is for everyone” tagline fits like a glove. Devices like the Galaxy A32, A52 and even the slightly extraneous A72, with its extra telephoto, bring plenty of value to the table.
In its quest to be as trendy and appealing as possible, Samsung also went ahead and made 5G versions of the A52 and A32. These 5G variants tend to target roughly the same price point as their 4G counterparts, which inevitably means that some compromises are in place to accommodate the processor with 5G support. We already dug extensively into the matter of the Galaxy A52 5G and its slight yet still noticeable downgrades over the regular Galaxy A52 in those respective reviews. Now it’s time to do the same for the A32 5G, which, by all accounts, has suffered a much worse downgrade.
Video capture:Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 15W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); FM radio; 3.5mm jack.
In fact, we would go as far as to say that the Galaxy A32 5G is an entirely different device than the vanilla A32. The price point is roughly the same, which was clearly Samsung’s main goal, but for that to happen, the A32 5G comes with an LCD display instead of an OLED. A lower-res HD+ one, at that, stuck at 60Hz refresh rate. The panel is so different, in fact, that it even has a bigger diagonal at 6.5 inches. The entire A32 5G is bigger in every dimension, measuring 164.2 x 76.1 x 9.1 mm and tipping the scale at 205 grams. A whole 20, or so, grams more than the regular A32, yet still with the same 5,000 mAh battery.
The camera department has also experienced some changes, including a main camera swap to a lower-res 48MP unit. Interestingly enough, though, the A32 5G gets an extra 2MP depth sensor over its vanilla sibling. Also, it can do 4K@30fps video capture. That final intriguing bit comes courtesy of the MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G chipset found in the Galaxy A32 5G. An all-round upgrade over the MediaTek Helio G80 inside the regular A32.
So, it’s pretty clear how the budget was relocated to make the Galaxy A32 5G a reality. Now the question remains whether the downgrades were worth it to make room for a slightly better chipset, with 5G connectivity.
Unboxing
As a budget offer, the Galaxy A32 5G understandably comes in a rather plain box. It is a basic cardboard bottom piece, with a sleeve on top. You should definitely be careful about applying pressure to the top of said sleeve. Perhaps Samsung can do a bit better for protection during transit. On a more positive note, at least the A32 5G itself comes well wrapped in plastic all around, including thin layers stuck right on to the plastic frame, for extra protection.
Speaking of protection, or lack thereof, the Galaxy A32 5G does not have a pre-applied screen protector, nor is there a case in the box. Both common with budget phones from other manufacturers. What you do get is a basic 15W wall charger (9V@1.67A or 5V@2A) and a simple and fairly short USB Type-A to Type-C cable. At last, there is no proprietary charging scheme at play here, so you don’t necessarily need to stick to the included cable to get the full 15W.
Competition
The Samsung Galaxy A32 5G can currently be had for a bit under €250, which is about as much, or just slightly more than the vanilla Galaxy A32. And, in fact, the vanilla is a viable option if you don’t particularly care about 5G and would much rather get the much better 90Hz Super AMOLED panel and slightly better cameras. Though, with video capture capped at 1080p. Otherwise, you would still be getting the same in-depth and feature-rich Samsung One UI experience, as well as the Korean giant’s newfound promise for longer software support.
The Samsung Galaxy M42 5G also should not be glanced over, but unfortunately, it has limited availability. Otherwise, it successfully patches up the single biggest issue on the A32 5G – the display – by offering an HD Super AMOLED panel.
It is hardly surprising that Xiaomi has plenty of competing offers to pit against the Galaxy A32 5G. The Redmi Note 10 series instantly springs to mind. The clear direct competitor has to be the Redmi Note 10 5G. It is based on a very similar Dimensity 700 chipset, which brings the 5G connectivity to the table. It is also priced nearly identically to the A32 5G. Its main camera is also a quite similar 48MP Quad-Bayer one, but you will be losing an ultrawide going for the Xiaomi. On the flip side – the Redmi Note 10 5G has a noticeably better 90Hz IPS display. Honestly, however, Xiaomi had to downgrade strategically to fit 5G into that phone. Not unlike Samsung. If you don’t particularly care about 5G, you can get a lot more value for a significantly lower price with the vanilla Redmi Note 10. This includes a jump to a Super AMOLED display and a stereo speaker setup. Also, an official IP53 rating.
Then there is also Xiaomi’s Poco line. It is truly hard to beat its value propositions. The Poco M3 Pro 5G is a great all-around competitor to the Galaxy A32 5G. It is essentially the same phone as the Redmi Note 10 5G we mentioned earlier while managing to cost less on many markets. A no-brainer, really. If you would rather substitute 5G for a larger still 6,000 mAh battery and a stereo speaker setup, then the vanilla Poco M3 is worth considering. It gets totally upstaged by the Poco X3 Pro, though. No 5G on this one either, but what you do get at a shockingly low price includes a 120Hz, HDR10, IPS display, stereo speakers, IP53 and definitely not least – a powerful Snapdragon 860 chipset that almost seems unattainable in this price bracket. Looking for a great budget gaming experience – look no further.
Realme currently has a pretty strong budget lineup as well. The Realme 8, in particular, will set you back a bit less than the Galaxy A32 and yet brings a great Super AMOLED, HDR10 display to the table and an otherwise quite comparable set of other specs. Minus 5G, that is. If the latter is particularly important to you, you might also be interested in the OnePlus Nord N10 5G.
Verdict
There is a lot to love about Samsung‘s current Galaxy A family. The “Awesome is for everyone” marketing slogan actually fits the bill quite well. The value proposition is quite strong, especially for devices like the Galaxy A52 and vanilla A32. The design is fresh and trendy, the hardware is mostly on point, and the added-value features in One UI 3.1 are better than ever. Now with the added benefit of longer software support. A lot of that has rubbed off on the Galaxy A32 5G as well. There is plenty to love about it. And it has great battery life even if charging is a bit slow. The camera setup holds up surprisingly well too.
However, the A32 5G biggest folly is that Samsung went about creating it by taking its good-value sibling and cramming 5G into the mix, without really inflating the budget price point. This has resulted in a phone with an unfortunately-downgraded LCD display, in particular, among other things. It is the single biggest gripe we have with the Galaxy A32 5G, since it just fails to live up to current market standards. It’s as simple as that.
All things considered, the Galaxy A32 5G is currently one of the cheapest Samsung phones with 5G on offer. Until the Galaxy A22 5G becomes a thing. If it is absolutely imperative for you to get a budget 5G Samsung, in particular, today, then the A32 5G is the way to go. Otherwise, we would probably hold off a bit or consider alternatives for better value.
Pros
Excellent battery life.
Latest Android and One UI, bright software future.
The MediaTek 720 is a modern, efficient and well-equipped chipset, with decent performance for the price.
Decent all-round camera performance, including useful Night mode and 4K@30fps video capture with the main cam.
Cons
Body feels a bit hollow and there is no ingress protection.
Disappointing LCD display, just HD resolution, inaccurate colors and slow pixel response times.
Just a single loudspeaker with underwhelming performance.
Ultrawide lacks 4K video recording and its 1080p video stabilization is poor.
