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❤ Android 13 beta seems to be right around the corner for Samsung Galaxy S22 series

Galaxy Expert June 28, 2022 Android, Android 13, Android 5G, Android OS, Android User Guide, Culture, Featured, Lifestyle, News, Repair Service, Review, Samsung, Samsung Display, Samsung Electronics, Samsung Galaxy, Samsung Smartphone Repairs, Smartphone, Smartphones, Software, Top Stories, Update, Updates, Upgrade, World Samsung Android 13, Samsung Android 13 beta, Samsung Galaxy, samsung galaxy repair, Samsung Galaxy Repair Costs, Samsung Galaxy S22, Samsung Galaxy S22 Repair, Samsung Galaxy S22 Repair Costs, Samsung Galaxy S22 Screen Replacement Costs, Samsung Galaxy S22 series, Samsung Galaxy S22 Sydney CBD Repairs, Samsung Galaxy Screen Replacement Costs, Samsung Galaxy Sydney CBD Repairs, Samsung S22 Android 13, Samsung S22 Android 13 beta

Google has yet to finalize Android 13, but it seems more updates are coming up quick. Some new evidence points to the Android 13 beta coming soon for the Samsung Galaxy S22 series.

Samsung Android 13 beta seems to be coming up soon

Recently, Google released the third beta update for Android 13 which delivered a few tweaks and fixes as the platform refresh moves towards its final release. As it appears right now, Google should release Android 13 to the public sometime in August or September, well ahead of last year’s schedule.

As highlighted by the folks over at TizenHelp, it seems Samsung is ready to start testing out its own flavor of Android 13 in a beta update.

Firmware version S906NKSU2ZVF6 popped up in Samsung’s home country of South Korea, which is believed to be the first Android 13 build for a Galaxy S22 series device. The update has yet to roll out to anyone, but development is well underway.

As is usually the case, the update will likely be available first for the Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra, Samsung’s current flagships. Foldables and the Galaxy S21 series will likely follow closely behind.

What will Android 13 bring to Samsung’s devices? “One UI 5.0” is still largely a mystery at this point, but we have some hints that it will improve some animations and other small tweaks, but larger changes remain to be seen. With One UI 4.0, Samsung adopted a form of Material You to bring accent colors to its Android skin based on a user’s wallpaper.

It was previously reported that Samsung would release its Android 13 beta in July. Last year, Samsung released the Android 12 beta in September, so this would be far ahead of schedule.

This continues Samsung’s speedy track record

Samsung has become a shining example of what Android updates should look like, delivering some of the longest support timelines and the fastest updates.

In 2021, Samsung beat Google’s Pixel by delivering four years of security updates to its Galaxy smartphones, and doubled down on that in 2022. Now, new Galaxy devices get four years of major Android updates and five years of security updates.

Samsung is, right now, quite literally the best brand for Android updates. Only Google’s Pixel 6 series rivals it, and even then, it falls a bit behind.

Everything you need to know about Android updates on Samsung Galaxy devices

Updates are crucial to the health and overall performance of your Samsung Galaxy phone, no matter when it was made. This complete guide will give you all the information you need about Samsung’s Android and security updates, timelines, and more.

How to check for updates on Galaxy devices

Most of the time, updates are pushed automatically to your Galaxy phone. You’ll know one is ready if you see a little notification that says “Update ready to install.” All that’s required to start the update is a password entry or verification that you want to initiate the update. The problem with this system is that it takes a little while for these updates to automatically push to your device.

The solution? By manually checking for updates on your Samsung Galaxy phone, you’ll be able to discover updates earlier, meaning you get the latest security patch or new OS even sooner. Here’s how to check for updates on your Samsung Galaxy phone:

Head into settings on your Samsung Galaxy device.
Scroll all the way to the bottom and look for Software update. Tap it.
Tap Download and install.

Your device will start looking for new updates. If one is available, your device will prompt you to either install it or schedule an install time. You can schedule the update to install during the night so it won’t disturb your routine.

After the installation starts, it should only take about 10 minutes or so to completely install a security update. If it’s a larger Android update, you may want to schedule it to initiate at night, since it may take a good amount of time.

Can I sideload on Samsung phones?

Android devices are built on the idea of being able to configure them to your liking. This includes being able to push new updates to your device before they’re officially available. This is called sideloading, and it takes a little more than just a few taps on your device. You’ll usually need a computer and added software.

Sideloading involves using a computer to manually send a file image to your device – usually in developer or recovery mode, depending on the method used – and having the computer use a series of tools to install the new OS on your device. Samsung devices make this a little tricky compared to Google’s Pixel line since Google has a lot of support available for Android sideloading.

While it’s absolutely possible to do, it isn’t an ideal process for the average user. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in this process that could critically damage your device. So, unless you absolutely know what you’re doing, sideloading should be a last resort when it comes to updates on your Samsung device. Waiting for the built-in update tool to get the update is safer and much easier.

How often does Samsung release security updates?

Samsung has a few different schedules when it comes to updates, but the company is one of the best in the industry for Android updates and security patches. Some devices get monthly security updates, some get quarterly, and some phones are only updated twice a year.

Generally, the older the device is, the more sparse the updates are. Devices like the Galaxy S8 Lite and some A-Series phones only get biannual security updates since they were released before 2019. Newer devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 3 get monthly security updates and likely will for a while.

Some Samsung devices slow down in update frequency as they age, moving from a monthly schedule to a quarterly schedule. For example, the Galaxy Note 9 launched with monthly updates but now has a quarterly schedule. To check the status of your device, check here.

How long will my Samsung device get Android updates?

There are two different types of updates for your Samsung Galaxy phone. The first is security updates, which keep your device up to date with the newest cybersecurity precautions Samsung can offer. The other is system updates, otherwise known as Android updates. These are software updates meant to fix bugs and add features like those found in Android 12.

Samsung’s security update schedules

Recently, Samsung announced that phones sold in 2019 and later would receive four years of security updates. This means after four years of owning your device, you can rest assured knowing that the latest update for your phone is still keeping you safe. Here are the devices that will get four years of security updates:

Galaxy Foldables
- Fold, Z Fold2 5G, Z Flip, Z Flip 5G
Galaxy S
- S10, S10 +, S10e, S10 5G, S10 Lite, S20 5G, S20 + 5G, S20 Ultra 5G, S20 FE 5G
Galaxy Note
- Note10, Note10 +, Note10+ 5G, Note 20 5G, Note 20 Ultra 5G
Galaxy A series
- A10e, A20, A50, A11, A21, A51, A51 5G, A71 5G

In 2022, Samsung made an even better promise than in 2019. The company decided to improve it and begin offering five years of security updates for certain new devices, like the S22 line. Products that will be getting five years of security updates are:

Galaxy S
- S22, S22+, S22 Ultra, S21 5G, S21 + 5G, S21 Ultra5G
Galaxy Tab
- Tab S8, Tab S8+, Tab S8 Ultra
Galaxy Z
- Z Flip 3, Z Fold 3

Samsung provides up to five years of security updates to certain devices that are a part of the company’s Enterprise lineup as well.

Android system updates

In terms of system updates, Samsung promises three years of Android updates for phones sold in 2019 or later, as well as a couple of other select devices. In essence, this means these devices get to see three different versions of Android in their lifetime, a new precedent previously unheard of from Samsung. Here are the devices eligible for three years of Android updates:

Galaxy S10
- S10, S10 +, S10e, S10 5G, S10 Lite
Galaxy S20
- S20 5G, S20 + 5G, S20 Ultra 5G, S20 FE 5G
Galaxy Note 20
- Note 20 5G, Note 20 Ultra 5G
Galaxy Note
- Note10, Note10 +, Note10+ 5G
Galaxy Foldables
- Fold, Z Fold 2 5G, Z Flip 5G
Galaxy A
- A51 5G, A52 5G, A71 5G, A72, A90 5G

With the release of the Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra, and Tab S8 Samsung has pushed the limit even further. Those who purchase these devices will be looking at a whole four years of Android updates! This also extends to “select” future A series devices as well, with those getting five years of security updates and four years of Android system updates. Here are the devices looking at four years of Android system updates:

Galaxy S21
- S21, S21+ 5G, S21 Ultra, S21 FE, S22, S22+, S22 Ultra
Galaxy Tab
- Tab S8, Tab S8+, Tab S8 Ultra
Galaxy Z
- Z Flip 3, Z Fold 3

When three years were promised for some Galaxy devices, we initially thought this was a great move and an impressive one at that. With the newest Android system update guarantee for S22 devices, we’re even more blown away with the commitment to these phones. At this point, Google has no excuses to limit updates to three years.

This is the most that Samsung has ever offered in the way of making sure your device stays up to date for a long time. With that being the case, don’t be afraid to check for updates every once in a while since they take a bit to get pushed to your Samsung Galaxy device.

❤ Samsung Galaxy S22 5G

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).
Display: 6.10″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak), 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 425ppi; Always-on display.
Chipset: Exynos 2200 (4 nm) – Europe, Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) – ROW: Octa-core (1×2.8 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A510) – Europe, Octa-core (1×3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.40 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.70 GHz Cortex-A510) – ROW; Xclipse 920 – Europe, Adreno 730 – ROW.
Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
OS/Software: Android 12, One UI 4.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm, 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.94″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120-degree, 1/2.55″ 1.4µm, Super Steady video.
Front camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF.
Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 3700mAh; Fast charging 25W, USB Power Delivery 3.0, Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W, Reverse wireless charging 4.5W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); NFC; Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support), Bixby natural language commands and dictation, Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified).

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.

❤ Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

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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.

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).
Display: 6.60″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak), 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 393ppi; Always-on display.
Chipset: Europe: Exynos 2200 (4 nm), Octa-core CPU (1×2.8 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A510), Xclipse 920 GPU; Rest Of World: Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm), Octa-core CPU (1×3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.40 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.70 GHz Cortex-A510), Adreno 730 GPU.
Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
OS/Software: Android 12, One UI 4.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.94″, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55″ 1.4µm, Super Steady video.
Front camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF.
Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 4500mAh; Fast charging 45W, USB Power Delivery 3.0, Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W, Reverse wireless charging 4.5W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); NFC; Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support), Bixby natural language commands and dictation, Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified), Ultra Wideband (UWB) support.

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.

Left to right: Galaxy S22 • Galaxy S22 Plus • Galaxy S22 Ultra

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.

Left to right: Galaxy S22 • Galaxy S22 Plus • Galaxy S22 Ultra

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.

Left: Galaxy S22 • Galaxy S22 Plus

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.

Google Pixel 6 Pro • Xiaomi 12 Pro

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.

❤ Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

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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).
Display: 6.80″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak), 1440x3088px resolution, 19.3:9 aspect ratio, 500ppi; Always-on display.
Chipset: Exynos 2200 (4 nm) – Europe, Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) – Rest of the world.
Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM; UFS 3.1 .
OS/Software: Android 12, One UI 4.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f/1.8, 23mm, 1/1.33″, 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm, 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom.
Front camera: 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.82″, 0.7µm, PDAF.
Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 45W, USB Power Delivery 3.0, Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W, Reverse wireless charging 4.5W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); NFC; Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support), Bixby natural language commands and dictation, Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified), Ultra Wideband (UWB) support; Stylus, 2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro).

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra unboxing

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.

Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G • Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G • Galaxy Z Fold3 5G • Mi 11 Ultra • iPhone 13 Pro Max

Verdict

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).
Isn’t called a Note and that makes us sad.

❤ Samsung Galaxy A51 5G

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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.

Samsung Galaxy A51 5G specs

Body: 158.9×73.6×8.7mm, 187g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame; Colors: Prism Cube Black, Prism Cube White, Prism Cube Pink.
Display: 6.5″ Super AMOLED, 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 405ppi.
Chipset: Exynos 980 (8 nm): Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A77 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex A55); Mali-G76 MP5.
Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.1; microSDXC (hybrid slot).
OS/Software: Android 10, One UI 2.
Rear cameras: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/2.0, 26mm, 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 5 MP, f/2.2; LED flash, panorama, HDR.
Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8″, 0.8µm; HDR.
Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps; gyro-EIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 4500mAh; Fast charging 15W.
Misc: Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass; NFC; FM radio, RDS, recording; ANT+.

Samsung Galaxy A51 5G unboxing

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.

Cons

Unimpressive fingerprint recognition speed.
No telephoto camera.
No 60fps video recording.

❤ Samsung Galaxy A22 5G also known as Samsung Galaxy A22s 5G

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.

Samsung Galaxy A22 5G specs at a glance:

Body: 167.2×76.4×9.0mm, 203g; Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back.
Display: 6.60″ TFT, 90Hz, 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 399ppi.
Chipset: MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 5G (7 nm): Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G57 MC2.
Memory: 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
OS/Software: Android 11, One UI Core 3.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.8, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 5 MP, f/2.2, 115-degree, 1/5.0″, 1.12µm; Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4.
Front camera: 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide).
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.

Samsung Galaxy A32 • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 • Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro

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.

Realme 8 5G • Xiaomi Poco M3 Pro 5G • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G

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 Galaxy A32 5G

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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.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G specs at a glance:

Body: 164.2×76.1×9.1mm, 205g; plastic body.
Display: 6.50″ TFT, 720x1600px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 270ppi.
Chipset: MediaTek MT6853 Dimensity 720 5G (7 nm): Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G57 MC3.
Memory: 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
OS/Software: Android 11, One UI 3.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree, 1/4.0″, 1.12µm; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4.
Front camera: 13 MP, f/2.2, (wide).
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.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 • Xiaomi Poco M3 Pro 5G • Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro • Realme 8

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.

❤ Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G

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Samsung currently has a really strong Galaxy A lineup. They took their “Awesome is for everyone” slogan to heart with interesting and fresh designs, as well as good value specs. Better still, the Korean giant definitely recognizes it has a good product on its hands and is now investing even further in extending its life. Particularly the Galaxy A52, which now has a new Samsung A52s 5G variant.

Technically, it can be considered another generation of the product, compared to the vanilla A52 and the A52 5G, though there aren’t too many new changes here. The first two A52 models came out back in March, with the 5G one swapping the original’s Snapdragon 720G for a 5G-capable Snapdragon 750G and the 90Hz, 6.5 Super AMOLED display for a 120Hz one. All the while keeping the two devices physically identical.

Now the Galaxy A52s 5G takes the Galaxy A52 5G and builds on top of it even further, swapping the chipset once again with an even better Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset, effectively addressing one of the few issues we had with the original – a slightly underpowered chipset.

And that’s about it – a significant leap forward in performance and a few other minor specs additions that the new chipset affords, like Wi-Fi 6 compatibility, but still the exact same phone. Arguably, with less changes than going from the vanilla A52 to the A52 5G.

Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G specs at a glance:

Body: 159.9×75.1×8.4mm, 189g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back; IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins).
Display: 6.50″ Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits (HBM), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 405ppi.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm): Octa-core (4×2.4 GHz Kryo 670 & 4×1.9 GHz Kryo 670); Adreno 642L.
Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
OS/Software: Android 11, One UI 3.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.7″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree, 1.12µm; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 5 MP, f/2.4.
Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8″, 0.8µm.
Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 4500mAh; Fast charging 25W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); 3.5mm jack.

That’s definitely not us complaining, though, since the price tag on the Galaxy A52s 5G is practically unchanged either. Plus, you are still getting an excellent device, with some highlights like that 120Hz, 6.5-inch, Super AMOLED panel we just mentioned, a solid quad camera setup – the same as before, a gorgeous and youthful, playful exterior, with a rubber-like finish, pastel colors and an IP67 rating.

Once again, you physically get the exact same 159.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm phone, with a plastic yet sturdy frame and a Gorilla Glass 5 front. It even weighs the same at 189 grams, which makes sense since the battery is the same 4,500 mAh one. It can be charged at a rate of up to 25W, like before, but this time around, you get a 25W charger in the box, as well, which is even more added value on the Galaxy A52s 5G.

Both the original Galaxy A52 and the A52 5G in detail, you can refer to those articles for commentary on design, software and any other aspect that has been carried forward unchanged on to the Samsung A52s 5G.

Since the chipset has been swapped, we will go ahead and re-test everything related to that, including performance, battery endurance and charging. We’ll test the camera performance as well, since a new chipset does also mean a new and potentially different DSP, even though the cameras remain the same.

Unboxing

Before we get to all that, let’s go through the new box and its contents really quick. There is nothing particularly special about the box itself – it is a simple, two-piece cardboard affair, but is strong and does its protective job as intended.

The accessory package hasn’t changed drastically, with the important exception of the included charger. The Galaxy A52s 5G comes with a 25W charger in some markets instead of the lesser 15W unit the A52 and the A52 5G came with. You do need to check your particular retailer, though. So, that’s a nice little potential value-add bonus.

Beyond that and a relatively short USB cable, there is nothing extra inside the retail box. No case or anything like that, which you might get with budget offers from other manufacturers. Even so, it’s all about perspective, since with something like the significantly more expensive Galaxy S21 series, you don’t even get a charger at all.

The competition

It is not particularly hard to find viable competitors to the Galaxy A52s 5G within its rough mid-ranger price bracket. Though in fairness, Samsung has made the task significantly harder, in the best possible way, now that the refreshed model comes with a snazzy new Snapdragon 778G chipset, at little to no extra cost and at no notable expense to its other strengths.

And the A52s 5G has plenty of those – an excellent 120Hz, 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel, solid battery life from its 4,500mAh and decently-fast 25W PD charging, a very good stereo speaker setup, plus a 3.5 mm audio jack and ample power from that shiny new Snapdragon 778G chipset. Not to mention the excellent modern connectivity options, like 5G, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.

The phone’s excellent exterior should also not be overlooked, and we’re not just talking about the eye-catching pastel colors that also include a great silky, rubbery finish. Just like its predecessors, the A52s 5G comes with Gorilla Glass 5 and, more impressively, IP67 official ingress protection rating. That alone is practically impossible to match at this price point, outside of Samsung’s own offers.

Speaking of which, if your budget is not set in stone, why not look into the Galaxy S20 FE. It has a similar 120Hz AMOLED but offers much better performance thanks to the flagship-grade Snapdragon 865 5G chip. The S20 FE has a better camera on the back, too – there is a 12MP primary with OIS, a dedicated 8MP tele camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom, while the 12MP ultrawide shooter is a match to the Samsung A52s‘. And if these aren’t good enough reasons to spend more, then there is fast wireless and reverse wireless charging, too. Oh, and in case ingress protection matters to you, the S20 FE has an even better IP68 rating.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE • Samsung Galaxy A32 • Samsung Galaxy A52

On the flip side, if you don’t mind giving up a few extras in the name of saving a buck, then the Galaxy A32 is still a great option. Not to be confused with the A32 5G, though. You still get a solid 6.4-inch, 90Hz Super AMOLED panel, an even bigger 5,000mAh battery, with excellent 119 hours of endurance in our tests. You also get most of the same camera setup, with a few downgrades and nearly all of the same software features from One UI and excellent three-Android-release and four-year security packages software support promise. No stereo speakers, ingress protection and a significantly worse chipset, though.

Also, another a bit more “out-there” suggestion for you – if you really like the Samsung A52s 5G, but just wish you didn’t have to spend as much for it, you can probably hunt around for a deal on the original Galaxy A52 and get most of the same experience. You will be sacrificing on 5G, the 120Hz refresh rate (though you still get 90Hz) and some performance overall in the chipset department and connectivity options. Technically, the same logic can be applied to the A52 5G, as well, though the price delta there just doesn’t seem to be worth it at the time of writing.

There is plenty of value to be had outside camp Samsung, often for a notably lower price too. Some highlights include the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro. For just shy of EUR 250, it offers an excellent 6.67-inch, 120Hz, AMOLED, HDR10 panel, stereo speakers, a big 5,020mAh battery, with 118 hours of endurance in our testing and 33W fast charging and a quad main camera setup, with a 108MP snapper at the helm. Slightly worse Snapdragon 732G chipset, with no 5G, though and an IP53 rating.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro • Xiaomi Poco F3 • Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE

Depending on your personal priorities, you can go for the Poco X3 instead and get a similar overall package, but with a significantly better Snapdragon 870, 5G-enabled chipset and just some minor sacrifices in other departments like a 48MP main camera and a smaller battery.

We would also be remiss if we didn’t mention the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, which practically seems crafted as a direct competitor to the Samsung A52s 5G. Some of its highlights include a 6.55-inch, 90Hz AMOLED display, with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, stereo speakers, the exact same Snapdragon 778G chipset, a nearly-identical 4,250mAh battery, with 33W charging and a similar camera setup, with a 64MP main snapper, but also a dedicated 5MP 50MM telephoto. All of this for a notably lower price than the Galaxy A52s 5G.

Like we said, there is no shortage of great offers in the mid-range segment, so here are a couple more. Depending on where you live, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G might be a great one. A few of its standout features include a high-end MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset, 65W fast charging on its 4,500mAh battery, as well as a 50MP, OIS-enabled main camera.

OnePlus Nord 2 5G • Realme GT Neo2

Last, but not least, you could look into the Realme GT Neo2, again depending on local availability, though. It packs, among other things, a Snapdragon 870 5G chipset, 6.6-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display and a big 5,000mAh battery, also capable of 65W charging.

Our verdict

The Galaxy A52 line, in our opinion, has successfully managed to hit the “sweet spot” within Samsung‘s strong and compelling current Galaxy A lineup. The newest Samsung A52s 5G refresh has flawlessly executed a chipset upgrade, only bringing more value to the table. The Snapdragon 778G is not only all-around faster than the Snapdragon 750G it replaces, but it also brings along some nifty connectivity upgrades, namely Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Most importantly, though, it does so without harming or downgrading the other aspects of the Galaxy A52 and without really increasing its price tag either.

If you are after a great value-proposition from Samsung in 2021, or alternatively, really need an IP67 ingress protection rating for under EUR 450 at current pricing, then look no further than the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G. Or, perhaps the A52, if you can find a good deal and can live with the trade-offs. It’s also important to note Samsung’s promise of extended software support on the Galaxy A line as an extra value add. You can expect 3 major OS updates, as well as 4 years of security patches.

Even with all that said, though, we understand that many of you will look around at what many competitors are currently offering at this price point and still find the Galaxy A52s 5G a bit lacking and not quite hitting the right sports for you, personally. Samsung‘s MSRP is a bit on the higher end. However, price and value are not the same things. Also, value is, in a major way, a subjective matter, and thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives and competing formulas to choose and pick from nowadays.

Pros

Nice color options and new silky finish, standout, stylish design, IP67 rating, Gorilla Glass 5.
Bright AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate.
Solid battery life. 25W charger in the box in some markets.
Impressive hybrid stereo speaker setup for the price range.
Latest One UI 3.1 and Android 11 setup, with plenty of advanced Samsung features and a promise of 3 major OS updates and 4 years of security patches.
The Snapdragon 778G chipset offers a nice overall performance boost over the Snapdragon 750G, as well as some connectivity upgrades.
Versatile quad camera setup, with OIS on the main 64MP snapper and solid camera quality.
4K video recording with every camera and at every zoom level.

Cons

Still priced a bit too high compared to viable alternative devices.
Color consistency in photos across the ultrawide and main cameras needs some work. So do white balance in low-light and Night mode.
Selfie camera consistency leaves a bit to be desired.

❤ Samsung Galaxy A42 5G

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is one very odd smartphone. It was touted as the cheapest 5G phone and teased for weeks before its complete specs were finally outed. And it turned out the A42 has grown quite bigger since its compact A40 and A41 predecessors. Not only that but this new Galaxy A42 5G is also shaping to be an excellent gaming device with a pretty large battery at that. Yes, the Galaxy A42 5G is odd, but in a good way.

The Galaxy A42 5G doesn’t stray from the beautiful design we saw on the Galaxy A41 and comes with an even more glamorous Prism Dot look. But it is now bigger as Samsung opted for a 6.6″ Super AMOLED screen this time. Larger it may be, but the resolution has dropped to HD+, which may get some instant “ew”, but bear with us for a moment.

The latest mid-range Galaxy is powered by the 5G-capable Snapdragon 750 chip, which is a real powerhouse. And with that oomph under that HD+ display, we are looking at flagship-grade performance in gaming.

Then there is the beefy 5,000mAh battery, which can keep those gaming sessions for quite some time. The older A41 and A40 aced out battery life test with considerably smaller batteries, so we have high expectations for this one.

The Galaxy A42 5G borrows the Galaxy A41 camera setup and adds an additional 5MP depth sensor. This means you’d find a familiar arrangement on its back – a 48MP primary cam, an 8MP ultrawide shooter, a 5MP macro snapper, and the new depth sensor. The front camera is in the ballpark of the old one – a 20MP f/2.2 imager.

The A42 loses nothing since the A41 – it still offers a 3.5mm jack, an FM radio, a microSD slot, and many will appreciate the doubled storage of 128GB, UFS2.1 at that.

Let’s take a look at the specs sheet now.

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G specs at a glance:

Body: 164.4×75.9×8.6mm, 193g; Plastic body.
Display: 6.60″ Super AMOLED , 720x1600px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 266ppi.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750 5G (8 nm): Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 570); Adreno 619.
Memory: 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.1; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
OS/Software: Android 10, One UI 2.5.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.8, 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 5 MP, f/2.4.
Front camera: 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide).
Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, 720p@480fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 15W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); NFC; 3.5mm jack.

There is only one thing we would have liked even more on such a gaming-oriented smartphone, and that’s a stereo speaker setup. We know it’s a €299 phone with 5G and all, but seeing how Poco puts some outstanding speakers, it’s not that far-fetched thing to wish for, is it?

Anyway, we just can’t wait to put this phone through its paces. So, without further ado, here is the Galaxy A42 5G unboxed.

Unboxing the Galaxy A42 5G

The Samsung Galaxy A42 5G is packed within a compact paper box. Its bundle contains a 15W charger, a USB-C cable, and one cheap-looking pair of headphones with a mic.

There is also a silicone protective case inside the box, hidden in the paper compartment that’s somewhat stuck inside the paper lid.

Competition

The Galaxy A42 5G was announced as the cheapest 5G smartphone back in September. But its specs were kept hush-hush for a month, and when it was finally launched in November, the mid-range 5G revolution was already in full swing.

The €300 Galaxy A42 5G is no longer the cheapest 5G smartphone, but it is still a very decent one. With such a powerful chipset under its HD screen, the A42 5G is easily the best gaming phone in this price bracket.

The first smartphone that comes to mind when thinking in mid-range 5G terms is the €280 Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G as it is powered by the same Snapdragon 750G chipset. This one impresses with a 120Hz 1080p LCD screen, loud stereo speakers, and 33W fast charging. While it doesn’t offer a Super AMOLED, the HRR LCD screen is a nice thing to have, and if gaming performance is what you want the most – just lower the gaming resolution, and you’ll match the Galaxy’s.

Then there is the Realme 7 5G, also priced at €280, which also tempts with a 120Hz 1080p LCD screen. It has a similarly powerful Dimensity 800U 5G chip; as for gaming at 720p is concerned, its 5,000mAh battery recharges much faster. The quad-camera on the back is a match for the Galaxy A42’s.

The €349 OnePlus Nord N10 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 690 5G chip – quite similar to the SD750, but with a less powerful GPU. The Nord beats the Galaxy with a 90Hz 1080p screen, stereo speakers, and faster charging, but its gaming performance isn’t a good match. And since this Nord is €50 more expensive than the A42, we’d go for the latter.

Finally, let’s mention the €380 Galaxy A51. It’s pretty much the Galaxy A42 but with a higher-res screen. If the screen resolution bothers you, but you want a Super AMOLED screen, this is an excellent alternative.

Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G • Realme 7 5G • OnePlus Nord N10 5G • Samsung Galaxy A51 5G

Our verdict

The Galaxy A42 5G is a cheap 5G mid-ranger, which excels in everything it does – gaming, browsing, multimedia, office apps, and whatnot. It has a large AMOLED screen and a beefy battery to keep whatever you are doing for quite some time. So, yes, the Galaxy A42 5G seems like a great chap.

It’s not the cheapest or the best offer in this class, though. Xiaomi and Realme sell similar phones but with high-res and high-refresh screens, priced less at that. They can’t offer an OLED panel, and the only way to match the Galaxy A42 in games is to manually lower, if possible, the games’ resolution.

In fact, that’s the most important question you should answer for yourself if you are getting a €300 5G phone for gaming – do you want to tinker with settings for every single game, or will you be alright with a great performance on this natively 720p screen, an OLED at that?

Pros

Bright Super AMOLED screen, small notch
Eye-catchy design
Outstanding battery life
Flagship-grade performance
Very good photo quality, day and night
Impressive 4K clips from the main cam
Android 10 and OneUI 2.5 are snappy and easy to use

Cons

720p screen
No stereo speakers
Slow to charge
The macro photos aren’t that good

❤ Samsung Galaxy A32 4G/LTE

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Is 4 more than 5? It’s a pressing question if you’re looking at the Samsung Galaxy A32 in 4G spec and its 5G counterpart. We have the LTE version over for review and will try to answer that question in the absence of the A32 5G, but we’ll revisit if the handset with next-gen connectivity support arrives at our door.

You get entirely different displays for starters, and the 4G’s is a lot better – a 90Hz 1080p AMOLED vs. the 5G’s 60Hz 720p LCD. The LTE version also snatches a couple of wins in the camera department with high-res main and selfie cameras. The A32 5G counters with a chipset that’s not only 5G capable, but also more powerful thanks to its newer cores.

That last bit is perhaps where the Galaxy A32 will face the biggest challenge against competitors in its just-under-€300 price bracket – you can have a lot better than the Helio G80. The phone’s imaging system isn’t too shabby, however, with a 64MP primary unit joined by an 8MP ultrawide, and a 20MP selfie camera. But it’s the display that is among the most compelling bits about the Galaxy A32 – on paper and (spoiler alert!) in practice, too.

Samsung Galaxy A32 specs at a glance:

Body: 158.9×73.6×8.4mm, 184g; glass front; plastic back; plastic frame.
Display: 6.40″ Super AMOLED, 90Hz, 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 411ppi.
Chipset: Mediatek Helio G80 (12 nm): Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G52 MC2.
Memory: 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
OS/Software: Android 11, One UI 3.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 1/4.0″, 1.12µm; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 5 MP, f/2.4.
Front camera: 20 MP, f/2.2, (wide).
Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/120fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 15W.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); 3.5mm jack.

Some smaller things that are easier to overlook but still set the A32 4G apart from its more forward-thinking brother include the under-display fingerprint sensor and dedicated microSD slot (the A32 5G’s is hybrid). Meanwhile, a shared attribute is the choice of battery – a 5,000mAh power pack that Samsung seems to have settled on as the optimal capacity for the bulk of its phones.

Samsung Galaxy A32 unboxing

Another familiar sight is the Galaxy A32‘s retail package – a plain cardboard box inside a sleeve, with a likeness of the phone printed on top. The adapter inside is an old acquaintance too – the 15W Adaptive Fast Charging unit has been around since… 2014, was it? The only difference from back then is the cable, as it now has USB-C on the phone’s end.

You won’t find a headset inside this Galaxy’s box, but the phone does have a 3.5mm jack where you can plug in existing headphones. More about what’s where on the A32 – on the next page.

Competition

The Galaxy A32 in 4G spec is in a weird spot in the lineup. It obviously has no support for 5G connectivity but it has the 90Hz Super AMOLED and the 64MP camera as the key selling points, with the great battery life coming as a bonus. What else can you get at its price point of €280/£250/INR22000?

Turns out – a lot. Take, for example, the Xiaomi Redmi Note10 Pro (known as the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max in India). It one ups the Galaxy’s display by offering a 120Hz refresh rate and does so with a minimal hit to battery endurance, not to mention it charges much faster. Much faster is the Redmi’s chipset too, its camera is better (complete with 4K capture), and it has stereo speakers (loud ones too). The Indian version is cheaper than the Galaxy, but even if it were at a slight premium, we reckon it’ll still be well worth it. Price and availability for the global model are still murky, but we can’t imagine it going for over €300.

Moving on, the just-announced Realme 8 Pro starts at €280/£280/INR18000, and it’s arguably a more compelling package than the Galaxy. You’d get a beefier chipset and nicer camera (4K recording, too), plus quicker charging. Here, the Galaxy wins for display, however, with its 90Hz OLED being superior than the Realme’s conventional 60Hz one. Additionally, we can speculate with relative confidence that the Realme will be no match for the A32’s battery life.

Another brand new release, the Poco X3 Pro, is also an alluring alternative. At €250 for a 6GB/128GB configuration, it’s cheaper than the Galaxy, and comes with a flagship-grade Snapdragon 860 chipset that will run circles around the A32’s lower-end Mediatek. A stereo speaker setup and a modest but appreciated IP53 rating are both in its favor too, while the 120Hz LCD vs. 90Hz OLED is an entirely personal preference. Hardly a photographer’s dream, the Poco is about tied with the Galaxy for taking pictures (but does record 4K video).

If you’re in India, you could also look at the very popular Vivo V20 for about the A32’s asking price. The Galaxy has the better display (90Hz vs. 60Hz, brighter) and longer battery life, while the Vivo wins for charging speed and camera performance (image quality, 4K recording, AF on the ultrawide).

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Max • Realme 8 Pro • Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro • vivo V20

Verdict

Despite the undeniably superb results in some areas, the Galaxy A32 has flaws that can be considered dealbreakers. The chipset is perhaps the worst offender, being too slow for the money. Likely related, the buggy Night mode can be really disappointing, and the phone underdelivers on the video recording front.

So what you’re left then is great endurance, an awesome display, and the Samsung badge. Can these make a strong enough case for the Galaxy A32? Typically, they could, but at the price that Samsung charges for this one, you can get so much more phone by giving up on the Galaxy name that we feel it’s not worth fixating on brand loyalty in this particular case.

Pros

Wonderful 90Hz Super AMOLED display.
Excellent battery life.
Latest Android and OneUI, bright software future.

Cons

Underpowered chipset.
Slow fingerprint reader experience.
Buggy Night mode on the main camera.
No 4K video recording, poor stabilization on the ultrawide camera.

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