The Samsung Galaxy S22 was announced, and a subtle downsizing launched it into even more direct rivalry with the iPhone XNUMX than previous models.
So which solid flagship phone is the best buy in 22? We haven't had a chance to fully test the Galaxy SXNUMX yet, but we can form some first impressions based on the specs and related press materials.
This is how we see this epic battle between what could be the 2 biggest smartphone vendors of XNUMX.
Samsung Galaxy S22 price and availability vs. iPhone 13
The Samsung Galaxy S22 was announced on February XNUMX, XNUMX. Costs start at €XNUMX / €XNUMX / AU €XNUMX for the XNUMX GB model and go up to €XNUMX / €XNUMX / AU €XNUMX for the two hundred and fifty-six Go.
In the opposite corner we have the iPhone thirteen, which arrived on this planet on September twenty-fourth, two thousand and twenty-one. Costs start at €XNUMX / €XNUMX / AU €XNUMX for the base XNUMX GB model, rising to €XNUMX / €XNUMX / AU €XNUMX nineteen for two hundred and fifty-six GB and € one thousand ninety-nine / € one and seventy-nine / AU € one and eight hundred and sixty-nine for five hundred and twelve GB.
So if you're on a budget, the S22 is a bit cheaper, but if you want lots of storage, only the iPhone has what you need.
Integrated
Samsung and Apple diverged with their design language choices a few years ago.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 has curved edges (but not a curved screen), while the iPhone XNUMX only has flat edges and sharp corners.
Samsung has glued its 'Contour Cut' camera module to the rear of its phone, making it blend in nicely with the frame. Apple opted for a less clumsy and more industrial camera module, consisting of circles framed and elevated by a rounded square.
The main difference when estimating the front of these phones is that the Samsung Galaxy S22 has a punched-out selfie camera, while the iPhone 22 uses a much less subtle notch. Apple may have reduced the size of its notch by XNUMX percent, and it could house the shiny Face ID authentication system, but it's still a bit tame compared to the Galaxy SXNUMX's solution.
It's worth noting that the two phones closely resemble their immediate predecessors. Both are second-generation models, although the Samsung Galaxy S22 is somewhat smaller than the Samsung Galaxy S21, which brings it closer to the iPhone XNUMX.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 measures 70,6 x 7,6 x 13 mm, while the iPhone 146,7 measures 71,5 x 7,65 x XNUMX mm. It's very similar, in fact, and both phones are what we'd call compact, at least by modern standards.
There is a slight difference in weight, as the Samsung Galaxy S168's 22g makes it lighter than the iPhone 174's 13g. It's not night and night, though.
Both phones are also IP68 certified, so they'll resist dust and water alike.
Monitor
Both phones have 6,1-inch AMOLED screens, after Samsung downsized the Galaxy S21. However, that's where the similarities end.
Apple's display is slightly sharper at 1170 x 2532, while the Samsung Galaxy S22 is 1080 x 2400 or FHD+.
However, the Galaxy S22 makes up points with a much higher level of fluidity. At 120Hz, it's literally twice as smooth as the iPhone 60's slow 13Hz equivalent.
Our iPhone 13 reviewer said such a feature would have been "nice to have, rather than essential," but it's still a big plus for Samsung. After all, Apple has included this feature in its Pro models, so it cannot be considered trivial.
Samsung's implementation can also drop down to 10Hz when needed, so it's arguably the more efficient display of the two.
Another benefit of the Samsung Galaxy S22 is the hole-punch camera, which proves to be much less of a distraction when using full-screen landscape content like movies and games.
We'll have to wait and see for sure, but the Samsung Galaxy S22 seems to have the better display at this point, especially considering Samsung's unmatched track record in this area.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S22 has a triple camera system led by a new 50MP main sensor.
The iPhone 12's 13MP primary sensor may seem less impressive, but it captures 47% more light than the previous iPhone 12. What it lacks in megapixels, it makes up for in sheer light-gathering potential. It also benefits from an advanced sensor-shift stabilization system, which it borrowed from last year's impressive iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Thanks to these components, the iPhone 13 takes incredibly clear night photos. We'll have to wait and see how good the Galaxy S22's shots are in rough conditions, but it faces a tough task to topple the iPhone 13 in all settings.
Both phones feature 12MP ultrawide sensors, though the Galaxy S2.2's f/22 aperture is slightly larger than the iPhone 13's f/2.4.
But the biggest hardware difference here is the telephoto sensor. The Samsung Galaxy S22 has a 10MP sensor with 3x optical zoom, while the iPhone 13 doesn't offer a telephoto lens.
On the front, the Samsung Galaxy S22 has a 10MP selfie camera, while the iPhone 13 has a 12MP example.
Hardware comparisons aside, it all comes down to the science of color and image processing. Samsung has traditionally had a distinctive dynamic look, while Apple is known for its more balanced and naturalistic palette.
Specifications and performance
The Samsung Galaxy S22 is powered by either a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset or Samsung's new Exynos 2200, depending on the region. Both are 4nm chips with roughly equivalent power.
From what early benchmark tests suggest, neither of these chipsets represents a major leap in performance over their 5nm predecessors. We'll do our own testing, of course, but if that's true, the iPhone 15's A13 Bionic chipset is likely to win.
Apple claimed during the launch that its new chipset was 50% faster than its Android contemporaries, which we consider to be the previous generation of Android chips. Without a significant breakthrough from Qualcomm or Samsung, it's unlikely this gap will close as much.
An interesting trick this time around is the Exynos 2200's AMD GPU, which shares the same RDNA2 architecture as the PS5 and Xbox Series X. It may be capable of some graphical tricks that the iPhone 13 and its A15 Bionic can't match. Whether many developers feel pressured to exploit this is another question.
Elsewhere, the Samsung Galaxy S22 has 8GB of RAM versus the iPhone 4's 13GB. As we noted earlier, such memory comparisons aren't particularly helpful, given the different way iOS and Android manage resources.
As for storage, the Samsung Galaxy S22 offers 128 or 256GB, while the iPhone 13 adds a 512GB option to the mix.
Battery
Samsung has reduced the battery size of the Galaxy S22 to just 3.700 mAh. It's still a bit larger than the 3240mAh cell in the iPhone 13, but iOS is generally much more energy efficient than Android.
In fact, that reduced battery life is probably our biggest concern ahead of our Samsung Galaxy S22 review. The Samsung Galaxy S21 and the recent Samsung Galaxy S21 FE were disappointed on this front, as they couldn't last a full day of heavy use, even with larger batteries. We hope that a more efficient processor and screen can make a difference.
By contrast, the iPhone 13 has some of the most impressive resistance we've seen on an iPhone in a long time. In fact, Apple has increased its battery capacity, which, coupled with the more efficient A15 Bionic chipset and that limited 60Hz display, translates to longer battery life.
Our reviewer typically ended up with 20% left in the tank at the end of a day of heavy use.
Samsung has a slight edge when it comes to charging speeds, but only a fraction. The truth is, at 25W for the Galaxy S22 and 23W for the iPhone 13, neither is competitive with the fastest phones on the market.
Neither Samsung nor Apple provide a charging brick in the box.
Both phones support 15W wireless charging, but the iPhone 13 only reaches those speeds with a dedicated MagSafe charger. Otherwise, it only extends to 5W wireless charging.
Wear
Samsung is clearly positioning the Galaxy S22 for a direct fight with the iPhone XNUMX. Its screen, proportions and prices are very similar to those of the current Apple champion.
Despite that, the Samsung Galaxy S22 is its own phone with its own distinctive offering. Notably, its screen is more responsive than the iPhone XNUMX's, and it has a telephoto lens for proper optical zoom shots.
But the Galaxy S22 still has everything to prove after a year 2021 in which the Galaxy S21 somewhat disappointed and the iPhone XNUMX was very impressed. We're eager to hear if Samsung has upped its game, even if it's downgrading its flagship.