Samsung Galaxy S22 5G Review: Pocket Friendly Flagship
April 21, 2022Performance: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 5G, 8GB RAM / 120Hz
Main Display: 6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x (2340×1080)
Weight: 167g
Storage: 128GB
Battery: 3,700 mAh
Features: 8K / 4K / 1080p / 720p HDR10+ video recording
Samsung DeX Support: Yes
Rear Camera: 12 MP Ultra wide, 50 Wide, 10 MP Telephoto
Front Camera: 10 MP, 4K/1080p Video recording ( Dual Video Call)
Rate:8.5/10
Price:RM3,499.00
There’s a market for compact, pocket rockets. It’s a niche segment, one that places emphasis on portability above all else. That’s why the iPhone 13 and SE exist – they cater to an audience that want flagship performance wrapped in a small form factor device that can be easily carried on one’s person.
The S22, Samsung’s most petite offering of its flagship line, is the latest contender in this space. Measuring 146mm x 70.6mm x 7.6mm and weighing 167g, it fits in the palm of your hand and is feather light in comparison to the beefy S22 Ultra. Yet, it’s equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Exynos 2200 (depending on your market) and 8GB RAM.
Identical in terms of build quality and materials used, the S22 is a miniaturized version of the S22+. But its compactness is relatively similar to how smartphones looked a decade ago. And as small as the S21 5G was, Samsung has seen it fit to shrink the overall dimensions of the S22 5G further.
And unlike its predecessor, its construction feels far more elegant and well put together. The iPhone-like “feel in the hand” adds to the overall premium look and feel. The S21 5G, though a good phone, doesn’t feel as well made as its successor. The chunky aluminum frame and the rear case’s smooth texture exudes quality.
However, the overall design between it and the S21 5G are relatively similar, with the difference being that the former has a flatter frame and camera array than the latter. This lends it a more sophisticated look that should entice customers from various age groups. The phone is available in Phantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet or Cream.
Each color is matched by the armor aluminum frame. It’s subtly done instead of being “in your face”, which is what we want. The same is true of the camera array, instead of the striking contrasting colors exhibited by the S21 5G, the tone tends to match that of the main color theme. It’s these minute adjustments that make it more favorable to own compared to its predecessor.
It has a 6.1-inch, dynamic AMOLED 2x display rather than last year’s 6.2-inch one, and a 3,700mAh battery instead of a 4,000mAh unit. As such, the S22 5G is shorter, narrower, thinner and lighter than the S21 5G. It’s this diminutive stature that makes it a pocket companion. Smartphones’ have become unmanageable these days, accounting for unsightly pocket bulges.
But this isn’t so for the S22 5G. It slips into any pocket with relative ease and in some instances, you forget that it’s there. This is part of the allure of compact smartphones. The other is the ability to use it one handed while being able to reach all four corners of the screen with said hand. It has the same vivid, 120Hz, AMOLED display that’s on the S22+.
As such, it outputs punchy photos and images that makes content more enjoyable and entertaining to watch. And though it can’t adjust individual sections on the screen like the S22 Ultra, the overall delivery is good enough. That said, I found myself being less productive on its 6.1-inch screen compared to that of the S22+.
In comparison, the plus’s gargantuan 6.6-inch display was far more practical to scrutinize mock ups, read lengthy documents and stream content. More screen real estate means more can be accomplished on said device. This is why the Note series has had a substantial fan following since the model’s inception.
Performance
Since it has the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip as its siblings, the S22 5G flies through most tasks without hesitation. You can throw anything but the kitchen sink at it, and it will crunch through said tasks without skipping a beat. This is the same for video recording sessions as it is with the task of shuffling through multiple apps at once.
It’s quicker than the S21 5G, but that’s only noticeable in benchmarks. In reality, both phones are quick to respond to your touch input. Due to the screen size, users will rarely dabble in any form of media editing work especially when it comes to videos. The tiny display will prove to be more of a hindrance than anything else.
As such, most users of the S22 5G will probably use it as a phone instead of a pocket computer. The S22 Ultra with its big display, stylus and plethora of features make it a worthy stand in for a productivity machine. But that isn’t the case for its smaller sibling.
Cameras
Its 50MP main camera is a marked improvement over its predecessor’s paltry 12MP unit. Though MP comparisons are pointless, the former does allow for slightly better quality pictures due to improved exposure and post processing features. Shots are slightly punchier, having mode depth and overall better on the eyes.
The hardware and software work together to produce fairly accurate shots without you messing about with the contrast and saturation. This allows for a sense of realism that many people will come to appreciate. Instead of tweaking things to look artificial, the sensors are good enough that such trickery seems unnecessary.
This is especially true of photos taken at night or ill lit areas. Though a far cry from the S22 Ultra’s superb nightography capabilities, the overall quality is marginally better than its predecessor. That said, shots taken on the telephoto lack the same depth and color detail as that of the S21 5G ( 3x optical zoom). This is to be expected because you’re relying on a 10MP sensor rather than a 64MP unit.
The 10MP selfie camera is alright as well. Portrait shots keep the subject in focus while allowing you to blur the background to your liking. The image processing is quite adept at separating you from your surroundings. When applying various bokeh effects, the software cuts cleanly around you instead of compromising edges near the hair or clothing.
Videos taken on the phone are quite good because the footage retain a good amount of detail, color and smoothness. Both the main and telephoto lenses benefit from Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which is why your content will look fairly smooth and devoid of distortions.
If needed, you can add various filters for both videos and pictures. But in my experience, that isn’t necessary unless you intentionally want to make artificial changes. The S22 5G is one of those phones that takes the legwork out of photo taking sessions. Instead of having to muck about in the settings or post-processing editing work, just clicking the shutter buttons and the phone will do the rest.
Overall, it’s marginally better than what you’d get on the S21 5G. The better camera hardware and improved software equate to noticeable improvements when taking photos and videos. The S22 5G has the same hardware as its bigger brother the S22+, and as such performance is identical.
Battery Life
Since it has a 3,700mAh battery, getting through the entire day can be an issue. This is especially true if you’re a heavy user who relies on the phone for several hours throughout your day. With light to moderate use, you should be able to get to the end of the day with relative ease.
However, extensive photo or video taking sessions, media consumption or gaming will force you to frantically search for a charging port by 6pm. It’s something you’ll need to consider if you’re interested in buying one. Unlike the S22+, it only has 25W fast wired charging and 15W wireless charging, which is a slight bummer.
Should You Buy One?
It’s a really good phone, but the small screen doesn’t help with overall productivity. If you rely on your phone for office related tasks and media consumption, it would be better to go for the S22+. The S22 5G is meant for people who want a pocketable phone that has the performance to do just about anything.
Miniature Android phones occupy a niche section of the market, and as such only a handful of buyers will understand its appeal. My advice is to base your decision on how comfortable you are living with the 6.1-inch screen. That will help you gauge whether this is the right phone for you.
