The Samsung Galaxy S22 is the smallest model of the new S-Class and at the same time the cheapest entry. As with the Plus model, the quality of the smartphone has been greatly increased, but savings have been made elsewhere. You can clearly feel that when using it. In the test report I will tell you how I got through my everyday life with the Samsung Galaxy S22.
Samsung Galaxy S22 in the test: conclusion
GIGA rating: 8.4 / 10
The Samsung Galaxy S22 convinces in the test with the compact size, the light weight, great display, high performance, good camera and a really long update guarantee, so you will have many years of fun with the smartphone. The use of high-quality materials also suits the new generation very well compared to its direct predecessor.
Samsung blundered when it came to battery life. You can get through the day with the Galaxy S22 if you don’t use the smartphone too much. With intensive use, you have to find a way to charge the smartphone in between. That’s a shame, because the predecessor had a larger battery and was able to convince with a noticeably better battery life. Incidentally, a power supply unit is not included in the scope of delivery. You’ll have to get that yourself if you don’t have one.
Anyone who is satisfied with the short battery life or who does not use the smartphone that much, but is looking for a compact cell phone with a good camera and strong display, has come to the right place with the Samsung Galaxy S22 at a price of 849 euros. Everyone else should grab the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus.
Advantages:
- Display
- Camera
- Design
- quality impression
- Performance
- form factor
- 5-year update guarantee
Disadvantage:
- battery life
- No power adapter included
- No option for memory expansion
- price
Pleasantly small and handy
Android smartphones are no longer small – at least not as small as they used to be. 6-inch smartphones like the Galaxy S22 are now considered compact because they fit comfortably in the hand. Especially compared to the Galaxy S22 Plus and S22 Ultra, the normal S22 looks very small and light. It weighs just 167 grams. In combination with the rather elongated screen the smartphone feels wonderful in your hand.
As in Galaxy S22 Plus review mentioned, the Quality noticeably improved compared to the predecessor. There is no longer a plastic back. The Galaxy S22 has a glass back, which is now enclosed in the frame. One might almost think that one is holding an iPhone in one’s hand, although the frame has at least been slightly rounded off by Samsung.
The display is awesome
Samsung can build really good displays and the company proves this very clearly with the Samsung Galaxy S22. Even if you get a slightly lower brightness on paper with 1,300 nits than with the Galaxy S22 Plus and S22 Ultra with 1,750 nits, you don’t really notice it. I was able to take great photos, even when the sun was shining towards me or directly onto the display. The FHD+ resolution is sufficient and the refresh rate of 120 Hz ensures that the content is displayed smoothly. The only gripe for me is that the protective film is no longer installed from the factory. Here you should get armored glass (look at amazon).
Performance and software match
An Exynos 2200 works in the Samsung Galaxy S22, which in combination with the 8 GB RAM and Android 12 with “One UI 4.1” produces very high performance. In combination with the 120 Hz display you get an absolutely smooth display. But the performance is not perfect. There are minor lags every now and then, especially when accessing hardware like the camera. But that’s really complaining on a high level. In normal use you won’t notice it at all.
The Samsung software is both in the way it works and with future security at an extremely high level. Everything is self-explanatory, you are pleasantly guided through the setup process and you can easily switch from an old to the new phone. A lot has happened compared to before. Sure, there are still annoying features here and there, like the many Samsung services and bloatware apps that nobody really needs. But as long as it doesn’t bother you too much, that’s absolutely fine.
If you buy the Samsung Galaxy S22, you get it five years of security updates and four new Android versions. The smartphone is delivered with Android 12 and you will still receive Android 13, 14, 15 and 16. Here you are perfectly covered for the next few years.
Cameras take beautiful pictures
If you are interested in the camera performance of the Galaxy S22, you should check out the Watch the Galaxy S22 Plus review. Exactly the same sensors are installed. the Camera works at a very high level. Afterwards only some pictures that I took on my bike tours with my smartphone. This gives you a good impression of the quality of the cameras.
Battery life is borderline
I’m actually a bit disappointed on that point. As in all my tests, I always use the 120 Hz function of the smartphone when it is available. This is also the case with the Samsung Galaxy S22. The battery has become smaller compared to its predecessor. You only have 3,700 mAh available. In normal use I only get through the day with luck. While I still achieved a display-on time of 5 to 6 hours with the Galaxy S21 with a 4,000 mAh battery, I only get 4 to a maximum of 5 hours with the successor. And I only used the smartphone in 4G mode. What should then happen in the 5G network?
With intensive use with a lot of surfing on the net, taking photos and watching videos in the WiFi but also in the mobile network from Vodafone, I didn’t get through the day. I had to to the socket early in the evening. In my opinion, that’s just not enough. The battery should not have been made smaller. If you want to get through the day safely, you have to reach for the Galaxy S22 Plus or Galaxy S22 Ultra for better or worse.
And loading takes a comparatively long time. While you can get up to 50 percent relatively quickly with a 25-watt power supply, everything following 50 percent drags on a lot. So I usually unplug my cell phone at regarding 50 percent if I can’t get through the day and continue to use it. Then I’ll be fine. Overall, the smartphone takes regarding an hour to fully charge with a 25-watt charger. The competition can do that much faster.
ratings in detail
| category | Rating (max. 10) |
| Processing, haptics and design | 9 |
| Display | 9 |
| cameras | 9 |
| Software | 9 |
| Performance | 9 |
| telephony and audio | 8 |
| Storage | 8 |
| Battery and everyday life | 6 |
| in total | 8.4 |
