In April 2022, Samsung’s latest 5G smartphone “Galaxy S22” was released for the domestic market.
The Galaxy S22 is the latest model in the Galaxy S series, and some designs have been changed from the previous model, and the screen and body have become smaller, making it easier to carry. The built-in SoC is also equipped with higher performance than before, and the processing performance is improved by 20% or more.
This time, I borrowed the actual Galaxy S22 from the manufacturer and checked the design, usability, processing performance, camera performance, etc., so I will introduce it in detail.
Design / specifications
The model I borrowed this time is the pink gold of the Galaxy S22. It is a fashionable color that has the warmth of pink and also has elegance.
The body design is not much different from the previous model “Galaxy S21”, but the side is flat. Personally, I feel that the flatter one has a better grip and gives a higher sense of security when holding it.
The front surface has a full-screen display design that extends to the edge of the main unit, and a punch hole is provided to avoid the front camera at the top center of the screen. There is no big change from the previous model in this area.
The screen size has been reduced from 6.2 inches to 6.1 inches, and the body size has also been slightly reduced in size and weight. Specifically, the main body size is H146.0 x W70.6 x D7.6 mm, and the weight is 168 g, which is one of the relatively small size among the latest smartphones.
| Galaxy S21 | Galaxy S22 | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.2 inches | 6.1 inch |
| body size | H151.7×W71.2×D7.9mm | H146.0 x W70.6 x D7.6mm |
| weight | 171g | 168g |
After actually using the Galaxy S22 for several weeks, the miniaturization of the screen and the main body made it easier for even a writer with a small hand to reach the edge of the screen with one hand, and I felt that it became easier to operate as a whole. There is. The Galaxy S22 is the perfect smartphone for women and one-handed people.
The screen is equipped with an organic EL display like the previous model. Because it excels in expressing black, it projects night views and dark photographs and videos very beautifully. The resolution is 2340 x 1080 (FHD +).
The refresh rate is a variable type that automatically adjusts from 48Hz to 120Hz according to the content, saves power at 48Hz for still images, and moves smoothly with a slimy screen at a maximum of 120Hz when scrolling. Of course, the movement when scrolling is comfortable, but there is also the advantage that the eyes do not get tired because the screen moves smoothly.
If you put it with the back side down, it will rattle, so when you put it, the screen side should be on the bottom side if possible.
The back is a simple design with only a triple camera and LED flash. The back has a matte finish that makes it difficult for fingerprints to stick to it, and it feels smooth to the touch. Since it is hard to get fingerprints, it can be kept relatively clean even if it is used without a case.
The camera configuration is wide-angle + ultra-wide-angle + telephoto, and the number of pixels is 50MP, 12MP, 10MP in order. I would like to introduce the performance of the rear camera in detail later, including the photos taken by the author.
Biometrics supports both face and fingerprint recognition. You can switch the authentication method smartly depending on the situation, such as authentication by just showing your face and fingerprint authentication when wearing a mask such as when you go out.
Fingerprint authentication uses an ultrasonic sensor built into the screen, so a mechanism to authenticate fingerprints by placing your finger on the screen. The sensitivity and authentication speed are good, and people who used to use physical sensor type fingerprint authentication should be able to authenticate with almost the same feeling.
On the side, buttons are grouped only on the left side. There are two buttons, a volume control button and a power button.
The bottom is equipped with a USB Type-C port for charging and communication, and a SIM slot. The main unit can be charged not only by wire but also by wireless, and the charge output supports up to 25W for wired and up to 15W for wireless charging. Reverse wireless charging “Wireless Power Share” that can charge other devices is also available.
The SIM slot is a single specification and supports nanoSIM. Unfortunately, it does not support eSIM, so a physical SIM card is essential if you want to use mobile communication. If you switch to the Galaxy S22 due to a model change, don’t forget to switch to a physical SIM card if you were using eSIM with the previous model.
The SIM slot is dedicated to SIM cards and does not support external storage such as microSD. Since the built-in storage is 256GB, I think that the capacity is basically enough for anything, but please be careful for those who take a lot of photos and videos on a trip etc. or those who use a large capacity application. sea bream.
Waterproof standard corresponds to IPX5 / IPX8. Except for special situations such as exposure to storms or submersion in water, there is basically no need to worry regarding submersion. The dustproof standard is compatible with IP6X, so you can continue to use it with confidence without worrying regarding failure even in an environment where fine sand is flying up.
In addition, the Galaxy S22 is compatible with the “Osaifu-Keitai” that many people in Japan demand from Android smartphones. Mobile Suica, PASMO, etc. can be used.
Built-in SoC performance
The Galaxy S22 is equipped with “Snapdragon 8 Gen 1” as a built-in SoC. According to Samsung, the processing performance is improved by more than 20% compared to the previous model, the GPU performance is improved by regarding 30%, and the machine learning is also improved by regarding twice.
I tried to measure the benchmark score using the benchmark application to see how much performance it actually has. The AnTuTu benchmark and Geekbench 5 are used for the measurement.
The above is the result of the AnTuTu benchmark. The overall score was 826386.
The above is the benchmark result of Geekbench 5. The single score is 1193 and the multi-core score is 3141. The OpenCL score, which indicates graphic performance, was 5735.
As it is the latest SoC, it is one of the most high-performance Android smartphones on the market in Japan. The graphics performance has been greatly improved from the previous model, making it possible to play 3D games more comfortably.
In addition, the performance of the AI function of the camera has also improved due to the improved performance of the SoC. The quality of photographs such as shooting in the dark and portraits has improved. For details, I would like to introduce it in the camera section.
Camera performance
Many people cite the high camera performance as the reason for choosing the Galaxy S series. The camera performance of this Galaxy S22 is also quite good, and you can take full-scale photos with a smartphone.
The rear camera of the Galaxy S22 has a triple configuration of wide-angle + ultra-wide-angle + telephoto, and the number of pixels is 50MP, 12MP, 10MP in order. When you want to take beautiful pictures, you can basically use a wide-angle camera with a high pixel count, and at the same time, you can take unique pictures that take advantage of ultra-wide-angle and telephoto.
This time, I had the opportunity to go to Hakodate on a business trip, so I took pictures of various landscapes with the Galaxy S22.
The above is a picture taken with the main wide-angle camera. I was able to take beautiful pictures that were clear everywhere and had almost no noise. Especially this time, I often took pictures during the time when the west sun was strong from noon to evening, but all the pictures were finished with exquisite light adjustment and I didn’t have to be very conscious of it.
The above is a photograph taken from the inside of a dark building through a window, but even if the difference in brightness is large, the inside of the building does not become black and the outside becomes whitish, and it can be taken firmly. Depending on the idea, it seems that you can take very unique pictures.
Taken with a wide-angle camera
Taken with a telephoto camera
The above are photos taken in wide-angle mode and 3x optical zoom in telephoto mode. Although it is slightly hazy due to the weather, the summit is clearly visible.
The above is a picture taken in night mode. The scenery from Mt. Hakodate, a popular night view spot, shows the city lights more firmly than you can actually see, and I was able to take very beautiful pictures.
Night mode (3x zoom)
A photo of the night view from Mt. Hakodate taken with a telephoto camera and the Seikan connecting ship “Mashumaru” in the center of the photo. Although the roughness is noticeable because it is taken at night, it is not at the level that it has not been taken at all, so it seems to be useful if you want to keep it as a record.
In portrait photography, the subject and the background can be clearly distinguished, and the subject is clearly and clearly projected. The background blur is natural, and I think I was able to take a very high quality portrait photo.
summary
The Galaxy S22 has basic functions such as 5G communication and Osaifu-Keitai, but also has high performance of the built-in SoC and operates smoothly, so it works well as a main smartphone.
After actually using the Galaxy S22 for a few weeks, I found the camera performance to be good. You can easily take beautiful pictures in any situation, and you can enjoy not only daily photography but also photography in special scenes such as events and travel destinations.
Moreover, by realizing this camera performance with a small model, it is a good point of the Galaxy S22 that it can take both portability and camera performance. It’s compact, but it’s a recommended smartphone for people who don’t want to give up on camera performance.
The Galaxy S22 is sold by domestic carriers at DoCoMo and au, and the selling price is 122,012 yen for DoCoMo and 125,030 yen for au (both including tax). You can’t miss the fact that it’s relatively affordable for a high-end smartphone. If you’re thinking regarding changing your main smartphone model, why not consider the Galaxy S22?
Galaxy is a trademark or registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.