Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: Spot the difference
The Galaxy S23 Ultra isn’t a massive upgrade over its predecessor, but it makes the right changes in the right places. All models come with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with the Exynos model nowhere to be seen. Pair that with a brand-new 200MP primary camera, and you’ll have a well-rounded phone.
You shouldn’t ignore the S22 Ultra just because a shiny new model has just been released. This phone, so long as you get the Snapdragon version, is a powerhouse to be reckoned with, thanks to its inherited Galaxy Note features and impressive display.
When theGalaxy S23 Ultrawas released earlier this year, it looked like little more than a spec bump over theGalaxy S22 Ultrait replaced. A new chip and more megapixels in the primary camera sensor aren’t revolutionary improvements. So, is the S23 Ultra just a minor upgrade over its predecessor, or is it greater than the sum of its parts? Let’s break down the key differences between these twoSamsung phones.
Pricing, availability, and specs
The S22 and S23 Ultra are sold in dozens of countries, either unlocked from Samsung or a carrier. Both launched at the same $1,200, although you get double the storage in the S23. Both phones see frequent discounts, with theS22 Ultra often going as low as $800. The S23 Ultra has reached the point in its life cycle where offers pop up fairly frequently, but the older phone will usually be cheaper.
While tech specs don’t tell the whole story, you can see a full breakdown of both phones here:
Design and build quality
Unless you know what you’re looking for, the S22 Ultra and S23 Ultra look almost identical. They both have frames made of armored aluminum, and the S22 Ultra uses Gorilla Glass Victus, while the S23 has Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The curve of the display on the new phone has been reduced and is similar to that of the S21 Ultra, making the S23 Ultra far easier to hold and fit screen protectors better. Except for the rear cameras being slightly larger on the newer model and the power button/volume rocker situated slightly lower on the right side, everything else is the same.
Software and performance
The Galaxy S23 Ultra launched with One UI 5.1 based upon Android 13, and the S22 Ultra and other Samsung devices have all been updated to match. One UI 5.1 includesseveral quality-of-life improvements, including a battery widget, a redesigned media player that matches stock Android 13, and more. S23 users can try out theOne UI 6 betain supported countries, which should arrive as a stable update in the next month or two, with the S22 to follow.
Both phones come equipped with the iconic S Pen, which means all of Samsung’s stylus features and apps are here. The S Pen is either a plastic stick you’ll never use or, in our case, one of the main reasons to buy one. Seeing the pen return again is always welcome.
Performance will be one of the main reasons to upgrade if you live outside the US. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 that the Galaxy S22 Ultra used in the US had some thermal issues, but overall, it did a decent job. Unfortunately, the rest of the world had to put up with the Exynos 2200, an awful chip that can’t maintain performance and runs hotter than a neutron star.
Finally, the Galaxy S23 series has brought the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to all regions. Now that the S23 Ultra has been available for a few months, we can finally see how much of a difference that makes. For example, my S22 Ultra was a hot mess, barely able to run basic apps like Google Maps without overheating with throttling performance. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 also had some thermal issues, which were later fixed with the 8+ Gen 1, but that was nothing compared to the Exynos variant.
The S23 Ultra suffers from none of these issues. On a recent road trip, I had Google Maps and Telegram accessing GPS, Spotify streaming music over Bluetooth, and Twitter and Facebook open in split screen for three hours, all while the phone acted as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Over that time, the phone didn’t get warm or drop a frame. The 8 Gen 2 is a marvel.
The S22 Ultra is available in 8GB/128GB, 12GB/256GB, 12GB/512GB, and 12GB/1TB variants, while the S23 Ultra comes in 8GB/256GB, 12GB/512GB, and 12GB/1TB. It’s nice to see Samsung raise the base storage to 256GB, but it’s a shame that 8GB of RAM is all that’s available in the base model.
Battery and charging
The specs here are identical for both phones: A 5,000mAh battery that can be charged at 15W wirelessly and up to 45W wired. Both phones can also share power through reverse wireless charging up to 4.5W.
While those specs are the same, the real-world experience is quite different. The S22 Ultra would experience thermal issues while charging, so it couldn’t maintain 45W for very long. In contrast, the S23 Ultra has a new cooling system that enables it to sustain max charging speeds for far longer. My Exynos 22 Ultra would take around an hour to charge from 20-100% on a 45W adapter, while my S23 Ultra can do that in about 35 minutes, all while staying cool to the touch.
Battery life itself is also pretty great. You’ll get about an hour or two longer than the Snapdragon S22 Ultra and significantly longer than the Exynos version. I was one of the lucky ones who received their S23 Ultra before the official release date, and in all that time, I still haven’t been able to kill the battery. With heavy use, including YouTube, YouTube Music, Disney+, Slack, Gmail, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the occasional round of Smash Hit, I’m averaging about eight hours of screen time each day.
The displays are essentially the same. Both use 6.8-inch, 1440p panels that can reach a peak brightness of 1,750 nits and vary their refresh rate between 1 and 120Hz. One noticeable difference is the display curve which has been reigned in on the S23 Ultra, making the S23 Ultra far more comfortable. It should also make screen protectors easier to fit.
The displays being the same isn’t bad, as it’s a beautiful panel that’s smooth, crisp, and bright. It’s just a small change compared to previous years, where each new generation of Galaxy S phones would bring a massive leap in display quality. It seems like we’ve finally reached the point of diminishing returns.
The cameras are the most important part of the Ultra phone, and neither phone disappoints. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a 40MP selfie camera with autofocus, a 108MP primary camera, two 10MP telephoto lenses at 3X and 10X, and a 12MP ultra-wide lens that doubles as a macro mode.
The S23 Ultra shares these cameras with two exceptions — the selfie and primary cameras. The selfie shooter is now a brand-new 12MP sensor with autofocus and is shared with theother members of the S23 series. The lower megapixel count may look like a downgrade on paper, but with a sensor small enough to fit into a hole punch, the 12MP unit should take better photos, especially in low light.
The primary sensor has been upgraded from 108MP to 200MP. Now, bigger numbers don’t always mean better performance. But this 200MP sensor has been eagerly expected for a long time, and hopefully, Samsung has spent enough time perfecting it for this phone. The S22 Ultra suffers from shutter lag on the hardware side and over-sharpening on the software end, so hopefully, both of these things have been fixed in the S23.
Which should you buy?
The S22 Ultra can often be found for $800, which is a bargain, but you should still get the newer phone. The S23 Ultra can still be found on sale at times, but regardless of price, it’s just a better phone. The display has a more subtle curve which makes screen protectors easier to fit, but most importantly, it’s reliable at being a phone. Thanks to the 8 Gen 2, the battery life and signal strength will never let you down, and in day-to-day use, the S23 Ultra feels several generations newer than the old phone, especially for me, who was stuck with an Exynos S22.
Finally brings Qualcomm’s chip to the rest of the world
If you live in the US, where you can get the Snapdragon S22 Ultra and find a good deal on one, you’ll be more than happy with it. It’s still a capable device in its US configuration; you just need to find it for the right price, as it can get a little toasty.
Bridged the gap between S and Note
You shouldn’t ignore the S22 Ultra just because a shiny new model has just been released. So long as you get the Snapdragon version, this phone is a powerhouse to be reckoned with, thanks to its inherited Galaxy Note features and impressive display.
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