Samsung Galaxy S22 vs iPhone 13: Which is better?

This year's Samsung Galaxy S22 packs in a ton of premium features and key improvements, but can it keep pace with Apple's iPhone 13?

For many consumers, Apple's flagship is the smartphone to beat. Overcoming the realities of that perception is an uphill battle for even the best Android smartphones.

If you're looking to choose between the two devices and determine whether the Galaxy S22 is worth ditching the iOS ecosystem for, here's a comprehensive comparison that makes a complex choice a little simpler to digest.

When it comes to pricing, the standard Samsung Galaxy S22 has the edge on Apple's iPhone 13 when it comes to $/per gigabyte of storage.

If you're looking at the 128 GB version of either device, then Samsung comes in cheaper by about $120. If you're keen to double that on-board storage to 256 GB, the difference in price between the two devices grows to $170.

If you're looking to save cash, the Samsung Galaxy S22 is a clear winner here.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S22

The table below outlines the difference in price between the two devices.

If you'd prefer to get an iPhone 13 on a plan rather than buying outright, then the widget below rounds up a few popular mobile plans that you should be on your radar.

In Australia, the Samsung Galaxy S22 is available on postpaid mobile plans through Optus, Telstra, Vodafone and Woolworths Mobile.

Before we dive into breaking down each aspect of the two devices, check out the table below for side-by-side comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S22 and the Apple iPhone 13.

The new Galaxy S22 comes kitted out with a powerful triple lens rear camera that incorporates a 50-megapixel primary lens, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens. 

In contrast, the iPhone 13 has just two lenses. One is a standard wide lens, the other is an ultra wide one. Both rely on 12-megapixel sensors.

While that summary does leave Samsung with a lead on both megapixels and the amount of lenses involved, numbers rarely tell the whole story when it comes to smartphone photography. 

A big part of why the iPhone 13's camera is as good as it is comes down to the software are using to get the best results out of the hardware.

While Samsung's Galaxy S22 lineup promises to bring a bevy of new image enhancement tech and camera features to the table, it remains to be seen whether the company can live up to the bar set by Google and others, let alone take the fight to the iPhone.

For now, we're giving this one to Apple. Stay tuned for our full review.

Winner: Apple iPhone 13

Design-wise, the differences between the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Apple's iPhone 13 are largely a matter of personal preference.

Both devices come with IP68 water resistance, 5G connectivity, support for wireless charging and other typical flagship inclusions. With the addition of  Gorilla Glass Victus protection this time around, Samsung have even got an answer to the iPhone 13's Ceramic Shield. 

Winner: Draw

The Apple iPhone 13 and the Samsung Galaxy S22 both feature gorgeous 6.1-inch OLED screens with HDR10 compatibility. However, Samsung's latest flagship boasts a narrowly higher peak brightness and the option to rev up to a 120Hz refresh rate.

Even if you're not using these capabilities every time you pick up the phone, they do leave the Galaxy S22 with a slight lead on Apple's flagship.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S22

Rather than Samsung's house-brand Exynos processor, Aussies looking at picking up the Samsung Galaxy S22 will get a version of the device powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor.

While this is a clear upgrade on the processor found in last year's Samsung Galaxy S21, the performance of other devices powered by the same silicon suggests that this won't blow Apple's A15 Bionic processor out of the water.

Even though Samsung Galaxy S22 has more RAM than the iPhone 13, we're preemptively giving this one to Apple. As with the camera, the ball is in Samsung's court on this one.

Winner: Apple iPhone 13

While we won't know for certain until we have the chance to fully review the Samsung Galaxy S22, on paper, Samsung's latest flagship does have the advantage. It comes with a 3700mAh battery, which is slightly larger than the one found inside the iPhone 13.

However, with battery-draining features like 5G connectivity and a 120Hz refresh rate in the mix, we're not quite ready to call this one for Samsung based on battery specs alone.

Winner: Draw

If budget is the most important factor or you don't particularly care for the iOS ecosystem, then the standard Samsung Galaxy S22 is probably going to make a little bit more sense than the iPhone 13.

On the other hand, if you've got a bigger budget and are willing to pay a little bit more for access to the delights of Apple's walled-garden, then the iPhone 13 might be the way to go.

In either situation, you'll want to pair your new device up with a decent mobile plan. Check out the widget below for a round-up of the most popular BYOS plans that offer at least 50GB of data per month.