Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: Is the upgrade worth it?

Even if this year's Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Ultra have more in common than they do apart, the specific differences between the two devices have never felt quite so...notable.

If you're looking to choose between the two or determine whether or the Galaxy S22 Ultra is worth the cost of upgrading, we've put together a comprehensive comparison to make the process of deciding a little easier.

When it comes to pricing, the standard Samsung Galaxy S22 is unsurprisingly cheaper than the top-of-the-line Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Australian pricing for the Galaxy S22 starts at $1,249 while the Galaxy S22 Ultra starts at $1,849.

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

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S22

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

Before we dive into breaking down how the performance, cameras, designs and displays of the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Ultra differ, check out the table below for side-by-side comparison that highlights how the specs of the two devices compare to one another.

As with last year’s Samsung Galaxy S21, the new Galaxy S22 comes armed with a powerful triple lens rear camera. This multi-lens array incorporates a 50-megapixel primary lens, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens. 

While that's a perfectly-promising foundation for amateur smartphone photographers, those looking to go a step further probably won't regret paying the premium attached to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Samsung's top of the line smartphone photography device ups the ante by increasing the sensor on the primary lens to 108-megapixels and adding a second 10-megapixel telephoto lens into the mix.

This time around, Samsung are putting a big emphasis on the videography and low-light capabilities of the whole Galaxy S22 range. While many of the improvements and new features here, such as the AI image processing and portrait videos, can be found in both the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Ultra, others are exclusive to the more expensive device.

If you care about having the 100x Space Zoom or the new Detail Enhancer setting, you'll need to shell out a little extra for the Galaxy S22 Ultra as the baseline model doesn't include these camera features.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Samsung's Galaxy S Ultra devices have typically tended to be larger than their Galaxy S counterparts and little else. They've often packed in additional features like the S-Pen or a bigger battery, but deviated from the wider look and feel found across the range.

In 2022, the Galaxy S22 Ultra looks set to break this convention.

A sleek metal framed and S-Pen makes this a new Galaxy Note in all but name. While your mileage with the larger form-factor may vary, it's clear Samsung have gone the extra mile when it comes to making the design of the S22 Ultra live up to the higher price-tag.

There are also a handful of smaller-but-still-notable upgrades that the Galaxy S22 Ultra gets you, including 45W fast-charging, plus ultra-wide band and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Screen size is one of the most tangible points of difference between the Samsung Galaxy S22 and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. 

The Samsung Galaxy S22 comes armed with a 6.1-inch display with FHD+ resolution, 1300 nits peak brightness and a 120Hz variable refresh rate.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra easily wins out here when it comes to more than just sheer size. At 6.8-inches, the high-end display on Samsung's successor to the Galaxy Note boasts a higher QHD+ resolution and 1750 nits.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

On paper, the everyday performance found in the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra should be nearly identical. However, we won't know for sure until we have the chance to properly test both devices.

While Aussies are typically treated to Samsung Galaxy devices powered by the company's Exynos processors, this time around they'll reap the performance and battery life benefits of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor.

If you're trying to tease out which device has the edge, you'll have to look beyond processing hardware.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 is kitted out with 8GB of RAM and either 128 GB or 256 GB of on-board storage.

Meanwhile, the beefier Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with up to 12 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage. For power-users especially, those extra gigabytes give the Galaxy S22 Ultra the lead.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Battery life is one of the most important details when it comes to smartphone specs and, as per usual, the smaller devices in Samsung’s 2022 roster are equipped with smaller batteries.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 has a 3700mAh battery. This is actually smaller than last year’s Samsung Galaxy S21, which shipped with a 4000mAh battery. It's also smaller than the 5,000mAh battery inside the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

While size isn't everything, the difference in battery size between the two device is likely to give the Galaxy S22 Ultra the edge here.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

If budget is the most important thing or you don't particularly care for the larger form-factor offered by the Ultra, then the standard Samsung Galaxy S22 is probably going to the better buy here. It's still got plenty of features and premium perks, and it's a whole lot cheaper than the Galaxy S22 Ultra. 

On the other hand, if you've got a bigger budget, consider yourself a power user when it comes portable photography or are craving a smartphone that'll fill the Galaxy Note-sized hole in your life, then the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a lot to offer.