The all-new Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra seems to be the one on the line-up to garner so much public attention and if you own a premium Samsung Galaxy device from recent times such as the Galaxy S21 Ultra or the older Galaxy Note 10 Plus, you might be wondering if an upgrade to the newest model is necessary.
One thing I’ve found interesting as far as Samsung’s devices are concerned over the years is the fact that they age quite well and still retain their value even as many years pass by.
Since the majority of the high-end Galaxy devices (both the S and Note series) often come loaded with tons of cool features and chipsets that keeps these devices fast as time get by, the need to constantly swap your smartphone with each annual release might just be a question of “If”.
However, for those who love the Galaxy Note series but couldn’t purchase one back in 2021 because there wasn’t one, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has now bridged the gap between the Galaxy Series and the Galaxy Note series.
- Advertisement -
In fact, many will argue that Samsung is merely scraping the name “Galaxy Note” but the lineup’s legacy still lives on in the Galaxy S22 Ultra in so many ways.
Take, for instance, the shape of the device, ever since 2020, Samsung has switched from the curved edges display design on all of its premium-tier Galaxy S series to just flat while the Galaxy Note series retained these curved edges.
Also, the boxy shape that has no curved corners is prominent on the Galaxy Note series since its inception. All of these external design characteristics are now being inherited by the Galaxy S22 Ultra – that many tech product reviewers often misspell as the Galaxy Note 22 Ultra.
And most of all, the S-Pen which although was supported in the previous Galaxy S21 Ultra, now has a silo to store it just like the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and other Galaxy Note series that came before it.
That said, there are a number of interesting factors that might make you consider purchasing the more expensive Galaxy S22 Ultra and drop your older Galaxy models such as the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, Galaxy S10 Plus, Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy S20 Ultra, and Galaxy S21 Ultra.
| Features | Galaxy S22 Ultra | Galaxy S21 Ultra | Galaxy Note 20 Ultra | Galaxy S20 Ultra | Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G | Galaxy S10 5G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x 120Hz refresh Rate HDR10+ 1750 nits (peak) |
6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x 120Hz refresh Rate HDR10+ 1500 nits (peak) |
6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz refresh rate HDR10+ |
6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz refresh rate HDR10+ 1400 nits (peak) |
6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED HDR10+ |
6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED HDR10+ |
| Chipset | Exynos 2200 (4 nm) – Europe Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) – ROW |
Exynos 2100 (5 nm) – International Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) – USA/China |
Exynos 990 (7 nm+) – Global Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) – USA |
Exynos 990 (7 nm+) – Global Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) – USA |
Exynos 9825 (7 nm) – EMEA/LATAM Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) – USA/China |
Exynos 9820 (8 nm) – Global Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) – USA |
| Storage | 8GB and 12GB of RAM Internal storage is between 256GB and 1TB No MicroSD support |
12GB and 16GB of RAM Internal storage is between 256GB and 512GB No MicroSD support |
8GB and 12GB of RAM Internal storage is between 256GB and 512GB Supports MicroSD |
12GB and 16GB of RAM Internal storage is between 256GB and 512GB Supports MicroSD |
12GB of RAM Storage is between 256GB and 512GB Supports MicroSD |
8GB of RAM Storage is between 256GB and 512GB No MicroSD support |
| Camera | Quad rear setup 108MP wide camera 10MP Periscope zoom camera 10MP Telephoto camera 12MP Ultra wide camera |
Quad rear setup 108MP wide camera 10MP Periscope zoom camera 10MP Telephoto camera 12MP Ultra wide camera |
Triple setup 108MP Wide camera 12MP Periscope Zoom camera 12MP ultra wide camera |
Triple setup 108MP Wide camera 48MP Periscope Zoom camera 12MP ultra wide camera |
Triple rear setup 12MP wide camera 12 MP Telephoto camera 16MP Ultra wide camera |
Triple rear setup 12MP wide camera 12 MP Telephoto camera 16MP Ultra wide camera |
| Battery | 5000mAh Li-Ion 45W fast charging |
5000mAh Li-Ion 25W fast charging |
4500mAh Li-Ion 25W fast charging |
5000mAh Li-Ion 45W fast charging |
4,300mAh Li-Ion 45W fast charging |
4,500mAh L-Ion 25W fast charging |
| Colors | Phantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy | Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, Mystic White | Cosmic Grey, Cosmic Black, Cloud White | Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black, Aura Blue | Crown Silver, Majestic Black, Royal Gold |
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. Galaxy S21 Ultra
The closest to the new Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the previous Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G which sports nearly the same high-end specifications as the newest model.
Even though the new Galaxy S22 Ultra has the latest and slightly better Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, that doesn’t mean it will outpace the previous Snapdragon 888 chipset that came with the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Away from that, both devices have the same 6.8-inch display based on the Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology. Both devices also offer the blazing-fast 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, but the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a brighter display with its peak brightness reaching 1750 nits while the previous Galaxy S21 Ultra stays at 1500 nits at its peak.
However, the previous Galaxy S21 Ultra has a slightly higher resolution of 1440 x 3200 pixels with a 515 PPI while the current Galaxy S22 Ultra’s display resolution is 1440 x 3088 pixels with a 500 PPI.
In terms of storage capacity, both devices have high-end storage capacity but the high-end variant of the Galaxy S21 Ultra has a whopping 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Although there isn’t a significant difference when compared to the 12GB of RAM that came with the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Its max storage can reach 1TB if you’re willing to pay for that. Samsung has removed support for MicroSD cards on the Galaxy S22 Ultra but that came into being since the previous Galaxy S21 Ultra.
In terms of camera capacity, both devices offer nearly the same hardware capability with their primary sensor being a 108MP sensor. The quad setup comes with the same technology but the insignificant difference between both devices’ camera output shouldn’t be the reason why you’ll drop your Galaxy S21 Ultra for the new Galaxy S22 Ultra especially if you want to stick to the Galaxy S series design aesthetics which is still being maintained by the Galaxy S21 Ultra, unlike the Galaxy S22 Ultra which looks more like a Galaxy Note.
Bottom Line: If you’re coming from the Galaxy S21 Ultra, you probably won’t notice any major difference but if you’re coming from a much older Galaxy device, you can definitely notice the high-end qualities of the device.
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
This device is still my favorite in terms of design but I digress. Even though it has a huge camera slab at its back that most will find unpleasant, the device is beautiful in terms of its design and it has some outstanding features.
And for what it’s worth, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra would become the last of its kind and that’s why it deserves every single attention it’s getting right now. Its design aesthetics were literally shipped over to the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Apart from that, the device was the first Galaxy Note to feature the 108MP primary sensor but it might not be as well integrated as the newer Galaxy S22 Ultra because the implementation has been nearly 2 years now.
Even at that, I can’t say you should drop your Galaxy Note 20 Ultra for the Galaxy S22 Ultra just because of that. Take, for instance, both devices have great display capabilities even though the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has a slightly bigger display compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Comparing both devcies in terms of their hardware components, you’ll start to notice a few differences such as the older Snapdragon 865 5G+ which powers the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra versus the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip.
Although the previous chipset is still very much fast and you will certainly not notice any lag when using the device, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in fact sports 12GB of RAM and the storage option can reach about 512GB even though there is a support for MicroSD in order to extend the storage wihout outright paying too much.
Personally, I wouldn’t swap my Galaxy Note 20 Ultra for the Galaxy S22 Ultra yet even though the latter’s camera is quite improved and has a quad setup with better capability (the Galaxy S22 Ultra is capable of a 10X optical zoom compared to the Note 20 Ultra’s 5x optical zoom.
Bottom Line: If you are in for the modern treat with all its bells and whistles, you can opt for the Galaxy S22 Ultra especially if you are big fan of the Galaxy Note design aesthetics. However, I’d stick with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra as it offer a great value even in 2022.
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. Galaxy S20 Ultra
It wasn’t the perfect “Ultra” smartphone when it first made its debut back in 2020 but the device certainly has some interesting features that made it outstanding and fascinating to many. It was the first Galaxy S device with the high-end 108MP sensor and it has the periscope sensor that can zoom objects that are far away.
The olden Galaxy S20 Ultra lacks the S-Pen support but it’s a powerful device of its time. It’s as powerful as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in fact and has some cool features and specifications as well even though I don’t necessarily like its design aesthetics in any way.
It also has a slightly larger 6.9-inch display compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 6.8-inch display. It also has the fluid 120Hz refresh rate as well as a 40MP primary sensor just like the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
One other interesting thing is that the older Galaxy S20 Ultra has a super-fast 45W fats charging support just like the current model and it came with power adapter (even though you might need to buy the 45W power brick separately in other to reach this speed).
Both devices have great camera capabilities as well as storage and processing prowess. If you opt for the older Galaxy S20 Ultra, you’ll certainly see the value considerign the fact that the price point may have dropped significantly in 2022 but the newer Galaxy S22 Ultra offer some perks and also if you’re looking to finally migrate to the Galaxy Note-ish style, then you can opt for the newer Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Bottom Line: The newer Galaxy S22 Ultra offer a better zoom capabilities and the camera performs even better in low-light compared to the older Galaxy S20 Ultra. If you’re into content creation and note taking, you might just outright consider the all-new Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. Galaxy Note 10 Plus
While I’ve used this devcie in the recent past, it’s certianly a trendsetter. The centered front-facing selfie camera started with the Galaxy Note 10 series and the the curved screen is just incredible. The display is wonderful in every ways and many were reluctant about upgrading from their Galaxy Note 10 Plus ever since 2019 – one example is the popular YouTuber JerryRigEverything.
That’s a bold statement – because the Galaxy Note 10 Plus is certainly a great smartphone and after 3 nearly three years, the device is still going strong in every way possible all thanks to its Snapdragon 855 chipset and 12GB of RAM.
It’s storage capacity can reach a whopping 512GB and it has support for microSD which is another great thing. The Galaxy Note 10 Plus has its fans and it’s a revolutionary device as far as the redesign of Samsung devcies are concerned.
However, the Galaxy S22 Ultra on the other hand offer better features that might make you reconsider your position. For example, you’ll be getting a slightly better display with high refresh rates, better quad rear camera setup with a better zoom capability, faster S-Pen response and other enhanced hardware components including a bigger 5000mAh Li-Ion battery but thaat’s where it ends.
If you’re in for a device that performs nicely, offers a great camera capabilities, and a powerful processing capacity, then the Galaxy Note 10 Plus is definitely a great device to try on even in 2022.
The 12GB of RAM and the Snapdragon 855 chipset is still strong but you may not be getting further software updates from Samsung considering how many years has passed.
Bottom Line: The Galaxy Note 10 Plus is certainly of the best smartphones back in 2019 and it’s doing great even in 2022. It’s design aesthetics was borrowed across other Galaxy Note series since 2019 including the current Galaxy S22 Ultra makign them look alike from the front. While the Galaxy Note 10 Plus is still very handy and great in 2022, if you want an even much more performing device, you can switch over to the latest Galaxy S22 Ultra instead.
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. Galaxy S10 5G
I can remember when this device made its debut back in 2019 and many people weren’t so pleased with the placement of its dual front-facing cameras but the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G is certainly a great smartphone in every ways possible.
However, it’s still a great device even in 2022 despite how many years has passed since its release. Personally, I don’t like the device’s design in any way but in terms of it functionality, it’s really fantastic.
The Galaxy S10 5G has 5G support (just as its name says) and it has a triple rear camera setup that includes a 12MP wide camera, a 12MP telephoto lens and then a 16MP ultrawide as well as a depth sensor (just like the Galaxy Note 10 Plus).
In terms of display, the Galaxy S10 5G has a slightly smaller 6.7-inch AMOLED display but there is no high refresh rate. The device also can’t record an 8K video which some may find uninteresting in 2022 and in terms of performance, you might notice this considering the fact that the newer Galaxy S22 Ultra has all the latest tech in place including a 120Hz blazing-fast display.
Bottom Line: I personally think upgrading from the Galaxy S10 5G or S10 Plus is worth it in 2022 even though the device is still very solid in 2022. Upgrading to the newest option will give you the best experience possible.
