On February 9, Samsung announced plans to offer the Samsung Galaxy S22 family, and based on what we know so far, you can expect some pretty awesome improvements over last year’s models. So, if you’re looking to upgrade your old Android-based smartphone with something more cutting-edge and powerful, you’ll definitely want to check out Samsung’s newest additions to its 5G smartphone lineup. Meanwhile, if you need help deciding whether to switch from an Apple iPhone to one of the new Galaxy S22 smartphones, we have the head-to-head comparison for you right here.
The Samsung Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+ and Galaxy S22 Ultra release date is February 25, upon which first orders will ship. But you can pre-order your phone right now and take advantage of several awesome deals from Samsung and various Samsung retailers, including Best Buy.
Pre-Order Your New Phone Now And Save Big
Right now, when you pre-order any of the new Samsung Galaxy S22 smartphones from Samsung’s website, in addition to the other offers and trade-in deals, you’ll receive an instant $50 discount (but only for a limited time).
Upgrade To The Galaxy S22 And Save
In addition to Samsung offering between $150 and $200 in instant Samsung Credit (depending on the smartphone model), a free memory upgrade and up to $700 trade-in credit when you pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S22 (on or before February 24), all of the major cellular service providers have also announced pre-order deals. Each Galaxy S22 purchase from Samsung includes a three month Spotify Premium subscription, a four month YouTube Premium subscription, and six months of SiriusXM streaming.
From Samsung, you can also get an additional $25 discount when you divide the full purchase price of the smartphone into four biweekly payments via Affirm. Additional discounts (up to $90) are being offered through Samsung’s Offers Program to teachers, military personnel, and first responders, for example.
Here’s a quick overview of what the pre-order deals from cellular service providers:
- AT&T — Whether you’re upgrading or activating a new phone, get a base model Samsung Galaxy S22 for free with any Galaxy phone trade-in. Plus, you’ll get a 256GB memory upgrade for the price of the 128GB configuration when you pre-order. In other words, you’ll get up to $800 off any Galaxy S22 device when you trade in any Note, S series or Z series phone from any year and in any condition. This means the base model Galaxy S22 is free, while the Galaxy S22+ will have a starting cost of $200, or the Galaxy S22 Ultra will have a starting cost of $400. For this deal, you must sign up for a 36-month installment plan and any Unlimited service plan. AT&T is also offering up to 50 percent off a selection of Samsung accessories.
- Verizon — Verizon is also offering to double the memory within the S22 for free, plus is offering up to $1,000 off any Galaxy S22 model with a qualifying trade-in. A one year subscription to the AMC+ streaming service is included. If you switch to Verizon, an additional $1,000 prepaid virtual Mastercard is being offered. Another option is to purchase one Galaxy S22 smartphone and second a second phone for up to $1,000 off (plus up to an additional $1,000 when you switch to Verizon as you cellular service provider. Meanwhile, if you want to purchase a Galaxy S22 and get a new tablet at the same time from Verizon, you’ll qualify for an additional $310 off the tablet price (in promo credit over 36 months).
- T-Mobile — Switch to T-Mobile and start off with an $800 bonus. However, you can get up to $1,000 off (over 24 months in bill credits) on any Galaxy S22 smartphone when you trade in an eligible device and sign up for a Magenta MAX service plan. Meanwhile, you can get the Samsung Galaxy S22+ for free (via 24 monthly bill credits) when you trade in an eligible device and have or switch to a Magenta MAX service plan. Also from T-Mobile, if you purchase one Galaxy S22+, you’ll get a second one for free (via 24 monthly bill credits when you trade in an eligible device and have or switch to a Magenta MAX service plan). With many new smartphone activations (based on the plan you choose), T-Mobile is offering a free 12-month subscription to the Paramount+ streaming service. With all new Magenta and Magenta MAX plans, a one year subscription to AppleTV+ is also being offered.
- US Cellular — Get any model of the Galaxy S22 smartphone for free (after monthly bill credits for 30 months), with zero percent financing and no down payment.
What’s New In The Samsung Galaxy S22?
This year, Samsung is once again offering a choice between three Galaxy S22 smartphone models—including the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and Galaxy S22 Ultra. The main things that set these three models apart are their respective screen sizes, weight, the overall dimensions of the smartphone, battery life, and the resolution of the cameras. All will run Android 12 and support 5G, Wi-Fi 6e, and feature Bluetooth v5.2 connectivity. But there are enough differences between the three models to warrant consideration for each.
Breaking Down The Galaxy S22 and S22+
When looking at Samsung’s two “entry-level” offerings, the company played things safe a bit. You’ll still enjoy vibrant OLED displays with ultra-fast 120Hz refresh rates. And even the camera hardware has been slightly improved over last year’s model. However, by in large, these are more minor upgrades compared to last year’s Galaxy S21 and S21+.
Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU provides all of the power that you’ll need, and there are different storage configurations for you to pick from. But, as expected, there’s no sign of a microSD card slot, so you’ll need to make sure you get enough storage to last you for as long as you plan on owning the device.
One area where there is a bit of improvement comes directly to the Galaxy S22+, with its larger 6.6-inch display. Samsung not only packed a 4,500mAh battery into this middle-of-the-road offering, but it also marks the first of two major changes for the Galaxy S line when it comes to charging. Both the Galaxy S22+ and S22 Ultra are capable of reaching peak wired charging speeds of up to 45W, compared to the 25W available with the smaller Galaxy S22.
Moving to the cameras, it may not seem like Samsung really swung for the fences with this year’s release. But the truth is that’s because the company focused much more on shoring up its software and further optimizing image processing to make your photos and videos look their best. Both phones are equipped with triple camera setups, headlined by a 50MP wide-angle lens that will handle much of the heavy lifting. This is complemented by a 12MP ultra-wide lens with a 120-degree field of view and a 10MP telephoto sensor that provides up to 3x optical zoom.
When combining the versatility offered by the camera hardware, Samsung has also implemented a new feature known as Adaptive Pixel. This, along with Samsung’s pre-existing “Nightography” feature, essentially allows for more light to be used by the camera sensors. The end result offers brighter pictures that have even more detail.
With Google’s Pixel 6 leading the way in AI photography prowess thanks to the Tensor chip, Samsung has also included AI enhancements with the Galaxy S22 lineup, including the addition of the new AI Stereo Depth Map. Gone are the days when you find blurry edges around a subject, especially for those heart-warming pictures of your family’s pets.
What About The Galaxy S22 Ultra?
Thinking back to the good ol’ Galaxy Note days, Samsung would throw all of the company’s latest and greatest innovations into the device. Add in the fact that you get a built-in S Pen without needing a separate carrying case, and it was a slam-dunk for professionals and enthusiasts alike.
The new Samsung S22 smartphones work with the S Pen stylus, so you can write, draw, or annotate … [+]
Samsung
While the Note line is no more, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung has infused the Galaxy Note’s DNA, providing a smartphone that is a truly complete mobile device package for anyone that doesn’t want a foldable phone (sorry Z Fold 3). Not only is the S Pen back with a housing silo placed at the bottom of the casing, but this is Samsung’s most advanced Galaxy S device that we’ve ever seen.
The display measures in at 6.8-inches and sports a variable 120Hz refresh rate that rivals only that of the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. There’s plenty of power under the hood with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 paired with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, and you can even get up to 1TB of storage without needing an external storage solution.
The S Pen stylus slips directly into the Galaxy S22 smartphone for easy storage and access.
Samsung
Samsung knew there was a lot riding on the line with the S22 Ultra, so it pulled out all of the stops. The included S Pen offers up to 70 percent better response time compared to the S Pen with the Galaxy S21 Ultra, and that’s just simply incredible. Part of this is made possible due to tweaks in the software that allow for your phone to essentially guess where you’re next pen-stroke will go.
All of that, and we haven’t even touched on the camera yet. While the Galaxy S22 and S22+ share the same triple camera setup, you can’t make the same claims with the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Samsung’s “true” flagship device for 2022 features a 108MP main lens that uses nona-binning to turn those 108 megapixels into just 12MP. This results in a much brighter and more accurate image than what can be achieved with other sensors.
Alongside S22 Ultra, Samsung is also releasing a separate app, called Expert RAW, which essentially turns your smartphone into a DSLR camera. This includes providing all of the exposure controls you would expect to see on a traditional camera—all in the palm of your hand. Adjust things like ISO on the fly and immediately see the results, then you can snap a 16-bit RAW image which opens the door to a world of editing that isn’t otherwise possible.
Save Additional Money When You Pre-Order Your Galaxy S22
Samsung Galaxy S22 Cases And Accessories
Being Samsung’s new flagship smartphone, you can bet that both Samsung and a wide range of third-party companies will offer a nice selection of cases and accessories specifically for this new device.
