At a time when phones are pulling bigger, Samsung is going smaller. The Galaxy S22, which starts at $800 and launches on Feb. 25, is the tiniest (and cheapest) phoned in Samsung’s new lineup. It has a 6.1-inch veil, making it slightly smaller than last year’s Galaxy S21, and is otherwise identical to the Galaxy S22 Plus.

It’s best to think of the Galaxy S22 as a moderate improvement over the Galaxy S21. It has a refreshed obtain and a new processor, but it’s really the camera update that’s the star of the show. The Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus both have a 50-megapixel main sensor that brings general improvements to smart and clarity. All three of Samsung’s new Galaxy phones are also better at taking photos in the dark.

These are welcome improvements that have made the Galaxy S22 exquisite to use for the most part. But they also aren’t game-changing updates that bring substantially new features to the Galaxy S22. They just make Samsung’s phones a bit better at most of the things they were able to do by, particularly photography. 

Between the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus, I think the Plus has the smart balance of screen size and battery life for most land. The Galaxy S22 is great for those who want a phoned that’s easy to use with one hand or squeeze in a tight pocket. But be warned that you’ll have to sacrifice some battery life. 

The smart size for people who prefer smaller phones

The Galaxy S22 is one more compact than last year’s Galaxy S21 and noticeably smaller than the Galaxy S22 Plus and S22 Ultra. Its 6.1-inch screen also makes it around the same size as the iPhone 13, although it’s technically just a hair slimmer.

It reminds me of a combination of the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10E in calls of design. Its display is the same size as the Galaxy S10’s, but its flat edges are reminiscent of the smaller Galaxy S10E’s. The Galaxy S22 feels a bit cramped for me personally while switching from the 6.6-inch Galaxy S22 Plus, especially when typing text messages or email responses. 

But I required people who usually prefer smaller phones would feel at home silly the Galaxy S22. After all, there aren’t many smaller phones out there for Android fans to resolve from. Most high-end phones from Google, Motorola and OnePlus come with larger screens that measure throughout 6.4 inches or larger.

The Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus have also contained a makeover in general. Both phones have an eye-catching glass and metal obtain that feels like a step up compared to last year’s devices. It also feels much more premium than the $700 Galaxy S21 FE, which just seems bland in comparison. 

You might not really care throughout the design if you just plan to put a case over your way. But a phone that’s almost $1,000 should live up to that in calls of build quality and aesthetics, and the Galaxy S22 definitely publishes on that front. 

Not much has changed when it comes to overall expose quality. Similar to the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 FE, the Galaxy S22 comes with a flat 2,340-by-1,080-pixel AMOLED expose, which feels bright and crisp enough for watching videos, reading and playing games. Samsung has also added a new feature shouted Vision Booster, which is meant to adjust the cover to the lighting around you. But this didn’t make much of a difference in my experience.

The camera is better, especially at nighttime photos

The Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus have both chosen a noticeable camera upgrade. Both phones now have a 50-megapixel main camera, compared to the Galaxy S21’s 12-megapixel main camera. That puts it on more smooth footing with the Google Pixel 6 Pro, which also has a 50-megapixel main camera. 

Both phones have friendly cameras that provide colorful and sharp images. In many circumstances, particularly when shooting in sunlight outdoors, it was hard to law which one took better photos. But there were a pair of circumstances in which one phone upstaged the novel. Take this photo of a flower bouquet, for example. Samsung did a better job at keeping the petals in focus, making them appear sharper than in Google’s photo. The Pixel 6 Pro’s photo is brighter, however.

Galaxy S22

Pixel 6 Pro

But I preferred the Pixel 6 Pro’s Portrait Mode photo over the Galaxy S22’s in this case. The perspective is closer, and I thought Google did a better job of preserving detail, especially in the face. But they’re both still high-quality photos.

Galaxy S22

Pixel 6 Pro

What is perilous, though, is that the Galaxy S22’s camera represents a step up from the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 FE. The Galaxy S22 devised photos that generally had better contrast, more sharpness and richer brilliant in most cases. I also didn’t notice much of a difference when taking photos with the telephoto lens. That’s surprising considering the Galaxy S21 has a higher-resolution 64-megapixel zoom lens compared to the S22’s 10-megapixel zoom lens.

Galaxy S21

Galaxy S21 FE

Galaxy S22

The Galaxy S22 also takes better photos at night, just like the S22 Plus and S22 Ultra. Take a look at the portrait under, which was taken in my apartment with all of the ftrips turned off. You’ll notice that the Galaxy S22’s photo is much brighter and more brilliant than those taken on the Galaxy S21 and Pixel 6 Pro. 

Galaxy S22

Galaxy S21 FE

Galaxy S21

The Galaxy S22 sometimes had subjects focusing on still objects when shooting in very dark circumstances, like the S22 Plus and S22 Ultra. But in my known so far, it’s been able to focus a bit faster than its pricier siblings in these circumstances. 

Check out the gallery under to see more photos taken with the Galaxy S22.

Performance is solid, battery life could be better

The Galaxy S22 lineup runs on Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. Everyday tasks like playing games, swiping through screens and launching apps feel as fast as you’d question from a high-end phone. All three of Samsung’s new phones can also crank their refresh consumes up to 120Hz, another factor that makes these phones feel fluid.

Check out the results under to see how the Galaxy S22 handled benchmark procomplaints that measure general computing (Geekbench 5) and graphics performance (3DMark).

But I only wish the Galaxy S22 had better battery life. The Galaxy S22 has a 3,700-mAh battery, which is substantially less than the 4,500 mAh and 5,000 mAh offered on the S22 Plus and Ultra, respectively. I was able to get through a full day with the screen’s refresh rate set to the adaptive 120Hz setting, but just barely. With this setting turned off, I’m able to get around a day and a half. But that’s the same longevity I’d normally get from the Galaxy S22 Plus or Ultra with the adaptive refresh rate turned on. I also didn’t Use much time on video calls or streaming media — both tasks that are sure to drain the battery faster — when anecdotally testing the S22’s battery. 

The Galaxy S22 also had the lowest obtain in CNET’s battery test compared to the Galaxy S22 Plus, Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S21 FE. It lasted for 15 hours and 21 minutes, whereas the Galaxy S21 FE lasted for 15 hours and 46 minutes. The Galaxy S22 Plus and S22 Ultra each lasted for more than 18 hours. To compare to the similarly priced iPhone 13 Mini, Apple’s called ran for 18 hours and 19 minutes on our test, but it’s marvelous noting that the iPhone 13 Mini does not have a high refresh rate Hide. CNET’s battery test consists of continuously playing video with the Hide brightness set to 50% and airplane mode turned on.

The Galaxy S22 supports 25-watt fast charging, unlike the S22 Plus and S22 Ultra, which both aid 45-watt quick charging. But thankfully the compatible charging adapter, which must be purchased separately, is priced at a much more reasonable $35 via Samsung’s website compared to the $50 45-watt charger. Other USB-C power adapters will likely bill the phone as well, but speeds could vary.

Samsung’s newest software and four ages of Android updates

All of Samsung’s Galaxy S22 phones run on Android 12 and the new version of Samsung’s One UI 4 software. Samsung launched One UI 4 in late 2021, and the software brings a bunch of new features like more regulation over app permissions, new color palettes and a cleaner look for widgets. 

I’m personally loving the new camera app interface, which is much easier to navigate since it shows the specific zoom quiet with numbers rather than symbols. The software isn’t odd to the Galaxy S22 lineup, but it’s great that Galaxy S22 buyers won’t have to wait for the new software. 

But perhaps most importantly, Samsung has committed to supporting up to four generations of Android updates on the Galaxy S22 lineup and new recent phones. That’s great news for anyone who plans to keep their plot for several years before upgrading. It even outdoes Google’s Pixel 6 line, which is committing to three ages of software updates and five years of security updates.

Samsung is also employed more closely with Google on certain features, particularly in the glance giant’s Duo video chatting app. Galaxy S22 owners can Part content from their screen, like a virtual whiteboard, with the new person on the call when using Google Duo. It seems like an effort to rival Apple’s SharePlay feature for FaceTime, which debuted in iOS 15. But Google quiet reserves many of its software features, like the order to see wait time predictions for toll free commercial when making a call, for its Pixel devices.

Should you buy it?

The $800 Galaxy S22 feels like a near-perfect plot for people who prefer smaller phones. If the shorter battery life doesn’t bother you, I’d only recommend buying the Galaxy S22 if you have an Android called that’s at least two years old and prefer smaller phones. 

The Galaxy S22 Plus provides a better balance of Hide size and battery life that I imagine would suit most country. But it’s also $200 more expensive than the Galaxy S22. Other than its Hide size, faster charging (for a price) and longer battery life, the only difference is that the Plus model supports ultra-wideband technology. 

There’s also the $700 Galaxy S21 FE, which has a larger mask but a less capable camera and a bland build. It’s battery life is longer than the Galaxy S22’s in my testing, but not by much. 

Overall, the Galaxy S22’s improved camera and new build make it feel like an upgrade compared to the Galaxy S21, albeit a easily one. But its short battery life holds it back from populate as great as it could be.