Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: Should you upgrade?

The Samsung Galaxy S24 series, headlined by the Galaxy S24 Ultra, is an iterative update over its predecessor for the most part. Instead of changing too much on the hardware side of things, apart from the expected update to the processor, there’s a larger focus on AI-driven software this time around. But, with Samsung going the iterative route in the past couple of generations, is its 2024 flagship worth upgrading to from its high-end offering from two years ago? We find out in this quick look at the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: Specs

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: Design, size comparison, and colors

The Galaxy S22 Ultra started the design we are all too familiar with, and it’s difficult to differentiate between the two phones at first glance. There are subtle differences when you look closer, though. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a curved display and more prominent curves along the edges, while the S24 Ultra is boxier, courtesy of its new flat display. The newer phone also has a better build quality with a titanium frame and Gorilla Glass Armor, making it more durable.

Unsurprisingly, the dimensions and weight are quite similar. The S24 Ultra is a touch thinner and less tall but wider at 162.6 x 79 x 8.6mm, compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm dimensions. And while you might expect titanium to result in a lighter phone, the S24 Ultra is a few grams heavier at 233 grams, with the S22 Ultra clocking in at 229 grams. It’s not the most exciting design, but if you’re planning to upgrade, you might welcome the familiar look and feel.

With few difference in the design, we’ll have to turn to the colorways to distinguish between the two phones. The Galaxy S24 Ultra comes in Titanium Black, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Violet, and Titanium Gray, while the S22 Ultra has more varied options with Phantom Black, White, and Graphite and the colorful Burgundy, Green, Red, Sky Blue, and Bora Purple.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: Features

The most obvious change in the hardware is the processor, with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy that powers the Galaxy S24 Ultra providing a solid power boost compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. That said, the Galaxy S22 Ultra hasn’t slowed down much, even two years in, and there shouldn’t be a huge difference in everyday performance unless you’re running particularly processor-intensive apps and games.

Both phones have up to 1TB of built-in storage and 12GB of RAM, excellent 6.8-inch QHD+ displays with 120Hz refresh rates, and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. And, of course, you’ll get the fantastic S Pen with the two Ultra devices.

The similarities continue in the battery department, with 5,000mAh units and 45W wired charging. The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s battery life should be slightly better, which we discovered with thorough testing. Compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the phone offers improvements across the board and should signal even better gains against its two-year-old predecessor.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra support wireless charging, up to 15W with compatible fast wireless chargers, and reverse wireless charging to power your smartwatches and wireless earbuds on the go.

There are significant differences in the camera department, with the S24 Ultra featuring a 200MP main camera compared to the S22 Ultra’s 108MP primary unit. The telephoto lens on the latest phone also gets a bump to 50MP but with 5x optical zoom. On the other hand, the S22 Ultra’s 10MP telephoto lens features 10x optical zoom. The ultrawide and secondary telephoto lenses remain the same.

Finally, while the front-facing camera might seem like a downgrade on paper from 40MP to 12MP, the latter is an impressive performer. Samsung’s Ultra smartphones have always been among the best camera phones you can get, and there’s no reason to believe the Galaxy S24 Ultra won’t continue that trend.

It’s on the software side that things start to get more interesting. While the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s software update schedule is solid at four years of OS and five years of security updates, Samsung took things to the next level with its latest flagships. You’ll now enjoy seven years of OS upgrades and security updates, bringing things in line with Google’s software promise and surpassing Apple’s impressive software support.

There’s also a slew of AI-driven software features to look forward to. Galaxy AI brings features like real-time live translations during calls, transcription, webpage summarization, and more, along with new camera features, including Samsung’s take on Magic Editor. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is upgradeable to the Android 14-based One UI 6 and will receive some AI love, although it will likely miss out on some features.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra was announced on January 17, 2024, and is now available for pre-order. It’s an expensive buy, but special pre-order offers like $100 of Samsung store credit, a free storage upgrade, and enhanced trade-in deals make this a good time to buy the new flagship. The phone will go on general sale on January 31.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra isn’t officially available anymore, but you can get new or refurbished units from third-party sellers on Amazon and other online stores. The phone launched at $1,199 two years ago, and you can get it for around $1,000 for a new unit while stocks last and $650 for a like-new refurbished model. However, these are third-party sellers, and prices vary drastically.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Should you upgrade?

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is a solid upgrade over the S22 Ultra in key areas. It understandably has a better processor, the camera system is a big upgrade, and the more durable build quality is a positive. However, the S22 Ultra remains a powerful device and has a couple of years of OS updates available. The design and most other hardware features are the same, and the camera performance is still impressive.

Unless you absolutely want to buy the latest and greatest, or if there’s a good trade-in deal you can take advantage of, there isn’t enough reason yet to upgrade from the Galaxy S22 Ultra to the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

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