Galaxy S22 vs Galaxy S21: Are there enough improvements?

The Galaxy S22 series was finally made official today. The new smartphones bring various improvements over their predecessors, including brighter displays, faster performance, better cameras, and newer software. But is it wise to upgrade to the vanilla Galaxy S22 if you already have the Galaxy S21?

Let us find out how they compare against each other and how Samsung has improved the Galaxy S22.

Galaxy S22 has a brighter display, more premium and compact build

If you like compact phones, you’ll easily like the Galaxy S22. It has a slightly smaller display (6.1-inch) than the Galaxy S21 (6.2-inch). As a result, it is shorter and narrower. It also features thinner and more uniform bezels. Both phones use Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O displays with Full HD+ resolution, up to 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, in-display ultrasonic fingerprint readers.

However, the Galaxy S22 has higher peak brightness at 1,500 nits (compared to Galaxy S21’s 1,300 nits) and uses improved screen protection in the form of Gorilla Glass Victus+. They both have stereo speakers for immersive audio.

Both phones have a similar design language, but the Galaxy S22 feels more premium, thanks to the Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and the rear and metal frame. In comparison, the Galaxy S21 uses Gorilla Glass Victus front, metal frame, and plastic back. Both smartphones have stereo speakers and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The Galaxy S22 feels relatively premium and compact.

Galaxy S22 has better cameras

Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S22 with a 10MP selfie camera, similar to the Galaxy S21, so there won’t be many improvements. However, the story is entirely different in terms of rear cameras. The Galaxy S22 uses a bigger and higher resolution primary camera (50MP 1/1.57-inch OIS) compared to the Galaxy S21’s 12MP 1/1.76-inch sensor with OIS. The new phone also uses a dedicated 10MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom instead of the Galaxy S21’s 64MP sensor, offering a cropped image from its center. Both phones use 12MP ultrawide cameras.

Both phones can record 4K 60fps and 8K 24fps video recording. We expect the Galaxy S22 to offer better image and video quality from its primary and telephoto cameras.

New processor offers faster performance on Galaxy S22

With the Exynos 2200 or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, the Galaxy S22 provides faster performance than the Galaxy S21. It will also get four OS updates, which means it’ll be compatible with Android 16, while the Galaxy S21’s support will end at Android 15. Both phones have 8GB RAM and 128GB/256GB internal storage, and they both lack a microSD card slot.

Both phones are pretty much on par with each other when it comes to wired and wireless connectivity. The Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S22 feature 5G (mmWave and sub-6GHz), LTE, GPS, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port. The latter uses Bluetooth 5.2, though, which means slightly more reliable wireless performance, but most users likely won’t notice the difference.

But the Galaxy S21 has a bigger battery

Due to its smaller body, the Galaxy S22 comes with only a 3,700mAh battery. A more power-efficient processor and slightly smaller display could mean it uses less power, but only time will tell if the Galaxy S22 would be able to keep up with the Galaxy S21’s 4,000mAh battery. Both phones feature 25W USB PD fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.

So, what’s the verdict?

So, the Galaxy S22 has a better display, faster performance, better cameras, a more premium build, and more extended software update support than the Galaxy S21. Those are some of the most critical factors in a smartphone. But it might also feature shorter battery life, and if you can live with it, the Galaxy S22 is worth upgrading.

Samsung
Galaxy S22

Select model SM-S901B SM-S901E SM-S901U SM-S901U1 SM-S901N SM-S901W Buy Full specs

Samsung
Galaxy S21

Select model SM-G991B SM-G991U SM-G991U1 Buy Full specs