Each time Bruce Springsteen takes the stage, there’s something magical that’s slowly disappearing — drama-free music. Don’t get me wrong. There’s drama but that’s reserved for the lyrics. There’s drama that shows up in the form of hours-long concerts. He doesn’t parachute in nor does he depend on mind-bending stage set-ups. The Boss plays the music you want, while his personal favourites act as fillers. The listener always comes first.
Now, replace all of this with the Samsung Galaxy S22. There’s no ‘+’ attached to the name or the word ‘Ultra’. It’s a phone with a strong foundation that delivers under any circumstance. It’s like your favourite blend of tea that awakens your senses every morning… without fail. It’s not about having that one big standout feature — like the camera or the processor or battery life, rather it’s a family effort, a team effort. I wouldn’t be surprised to find the Galaxy S22 among the top five phones of the year. It’s a risk-free investment that’s agreeable across a spectrum of users.
The dependable phone
Expectations, however many, are delivered by the Galaxy S22 — glass on the back, eye-pleasing display, solid build, no-nonsense design, fastest processor, sharp camera system, acceptable battery life… it’s that consistent performer on the team… someone like Rahul Dravid or Mr Dependable.
The Galaxy S22+ shaved off an inch from 6.7 inches to 6.6 inches while the Galaxy S22 moved from last year’s 6.2 to 6.1 inches, bringing with it an in-hand feel that beats competition. At a time when big phones rule the market, the is compact and feels just right in the hand or the pocket.
Like the Galaxy S22+, this too has a flat 1080p 120Hz adaptive, dynamic AMOLED 2X display. The difference between the S22+ and the youngest member of the S22 series is 1300nits. However small the palm size, this one slips in easily and you can reach corner to corner without having to stretch your fingers. Perhaps the only downside is that the screen refresh rate is between 48Hz and 120Hz (data transfer rates from AP or application processor to display can be minimized to as low as 10Hz). A full variable refresh rate would have taken it down to 10Hz. Unlike rival brands, motion smoothness is set to adaptive by default, meaning users can get the best out of the display out of the box.
Vin Diesel-level performance
A smaller phone also means a smaller battery, especially when one considers that battery size has gone from last year’s 4,000mAh to 3,700mAh. But the chip is the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which is about throwing up the best processor performance scores. Speaking of performance, one improvement over last year is the X-axis linear motor (compared to Z-axis), which gives more detailed haptic feedback.
Yet, the phone keeps performing through the day, effortlessly, without asking the user to go easy with applications. The new Snapdragon chip is supposed to be more energy efficient, drawing less power. Helping preserve power is software optimisation as well as a well-engineered display. It’s good… Vin Diesel-level good as in you can walk into a theatre for action scenes that matches your expectations. You will probably end the day with 15-20 per cent of battery left without playing something like Genshin Impact for long hours. The phone supports a respectable 25W charging speed but like most companies, flagship phones are now being shipped without a charging brick in the box.
Can’t go wrong with the cameraA big upgrade from last year is in the camera department. The main camera is a 50MP snapper, accompanied by a 10MP 110-degree ultra-wide shooter and another 10MP 3x telephoto. Give it any daylight situation, you won’t be disappointed. The colour science has improved drastically in the last one year, giving pictures that are natural, far more natural than you get on say OnePlus phones. Nothing is oversharpened or punched up. And the telephoto is spot on when you need to click objects at a distance. In fact, try using the telephoto more often to take artsy photos.
Using the 10MP telephoto lens, photos can pack in an artsy look
Whatever the time of the day, there are no issues with white balancing, autofocus, shutter lag or colour oversaturation. And though you may not shoot 8K videos, but the feature is there, and minus the 3X punching in on previous generations. Samsung should look at adding a 30fps option while filming in 8K, which will make things feel more cinematic… perhaps next year.
The camera set-up has been tuned to offer lifelike colours
Night photography, or what Samsung calls Nightography, is really good, allowing you to get shots even in pitch-dark conditions. Portrait photos are among the best while video stablisation has never been so good. To get the most out of the camera, download Samsung’s Expert RAW application, which allows you to work with RAW photos, offering more granular control.
Even under uneven lighting, the camera shines and there is zero shutter lag
Meaningful innovations
Even three-four years ago, Samsung was behind in the software department. Today, it has the best UI on an Android phone while software upgrades are faster than on any Android device (barring the Google Pixel). The amount of control over privacy is absolutely stunning. OnePlus is struggling with software issues while the other Android brands are struggling to keep bloatware down. Samsung’s One UI has become the best software experience if you want an Android phone. Combine this with what this phone has to offer — respectable performance across departments and the promise of upgrades for years.
The Google Messages app is there on the phone. Try using it and it has the Samsung skin which has an amazing UI. Then there’s a Google Duo feature that allows you to watch YouTube together with someone on a video call. That’s what I am trying to get at. Samsung has worked towards this series for years and has managed to deliver something meaningful. Look beyond massive charging speeds or gimmicky designs. Samsung Galaxy S22 is the most dependable Android phone you can buy. It’s as simple as that.
At a glance
Samsung Galaxy S22 comes with Android software support for four years
Device: Samsung Galaxy S22
Price: Rs 72,999 (minus offers)
High notes
• Compact design
• Android software upgrade for four years (five years of security upgrades)
• Excellent camera system and processor
• Powerful UI
Muffled notes
• 8K recording is at 24fps and not 30fps