Why the Galaxy S22 Ultra is a practical choice even in 2024?

Let’s be real, all the AI hype around Samsung‘s latest flagships is fun. But for those who prioritize practicality and budget (like yours truly), older flagships can offer much better value. You can get them for a comparatively lower price and enjoy all the benefits of a top-tier phone.

With this in mind, I bought my Galaxy S22 Ultra last year (in May 2023) when the S23 Ultra was the hot new thing in the market. Honestly, the upgrades on the S23 didn’t seem substantial enough which is why I leaned toward the S22 Ultra. Now, almost a year and a half later, I have to say I am mostly satisfied with this phone. 

While buying a brand new S22 Ultra in 2024 wouldn’t be the most sensible choice, you can likely find its secondhand unit at the price of a premium mid-range if not a mid-range phone. For those considering a secondhand S22 Ultra in 2024, I wanted to share my experience with how the device has held up and whether it’s still a wise choice to get one.

Just to be clear, I’m not comparing it to the newer Galaxy S23 or S24 models—I haven’t used them, so I can’t offer that perspective. This is purely a take on the S22 Ultra and just that.

S22 Ultra battery didn’t age well

Let’s start with the negatives so we can end this on a sweet note. 

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this phone is its battery life—it’s outright bad. Not a breaking news, I know. The S22 Ultra got slammed for this during its initial days, and it hasn’t gotten any better with age or software updates.

Mine’s got the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, infamous for overheating and inefficiency (thanks, Samsung Foundry!). So on average, I get around 4-5 hours of battery life before I have to replug to fuel it. 

I’ll include a screen-on-time and battery activity graph to share my usage patterns. But just keep in mind that I often had to sneak in mid-day top-ups (represented by green bars in the first image) to keep the phone up for a day.

To clarify further, I’ve also attached screen-on-time figures since the last charge, and you can see the battery dropped from 100% to 40% in just 2 hours and 52 minutes of screen-on time.

I’m not a gamer, and I wouldn’t call myself a power user too. Spotify, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube… these are the kinds of apps I use mostly on my smartphone. I snap a few photos or videos occasionally, but the camera stays hardly open for 30 minutes a day. 

Even so, the battery life is pretty disappointing. What’s more bothersome is the ideal battery drain situation on this thing; the phone can lose around 10-12% of its charge overnight.

I manage to (had to!) make it work and that’s where Samsung’s Modes and Routines app helps me a bit. I’ve set up routines that activate power-saving mode automatically when I leave my home WiFi network to help conserve battery. This also kicks in when I use mobile data outside my house or when the battery drops below 20%. 

But keep in mind that with power saving on, the screen refreshes at just 60Hz, and you can not enjoy Always-on Display. It might not be the most ideal, but it does extend the battery life a bit for some peace of mind.

A stunning display

Battery probably is the biggest drawback of owning an S22 Ultra. Everything else, to a large extent, is satisfactory here.

Its design takes some getting used to — the sheer heft (229 grams) and the tall 6.8-inch display of the S22 Ultra can be a challenge at first. But give it a few days, and you’ll be swiping with surprising ease.

Then there’s the Dynamic AMOLED screen — a stunner. Everything on this display looks incredible. I feel Samsung’s default tuning leans more toward vivid colors, but you can always tweak that in settings.

You also get the premium stuff you’d expect on a flagship such as 120Hz LTPO refresh rate, HDR10+, QHD resolution, and fairly good 1750 nits of peak brightness. And to say it simply, they all deliver on their expectations. 

But for me, the S-Pen became an unexpected star of the show. FYI, it’s the first S-series Samsung phone to include a built-in stylus.

I’m no professional artist, but I love to sketch when the mood hits. The S22 Ultra’s stylus lets me satisfy those creative urges at a moment’s notice. In fact, my phone’s wallpaper for months now is a rough sketch of Luffy that I drew myself. Not a masterpiece, but I made it! The S Pen has also been handy for taking notes on the go. 

While that’s all good, unfortunately, the device’s durability has left me wanting more. The phone has an IP68 rating which comes in handy on rainy days or accidental spillage, but that Gorilla Glass Victus+ and supposedly sturdy aluminum frame haven’t held up to my expectations. 

Initially, I didn’t use any protective case for about a month and my phone now has dings and dents in the frame. The screen was also immaculate until I removed the tempered glass and it quickly picked up its first scratch. So I strongly recommend using a screen protector and a cover to keep the device in its pristine condition.

Not the best performer in 2024

As I said earlier, I’m not a demanding user; thus the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC on Galaxy S22 Ultra comfortably handles all my tasks. No noticeable stutters or lags, even when multitasking. It’s no longer top-of-the-line, but for day-to-day stuff, it gets the job done. And not that it matters now, but here are some benchmark results if you’re curious about specifics.

Benchmark
AnTuTu v10.3.1	Total	929492
	CPU	283734
	GPU	258304
	Memory	175833
	UX	211621
Geekbench 6.2	CPU (Single Core)	3657
	CPU (Multi-Core)	1180

Back to things that matter, PUBG runs smoothly on this phone, even with everything maxed out graphically. Understandably, it does tend to heat up, particularly during extended play on scorching summer days where I live. The same goes for high-resolution video recording, like 4K, which makes the phone a bit toasty. However, it’s generally fine for regular use.

Now let’s talk software, which I think is the biggest highlight of the S22 Ultra – or of any recent Samsung phone for that matter. Its track record with timely updates is genuinely impressive.

I’ve rocked this phone for over a year now and it hasn’t missed a single monthly security patch. It’s also on the latest Android version, 14, and is guaranteed to receive updates up to Android 16, so the phone is good for at least another two years. Not to forget, it also received the suite of Galaxy AI features with One UI 6.1 update in June 2024. 

Samsung’s software offers more than just timely updates. The level of UI customization you get here is equally praiseworthy. Of course, you can do all the basics such as changing fonts, and icons, and tweak the whole UI color scheme. But Samsung’s Good Lock suite takes customization to the next level.

One of my favorites? I’ve turned my S Pen pointer into a frog and there’s even a ribbit sound the phone makes when the S Pen is removed. It’s a quirky touch that adds a personal, fun element to the phone.

Capable cameras

No prize for guessing—the S22 Ultra camera is not the best on the market. Samsung’s own newer flagships have surpassed it in terms of hardware as well as software benefits. Nevertheless, the S22 Ultra can still take very good photos. Below are a few shots I’ve taken with the phone over time.

However, the camera does struggle in some areas. You can’t simply point and shoot instantly; the phone takes its own time to focus and optimize the scene. Additionally, I won’t say its low-light performance is impressive either.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has performed well in my usage so far. As I mentioned, I’m not into gaming, so for everyday tasks, it’s a reliable phone. If you’re a gamer seeking a dependable device with less heat and better performance, you might want to consider options like the Poco F6. It has the newer Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip which performs better than 8 Gen 1 and you can also expect a better battery life.

However, for an overall reliable phone with a good camera, excellent display, and great software experience, I think the Galaxy S22 Ultra can still be a great buy — if you find it in a good deal in the secondhand market, of course!

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