The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra was one of the most anticipated Android flagship phones when it launched in early 2022. As the successor to both the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the beloved Galaxy Note series, expectations were through the roof. Samsung marketed it as the ultimate smartphone – a no-compromise blend of top-tier specs, productivity features, and camera innovation.
However, after extensive testing from reviewers and feedback from early adopters, the hype didn‘t quite match reality. While the S22 Ultra is undoubtedly a premium, feature-packed device, it has some significant downsides that give many shoppers pause. As we enter 2023, those flaws have only become more apparent.
As a computer and smartphone expert who closely follows the industry, I‘ve identified 10 key reasons you may want to think twice before buying a Galaxy S22 Ultra, even at its reduced price a year after release. From confusing model numbers to performance quirks to the sky-high cost, Samsung‘s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach misses the mark in a few too many areas. Let‘s dive in.
1. Baffling Model Numbers
Before we even get to the phone itself, we need to talk about Samsung‘s increasingly confusing model numbering scheme. The "S22" moniker suggests it‘s a direct follow-up to the S21 series. But the Ultra model is positioned more as a successor to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, with a boxy design and built-in S Pen stylus.
This makes it unclear who exactly this $1200 behemoth is for. Galaxy S buyers may be thrown off by the radically different Note-inspired design. But Galaxy Note fans will be puzzled by the lack of Note branding anywhere. Samsung tried to please two different audiences and ended up confusing both.
Even more perplexing, there are two distinct variants of the S22 Ultra – one with the model number SM-S908U and another labeled SM-S908B. They look identical on the outside but pack different processors and cellular modems inside for different regions. The performance and connectivity between them is not consistent.
As an average consumer, you shouldn‘t have to worry about slight model number variations. But in this case, it can make a big difference. The SM-S908U model sold in North America uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, while the global SM-S908B has Samsung‘s own Exynos 2200. We‘ll dig more into the performance differences later, but this needless SKU confusion is not a good start.
2. Disappointing Real-World Performance
On paper, the Galaxy S22 Ultra‘s specs are as impressive as you‘d expect from a $1200 Android flagship. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200 are both 4nm chips with the latest Armv9 CPU cores and cutting-edge Adreno and Xclipse GPUs. Paired with a gen 12GB of fast LPDDR5 RAM, this phone should breeze through any task.
However, real-world performance hasn‘t been as flawless as benchmark numbers suggest. The Snapdragon version is notably faster than the Exynos model in CPU and GPU speed. But even the Qualcomm variant is prone to inconsistent performance, especially when the phone heats up under heavy workloads.
I‘ve experienced stuttering and dropped frames when playing demanding 3D games for extended periods. The chipset is clearly being thermally throttled to prevent overheating. Reviewers have also noted occasional lag when jumping between multiple apps, likely due to the chipset ramping down to control temperatures.
This level of performance instability is disappointing to see on a supposedly uncompromising $1200 smartphone. Throttling and heat management are understandable on slimmer, cheaper devices. But the S22 Ultra‘s chunky body should have ample thermal headroom for sustained peak performance. It‘s inexcusable that Apple‘s smaller, thinner iPhone 13 Pro Max maintains its speed far better under similar conditions.
3. Lackluster Battery Life
Another victim of the S22 Ultra‘s thermal limitations is battery life. With a 6.8" LTPO OLED display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200 chip, and 5G connectivity, this phone has some serious power demands. The 5000mAh battery capacity seems massive on paper but doesn‘t translate into amazing real-world endurance.
In my experience, the Galaxy S22 Ultra struggles to make it through a full day of moderate-to-heavy use. Activities like gaming, 8K video recording, and hotspot tethering can drain the battery at an alarming rate. You‘ll be lucky to have 20% left by the evening after a busy day without top-ups.
To be fair, all phones with 5G and high refresh rate displays usually have below-average battery life. But the S22 Ultra fares worse than the iPhone 13 Pro Max and Google Pixel 6 Pro, its two biggest rivals. Those competitors regularly get 8-10 hours of screen-on time, while the Ultra is lucky to hit 6 hours.
The upgraded 45W charging helps a little, letting you juice up from 0-100% in just over an hour. But having to charge more than once a day is still a pain, especially if you forget your charger. Yes, unlike Apple and Google, Samsung doesn‘t include a power brick in the box, yet another way this pricey package feels incomplete.
4. Missing Features vs. Previous Ultras
To add insult to injury, the Galaxy S22 Ultra actually cuts a few features from its predecessors in the name of design streamlining:
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microSD card slot: Every previous Ultra model let you expand the built-in storage with a microSD card up to 1TB. The S22 Ultra removes this option, forcing you to pay hundreds extra upfront for more space.
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MST payment tech: Samsung used to include Magnetic Secure Transmission in its phones, which let Samsung Pay work with older card readers. The S22 Ultra drops MST, making mobile payments less reliable.
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Faster charging: The Note 10+ and S20 Ultra supported 45W charging ages ago. The S21 Ultra downgraded to 25W, while the S22 Ultra goes back to 45W. No real progress there.
None of these are deal-breakers alone. But it‘s frustrating to see a $1200 phone backtrack on features instead of pushing them forward. It‘s especially odd since the S22 Ultra is thicker and heavier than before, so you‘d think there would be room for a microSD slot.
5. Bugs and Software Inconsistency
Moving on to the software, the Galaxy S22 Ultra launched with Android 12 and Samsung‘s One UI 4.1 skin. One UI has improved a lot over the years, with a cleaner aesthetic, smart productivity tools, and deep customization. But it‘s still prone to more bugs and inconsistencies than stock Android.
Some S22 Ultra users have reported UI stutter, app crashes, camera problems, and rapid battery drain after the Android 13/One UI 5 update. Samsung has rolled out patches to address the worst issues, but a few quirks linger. I‘ve noticed some visual glitches and slowdowns that don‘t happen on my Pixel 6 Pro running vanilla Android.
Samsung also has an inconsistent track record with software updates. The company promises 4 years of Android version upgrades and 5 years of security patches for the S22 series, which is better than most Android brands. However, those updates often arrive on a delay compared to Google, and occasionally introduce new bugs that take time to fix.
While the S22 Ultra‘s software is far from a disaster, it lacks the polish and stability of an iPhone or Pixel. For $1200, you‘d hope software would be a strength, not an area of concern.
6. Divisive Camera Tuning
Imaging is one area where the S22 Ultra mostly lives up to the hype. The quad camera array, led by a 108MP main sensor, captures excellent photos and videos in most situations. 8K video recording is stunningly sharp, and the 10x optical zoom is scarily good at snagging faraway subjects.
But Samsung‘s heavy-handed image processing remains an acquired taste. Colors are eye-catchingly vibrant, with reds and greens that pop right off the screen. But this intense saturation can look a bit over-the-top compared to the more natural tones from an iPhone or Pixel.
Low-light performance has improved from the S21 Ultra but is still a step behind the best. In very dim conditions, shots can look rather soft as the night mode tries to compensate. The ultrawide lens also shows some edge distortion and chromatic aberration in challenging lighting.
To be clear, the S22 Ultra takes phenomenal photos in most settings. But it falls just a hair short of being the undisputed camera king. And many Android fans actually prefer the more restrained, true-to-life processing from Google‘s Pixel phones.
7. Unwieldy, Uncomfortable Design
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is unapologetically huge. At 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm and 229g, it‘s one of the biggest and heaviest phones on the market, beefier than even the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The Note-inspired rectangular design makes it feel every bit as massive in the hand.
This bulky frame poses some real usability issues. Reaching the top of the 6.8" screen is impossible without using two hands or performing some finger gymnastics. The phone is virtually unusable one-handed unless you have XXL gloves. It‘s also a serious pocket-buster that creates an unsightly bulge in all but the baggiest jeans.
Aside from sheer size, the Ultra‘s boxy shape and minimal curvature along the edges digs into your palm during extended use. It just doesn‘t nestle into your grip as comfortably as the Ultra‘s more organically rounded. The extra heft also exacerbates wrist fatigue if you hold it up while watching videos or reading ebooks.
These ergonomic woes are an acceptable trade-off if you‘re dead-set on using the S Pen stylus. But if you don‘t plan to sketch or take handwritten notes regularly, the Ultra‘s unwieldy design will likely become more trouble than it‘s worth.
8. Overheating and Performance Throttling
We touched on this earlier, but it bears repeating. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a tendency to run hot under sustained load, especially when gaming, shooting 8K video, or charging rapidly. It regularly hits 45°C (113°F), which is uncomfortable to hold and concerning for long-term health.
When the temps spike, the phone aggressively scales back the CPU and GPU performance to compensate. This results in choppy graphics and longer load times until things cool off. The issues are more pronounced on the Exynos 2200 model, but the Snapdragon version isn‘t immune.
To be fair, chip throttling affects nearly every Android phone with a flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Exynos 2200 processor. These 4nm chipsets are powerhouses but produce a lot of waste heat. However, the throttling effect is much more noticeable and lasting on the S22 Ultra compared to slimmer phones like the S22 Plus.
With such a thick, heavy chassis, you‘d expect Samsung engineers to come up with a more robust passive cooling system, perhaps with a larger vapor chamber or even actual air vents. But it seems they prioritized putting in a bigger camera module and stylus silo instead of extra thermal headroom.
9. Better Alternatives for the Price
At an MSRP of $1200, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has some stiff competition in the super-premium smartphone category. And frankly, most of its rivals surpass it in at least a couple key areas while costing the same or less.
If you prefer Android and want the best point-and-shoot camera experience, the Google Pixel 7 Pro is an easy choice over the S22 Ultra. It takes more consistent, natural-looking photos and doesn‘t suffer from the same color oversaturation. It also has a cleaner, smoother software build and longer battery life for $300 less.
In the iOS camp, the iPhone 14 Pro Max beats the S22 Ultra in a few major ways while matching it blow-for-blow elsewhere. Apple‘s big phone has a more powerful, efficient A16 Bionic processor, a brighter display with the Dynamic Island, and best-in-class video capture. It also feels sleeker in the hand and enjoys longer software support.
If you‘re willing to look beyond the biggest brands, the OnePlus 10 Pro is a fantastic value alternative. You get 80-90% of the S22 Ultra‘s flagship features and performance for literally half the price. The Sony Xperia 1 IV is another elite option for creative pros who want a 4K HDR OLED display and 16mm ultrawide camera.
Ultimately, the S22 Ultra only makes sense if you‘re a die-hard Note fan or absolutely need the built-in S Pen stylus. For everyone else, there are better ways to spend your smartphone budget.
10. Minimal Generational Improvements
Perhaps the biggest reason to hesitate on the Galaxy S22 Ultra is that it‘s only marginally better than the S21 Ultra that preceded it. Despite having a new stylus garage, faster chipset, improved selfie camera, and new color options, it‘s more of a refined iteration than a revolutionary upgrade.
The design, display size and resolution, RAM and storage options, and rear camera hardware are all essentially unchanged. The S21 Ultra is no longer sold new by Samsung, but you can snag a used or refurbished one in mint condition for $700-800 these days. That‘s a solid 40% discount for 90% of the experience.
What‘s more, Samsung is almost certainly going to release a Galaxy S23 Ultra in the first quarter of 2023. Rumored upgrades include a 200MP main camera, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, thinner bezels, and improved cooling. If you really have your heart set on an S Pen-toting Ultra phone, it‘s probably worth waiting to see what the S23 brings rather than buying an S22 this late into its life cycle.
The Bottom Line
Samsung‘s Galaxy S22 Ultra is the most feature-packed, over-the-top Android phone money can buy. It has a giant screen, beastly cameras, a built-in stylus, and the fastest 5G you can get. But this everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach results in an expensive, cumbersome device with inconsistent real-world performance.
Most smartphone shoppers will be happier with a more focused, refined flagship like a Pixel 7 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, or OnePlus 10 Pro. And if the S Pen is a must-have, you‘re better off waiting for the Galaxy S23 Ultra or hunting down a used Note 20 Ultra. The S22 Ultra has its place in tech history, but it‘s ultimately a bit too much and a bit too little at the same time.
