The Ultra is a total departure for the S22 series, integrating an S Pen stylus, which makes it a lot like a Note that never was. Many features aren't hugely different to the outgoing S21 Ultra, however, but this handset is all about refinement - from that punchy curved edge display to the distinctive rear cameras arrangement.

Hugely bright and punchy screen with adaptive refresh; Distinctive camera design is eye-catching - wholly different to other S22 models; Integrated S Pen stylus - the software and response is super;

Not everyone will want the built-in S Pen stylus - this is S series not Note; No microSD card expansion; Many features of minor difference to S21 Ultra; Expect a big price tag;

The Ultra is a total departure for the Galaxy S22 series, integrating a little S Pen stylus, which makes it rather like the Note that never was. Many features aren't hugely different to the outgoing S21 Ultra, however, but this handset is all about refinement - from that punchy curved edge display to the distinctive rear cameras arrangement - and there's no denying the quality of the cameras on offer here.

Bright and punchy screen with adaptive refresh rate; Distinctive camera design is eye-catching - and it's very capable too; Integrated S Pen stylus is great (but not everyone will use it);

Battery life is questionable; Software not entirely bug-free; Not everyone will want the built-in S Pen stylus - this is S series not a Note after all; No microSD card expansion; Pricey;

Is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra worth the nearly $2,000 price tag? Is this the phone that Note fans have been waiting for?

The S22 Ultra should really be called a Galaxy Note. It’s a giant phone for power users, offering unrivalled features, from the fantastic camera with more optical zoom than any other to the long battery life, stunning display and powerful built-in S Pen stylus.

Pros: huge 120Hz screen, fantastic and flexible camera with 3x and 10x optical zoom, One UI, S Pen stylus, good performance, long battery, five years of software support, contains recycled materials.

Cons: huge, heavy, very expensive, S Pen may be superfluous feature for many, gaming performance variable for EU model.

Samsung's primary strength is its scale in marketing and distribution, so the major advantage of the S22 is that it's everywhere. Most people reading this are probably 10 minutes from a store that will sell you an S22 right now.

Samsung's four years of OS updates and five years of security updates best even Google, although the big updates will take months to arrive, The camera is great and stacks up well against Google's best—the 100x zoom is a nice feature, The screen is nice

Tons of crapware, ads, and notification spam, Slow 25 W charging, despite Samsung's claims that the phone can do 45 W, The camera design makes the phone wobble back and forth on a table every time you touch it, The S-pen takes up a lot of battery space for people who don't want to write, The Pixel 6...

Smartphones are an incredibly personal thing. We carry them everywhere, interact with them hundreds of times a day, and our choice in ecosystems instantly says a lot about us. If you want to boast to the world, “I have the phone with everything,” then the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is for you.

Built-in S Pen, Super Responsive, Great cameras

Expensive, Curved Screen, Ads

The smartphone landscape has not changed much over the past few years. There are a handful of new smartphone makers and many solid midrange and budget options we never had before. But overall, the flagship smartphone market is still dominated by two major players, Samsung and Apple.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and S22+ Software And User Experience The Galaxy S22 series runs Samsung’s One UI 4 skin on top of Android 12. While we generally prefer the cleaner, leaner Android experience found on Google, OnePlus, and Moto’s phones, One UI 4 provides a rich set of features that will...

It’s a refined Galaxy Note, Gorgeous display, Best-in-class shooters, Broad 5G support, Amazing battery life, Premium design, Beautiful display, Superb cameras, Broad 5G support, Amazing battery life

No microSD support, Slightly heavy One UI Skin, No charger in the box, Last year’s industrial design, Slightly heavy One UI Skin, No charger in the box

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra looks and feels awesome and in terms of features and performance will beat any Android phone out there in nearly every category. We would have liked it more if it actually looked like an S22 series smartphone but then, perhaps this is Samsung’s way of answering...