Smartphones have become the default all-in-one device in everyone’s possession — loaded with all sorts of instruments and applications to perform all manner of tasks.
But to the average “non-tech” person (like me), who tend not to look at all the minute, little upgrades that come with every new version of a particular phone. Pretty much all smartphones still look, feel and function like those in generations past.
Sure, every newer model would be equipped with improved hardware, smoother operating systems, and a few fresh colours. But what do smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S22+ has to offer that its long line of predecessors doesn’t already?
Just another smartphone?
So I’ve had my review unit of the S22+ for about 3 weeks now. And truthfully… for the first few days or so, the thing just sat there on my desk, still neatly wrapped in its box and doing little to pique my interest in peeking beyond what lies inside Samsung’s brand of minimalistic packaging.
After all, I myself am already using the Samsung Galaxy A52 that, upon first impression, looks almost exactly like the new flagship S22+ — albeit the A52 being in the mid-range category and loads cheaper than the S22+’s RM4,099 starting price tag.
The S22+ is, of course, part of the larger Samsung Galaxy S series of “premium” smartphones and sits in the middle, both in price and specifications, between its two sisters: the pricier S22 Ultra and the slightly less pricy S22 model.
How it looks
On the surface, the S22+’s design looks like any other Samsung phone. But compared to the cheaper models, the device’s glass finish on the back coupled with its curved aluminium borders and camera housing does give it that premium-ish aesthetic.
Samsung says that the phone’s mixture of flats and curves resembles that of sand dunes — which on this “Pink Gold” version that I received does invoke that “sunset in the desert” feeling to it. But I digress…
The thing that really caught my eye was the S22+ superb 6.6in, 120Hz AMOLED display. It’s both bright and vibrant in colour, and having the phone out in direct sunlight does nothing to degrade its picture quality whether you’re just scrolling through it or watching videos.
How it feels
Weighing at just around 196g, the S22+ is light but feels solid to the grip and would fit nicely in anyone’s hand.
The side volume and lock buttons are easily reachable whether you’re using it vertically or horizontally, and typing on this thing is simply a joy. The touchscreen is actually quite precise that, if you have meaty thumbs (like me), you won’t be spending too much time hitting the backspace key to correct any misinputs.
The S22+ comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 processor, 8GB of memory and up to 256GB of storage space, and is also 5G optimised as well as equipped with a 4500mAh battery which can last you a full day without recharging — but don’t push it.
The phone performs quite smoothly with no detectable lag while you’re browsing or gaming, and it sounds pretty good too. The top and bottom speakers, though can sound a bit tinny to my ears at times, are adequate to satisfy you audiophiles out there.
How it functions
The best thing I can say about the S22+ is the steller shots that you can capture with its triple: 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide and, 10MP telephoto sensors, and a 10MP punch hole selfie camera.
The phone is apparently equipped with something called “Tetra-binning”, which basically means that the sensors have larger, combined pixels to absorb more light which should result in less noise and better picture quality even in low light conditions.
As with any Samsung device, images and videos taken have a signature “punch” to their colour contrast. Plus the camera app also has this “remaster photo” mode which can be neat to use from time to time to automatically adjust your image quality in post.
But, the camera is positioned so you’d have to hold it a certain way horizontally to keep your fingers from photobombing your shots.
Additionally, the S22+ runs on a pretty intuitive One UI which Samsung promises to keep updating for at least a few years, and the only nitpick I have with the phone is that it doesn’t have an audio jack.
All in all, the S22+ can be considered just another smartphone, but a quality one at that!
I’d definitely recommend getting one if you have the budget for it, or if you’re willing to spend a little extra, definitely go for its bigger sibling: the S22 Ultra which comes with an S Pen. Check out our review for that, HERE.
