Galaxy S22 Vs. Galaxy S21: Should You Upgrade To Samsung's Newest Phone?
The Samsung Galaxy S22 stands out as one of the year's best smartphones, but for folks who already have last year's Galaxy S21, is there any need to upgrade? This is a question that comes up with every new phone. Whether a new phone is released from Samsung, Apple, OnePlus, or Google, owners of the previous model want to know if they should get the latest and greatest. And understandably so! Processors get faster, cameras get better, and battery life (hopefully) gets longer.
For Samsung fans in 2022, that question looms over the Galaxy S22. Last year's Galaxy S21 was — and still is — an excellent handset. It has a gorgeous display, snappy performance, reliable cameras, and powerful software. It's a phone that holds its own a year after its debut, but with the Galaxy S22 now replacing it, S21 owners may be wondering if it's time to upgrade. If you happen to fall into that boat, here's what you should know before pulling the trigger.
Starting first with the design, the Galaxy S22 and S21 look identical at first glance. They're similarly sized and have the same 'contour-cut' camera bump, which makes it look like the three cameras flow seamlessly into the frame. However, there are a few subtitles that give the S22 a slight edge. While last year's Galaxy S21 featured a plastic back, the S22 has a glass back (specifically, Gorilla Glass Victus). The S22 also has noticeably flatter edges compared to the rounded shape of the S21. These aren't dramatic changes on paper, but they make the Galaxy S22 feel more refined and premium than its older sibling. Other design flourishes remain untouched. The S22 and S21 have stereo speakers, a USB-C charge port, and an in-screen fingerprint sensor.
It's a pretty similar story with the display. Both the S22 and S21 have 'Dynamic AMOLED 2X' panels with HDR10+ and up to 1300 nits of peak brightness. The S22 and S21 also have nearly identical resolutions at 2340 x 1080 and 2400 x 1080, respectively. The reason for the S22's lower resolution is that its display is slightly smaller than the S21 — measuring 6.1 inches instead of 6.2 inches. Combined with slightly smaller bezels, and the aforementioned flat edges, the Galaxy S22 feels more compact than the S21. Also, while both the S22 and S21 have up to 120Hz refresh rates, the S22 can go down to 10Hz to help conserve battery life. Meanwhile, the S21 can only scale its refresh rate down to 60Hz.
Other differences between the two phones are more obvious. The Galaxy S21's Snapdragon 888 processor is still very capable in 2022, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the S22 is faster and more efficient. The S22 also has a new 50MP primary camera — a considerable increase over the 12MP sensor on the S21. Along with making still images sharper and more detailed, this allows the Galaxy S22 to record 8K video using its primary camera. The Galaxy S21 is capable of 8K video too, but it can only record it with the telephoto camera (resulting in an often unwanted crop). It's a small change on paper, but it's one that could make a considerable difference in daily use. Also changed is battery capacity, but not in the way folks are hoping. The Galaxy S21 already has a fairly small 4,000 mAh battery, resulting in OK battery life and nothing more. Because the Galaxy S22 is physically smaller than its predecessor, it has an even tinier 3,700 mAh battery. The lower refresh rate and more efficient processor should help to offset that a bit, but it's still something to consider.
Lastly, there's the promise of future software updates. The Galaxy S21 shipped in January 2021 with three years of guaranteed OS upgrades. The Galaxy S22 is a year newer, having launched in February 2022, and it also gets a longer four-year update guarantee. That means the Galaxy S21's final Android update will be in 2024, while the S22 will keep getting major Android updates through February 2026. Is that enough to warrant an upgrade? That's up to you to decide. Most people are likely fine to keep the S21 for another year or two. The S22's faster processor, more efficient display, and upgraded camera are all objective improvements over the S21. For a $799 upgrade, though, most folks likely won't consider them worth it. The Samsung Galaxy S22 is an excellent smartphone in its own right, but if you're still rocking the S21 and enjoying it, you can probably sit this one out.
Source: Samsung