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Ben Sin

For a decade, Samsung’s mobile division launched two major smartphones a year: the casual, all-rounder Galaxy S series in spring, and the business-driven, stylus-included Galaxy Note series in summer.
This strategy stopped in 2021 when Samsung did not release a Note device, instead giving its summer release slot to the company’s foldable Z series. Many assumed we had seen the last of the Galaxy Note.
Wednesday’s announcement of the Galaxy S22 series showed that isn’t quite the case: the S22 Ultra is essentially a Galaxy Note. Here is our first look at the just-released, highest-end Samsung model.
Design and hardware
The Galaxy S22 Ultra looks similar to the last Galaxy Note device, the Note 20 Ultra that was released in the summer of 2020.

There is a 6.8-inch display with pointed corners, almost invisible bezels and a small hole-punch housing a selfie camera in the centre-top of the screen. In the bottom right corner is a slot that houses the S-Pen stylus. The S22 Ultra even comes in a burgundy colour reminiscent of the Note 20 Ultra’s copper colour.
The camera module has been streamlined – or rather, eliminated. The camera lenses are built into the glass back for a minimalistic look. Or as minimal as five cameras can be, anyway.
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This camera system is very similar to the do-it-all system seen in 2021’s S21 Ultra. It features a 108-megapixel main camera with a large image sensor and a fast aperture, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera that can grab sweeping views, and a pair of zoom lenses covering the 3x and 10x focal lengths that are still the best zoom lens in the business.
While the megapixel counts and sensor sizes remain unchanged, Samsung is promising major improvements to camera performance thanks to better computational photography algorithms and the new ISP (image signal processor) in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip powering the phone.
The display is also a second-generation LTPO OLED panel, meaning it can intelligently adjust its refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz, so the phone can display zippy animations when needed but save battery when viewing static visuals.

The phone packs a 5,000mAh battery that can be charged wired or wirelessly, and the usual IP68 water- and dust-resistance rating returns.
Software and features
The S22 Ultra runs on Android 12 with Samsung’s One UI software skin on top.
With Samsung having further strengthened its collaboration with Google and Microsoft, the S22 Ultra brings a few exclusives that other Android phones can’t claim, such as the ability to mirror the phone’s screen to a Windows PC. There’s also a new “Live Sharing” feature in Google’s video calling app Duo, which not even Google’s own Pixel phones have.

But those who choose the Ultra over the other S22 models will likely do so for the stylus. In this aspect, Samsung has lowered latency between stylus input and screen animations to 2.8 milliseconds, down from 9 milliseconds on the last Note model, a feat achieved via software algorithms.
First impressions
Samsung is claiming a lot of breakthroughs in terms of machine learning and AI processing of digital images. My initial testing, despite time constraints, looked promising.
I noticed clear improvements in low-light photography and video recording, particularly in the phone’s ability to produce artificial bokeh (the depth-of-field blur) in video for a more cinematic look.
As smartphone hardware begins to plateau – folding phones aside – it is increasingly up to the software to bring notable improvements. In that, Samsung is rightfully putting in the time and resources.
Price: US$1,099 (release date and Hong Kong price TBA)


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Smartphones

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra first look: S Pen, best zoom lens, better camera performance, exclusive Android features

The new Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with an S Pen stylus similar to the company’s previous Note models. Photo: Ben Sin

The camera system on the back of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Photo: Ben Sin

The stylus slot on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Photo: Ben Sin

The back of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Photo: Ben Sin

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A woman takes a selfie with Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone. Photo: Handout

Foldable phone face-off: Oppo Find N vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 – we put them through their paces

The Oppo Find N (left) and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. Photo: Ben Sin

The Oppo Find N (left) and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 (right), both folded. Photo: Ben Sin

The Oppo Find N (left) and the Samsung Galaxy Fold 3’s main screens when unfolded. Photo: Ben Sin

Both the Oppo Find N (bottom) and Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 have sturdy hinges that can stay open mid-fold. Photo: Ben Sin

The Oppo Find N (left) can fold completely flat while the Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 folds at an angle, with a slight gap. Photo: Ben Sin

Side view of the back of the hinge on the Oppo Find N (left) and Samsung Galaxy Fold 3. Photo: Ben Sin

The Oppo Find N (white) and Samsung Galaxy Fold 3’s back. Both phones have triple camera systems. Photo: Ben Sin

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A man walks past an advertisement for Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Z Fold3 and Flip3 smartphones at an underground shopping area in Seoul, South Korea, on October 8, 2021. Photo: Agence France-Presse

epa09512375 A South Korean man visits the Samsung Electronics gallery at the Samsung Electronics headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, 08 October 2021. Samsung Electronics Co. said on 08 October, its third-quarter operating profit at 73 trillion won (61.2 billion US dollars) for the July-September period, up nine percent from a year ago. EPA-EFE/JEON HEON-KYUN

Pedestrians walk past an advertisement for Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Z Fold3 and Flip3 smartphones at an underground shopping area in Seoul, South Korea, on October 8, 2021. Photo: Agence France-Presse

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3 foldable phones first impressions: tougher and cheaper, could they finally make the form factor mainstream?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 (right) and Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable phones side by side. Photo: Ben Sin

The Fold 3 supports Samsung’s S-Pen stylus (separate purchase). Photo: Samsung

The Flip 3 comes in two colours. Photo: Ben Sin

The Flip 3’s larger outer screen makes taking selfies easier than before. Photo: Samsung

The Flip 3 has dimensions of 72.2mm x 86.4mm x 15.9~17.1mm when folded. Photo: Ben Sin

The Fold 3 in black. Photo: Ben Sin

The two phones side by side. Photo: Ben Sin

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Lifestyle

Gadgets


Is the Galaxy Note back? Samsung’s top Galaxy S model now includes an S Pen, with latency between stylus input and screen animations down to 2.8 milliseconds
The 6.8-inch LTPO OLED panel intelligently adjusts its refresh rate, while the ability to mirror the screen to a Windows PC is available on no other Android



Is the Galaxy Note back? Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra includes an S Pen stylus while also boasting a 6.8-inch display, better camera performance and exclusive Android features.


Samsung Electronics

Technology