We analyzed 804 verified reviews from actual owners of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G. Our goal was to move beyond simple star ratings and discover what itās actually like to use this phone.
To do this, we identified the key aspects people discuss, such as the camera, battery, screen, and performance. We then applied sentiment analysis to every mention, categorizing each as positive, negative, or neutral. This granular process generates the percentage scores in our analysis, offering a data-driven view of the phone’s true strengths and weaknesses.
š° Value for Money: Premium Power, Poor Value
When evaluating the Value for Money of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G, the story is one of sharp contrasts. While a significant number of users feel its premium features justify the high price tag, a wave of palpable frustration over missing items and questionable upgrade value drags down its overall standing.
The Satisfied User Base
For those who are satisfied, the sentiment is strong. With 66% of users expressing positive feelings about the phone’s overall satisfaction relative to its cost, itās clear that when the S22 Ultra delivers, it truly impresses.
These users don’t just see a phone; they see a comprehensive tool that redefines what a mobile device can do. The feeling is that the high cost buys an unmatched experience.
When you wonder if the phone is worth the cost, think of ten ordinary phones in one big, bad super-phone.
My research told me that the S22 Ultra was, by far, the best choice, and it did not disappoint! It is well worth the price!
For this segment of owners, the investment translates directly into unparalleled capability and satisfaction.
Unexpected Costs and Missing Items
However, this enthusiasm is severely undermined by a major point of contention: unexpected costs and missing items. This factor received an incredibly low 6% positive score, a dramatic drop from the category average of 21%.
The primary source of this frustration is the absence of a charging brick in the box. For a device positioned as a top-tier flagship, this omission feels less like an environmental statement and more like a nickel-and-dime tactic.
Seems petty on Samsung’s part to not include a charger to fit the included cable. Shame on you Samsung! These phones are expensive and you’re acting like a cheapskate!!
This initial disappointment sets a negative tone, making users feel they have to “shell out more money right away if you want to charge the phone to use it!”
Unfavorable Comparisons and Upgrade Value
This feeling of questionable value is amplified when looking at how the S22 Ultra compares to its rivals. Its 66% satisfaction score for cost is vastly overshadowed by competitors like the Google Pixel 8 Pro (89%) and OnePlus 12 (94%), who leave their users far more confident in their purchase.
Furthermore, the S22 Ultra struggles to justify itself as a necessary upgrade, with only 48% of users feeling it was worth the leapāsignificantly lower than the 79% score for both the Pixel 8 Pro and OnePlus 12 on the same measure.
For many, the S22 Ultra simply doesn’t feel like a big enough step forward, leading to significant buyer’s remorse.
This is an unfortunate downgrade. I went back to the Note 20 Ultra… The camera is an improvement for sure – probably the main improvement I liked. But not enough to offset the losses.
Trade-Off: For those seeking a powerful, feature-rich device and willing to overlook its premium price and missing accessories, the S22 Ultra can feel like a worthy investment, but for many others, itās a purchase marred by frustrating omissions and a value proposition that falls short of its high-flying competitors.
šø Camera: Zooming, Glitching, Losing
The camera system on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G presents a story of extremes. While its overall performance matches the category average, a deeper look at user experiences reveals a dramatic split between a truly exceptional standout feature and significant, frustrating flaws in core functionality.
Unmatched Zoom Capabilities
The overwhelming source of user delight comes from the phone’s zoom capabilities, which earn an 82% positive sentimentāa staggering 36 points above the category average of 46%. This isn’t just a minor improvement; for users, it’s a transformative feature that unlocks entirely new photographic possibilities.
Owners describe it as
out of this world,
allowing one to
take pictures as if I’m sitting on stage next to him
without the grainy results of lesser phones. This capability creates moments of genuine awe, with users remarking how
everyone is amazed at how clear the object is when they actually realize how far away I was.
The zoom is so powerful and clear that some even claim to
Love how it captured the moon,
a feat that makes the phone feel like a professional tool in your pocket.
Frustrating Software Instability
However, this excitement is sharply contrasted by significant frustration with the camera’s features and software, which scored just 59% positive, two points below the category average. This isn’t about a lack of creative modes, but a fundamental lack of reliability that actively ruins a user’s ability to capture a moment.
Owners report that the
camera is unstable,
with infuriating glitches during shooting. One user’s experience captures the problem perfectly:
Every time I have a clear shot lined up it will randomly switch to a different camera lense that makes the entire screen blurry.
For videographers, the problem is even worse, with reports that
The regular video mode skips, glitches, and freezes regularly. It ruins every video I try to take.
The Competition’s Polish
This software instability becomes even more apparent when compared to key competitors. For instance, the Google Pixel 8 Pro achieves a stellar 83% positive score for its camera features and modes, a full 24 points higher than the S22 Ultra.
This vast gap suggests that while Samsung focused on powerful optics, it neglected the software polish that competitors have mastered. The consequence is a tangible sense of disappointment for some users, who feel the camera doesn’t live up to its marketing or even its predecessors. As one owner bluntly stated,
everytime I compare pictures taken by my wife’s phone (latest iPhone model) and my phone (Galaxy S22 Note Ultra), her’s are always hands down better.
Trade-Off: The S22 Ultra offers a class-leading zoom that feels like magic, but it comes at the cost of a buggy and unreliable core camera experience that can spoil the moment.
š± Screen: Stunning Views, Frustrating Touches
For the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G, the screen experience is defined by a stunning visual prowess that users find deeply immersive. The core visual elements, Display Quality and Vibrancy, earn an impressive 87% positive sentiment, beating the category average of 83%.
This excellence translates into a tangible, premium experience. Users feel they are:
having a 4k tv in your pocket.
This sentiment is echoed by another owner who states:
The screen on this phone is incredible, easily the best smart phone screen I’ve ever used.
This extends to real-world usability, with Brightness and Outdoor Visibility also scoring 87%, a full 13 points above the category average, prompting one user to declare that with its high brightness:
outdoor viewing is the best on a phone display to date.
A Frustrating Flaw
However, this visual delight is profoundly undermined by a significant and frustrating flaw: poor interactivity. Touchscreen Responsiveness and Accuracy clocks in with only a 23% positive rating, a staggering 20 points below the category average of 43%.
This isn’t a minor annoyance; it’s a fundamental issue that disrupts daily use. Users describe how the screen can be problematic:
the touchscreen gets a little finicky around the edges and the slightest movement during a touch will either cause it to not register or move the screen.
The problem is frequently tied to the in-display fingerprint sensor, which many find unreliable, especially with screen protectors. One user captured the common sentiment, explaining:
My only real gripe with this phone is the fingerprint sensor, which actually feels like a downgrade coming from the Note 9.
The Competitive Divide
This weakness becomes even more pronounced when placed in the competitive landscape. While the S22 Ultraās display quality is strong, rivals like the Google Pixel 8 Pro (89%) and OnePlus 12 (91%) score even higher, suggesting Samsung no longer holds an undisputed top spot for visual quality.
The most critical gap, however, lies in the interactive experience. The S22 Ultraās frustrating 23% score for touchscreen responsiveness is dwarfed by the flawless 100% positive rating for the OnePlus 12.
For a potential buyer, this presents a clear dilemma: accept a visually stunning screen that may be frequently frustrating to use, or choose a competitor that delivers a more reliable, if slightly less vibrant, overall experience.
Trade-Off: Users gain a brilliant, vivid, and bright display at the significant cost of a deeply flawed and often frustrating touchscreen and fingerprint sensor experience.
šØ Design: Form Over Function
The design of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G tells a deeply conflicted story. While users are often captivated by its appearance, their satisfaction is sharply undermined by a series of functional choices that feel like a step backward.
The phone’s aesthetic appeal is its strongest design element, with a 73% positive sentiment for its looks and style. Owners frequently describe it as having a “minimalistic exterior design” and a “slick build with the Burgundy color, makes this one of the best looking and most comfortable devices to hold.” This premium look gives the impression of a thoughtfully crafted device, with one user noting it “gives a real upmarket feel,” explaining why many are initially drawn to the phone.
Functional Design Failures
However, this positive first impression quickly sours when users interact with the phone’s core functional design. The most significant source of frustration lies in “Design Features and Changes,” which received a dismal 21% positive score, a full 19 points below the category average of 40%.
This drastic drop is fueled by a sense of betrayal over removed features. Many long-time users are incensed by the lack of expandable storage, with one pleading:
bring back the SD card slot.
This sentiment is echoed by another who felt it was an “unfortunate downgrade,” stating:
I went back to the Note 20 Ultra. Reasons include… No SD storage card expansion.
The frustration extends to the speakers, which a user blasted as being a major step down from the predecessor.
terrible compared to the Note 20 Ultra. Softer, less rich, and staticky when pushed.
Even the phone’s physical form causes problems; despite some enjoying the size, its ergonomics received a low 47% positive score for handling, with one user reporting:
The phones are just getting too big and too heavy. This phone has given me severe hand and wrist pain.
Comparison to Competitors
When placed against its rivals, the S22 Ultra’s design flaws become even more stark. The Sony Xperia 1 V, a direct competitor, boasts a 60% positive score for its design features and changes, nearly triple that of the S22 Ultra.
This vast gap shows that competitors are retaining the very features, like SD card slots and headphone jacks, that Samsung users feel are being unfairly taken away.
Even on aesthetics, where the S22 Ultra performs best, it dramatically lags behind the near-universal praise for the Sony Xperia 1 V (100%) and Google Pixel 8 Pro (95%).
This difference highlights that while the S22 Ultra’s design is liked, it fails to inspire the same level of admiration as its peers, suggesting a disconnect between Samsung’s design philosophy and what premium users truly value in a flagship phone.
Dealbreaker: The removal of beloved features and regressions in functional quality create a user experience that feels like a downgrade, making the phone’s beautiful exterior a shallow consolation for its frustrating design.
š”ļø Performance: Multitasking vs. Heat
The performance story of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G is a sharp contrast of highs and lows. It reveals a device that excels in certain areas while being critically undermined by a single, glaring flaw.
The phoneās saving grace for power users is its exceptional multitasking capability, earning a stellar 90% positive sentiment in our analysis, a full 7 points above the category average. This translates into tangible productivity, allowing users to juggle demanding applications seamlessly.
I am able to do everything with my phone, my college assignments.
This experience is enabled by the robust hardware, with another power user noting:
love having 12gb of ram, considering I’m usually running at 8gb of use regularly.
Crippling Thermal Management
However, this impressive power comes at a severe cost. The phoneās Achilles’ heel is its thermal management, which received an alarmingly low 18% positive ratingāa significant 15 points below the category average of 33%.
This isn’t just about the device getting warm; it actively disrupts usability in critical moments. One user reported that during a video call, the phone got so hot that it became unusable.
it closed all the google applications.
Another highlighted that even simple tasks could trigger the problem, noting an:
overheated phone after texting msgs on fb messenger in 20 mins.
Competitive Landscape
This contradiction becomes clearer against competitors. While the S22 Ultra feels fast, its 77% positive score for processing power lags behind rivals like the OnePlus 12 (96%).
For loyal Samsung users upgrading from older flagships like the Note 20, this feels less like an upgrade and more like a compromise. One former Note owner expressed this disappointment perfectly:
On the Note 20 I could have 4 or 5 websites open… and bounce between them seamlessly. The S22 would self destruct if you tried that.
While overheating is an issue for some rivals like the Google Pixel 8 Pro (14%), others like the OnePlus 12 (63%) prove that high performance and effective cooling can coexist. This makes the S22 Ultra’s heat problems a more pointed failure.
Trade-Off: Users gain world-class multitasking for productivity, but in exchange, they must accept the significant risk of disruptive overheating that can throttle performance when it’s needed most.
š Software & OS: Customization vs. Crashes
The software experience on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G is a story of profound contradiction. While users broadly praise the user interface for its powerful features and customization, this positive sentiment is dangerously undermined by significant, and often critical, stability issues lurking just beneath the surface.
Powerful Customization
On the surface, Samsung’s One UI delights users with its flexibility and intuitive design. The user experience and UI smoothness earn a solid 72% positive sentiment, fueled by a deep appreciation for personalization and productivity. Owners celebrate how the “level of customization is out of this world,” allowing them to “make this phone unique even when there are thousands of the same models.” This isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about practical empowerment.
One user explains how the “split screen view of various apps… make it seamless to complete complex tasks like viewing Google Maps and researching restaurants on Yelp at the same time.” For many, this interface “has easily empowered me to live a more seamless lifestyle,” creating a truly personal and efficient device.
Significant Stability Flaws
However, this smooth experience is frequently shattered by a fundamental lack of dependability. The phone’s software stability is a major point of contention, scoring a low 20% in positive sentimentāa full seven points below the category average of 27%.
These aren’t minor glitches; they are high-impact failures that breed deep frustration. Users report the phone crashing at the worst possible moments, with one anecdotally sharing a harrowing experience:
I was using Maps to go to the airport and the screen went black. I had to pull over… I arrived 30 minutes late.
This is not an isolated incident. The sentiment is echoed by others who complain that it “consistently drops out of apps” or that the device is “super laggy and buggy. It constantly freezes and then restarts on its own.” For these users, the promise of a premium phone is broken by software that “just does not work like it should.”
Competitive Comparison
This weakness becomes even more apparent when looking at the competition. While the S22 Ultra struggles with stability at a 20% positive score, the OnePlus 12 is significantly more reliable at 37%, and the Google Pixel 8 Pro also offers a more stable experience at 29%.
This numeric difference translates into a real-world dilemma for buyers: competitors offer a more dependable foundation, reducing the risk of a user finding themselves stranded by a crashing app or a frozen phone.
While the S22 Ultra’s UI is praised, its smoothness score of 72% is still edged out by both the OnePlus 12 (78%) and Google Pixel 8 Pro (73%), suggesting rivals deliver not only more stability but also a slightly more polished day-to-day experience.
Trade-Off: Users gain a feature-rich, highly customizable interface at the significant cost of unpredictable software stability that can undermine the phone’s reliability in critical moments.
š Battery: Fast Charge, Short Life
The battery performance of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G is a story of stark contradictions, where a single point of praise is overshadowed by widespread anxiety about the phone’s fundamental staying power.
While the device includes some conveniences, the daily user experience is defined by a constant awareness of the battery meter.
Charging Speed: A Necessary Convenience
The one clear bright spot for users is the charging speed, which earns a 73% positive score, slightly edging out the category average of 69%. This matters because it provides a quick remedy for the phoneās more significant shortcomings.
For users on the go, this speed is a practical relief, as one owner noted,
The Phone charges really fast. I can watch movies all day without the battery dying.
This highlights how the ability to quickly top up is essential to their enjoyment. Another user put it simply, “I love how quickly my phone charges,” a sentiment that shows how this feature directly mitigates the frustration of a draining battery.
Overall Battery Life: A Major Letdown
However, this rapid charging is a necessary crutch for a device whose overall battery life is a significant source of user disappointment. With a positive score of just 48%āa staggering 26 points below the category average of 74%āusers feel let down.
The real-world impact is a lack of confidence and the stress of being tethered to a power source. This frustration is palpable in reviews, with one user stating,
I am having a hard time going through a full day with moderate usage.
This is not just a minor inconvenience; for some, it’s a complete failure of expectation. One of the most damning accounts reveals the severity of the problem:
The S22 Ultra gets me through barely through half day and it’s at 25% already.
This sentiment is further amplified by bizarre battery drain patterns, which score a dismal 6% in positive mentions, with one user recounting the experience of the battery draining completely “while it was powered off.”
Comparisons and Buyer’s Remorse
This weakness is thrown into sharp relief when compared to its peers and even its own lineage. The S22 Ultra’s 48% positive score for battery life is dramatically outclassed by the OnePlus 12 (91%) and the Sony Xperia 1 V (100%), a difference that directly affects purchasing decisions for those who value endurance.
Perhaps more critically, users upgrading from Samsung’s previous model feel they have taken a step backward. One former loyalist lamented,
Compared to the S21 Ultra which I had, the battery life is horrible.
This sense of regression creates profound buyer’s remorse and undermines the very premise of an “Ultra” upgrade, leaving users feeling they’ve paid a premium for a lesser experience.
Trade-Off: Users gain the convenience of a quick charge at the significant expense of all-day endurance, forcing a constant reliance on the very feature meant to compensate for the battery’s core weakness.
Bottom Line
- ā The camera’s zoom is the undisputed highlight, earning an 82% positive score for its world-class, clear results.
- ā ļø Critical performance flaws ruin the experience, with users reporting frequent software crashes (20% stability score) and disruptive overheating (18% positive).
- ā ļø The battery life is a major letdown, scoring just 48% positiveāa staggering 26 points below the category average.
- š» It feels like a downgrade for loyalists, with “Design Features and Changes” scoring a dismal 21% positive due to the removal of key features like the SD card slot.
- š Itās outclassed on fundamentals, with its abysmal 23% score for touchscreen responsiveness dwarfed by the flawless 100% rating of the OnePlus 12.
- ā ļø Users are frustrated by the poor value, citing the missing charger (6% positive score) and an upgrade value satisfaction of only 48%.
- š” This is a phone of frustrating contradictions; it offers a magical zoom but is crippled by fundamental failures in battery, stability, and overall value.