Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G: Stunning Camera, Crippling Flaws (742 User Reviews Analyzed)

💡Quick Summary

  • 🗣️ We analyzed 742 validated user reviews to find the real story behind the Galaxy S22+ 5G.
  • ✅ The camera is a standout success, with its 91% positive score in low light dwarfing the 61% category average.
  • ⚠️ Performance is crippled by severe overheating; its thermal management earned a catastrophic 13% positive rating, making the phone hot to the touch.
  • 🔻 It's a clear downgrade for many, with a low 53% upgrade justification score fueled by worse battery life than the S20 and the removal of the SD card slot.
  • 🏁 The software is far less stable than rivals, with its 20% positive rating less than half that of the Google Pixel 8 (42%).
  • 💡 The Bottom Line: A phone of frustrating contradictions where a premium design and great camera are consistently undermined by poor battery, heat issues, and software bugs.

What did we cover?

💡We count the number of positive, negative, and neutral mentions and calculate the percentage of positives for each aspect we are covering. Then, we compare them to the category and similar products.

We analyzed 742 reviews from verified owners to find the truth about the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G. Our goal was to cut through the marketing hype and understand what it’s actually like to use this phone every day.

To do this, we categorized every comment into key topics like its camera, performance, battery life, screen, software, and design. We then calculated the positive and negative sentiment for each one, creating a clear, data-driven look at the phone’s real-world strengths and weaknesses.

💰 Value for Money: Stripped, Not Worthy

The Value for Money proposition for the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G is a story of contrasts, where a premium flagship experience is frequently overshadowed by frustrating omissions.

For many owners, the core device delivers on its promise. A solid 75% of users express satisfaction with the phone’s performance relative to its cost, pointing to a fast processor, excellent screen, and robust build that makes the high price tag feel justified.

As one happy customer explained:

The expense of this phone has proven worthwhile to me… I caved and went pricey with the S22. I’m not at all disappointed! EVERY aspect of this phone surpasses what I had in the past.

Missing Essentials Undermine Value

However, this satisfaction is severely undermined by a glaring issue: unexpected costs and missing items. This factor received a 0% positive sentiment score from users, a dramatic drop from the already low category average of 21%.

This isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it’s a source of genuine frustration, as users feel key components have been stripped away. One user articulated this feeling perfectly:

I was disappointed with what actually doesn’t come with these phones anymore. No charge block, no earphone jack, and the one thing that really set Samsung apart from Apple products……the expandable storage, the micro sd card slot.

This feeling of getting less for their money directly impacts the phone’s overall value.

A Difficult Upgrade Case

This sense of a compromised deal becomes even clearer for those considering an Upgrade Justification or looking at competitors. The S22+ struggles to make a compelling case for itself, with only 53% of users feeling the upgrade was justified, falling short of the 59% category average.

For some long-time users, the phone feels like a step backward, with one stating:

I am disappointed as I switched from S20. I feel S22 is a downgrade from S20.

This sentiment is particularly damaging when direct competitors like the Google Pixel 8 boast a much stronger upgrade justification score of 70%, suggesting rival brands are offering a more compelling evolution for users’ money.

Trade-Off: The Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G offers a powerful core experience that many users love, but its value is significantly diminished by the removal of expected essentials, making it a clear compromise rather than a confident purchase.

📸 Camera: Brightness, Zoom, & Flaws

For many Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G owners, the camera system is a source of both immense pride and surprising frustration. Behind the overall score lies a story of exceptional performance in difficult conditions, undermined by software and feature-set shortcomings.

The brightest spot is undoubtedly its performance in darkness, where its 91% positive score for low light performance utterly dwarfs the category average of 61%. This isn’t just a minor improvement; it’s a game-changer for users who feel empowered to shoot in any environment. One owner raved:

The camera is fantastic and the night mode is amazing! I have gotten great shots of the moon in the dark.

This capability, combined with a similarly outstanding 82% satisfaction score for zoom capabilities (nearly double the 46% category average), allows users to capture moments they previously thought were out of reach. As one user put it:

I love to explore around and go to zoos and theme parks so it’s amazing being able to capture far away objects.

Feature Set Frustrations

However, this excellence in core image capture is tempered by significant user complaints about camera features and modes, which earned a lackluster 62% positive score, barely nudging past the category average of 61%. These aren’t just minor gripes; they represent tangible frustrations that disrupt the creative process.

Users report that “the camera doesn’t focus well” and that its “image stabilization is not that great,” with some feeling the need for a gimbal for smooth video. The frustration is compounded by what some perceive as backward steps in usability. One long-time Samsung user expressed their disappointment clearly:

I am very unhappy with the fact that they removed the voice command feature of the camera. It was so convenient to say ‘shoot or smile’ and the camera automatically clicked a photo.

Competitive Landscape

This creates a clear dilemma for potential buyers, especially when comparing the S22+ to its rivals. The phone’s powerful 82% positive rating for zoom stands in stark contrast to the Google Pixel 8’s 37%, offering a decisive advantage for anyone who values capturing distant subjects.

Yet, the Pixel 8 holds a slight edge in its suite of camera features (72% vs. 62%), which can lead a user to feel they are missing out on clever software tools. More surprisingly, the S22+ appears to outshine its more expensive sibling, the S22 Ultra, in low light performance, scoring an impressive 91% to the Ultra’s 73%.

This suggests that for users prioritizing night photography over the Ultra’s other enhancements, the S22+ might actually be the smarter, more satisfying choice.

Trade-Off: The Galaxy S22+ camera delivers outstanding image quality, especially in low light and at a distance, but this is offset by a frustratingly under-developed feature set and inconsistent software performance.

📱 Screen: Beauty Undermined by Touch

Regarding the Screen of the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G, user experiences are a story of sharp contrasts. The visual quality is a highlight, driven by an exceptional 91% positive sentiment for display quality and vibrancy, a score that comfortably surpasses the 83% category average.

This isn’t just a technical achievement; it’s an emotional one. Users feel the difference in their daily media consumption, with one owner stating:

My favorite thing overall is the screen and how my shows be on point.

This sentiment is further boosted by the screen’s smoothness, which earns an 88% positive score. People describe how “navigating through the phone’s UI feels like a breeze” and love that “browsing the internet has never felt so smooth,” making the visual experience a primary reason for their satisfaction.

Frustrating Touchscreen Responsiveness

However, this visual delight is starkly undermined by a significant point of frustration: touchscreen responsiveness. This factor scores a mere 39% in positive sentiment, lagging behind the already low category average of 43%. For users, this translates into daily aggravation with the most fundamental interactions.

One owner expressed deep frustration, saying:

I can’t express how much I hate this phone. It has the worst voice to text issues, completely unusable. Trying to actually type things out is not much better.

Others report that the screen “sometimes does not respond to swipe or touch,” turning simple navigation into a test of patience.

Competitive Comparison

This weakness is thrown into sharp relief when compared to key competitors. While the Galaxy S22+’s display quality rating of 91% outshines rivals like the Google Pixel 8 (85%) and OnePlus 10 Pro (86%), its Achilles’ heel—the touchscreen—is where it falters.

The S22+’s 39% responsiveness score is significantly worse than the 63% for the OnePlus 10 Pro and 51% for the Google Pixel 8. It’s a tangible downgrade that users notice, with one former Samsung loyalist lamenting the change from their Samsung Galaxy S20:

REGRETTING Taking New Samsung Galaxy S22!! I should stay with my old Samsung Galaxy S20!! The screen is not as sensitive as S20.

Trade-Off: Users must weigh a visually stunning and fluid display against a frequently frustrating and unresponsive touch experience that falls short of its main rivals.

✨ Design: Beauty vs. Practicality

For the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G, its design is a story of love at first sight followed by recurring, practical frustrations. While the phone captivates with its appearance, a deeper look at user feedback reveals a narrative of compromise, where stunning looks are achieved at the cost of features many owners deeply miss.

Aesthetic Appeal

The initial infatuation is overwhelmingly driven by the phone’s visual appeal, where an impressive 87% of user comments on its aesthetics are positive. Owners frequently praise its premium look and feel, with one describing how:

“the green color of my phone has an elegant look,”

while another felt:

“that shiny like hunter green is one of the dopest colors I have ever seen.”

This sophisticated look is complemented by its physical form, with its 74% positive score for size and handling edging out the category average of 71%.

Users appreciate that despite a large screen with an “almost bezel less design,” the phone “is not too big or too small it is just perfect for anybody,” successfully providing a large display that still “feels great in my hand.”

Frustrating Omissions

However, this visual and ergonomic success is sharply contrasted by a deep sense of frustration over key design changes and omissions. This factor scores a dismal 21% in positive sentiment, a stark drop from the 40% category average, highlighting a major source of user dissatisfaction.

The removal of long-standing features is a recurring theme. Owners lament the loss of the headphone jack, with one user stating:

“I miss the headphone jack though because it made it easier to connect to my car.”

Another major point of contention is the absence of expandable memory, as one long-time Samsung user explained:

“it doesn’t have a slot for a SD card, I went from iphone to the samsung s4 and have been using a Samsung galaxy since.”

For many, these changes feel like a step backward, leading to comments like this one about the S10:

“these new phones aside from newer CPUs have less & less features than what used to be in models up to the S10.”

Competitive Context

When placed alongside its competitors, this trade-off becomes a critical purchasing consideration. Its 21% positive score for design features is significantly lower than the 36% for the OnePlus 10 Pro and 35% for the Google Pixel 8, showing a tangible gap in user satisfaction regarding functionality.

For many, the choice to opt for the S22+ over its larger sibling, the S22 Ultra, is a conscious decision to avoid a bulkier device. As one user noted, they chose the S22+ because the step-up model:

“was just too big for my liking.”

This positions the S22+ for a specific user who prioritizes a sleek, comfortable form factor over the feature set of its bigger sibling or the perceived completeness of its rivals.

Trade-Off: Users are forced to trade beloved practical features like the headphone jack and expandable storage for a visually stunning and comfortably-sized device.

♨️ Performance: Power Throttled By Heat

The performance story of the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G is one of impressive capability fundamentally undermined by a critical flaw. For everyday use, its ability to juggle tasks is a clear strength, scoring an 86% positive sentiment, which is above the 83% category average for multitasking.

Users feel this directly in their daily interactions, appreciating that the phone:

handles everything I throw at it.

This translates into a seamless user experience, where one owner celebrated being able to do the following without a hitch:

be playing a game and jump right over to camera and take a very bright and crisp picture and then jump back to game

This fluid power is the core of the phone’s appeal.

A Severe Overheating Problem

However, this powerful performance comes at a severe cost. The phone’s thermal management is a catastrophic failure, with a dismal 13% positive rating—a full 20 points below the category average of 33%.

This physical reality makes the device difficult to use. Owners describe the phone as a:

chip that runs hot, I mean 🔥 flaming inferno hot,

Some reported the phone:

over heated to the point it was too hot to hold.

This severe heat isn’t just uncomfortable; it directly throttles the very performance users bought the phone for. One gamer lamented:

I never needed a radiator for my phone before but the throttling in this phone can get noticable very quickly in some titles.

Competitive Context

When placed next to its competitors, the S22+’s fatal flaw becomes even more glaring. The OnePlus 10 Pro, for instance, not only offers superior speed with a 93% positive score for processing power (compared to the S22+’s 82%), but also manages heat more effectively.

This means OnePlus users get a faster and more stable experience without the physical discomfort or performance degradation from throttling.

Even more telling, the step-up Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G also suffers from poor thermal management, with only an 18% positive score. This suggests the overheating issue is a pervasive problem across the entire model family, not an isolated incident.

Dealbreaker: The phone’s raw power is rendered unreliable by severe and frequent overheating, which throttles performance and makes the device physically uncomfortable to use.

📉 Software & Operating System: Smooth UI, Unstable Core

For the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G, the Software & Operating System is a story of conflicting user realities. While many users celebrate its interface, a significant portion are plagued by frustrating flaws.

The experience hinges on a brilliant surface that is undermined by a shaky foundation.

A Polished, Personalizable Interface

Users who love the S22+ are won over by its polished and highly personalizable interface. With a 76% positive score for User Experience & UI Smoothness, slightly edging out the 74% category average, it’s clear that Samsung’s One UI delivers a premium feel.

This isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about empowerment and efficiency. One user celebrated having “endless features and customisations,” while another felt the device was transformed into a powerful tool, stating:

This phone is like having a mini laptop.

For these owners, the ability to “customize the look and feel of the phone to fit all of my needs” makes the S22+ a joy to use daily.

Undermined by Instability

However, this satisfaction is sharply contrasted by serious problems with the phone’s fundamental reliability. Software Stability & Issues received a strikingly low 20% positive rating, falling a full 7 points below the category average of 27%.

These aren’t minor glitches; they are core functional failures that breed deep frustration. Users report their phone “completely freezes but at least 3 times a week” and that it “started to immediately hang up on my incoming calls.”

For some, the problems directly impact their work and communication, with one user reporting:

I can not receive sms messages. Incredibly frustrating as I need this for work.

These stability issues transform the device from a reliable tool into an unpredictable source of stress.

Competitive Context

This striking divide becomes even clearer in a competitive context. While the S22+’s UI smoothness (76%) holds its own against the Google Pixel 8 (74%), its stability is a major weakness.

The Pixel 8 boasts a software stability score of 42% positive, more than double that of the S22+ (20%). This means a potential buyer is faced with a critical choice: opt for the S22+ for its celebrated customizable interface, or choose the Pixel 8 for a far more dependable, bug-free experience.

The S22+ may feel better to navigate, but the Pixel 8 is significantly less likely to fail when you need it most.

Trade-Off: Choosing the Galaxy S22+ means accepting a feature-rich, highly customizable interface at the risk of encountering frustrating software instability that undermines its core functions.

🔋 Battery: Quick Charge, Short Life

For the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G, the story of its battery is one of stark contrasts. While it offers a lifeline in one area, it creates significant frustration in another, painting a picture of a phone that can’t quite keep up with its users’ lives.

The one bright spot is its charging speed, which earns a 73% positive sentiment score, slightly above the category average of 69%. This isn’t just a number; it’s a practical solution for users feeling the pressure of a draining battery. As one person noted, a quick pit stop is all it takes to get back in the game:

Nothing a quick turbo charge can’t fix. 100% battery in under 30 mins is sensational.

This ability to rapidly refuel is a critical, and frequently mentioned, saving grace.

Short Battery Life: The Major Drawback

However, this speedy charging often feels less like a convenient feature and more like a mandatory requirement due to the phone’s greatest weakness: its actual battery life. With a positive sentiment score of just 38%, this factor falls a staggering 36 points below the category average of 74%.

This isn’t just a minor inconvenience; for many, it’s a source of daily anxiety and profound disappointment. Users report that the phone simply cannot endure a typical day, with one lamenting,

on a full charge, during an 8 hour shift at work, I find myself coming home to below 10% most days, and that’s from only using social media/texting friends.

For those upgrading from older devices, this feels like a significant step backward, leading to outright buyer’s remorse:

I replaced my old S20 after two years… If anything the S22 is worse than an aged S20!! I wish I’d just bought a new battery and not wasted my money.

Falling Behind the Competition

This frustration is amplified when looking at the competition. The S22+’s 38% positive score for battery life pales in comparison to the Google Pixel 8 (59%) and Google Pixel 7 (56%), both of which offer users substantially more freedom from the wall outlet.

This discrepancy transforms the battery from a simple specification into a key reason a potential buyer might choose a competitor. The phone even struggles to justify its “plus” moniker within its own family, barely outperforming the cheaper S22 base model (29%) and falling well short of the step-up S22 Ultra (48%).

Essentially, users are paying a premium for a battery experience that feels decidedly average at best and, for many, fundamentally flawed.

Dealbreaker: For any user who values the freedom of all-day battery life over the convenience of a quick charge, the S22+’s poor endurance is a critical failure that overshadows its other strengths.

Bottom Line

  • ✅ The camera is a standout, delivering class-leading low light performance (91% positive score) and powerful zoom capabilities (82% satisfaction).
  • ⚠️ Performance is crippled by severe overheating (only 13% positive rating), leading to throttling, software freezes, and a frustratingly unresponsive touchscreen.
  • 🔻 For many long-time users, this phone feels like a downgrade, stripping away essentials like the headphone jack, SD card slot, and providing worse battery life than an aged S20.
  • 📉 The upgrade case is weak, earning a subpar 53% user justification score and failing to convince owners it’s a worthy successor.
  • 🏁 It falls far behind rivals on core reliability; its software stability score (20% positive) is less than half that of the Google Pixel 8 (42%).
  • 💡 A phone of extreme trade-offs, only suited for users who prioritize camera zoom and screen aesthetics over fundamental reliability like battery life and performance stability.