The S22 Ultra should really be called a Galaxy Note. It’s a giant phone for power users, offering unrivalled features, from the fantastic camera with more optical zoom than any other to the long battery life, stunning display and powerful built-in S Pen stylus.

Pros: huge 120Hz screen, fantastic and flexible camera with 3x and 10x optical zoom, One UI, S Pen stylus, good performance, long battery, five years of software support, contains recycled materials.

Cons: huge, heavy, very expensive, S Pen may be superfluous feature for many, gaming performance variable for EU model.

Ultimately this feels like a year of consolidation, and while the final product is of a high standard, we hope that the Galaxy S23 Ultra brings some refinement and direction to this new Ultra–Note amalgam.

Excellent Super AMOLED display, Brilliant camera with outstanding zoom potential, Integrated S Pen unique among flagship phones

Disappointing battery life, Note-like design feels somewhat regressive, Software a little laggy

So should you buy the Galaxy S22 Ultra? That's a bit of a tough one. The S22 Ultra does not feel like an S series phone, it feels like a Note. So for Note users and those who appreciate the S Pen, well, it's the newest and pretty much only option in town. And a super powerful one at that!

S Pen in a flagship, great for creatives, Industry-leading screen quality, Faster charging than before, 10X zoom camera is improved significantly, Video recording gets smoother stabilization, 4 years of major software updates!

Battery life has gone down from the S21 Ultra, You get less RAM than last year, No microSD card slot, no headphone jack, Loudspeaker quality could be better, Jittery swiping, microstutter with gesture nav in One UI

There are few phones in the market with the reverence accorded to Samsung’s Galaxy Note series. Loved for its massive displays, powerful performance and innovative S Pen stylus, the Galaxy Note series have remained the mainstay of power users since their inception in 2011 with new models arriving...

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra looks and feels awesome and in terms of features and performance will beat any Android phone out there in nearly every category. We would have liked it more if it actually looked like an S22 series smartphone but then, perhaps this is Samsung’s way of answering...

The Ultra is a total departure for the Galaxy S22 series, integrating a little S Pen stylus, which makes it rather like the Note that never was. Many features aren't hugely different to the outgoing S21 Ultra, however, but this handset is all about refinement - from that punchy curved edge display to the distinctive rear cameras arrangement - and there's no denying the quality of the cameras on offer here.

Bright and punchy screen with adaptive refresh rate; Distinctive camera design is eye-catching - and it's very capable too; Integrated S Pen stylus is great (but not everyone will use it);

Battery life is questionable; Software not entirely bug-free; Not everyone will want the built-in S Pen stylus - this is S series not a Note after all; No microSD card expansion; Pricey;

Smartphones are an incredibly personal thing. We carry them everywhere, interact with them hundreds of times a day, and our choice in ecosystems instantly says a lot about us. If you want to boast to the world, “I have the phone with everything,” then the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is for you.

Built-in S Pen, Super Responsive, Great cameras

Expensive, Curved Screen, Ads

Samsung has been leading up to this moment since the introduction of the Galaxy S20 Ultra and the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, which just so happened to be the final in that series. They’ve worked to separate the “Ultra” line of devices from others in the family, in hopes to sell them as a separate...

Stunning display; Premium design; Smart S Pen integration; Class-leading camera zoom;

Expensive; No expandable storage; Too large for some;

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a big, powerful, and attractive Android phone (if you like them monolithic). It’s super-versatile, ready for important work, hand-written notes, gaming, and casual big-screen web browsing – and the cameras are a clear highlight, with the Space Zoom capabilities taking you to infinity and beyond. And, yes, you’ll pay handily for all these features.

Incredible cameras and zoom; Excellent little S Pen; Gorgeous butter-smooth screen;

Pricey; No microSD slot; Battery life could be better