Samsung Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S22: Which Previous Generation is Better?

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The Galaxy S23 might be the latest and greatest from Samsung, but with a new device comes new, low prices for its older siblings, the Samsung Galaxy S22 and the Samsung Galaxy S21. Both phones offer a lot of great features, so how can you know which one is the better deal?  

Whether you’re honing your mobile photography skills or are always on social media, you’ll love the features of the Galaxy S22. But are they really that much better than the S21?

We’re going to break down the differences between the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Samsung Galaxy S22 series to find the best fit for you.

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Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Galaxy S22: Price

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Since the release of the Galaxy S23, we've seen the S21 and S21 FE disappear from many carriers' plans, though the S21 FE is still available directly from Samsung. You may find these devices for cheaper than their MSRP from other online retailers. If you've been asking yourself, "What is better, the S21 or the S22?"...the prices might answer the question for you. The Galaxy S22 is available from many carriers for $969.99, a bargain price for such a strong device. Still, the Galaxy S21 FE is your cheapest option from Samsung, and still provides a lot of the functionality you'd want from a modern smartphone. 

We recommend looking into deals from the carriers. Older models, like the S21 FE and the S22, are often included in promotions, especially as new devices are rolled out. There are many routes to take when purchasing a new phone, so be sure to read our guide for financing and outright buying to make the best decision for you.

Samsung Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S22: Design

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The look of the Galaxy devices is similar, but there are some key differences. Camera arrays on the newer S22 models and S21 FE feature a more cohesive, near colour-matched bump that gives them a more refined appearance. Oddly, the Samsung website’s exclusive colours have camera bumps that feature a more stark colour difference. The other S21 models have camera bumps that stand out a bit more in both depth and colour. 

Samsung also changed the materials used for these devices. The back of the Galaxy S21 series is plastic, while the S22 is glass. This glass gives the S22 a premium feel, but plastic is more durable if you drop your device. With so many people putting cases on their phones, this is a pretty minor difference.

On the subject of glass, the S22 series features Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both the front and back of the phone. This glass is the newest and strongest version used in smartphones, and it’s currently exclusive to the S22 series. Extra durability from these premium glass designs is always nice, especially with their $1,000+ prices. All phones discussed in this article are also IP68 water and dust-resistant.

Samsung Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S22: Display

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With the screen being what you interact with most on your phone, it’s arguably the most important aspect of your purchase. Samsung makes some of the best— if not the best—displays in the world. The screens on these devices are AMOLED displays with exceptional colours, contrast, and overall quality.

The most advanced feature that Samsung added to the S22 series’ displays is the Vision Booster algorithm. This algorithm helps the screen perform much better in direct light by contextually adjusting the colour and brightness based on what it’s displaying. It also helps retain the original look of your content instead of cranking the display's brightness up, which can wash out your colours.

If you are someone who is consistently using their phone in bright areas or outside, the display difference could be enough to pick up an S22 over an S21.

Samsung Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S22: Cameras

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While you won’t take bad photos on any of the devices here, the S22 series does have some notable advantages over its predecessors. The main difference is that the primary camera has increased from 12MP to 50MP. Megapixel count isn’t a great way to evaluate smartphone cameras, but increasing the total from one generation to another often results in a significant increase in detail captured in images.

Samsung incorporated the Adaptive Pixel feature on the S22 and S22+, which takes a 50MP photo and a 12MP shot at the same time. These images are intelligently combined to capture the details of the 50MP shot and the better brightness from the 12MP shot. Early results show that this has led to some pretty impressive results.

You’ll see more consistent low-light camera performance from the S22 and S22+ over the S21 lineup. Night shots and other dark photos and videos experience a quality bump thanks to the software and computational photography that Samsung calls Nightography. The inclusion of a sensor that’s 23% larger is also a big win in this area, allowing more light in. Megapixels are once again tetra-binned to allow in more light, too. 

Beyond the main sensor, you get a 10MP telephoto lens on the S22 and S22+ that provides 3x optical zoom and a 12MP ultra-wide lens for a wider field of view. 

In the video department, you’re still able to capture up to 8K video at 24FPS or 4K at 60FPS. Videos taken on the S22 series will also have more stability, even as you move around. The new devices' optical image stabilization (OIS) angle is improved by 58%. Even the shakiest of hands should see significant improvements. 

All of this isn’t to say that the cameras on last year’s devices are poor. They’re still clear, take 8K video, and produce consistent results. While you do get an impressive upgrade, the cameras aren’t worth upgrading from the S21 to the S22 on their own.

Samsung Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S22: Battery Life and Performance

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This category might show the most interesting aspects of these new devices. We expect a small—but nice to have—increase in both performance and battery life with every new phone release. However, the S22 and S22+ have a smaller battery capacity than the S21 and S21+, respectively. Between the smaller batteries and the more power-hungry Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, even the advertised battery life on the newer devices is slightly shorter.

You’ll still be able to get through a day of light to moderate use with some juice in the tank, but don’t expect to push into the two-day range very often. If being able to top up battery life as fast as possible is important to you, we recommend the S22+ thanks to its 45W charging capability compared to the other devices’ 25W. With that said, you’ll need to purchase the 45W charger separately as Samsung doesn’t include one in the box. You can also take advantage of wireless charging on all S21 and S22 smartphones.

Performance gains here are solid, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip inside the S22 and S22+ can run quite hot. You won't notice this in most daily use, but intensive games could push the phone into near uncomfortable territory. If you’re looking for the best performance, then you’re best suited splurging for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Network connectivity is also excellent on both devices, as both can connect to 5G if you have a 5G plan.

Samsung Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S22: Other Features

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Some other advantages come with opting for the newest Samsung devices. Those who spend a lot of time on social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram will be happy to know that the camera in these apps will have access to all of the features and advantages of the new cameras. No longer will you need to take a photo with the regular camera and then switch to the other app to post.

Samsung and Google also partnered with one another to improve Google Duo and YouTube use between Samsung devices. Now you’ll be able to watch your favourite YouTube creators with friends and family, even if they’re in another city or even country. Being able to do so with a Google Duo video call just adds to the experience. These features are currently exclusive to Samsung with no announcements to expand to other brands—not even the Google Pixel lineup. And since this is a partnership with Google, don’t expect a similar feature on Zoom to be available from Samsung anytime soon.

Yet another partnership we see here is between Samsung and Microsoft. Purchasing an S22 series device nets you six months of free OneDrive storage, granting you 100GB of online storage for photos, videos, and files so they’re available on every device you’ll need them.

Samsung is also improving its update promise alongside the release of the Samsung Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra. You’ll receive four years of software updates to get from Android 12 all the way to Android 16. The S21 lineup will receive the same four years, carrying it from Android 11 to Android 15. Beyond this, both series will receive a total of five years of security updates.

Verdict: Which Samsung Flagship Should You Buy Today?

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Both lineups feature great devices, and neither will be a bad pickup. If you already have an S21, S21+, or S21 FE, we don’t recommend upgrading to the S22 or S22+. However, if you have an older device, the S22 and S22+ are great options. You’ll get a fantastic-looking phone with a great display, versatile camera system, some of the best social media integration on Android, and updates through Android 16.

If you're looking for more power, S Pen support, and ultra features, you're better off looking at the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra instead of a base model. But if you're interested in the best deals for a Galaxy right now, you're going to want the S22 series. Take a look at some of the best deals for the S22 and S22 Ultra below.

Check out other Samsung Galaxy plans

• Samsung Galaxy S22+ plans
• Samsung Galaxy S21 plans
• Samsung Galaxy S21+ plans
• Samsung Galaxy S21 FE plans