Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: Expected differences
Four years later, the Ultra experience has massively improved.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra was a turning point for Samsung in 2022. It brought the Galaxy Note DNA back into the S series by introducing a built-in S Pen, and it doubled down on the camera hardware with a long-range periscope zoom. Even today, it remains a capable phone thanks to its solid hardware. But it is also nearing the end of its software support window, so many owners are probably eyeing the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra as a potential upgrade.
Note: The Galaxy S26 lineup is now widely expected to be unveiled at a Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25, 2026, according to multiple sources led by Evan Blass. That would place the retail launch in early March, making the S26 series slightly later than recent Galaxy S generations but not as delayed as earlier March rumors suggested.
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Galaxy S22 Ultra expected differences:
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S22 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Up to ~3,000 nits with advanced anti-reflection and better outdoor visibility | Peaks at ~1,750 nits with no dedicated anti-reflection layer |
| Far faster and more efficient chip (Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5) | Older, slower and less efficient flagship chip |
| Same 5,000 mAh battery capacity, but with longer battery life | 5,000 mAh battery held back by inefficient processor |
| Up to ~60W wired charging and rumored Qi2 magnetic wireless charging | 45W wired, 15W wireless, no magnetic alignment |
| Wider main-camera aperture and revised image processing aimed at better low-light performance and more natural-looking photos | Older 108 MP camera tech with good detail but weaker low-light performance |
| High-quality 5x telephoto with better real-world results | 10x periscope shines at distance, weaker at everyday zoom |
| Thinner body with softer corners and refined feel | Thicker, heavier, and more angular |
| Expected to ship with Android 16 and receive up to seven years of updates | Launched with Android 12, nearing final OS updates |
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Design and Size
From Note-inspired bulk to a slimmer, more refined Ultra
The Galaxy S22 Ultra was unapologetically large and boxy. Its sharp corners, thick frame, and curved display screamed “Galaxy Note replacement,” but they also made it one of the heaviest and most angular phones Samsung has ever made.
Samsung is also making an important change to the frame material with the S26 Ultra. While later Ultra models experimented with titanium, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to return to aluminum. More specifically, Armor Aluminum 2.0. This appears to be a deliberate move to reduce weight, improve thermals, and control costs.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra, on the other hand, will carry a similar design to the S25 Ultra, which came with a much thinner and lighter body. Leaks point to a 7.9 mm chassis, down from the S22 Ultra’s 8.9 mm, while weight drops by roughly 10 grams. That might not sound like a huge difference when you are comparing the numbers, but in hand, the S26 Ultra will feel significantly different and much more manageable.
Samsung is also making an important change to the frame material with the S26 Ultra. While later Ultra models experimented with titanium, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to return to aluminum. More specifically, Armor Aluminum 2.0. This appears to be a deliberate move to reduce weight, improve thermals, and control costs.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra, on the other hand, will carry a similar design to the S25 Ultra, which came with a much thinner and lighter body. Leaks point to a 7.9 mm chassis, down from the S22 Ultra’s 8.9 mm, while weight drops by roughly 10 grams. That might not sound like a huge difference when you are comparing the numbers, but in hand, the S26 Ultra will feel significantly different and much more manageable.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S22 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Thickness 7.9 mm | Thickness 8.9 mm |
| Dimensions 163.6 x 78.1 mm | Dimensions 163.3 x 77.9 mm |
| Weight Around 214 grams | Weight 229 grams |
Samsung has gradually softened the Ultra design over the past few generations. Compared to the S22 Ultra’s sharp edges and aggressive curves, the S26 Ultra should feature rounded corners while keeping flat sides. Leaked renders now show the Galaxy S26 Ultra adopting a unified camera island with vertically stacked lenses, replacing the older floating-lens look seen on previous Ultra models.
More importantly for long-time Galaxy Note fans, the S Pen is staying. According to leaks, Samsung has reworked the internal layout so the S Pen can coexist with Qi2 magnetic alignment, addressing the interference issues that prevented magnetic charging on earlier Ultra models.
More importantly for long-time Galaxy Note fans, the S Pen is staying. According to leaks, Samsung has reworked the internal layout so the S Pen can coexist with Qi2 magnetic alignment, addressing the interference issues that prevented magnetic charging on earlier Ultra models.
Display Differences
The Galaxy S22 Ultra already had one of the best displays of its time: a 6.8-inch QHD+ OLED panel with adaptive 1–120 Hz refresh rate and a then-impressive 1,750 nits of peak brightness.
Samsung improved on the brightness with the Galaxy S24 Ultra and increased it to 2600 nits, and then even added anti-reflective properties via the Gorilla Armor glass with the S25 Ultra.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to make this part even better by switching to a new M14 OLED panel with CoE (Color-on-Encapsulation) technology, which integrates the color filter directly into the panel. This is said to improve light transmission, reducing internal reflections and lowering the power consumption—essentially, increasing the brightness while also improving the battery life.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S22 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Size 6.9" | Size 6.8" |
| Brightness 3000 nits (peak) | Brightness 1750 nits (peak) |
*expected/rumored
The new peak brightness is rumored to hit around 3,000 nits, making the S26 Ultra dramatically easier to use outdoors than the S22 Ultra (especially with that anti-reflection coating).
There is also growing evidence that Samsung is testing a new “Privacy Display” feature, sometimes referred to as Flex Magic Pixel. The idea is to reduce side-angle visibility while keeping the screen clear when viewed head-on, even in bright environments.
The good news is that the Privacy Display feature is expected to arrive across the Galaxy S26 lineup. Nevertheless, it would be a meaningful upgrade over the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s display, especially if Samsung allows per-app or context-based customization.
Performance and Software
From early Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 growing pains to elite-tier performance
Performance is where the generational gap will be at its most noticeable.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra launched with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (or Exynos 2200 outside the US), both built on early 4 nm processes and known for their bad case of throttling under heavy sustained load. While fast at the time, those chips struggled with efficiency.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra launched with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (or Exynos 2200 outside the US), both built on early 4 nm processes and known for their bad case of throttling under heavy sustained load. While fast at the time, those chips struggled with efficiency.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to run Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 across all regions, built on TSMC’s refined 3 nm process. Compared to the S22 Ultra, I expect massive CPU and GPU gains, far better efficiency, stronger sustained performance, and proper support for modern AI workloads.
Samsung is also rumored to use a new LPDDR5X memory variant reaching up to 10.7 Gbps, which could noticeably boost on-device AI performance. Paired with faster and more efficient UFS 4.0 storage instead of UFS 3.1, everyday tasks, apps, and large files should load much faster.
Certification listings in China also confirm emergency satellite messaging support coming with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. While global availability is still unclear, this would be a meaningful step forward compared to the S22 Ultra, which lacks any satellite connectivity.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S22 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Chip Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Chip Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 / Exynos 2200 |
| Process 3nm | Process 4nm |
| RAM, Storage 12/256GB 12/512GB 12/1TB 16/1TB LPDDR5X RAM UFS 4.0 storage | RAM, Storage 8/128GB 12/256GB 12/512GB 12/1TB LPDDR5X RAM UFS 3.1 storage |
There is still some chatter about Exynos 2600 in limited regions, but current FCC filings and recent leaks strongly suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra will be Snapdragon-powered worldwide. Regardless of the final chipset configuration, performance and efficiency should still be in a completely different class compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
There will also be a major difference in the longevity of the phone. The S22 Ultra launched with a four-year OS update promise (five years of security patches) and is approaching the end of that window. The S26 Ultra, on the other hand, will ship with Android 16 and One UI 8 and receive seven years of updates, keeping it supported well into the 2030s.
There will also be a major difference in the longevity of the phone. The S22 Ultra launched with a four-year OS update promise (five years of security patches) and is approaching the end of that window. The S26 Ultra, on the other hand, will ship with Android 16 and One UI 8 and receive seven years of updates, keeping it supported well into the 2030s.
Samsung is also expected to change how it rolls out new AI features. Reports suggest that some Galaxy AI tools will launch first on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, with older flagships like the S22 Ultra receiving them months later, rather than at the same time.
Camera
A major low-light upgrade and a more modern zoom setup
The Galaxy S22 Ultra’s camera system was ambitious for its time, especially with its 10x periscope zoom. Today, though, it shows its age in low-light conditions and in Samsung’s older, more aggressive image processing.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra isn't expected to come with any major changes to the camera hardware, but it will have more refined image quality, using wider apertures and more natural-looking post-processing.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to come with a big change to the main camera. Samsung is rumored to either adopt a larger 1/1.1-inch 200 MP Sony sensor or retain the HP2 sensor and combine it with a much wider f/1.4 aperture. Either approach would dramatically improve light intake, dynamic range, and therefore the image quality compared to the S22 Ultra.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S22 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Main 200 MP, f/1.7 or f/1.4 aperture 25 mm 1/1.1" or 1/1.3" sensor size | Main 108 MP, f/1.8 24 mm 1/1.33" sensor size |
| Ultrawide 50 MP, f/1.7 13 mm 1/2.5" sensor size | Ultrawide 12 MP, f/2.2 13 mm 1/2.55" sensor size |
| 3x Telephoto 10 MP, f/2.8 3X zoom (67mm) 1/3.52" sensor size | 3x telephoto 10 MP, f/2.4 3X zoom (70mm) 1/3.52" sensor size |
| 5x telephoto 50 MP, f/4.9 5X zoom (120mm) 1/3.52" sensor size | 10x telephoto 10 MP, f/4.9 10X zoom (230mm) 1/3.52" sensor size |
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is also rumored to mark a shift with the telephoto cameras. Instead of focusing on an extreme 10x zoom that's rather limited when it comes to regular everyday use, Samsung may prioritize a more practical focal length.
The secondary telephoto camera is expected to switch to 5x zoom, with potentially better image quality and a much more usable zoom range. This shift should make the telephoto camera more useful for everyday photography, where moderate zoom levels are used far more often than extreme long-range zoom shots.
The secondary telephoto camera is expected to switch to 5x zoom, with potentially better image quality and a much more usable zoom range. This shift should make the telephoto camera more useful for everyday photography, where moderate zoom levels are used far more often than extreme long-range zoom shots.
One UI 8.5 code also reveals new video controls, including adjustable autofocus transition speed and video softness tuning. These additions could give users finer control over cinematic video capture, something entirely absent on the S22 Ultra.
Battery Life and Charging
Same size battery, but completely different experience
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is said to come with the same battery capacity as the S22 Ultra, even when other brands like OnePlus are offering phones with much larger batteries. But battery life is dependent on many factors, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra was notorious for having worse battery life than its predecessor—we gave it an estimate of 5h and 24min vs 6h and 15min.
For comparison, we gave the S25 Ultra an estimate of 8 hours based on our battery life tests. This goes to show just how far the Galaxy Ultra has come in terms of power efficiency. If you are a Galaxy S22 Ultra owner and upgrade to the S26 Ultra, battery life would probably be one of the major areas you feel a difference.
| Galaxy S26 Ultra* | Galaxy S22 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Battery size 5,000 mAh | Battery size 5,000 mAh |
Charging speeds 60W wired 25W wireless charging USB-C 3.2 | Charging speeds 25W wired 15W wireless charging USB-C 3.2 |
Faster charging now looks far more likely than a battery size increase. Samsung-listed 60W PD 3.1 chargers strongly point to a meaningful wired charging upgrade for the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Recent internal testing leaks hint that while charging speeds will increase, the actual reduction in charging time may be modest. The Galaxy S26 Ultra could reach around 75% in 30 minutes, up from 68% on the S25 Ultra, despite the much higher wattage.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is also rumored to finally introduce full Qi2 magnetic wireless charging, potentially at higher speeds than previous Samsung flagships, bringing it closer to the magnetic accessory ecosystems already established by competitors.
Specs Comparison
|
|
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm | 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm (~10.50 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 214.0 g | 229.0 g |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.9-inch | 6.8-inch |
| Type | |
| Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SM8850-AC (3 nm) | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SM8450 (4 nm) International version - Samsung Exynos 2200 (4 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB (UFS 4.0) 12GB/512GB 12GB/1024GB |
8GB (LPDDR5)/128GB (UFS 3.1) 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1024GB |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 45.0W Wireless: 15.0W | Wired: 45.0W Wireless: 15.0W |
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Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra specs comparison
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Summary
Upgrading from the Galaxy S22 Ultra to the Galaxy S26 Ultra should feel like a massive step forward. The improvements that would be most noticeable are likely the much longer battery life, faster and more flexible charging experience, dramatically higher performance, and the thinner, lighter design.
With seven years of software support, the S26 Ultra also feels like a phone you could realistically keep even longer than my S22 Ultra.
With seven years of software support, the S26 Ultra also feels like a phone you could realistically keep even longer than my S22 Ultra.
If you are an S22 Ultra owner, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the ideal time to upgrade. It’s one of the most compelling Ultra generations Samsung has delivered in years. Another option would be to find a refurbished S25 Ultra, as most of the improvements we discussed are already present with that generation. It does miss the newer charging upgrades, though, as well as the new chip and camera hardware.
For now, we await Samsung's announcement of the Galaxy S26 Ultra at the start of 2026. Until then, stay tuned for more information from leaks and rumors!
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