The Galaxy S22+ is one of my favorite Samsung products of the year. I didn't have very high expectations from it when I bought it, but it won me over in a couple of weeks, and despite some early issues related to the Exynos 2200 chipset, I fell in love with the Galaxy S22+ two weeks into using it.
The Galaxy S22+ experience is even better after the One UI 5.0 update, and I think it's safe to say that the Galaxy S22+ is the Samsung product that impressed me most in 2022 — at least for the better part of the year until Samsung's latest foldable phones came along.
The best exterior design and build quality in recent memory
I didn't have massive expectations from the Galaxy S22+, but I bought the device because it was time to upgrade from my Galaxy Note 10 (non-Plus model). I was a bit reluctant to get the S22+ due to its larger footprint, but imagine how surprised I was when I realized that the Galaxy S22+ is easier to wield and more comfortable to use than the Galaxy Note 10, despite its increased size.
The 2022 flagship quickly became my favorite phone in recent memory because it felt like it placed the user experience above design cues meant to make the phone look good in promotional shots. It has a practical design, which makes it even more beautiful in my eyes than it already is.
The wider, almost-flat metal frame and the flat screen and back panel made the Galaxy S22+ much easier to use than the Galaxy Note 10. Especially because I am a fan of navigation gestures and can't go back to on-screen buttons.
The first phone in years that gave me the confidence to ditch protective cases
Although I don't recommend anyone doing this, I have used my Galaxy S22+ without a protective case since I bought it many months ago. It was the first phone in recent years that gave me the confidence to do so, thanks to its practical design and solid build. And I'm happy to report that, even though I have dropped my Galaxy S22+ on hard surfaces so many times that I lost count, the phone is unscathed aside from some paint chipping off the metal frame. The glass panels are intact.
I may have been lucky, so I don't want to encourage anyone to throw away their protective cases. I took a risk because it felt worth taking, and I have yet to pay the price. And I must say that it's really nice to be able to admire a phone's exterior design and feel its premium materials in my hands without wrapping it all up in a case that cannot match the look and feel of the original product. The Galaxy S22+ is the first phone in years that gave me this type of freedom, and I love it for it.
The Galaxy S22+ arguably has the best display of 2022
Barring foldable displays, which are impressive in their own right, I believe that the Galaxy S22+ has the best display among all Samsung phones released this year. And yes, it's better than the Galaxy S22 Ultra's panel.
Barring the S Pen digitizer, both the Galaxy S22+ and the Galaxy S22 Ultra use the same display technologies. In other words, the Galaxy S22+ display has the same brightness levels as the Galaxy S22 Ultra's panel. But the fact that it has the same quality while being completely flat makes it the superior choice in my book.
The Galaxy S22+ has become my desktop PC replacement for office work
I replaced my desktop PC with Samsung DeX for office work earlier this year, and despite the system's limitations, I haven't looked back since. There's something charming about having the power of an office-grade PC in my pocket. Plus, I wanted to get outside my comfort zone as far as desktop environments go and try something new. As it happens, DeX was exactly what I needed.
Although I began my journey into DeX using the Galaxy Note 10 – and despite some performance issues I experienced with my Exynos-powered Galaxy S22+ in the first couple of months of usage – I still have to give props to the 2022 Samsung flagship. The Galaxy S22+ is now my main DeX machine and office PC. And needless to say, this once again speaks volumes about the phone's premium build quality because, even though the S22+ has become my PC replacement, I don't feel like using it with a protective case.
Conclusion: Galaxy S22+ is my hero device of 2022
A flat, super bright screen; a thick metal frame; great build quality; an early One UI 5.0 update, and Samsung's solid app and device ecosystem have all contributed to the Galaxy S22+ becoming one of my favorite devices of the year. It's not just a handful of hardware bits and pieces that push up benchmark scores. In some ways, the Galaxy S22+ changed how I view and use smartphones day by day. I probably won't feel like needing to upgrade to the Galaxy S23+ in early 2023. And if I decide to switch to the Galaxy Z Flip 5 later next year, I will be happy to end my journey into the Galaxy S series on such a positive note.
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