Samsung has a new compact high-end phone, the Galaxy S26. In this article, we’ll compare that device with one of its predecessors. In other words, this is a Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy S22 comparison. We’ve already compared the Galaxy S26 with a number of devices, including the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S24, and Galaxy S23. How much of a difference does 4 years make? Well, let’s see.
As per usual, we’ll first list the specs of both smartphones. Following that, we’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. Believe it or not, Samsung did not really change the camera hardware on this series of devices since 2022, so since the Galaxy S22. Are there any other similarities? Well, yes. Let’s get to it.
Specs
Samsung Galaxy S26
Samsung Galaxy S22
| Samsung Galaxy S26 | Samsung Galaxy S22 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2 mm | 146 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm |
| Weight | 167 grams | 167 grams |
| Display | 6.3-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X | 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Refresh rate | 1-120Hz | 120Hz |
| Resolution | 2340 x 1080 | 2340 x 1080 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy / Samsung Exynos 2600 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| RAM | 12GB (LPDDR5X) | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0) | 128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1) |
| Main camera | 50MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor size, 1.0um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) | 50MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor size, 1.0um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS) |
| Ultra-wide camera | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV, 1.4um pixel size) | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV, 1.4um pixel size) |
| Telephoto camera | 10MP (f/2.4 aperture, 1/3.94-inch sensor size, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom) | 10MP (f/2.4 aperture, 1/3.94-inch sensor size, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom) |
| Periscope telephoto camera | N/A | N/A |
| Selfie camera | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/3.2-inch sensor size, 1.12um pixel size) | 10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/3.24-inch sensor size, 1.22um pixel size) |
| Battery size | 4,300mAh | 3,700mAh |
| Charging | 25W wired, 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready), 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included) | 25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included) |
| Colors | Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold | Phantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, Cream, Bora Purple |
Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy S22: Design
When you look at these two phones from the front, they do look very similar. Both of them include a flat display and a centered display camera hole. The bezels are also thin and uniform on both, though the Galaxy S26 has an advantage in that regard. The corner curvature is also very similar between them. You can also notice that the physical buttons are located on the right-hand side of both devices, with the power/lock key placed below the volume up and down keys.
There is a difference when it comes to the two frames, though. The one on the Galaxy S26 is flat, while the Galaxy S22 has a slightly rounded frame. Both smartphones are made out of aluminum and glass, though. When we flip them over, you’ll see that both have flat backplates, but different-looking camera setups. The Galaxy S26 has a pill-shaped camera setup with three cameras placed on top of a camera island. The Galaxy S22 also has three vertically-aligned cameras, but with a different design, as that camera island is not pill-shaped, and it connects to the frame.
The Galaxy S26 has a slightly larger display in comparison, and it’s a bit taller and wider because of that. It’s thinner than the Galaxy S22, though, while the two phones have the same weight. Both of them are also IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. These two phones are rather easy to use due to their size, but they’re still quite slippery, so keep that in mind. The Galaxy S26 is also a bit more comfortable due to the fact that it has a flatter frame.
Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy S22: Display
The Samsung Galaxy S26 includes a 6.3-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display. That display has an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz), while it also supports HDR10+ content. That panel has a peak brightness of 2,600 nits and a screen-to-body ratio of around 90%. The resolution here is 2340 x 1080, while the display aspect ratio is 19.5:9. Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this display.
The Samsung Galaxy S22, on the other hand, has a 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. That panel has a 120Hz refresh rate, and it does support HDR10+ content. It has a peak brightness of 1,300 nits, while the screen-to-body ratio is around 87%. The resolution is the same as on the Galaxy S26, 2340 x 1080, as is the display aspect ratio, of course. Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus+ protects this panel.
Both of these displays are good, but a 4-year difference is noticeable. While both are vivid, have good viewing angles, and are sharp, the Galaxy S26’s panel does get considerably brighter when needed. It also has the advantage of being an LTPO panel for power-saving benefits. The protection that the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 offers is also higher than that of the Gorilla Glass Victus+.
Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy S22: Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S26 is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy in some regions, and the Exynos 2600 in others. Those are 3nm and 2nm processors, respectively. They’re paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM inside the Galaxy S26. Samsung uses UFS 4.0 flash storage here, and that storage is not expandable.
The Samsung Galaxy S22, on the other hand, is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor in some regions, and the Exynos 2200 in others. Both of those chips are 4nm processors. Those chips are backed by 8GB of RAM inside this phone, while Samsung opted for UFS 3.1 flash storage here. The storage is not expandable here either.
While the Galaxy S22 can still offer decent performance, its age is showing, that’s for sure. In comparison to the Galaxy S26, it’s not even a competition. The Galaxy S26 is much snappier, and that goes for day-to-day tasks. It can open apps notably faster, it’s quite a bit better at multitasking, and so on. The same can be said for gaming, actually, yes. It’ll handle demanding games considerably better.
Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy S22: Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S26 features a 4,300mAh battery, while the Galaxy S22 includes a 3,700mAh battery. Granted, neither of these two smartphones has a particularly large battery on the inside. The Galaxy S22’s battery life was quite poor from the get-go, while the same cannot be said for the Galaxy S26. In fact, the Galaxy S26 actually has quite solid battery life considering the battery capacity.
That device will be able to last throughout the day for most people. If you’re a power user, that may not be the case, but for most people, it sure will. We’re hoping it won’t get worse with updates, though. The Galaxy S22’s battery life was not sufficient from the get-go, so you can imagine what 4 years did to it. There are many better battery life smartphones out there at the moment, in this size, but better than both of these phones. Still, the Galaxy S26 is a solid option as things stand.
Both of these smartphones support 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. Do note that the Galaxy S26 is Qi2 Ready, when it comes to wireless charging. Both of these smartphones can be fully charged in around an hour and 5 minutes, presuming you have a compatible charger. Neither smartphone comes with a charger in the box; keep that in mind.
Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy S22: Cameras
Believe it or not, Samsung did not change the camera hardware in four years when it comes to this series of phones. The Galaxy S26 has the same camera hardware as the Galaxy S22; there are no upgrades whatsoever. You’ll find a 50-megapixel main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor size), a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/2.55-inch sensor size), and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (1/3.94-inch sensor size, 3x optical zoom) on both smartphones.
Yes, the pictures are better from the Galaxy S26, as Samsung did improve its processing, plus there’s newer camera-related hardware included in the newer model. Still, the camera performance is nowhere near the best out there. There are many better camera smartphones out there. Not many regular users will find things to complain about, but it’s worth noting either way.
The Galaxy S26 does provide more consistent camera performance, and it doesn’t have as many problems with saturation differences. It also does a notably better job with HDR scenarios, while the low-light performance has also improved in comparison to the Galaxy S22. Yes, the video recording has also seen a boost.
Audio
You’ll find stereo speakers on both of these smartphones. In fact, the speakers on these two phones are very similar. They have a similar loudness, while the sound output quality is similar as well.
There is no audio jack on either one of these two smartphones. You can, however, connect your wired headphones via their Type-C ports, if you’d like. The Galaxy S26 supports Bluetooth 5.4, while the Galaxy S22 supports Bluetooth 5.2.
The post Phone Comparisons: Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Samsung Galaxy S22 appeared first on Android Headlines.
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