Google released the Pixel 7 Pro alongside the Pixel 7 and Pixel Watch in October 2022, but how does the flagship compare with Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra? With more Android smartphone brands making flagship phones, people who want to invest in a premium phone have more options than ever.
At the moment, the Pixel 7 Pro and the Galaxy S22 Ultra are among the best Android smartphones money can buy. The Galaxy S22 Ultra was released in early 2022 as a successor to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Although both smartphones run Android, the Pixel 7 Pro provides a stock experience, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with One UI.
While the Pixel 7 Pro comes with a 6.7-inch QHD OLED display, the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen is slightly larger at 6.8-inches. With similar resolutions, both devices support a variable 120Hz refresh rate – 10Hz to 120Hz on the Pixel 7 Pro and 1Hz to 120Hz on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. In addition, S22 Ultra also comes with a higher peak brightness of 1,750 nits compared to 1,500 nits on the Pixel 7 Pro. In terms of design, the smartphones have symmetrical bezels in the front and a punch-hole for the selfie camera. However, the rear panel of the Pixel 7 Pro has its cameras inside a horizontal strip, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra features its cameras in a vertical alignment.
Pixel 7 Pro Vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra: Performance And Camera
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Regarding performance, both smartphones feature top-of-the-line hardware. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 on the Galaxy S22 Ultra scores about a million points on the Antutu benchmark, while the Tensor G2 on the Pixel 7 Pro maxes out at about 800,000 points. Although benchmark scores do not reflect how a phone performs in real life, they are indicators of a smartphone’s peak performance. As far as storage is concerned, the Pixel 7 Pro comes in three models – 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB – all with 12GB of RAM. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is available in four models, including a base variant with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The other models with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB of storage feature 12GB RAM.
As for the cameras, the quad-camera setup on the Galaxy S22 Ultra could be more useful than the triple-camera setup on the Pixel 7 Pro. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a 108MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and two telephoto lenses that enable up to 3x and 10x optical zoom. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is also among the few smartphones offering up to 100x Space Zoom. On the other hand, the Pixel 7 Pro has a 50MP primary lens, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a 48MP telephoto lens for 5x optical zoom, which combined with the Tensor G2’s advanced image processing, can zoom in up to 30x on a subject.
The Pixel 7 Pro has a 10.8MP fixed focus sensor for clicking selfies, whereas the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a 40MP autofocus front camera. Apart from this, both phones can capture macro images and have features like Magic Eraser or Object Eraser and video portrait mode. Video recording on smartphones is also pretty much on par, with both able to record 4K videos at 60 fps. However, Samsung’s flagship can also record videos in 8K at 24 fps.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra Has Better Battery Life
Although both smartphones have a 5,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is reported to last over 10 hours in several battery tests. The Pixel 7 Pro is no slouch either, squeezing out about nine hours of battery life. Despite the similar battery capacity, the Galaxy S22 Ultra supports 45W wired charging, while the Pixel 7 Pro supports 23W wired charging. Some common features on both phones are in-display fingerprint scanners and an always-on display. However, one feature exclusive to the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the S-Pen, which the Pixel 7 Pro or even the latest iPhone 14 series does not have. Further, both phones will receive Android 16, expected to be released in 2025. In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra appears to be the better overall flagship, although it doesn’t come cheap at $1,200. Those who want a stock Android experience and are on a tighter budget can consider the Pixel 7 Pro for $899.
