If you are looking for a flagship Android phone, the Google Pixel 6 Pro and Samsung S22 Ultra should definitely be on your short list. They both have exclusive features that make either a great option, and they also have top of the line hardware to boot. So which of the two is right for you? In this Samsung S22 Ultra and Google Pixel 6 Pro review and comparison, we’ll be looking at their designs, displays, features, battery life and performance to help you determine which flagship phone suits your particular needs.
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Google Pixel 6 Pro vs Samsung S22 Ultra Comparison Chart
Design
The Google Pixel 6 Pro and Samsung S22 Ultra are excellently built.
Since these are flagship phones, you can feel that they are indeed premium phones when you hold them. Both the Google Pixel 6 Pro and Samsung S22 Ultra have an aluminum frame and glass front and back. They are also dust and water resistant with an IP68 rating. A very minor advantage of the Samsung S22 Ultra here is it’s protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, while the Google Pixel 6 Pro “only” has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The difference is minimal, but it’s still worth mentioning.
Size-wise, they are pretty much the same, with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra having a slightly wider form factor. The Google Pixel 6 Pro measures 6.45 x 2.99 x 0.35 inches and it weighs 0.46 lbs. Meanwhile, the physical dimensions of the Samsung S22 Ultra are 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 inches and it weighs 0.50 lbs.
Looks is where these two deviate from each other. The Google Pixel 6 Pro’s design is quite different from previous gen Pixel phones. It has a curved screen that’s easier to hold, but the most noteworthy design change is at the back. It features a camera array that spans the entire width of the phone.
On the other hand, the Samsung S22 Ultra has a boxier form factor with sharp corners. The top and bottom have flat edges while the screen and back are curved for easier handling. At the back, the camera lenses stick out, but Samsung ditched the camera island design approach for a more streamlined look.
Display
They both have AMOLED panels, but the Samsung S22 Ultra’s display has a higher peak brightness.
The screens on these phones are exceptional, but if we have to pick which one’s better, we’ll have to go with the Samsung S22 Ultra’s display. It has a 6.8-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 1440 x 3088 pixels and adaptive refresh rate of 1-120Hz. Meanwhile, the Google Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch 1440 x 3120 pixel LTPO AMOLED with an adaptive refresh rate of 10-120Hz.
Image quality and text clarity is pretty much the same on the two phones. Both have excellent panels that let colors pop when watching movies or looking at images. However, the one are where the Samsung’s display outperforms the Pixel 6 Pro’s is peak brightness.
When indoors or in a brightly lit surrounding, both screens are excellent. However, when under direct sunlight, the higher peak brightness of the Samsung S22 Ultra allows you to see what’s on your screen easily. Because of this, we have to give the advantage to the Samsung S22 Ultra when it comes to display quality.
Hardware
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra offers better performance than the Google Pixel 6 Pro.
Under the hood, these two phones can’t be any more different. The Google Pixel 6 Pro comes with Google’s own Tensor chip while the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.
In terms of processing power, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is undoubtedly the better chipset, however, the Tensor also has its strengths, particularly in AI and machine learning performance. The Tensor chip is essential to many of the Pixel 6 lineup’s exclusive features such as Face Unblur, Magic Eraser and more.
In synthetic benchmarks, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 scored higher as it has the faster processor and GPU. The Samsung S22 Ultra is the superior option for gaming and other heavy workloads due to its chipset and the inclusion of the S Pen. For regular usage, the two phones are both responsive and snappy.
Camera
When you look at the specs, it’s clear that the Samsung S22 Ultra offers the superior hardware. It has a 108MP main camera with an F1.8 aperture and a 1/1.33″ sensor. It also has a 12MP ultrawide camera and two telephoto cameras. Meanwhile, the Google Pixel 6 Pro has a three-camera array with a 50MP main shooter, a 48MP telephoto lens and a 12MP ultrawide sensor. Software also plays an important role in the overall in the quality of images taken with these cameras, so even if the Samsung S22 Ultra has the superior hardware, the Google Pixel 6 Pro still keeps up with it.
Images taken with plenty of natural lighting or in broad daylight are excellent on both phones. Those taken with the S22 Ultra are sharper, but you’ll have to really look for the differences if you want to see it. In low-light environments, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is slightly better as it tends to have a more uniform image.
Configurations
The Google Pixel 6 Pro has three variants—128GB, 256GB and 512GB models, and all of them have 12GB of RAM. Meanwhile, the Samsung S22 Ultra has four. You can get the S22 Ultra with 128GB storage and 8GB RAM, 256GB storage and 12GB RAM, 512GB storage and 12GB RAM, and 1TB storage and 12GB RAM. Both phones do not have micro SD card slots.
Software
If you prefer stock Android, the Google Pixel 6 Pro is the better option. Stock Android is cleaner and doesn’t have much bloatware that can hinder the phone’s performance. Samsung’s OneUI definitely has more features, but it also comes with many apps that you won’t probably need or use.
Battery
Even though they have the same battery capacity, the Samsung S22 Ultra lasts longer than the Google Pixel 6 Pro.
When it comes to battery life, the Google Pixel 6 Pro and Samsung S22 Ultra have similar battery capacities—they both have a 5,000mAh battery. However, the Samsung S22 Ultra outlasts the Pixel 6 Pro when using the phones normally. The Samsung S22 Ultra can last over 11 hours when doing basic tasks such as browsing, checking emails and the like. On the other hand, the Google Pixel 6 Pro lasts around 8-9 hours.
Aside from having a longer battery life, the Samsung S22 Ultra also charges faster since it supports up to 45W charging. The Google Pixel 6 Pro supports only up to 30W in comparison. Both of them can be wirelessly charged and they also have a reverse charging feature.
Check out our OnePlus 10 Pro vs Google Pixel 6 Pro comparison here
Verdict
The Samsung S22 Ultra is the superior flagship phone.
Google Pixel 6 Pro
Stock Android and cheaper
Samsung S22 Ultra
Better phone across the board
As far as flagship Android phones go, there’s nothing better than the Samsung S22 Ultra. The Google Pixel 6 Pro comes close in some areas, but ultimately, the Samsung S22 Ultra is the better overall phone. It comes with a better display, a faster chipset, better camera performance and a longer battery life. It even comes with the S Pen, which is a nice accessory to have for taking notes, drawing and other tasks. If you are looking for the best Android phone, the Samsung S22 Ultra is the best option currently.
FAQs
Yes, the Google Pixel 6 Pro camera offers comparable performance to phones that are much more expensive.
Yes, the Samsung S22 Ultra outperforms the Google Pixel 6 Pro in almost every area, including battery life, screen quality, camera and processing power.
You can get the Google Pixel 6 Pro in Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny and Stormy Black, so three color options in total.
Not completely waterproof, but it’s water resistant.