After over a year’s hiatus, the latest addition to the Fan Edition (FE) series, the Galaxy S23 FE is finally here. It looks like a worthy successor to the Samsung S21 FE which preceded it. Taking its cues from Samsung’s preceding smartphones this year. It comes in a clean, single-slab design with a coloured back and a metallic frame.
Source: Samsung
The Galaxy S23 FE boasts an “Advanced 4nm Processing,” which should translate to either a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Exynos 2200 chip, depending on your location. While it departs from the “for Galaxy” chips of 2023 phones, it’s still a major step up from the Galaxy S21 FE’s Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100. Plus, this year’s base model offers 8GB of RAM, showing up the previous 6GB option.
When it comes to storage, options include 128GB or 256GB, with no microSD expansion. Although 256GB should satisfy most users, it’s worth noting that these options align with the capacities available for the S23 and S23+.
One of the standout improvements is the main camera, which is now a 50MP sensor. This is a significant jump from the S21 FE’s 12-megapixel main sensor. However, the ultrawide, a 10-megapixel sensor with a 123° field of view, and telephoto, an 8-megapixel sensor with 3x optical zoom, cameras remain at lower resolutions comparatively. Surprisingly, Samsung has opted for a 10-megapixel selfie camera on the Galaxy S23 FE, a downgrade from the 32-megapixel sensor of its predecessor.
The display of the Galaxy S23 FE is a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with an FHD+ resolution. It also sports a 120Hz refresh rate which can dynamically adapt to on-screen content. It’s a smartphone that has a Goldilocks size fitting comfortably between the S23 and S23+. In terms of dimensions, it’s slightly larger and heavier than its predecessor but feels solid with an aluminium frame and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
The 4,500mAh battery capacity remains unchanged from the Galaxy S23 FE’s predecessor. It also supports wired charging at 25W significantly less than the 45W of the S23 and S23+. However, Samsung promises a 50% charge with 30 minutes of charging. It also supports wireless charging. Like its predecessors, the Galaxy S23 FE offers IP68 dust and water resistance.
When it comes to software support, it’s in line with other high-end Samsung devices, promising four OS updates and five years of security patches. Out of the box, it runs One UI 5.1 on top of Android 13. The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is taking it a step further with a body constructed from recycled materials including an aluminium frame made from recycled aluminium. It also incorporates pre-consumer glass and post-consumer plastics sourced from items like fishing nets and PET bottles.
Pricing & Availability
The Galaxy S23 FE is priced from USD$599.99 (MYR2,838.89) for the 128GB model. That’s a significant $100 drop compared to the Galaxy S21 FE’s launch price and USD$200 less than the price of the Galaxy S23.
In Malaysia, the Galaxy S23 FE will officially be priced at MYR2,999 for the 128GB version and MYR3,299 for the 256GB version.
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
Source: Samsung
It will be available in Mint, Graphite, Purple and Cream with Tangerine and Indigo available exclusively on Samsung.com.
It’s expected to hit the market on October 10th in Malaysia and October 26th in the US. Like all Samsung devices, it will be available through various carriers and retailers.
Nothing is on a roll when it comes to teasing their upcoming Phone (2). Nothing’s founder, Carl Pei, has been dropping teasers for the Phone (2) on Twitter for over a month. Just last week, the company revealed the Phone (2)’s design in an exclusive video with tech YouTuber, Marques Brownlee.
The new smartphone is rumoured to be coming with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, a welcome upgrade from the mid-range processor that was used in the Phone (1). It doesn’t look like Nothing is changing much on the Phone (2) though when it comes to overall design. That said, in their video with Marques, it does look like the Glyph design has been updated. We won’t have to wait very long for confirmation of the leaks and specifications of the smartphone. The Nothing Phone (2) is geared for release on 11th July 2023 at 11 am (EST).
However, in typical Nothing style, the company has announced that the Nothing Phone (2) will be available in select regions starting on July 13, 2023. Its big debut in Malaysia will be happening on July 15, 2023, at Crossover in Mid Valley Megamall at 11 am local time. You’ll be able to purchase the Nothing Phone (2) and the recently announced Ear (2) Black at the drop.
Samsung’s Galaxy S series has been the hallmark of its smartphones since it first debuted in 2010. It’s been the company’s “IT” device housing the latest in technological innovations and software. This year, with the Galaxy S22 series we saw Samsung do something a little bit unconventional for the smartphone manufacturer, we saw them stick to a signature design and fold their Galaxy Note into the Galaxy S series. It’s also the first series to release with the new RDNA powered Exynos SoC with Xclipse GPU. However, that version of the S22 series is only available in Europe.
With that said, the Galaxy S22 series as a whole holds much promise as Samsung’s latest flagship, but we’re zooming into the S22+, the middle child of the lineup. It’s a blown-up S22, but is it only that? Does it have something else that sets it apart from the S22? That’s what we’re breaking down in our full review of the Samsung Galaxy S22+.
Design
The Samsung Galaxy S22+ is the epitome of a tick-tock strategy when it comes to design. It inherits most, if not all of the design language of the S21 series. Everything from the unique, two-colour colourway to the rounded edges of the smartphone makes a triumphant return to the smartphone. However, that doesn’t mean that Samsung didn’t make changes to the design at all. The biggest change when it comes to the S22+ is the less rounded edges of the screen, particularly where it meets the metal frame. While the S21 opted for a more curved design, the S22+ has a more angled design which is, ironically, more palmable. The sharper angle also allows you to have a better grip when holding the phone.
Aside from this, there really is nothing too significant when it comes to the overall design. While there are smaller bezels and thinner camera humps, these changes don’t really make an impact on the overall design. That said, the small tweaks that Samsung did do with the design make enough of an impact to make it feel totally different.
Perhaps the most impactful change is the change of materials from yesteryear’s glasstic to Gorilla Glass. The small change does make the smartphone feel a little bit more premium. The aluminium frame complements this pretty well and makes the smartphone feel like a true premium flagship. While we do commend the change, it does mean that it’s pretty much more of the same when it comes to design.
Hardware
While the design is more of the same, Samsung upped the ante when it came to the hardware of the Samsung Galaxy S22+. That said, the Exynos version with the new AMD RDNA based Xclipse graphics is only available in Europe. The rest of us get the version with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. It’s a real bummer we didn’t’ get to try out Samsung’s new Exynos, the Snapdragon version seems to be more than good enough to fill its shoes.
Accelerometer Proximity Fingerprint (Ultrasonic, under display) Gyroscope Compass Barometer
Miscellaneous
Dual SIM/eSIM
Retail Price (Malaysia)
MYR 4,099 (128GB) MYR 4,299 (256GB)
Retail Price (US)
USD$ 299.99 (128GB) USD$ 349.99 (256GB)
User Interface
Samsung’s Galaxy S22+ comes with the brand new One UI 4.1 based on Android 12. It brings together some of the best elements from One UI and stock Android. Samsung has adapted Android in a way that highlights some of the key elements of One UI and makes Android feel more fine-tuned than before. It really complements the premium feel of the Galaxy S22+ overall.
Samsung’s One UI 4.1 thoughtfully takes features like Dynamic Widgets, the Theme Palette and increased privacy controls and fine-tunes it for Samsung devices. Samsung makes the features fit overall One UI 4.1 more naturally than any other Android skin out there. The UI itself has been updated and refined to look and feel more premium.
That said, the software itself feels a lot more stable than before. Just last year with the Galaxy Z Flip and S21, the experience was initially somewhat compromised with random reboots and crashes. However, with the S22+ it didn’t feel that way. In fact, after using it for over 2 weeks, none of the apps we were using crashed nor were there any random reboots. The software feels lighter as well. It’s snappier and smoother. It feels like Samsung has optimised the animation and transitions from previous One UI iterations into the version we experienced on the S22+
Performance
Being a Samsung flagship, we’re expecting some of the best performance that we can get from the Galaxy S22+. To be honest, it does deliver but, like the design, it doesn’t feel as revolutionary as we were expecting. This could be due to the anticipation we had for the Exynos 2200 and the XClipse graphics. However, overall, the S22+ did provide pretty outstanding performance during our review period.
Multitasking & Productivity
Samsung’s flagships have become a mainstay when it comes to smartphones that allow you to multitask like a boss, and the Galaxy S22+ continues to build on that heritage. It brings along with it all the productivity features you can think of including Samsung’s DeX, an extended multiwindow mode and even split-screen multitasking.
During my time with the Galaxy S22+, it became my driver. I was getting WhatsApp and Telegram messages as well as emails from multiple accounts on it. It was safe to say that it was put to the test when it came to multitasking and to all its credit, I was able to multitask without much hassle. In fact, the experience was so much smoother than the Note10+ which was my daily driver before.
I was able to reply to emails and messages while copying and pasting between them. In fact, I could even do this while editing a slideshow or document without thinking twice. Samsung’s extended multiwindow allowed me to put my conversation in a floating bubble while I had my emails and Microsoft PowerPoint open. Speaking of Microsoft, Samsung’s Link to Windows is another boon when it comes to multitasking. I was able to reply to messages on my phone – SMS included – without looking at the screen on my Windows 11 laptop. In fact, I was able to use some of my Android apps in Windows natively. Of course, these were simply mirrored from my phone, but it helped when there was pertinent information in those apps that were needed.
Samsung’s DeX took seamless multitasking to another level. It allowed me to drag and drop items into my gallery or folders on my phone without needing to physically plug my phone into the computer. As a matter of fact, I was able to even work on a loaned laptop (with DeX installed) without opening or saving sensitive information on the loaned laptop thanks to DeX.
Call Quality & Connectivity
Connectivity and call quality are, unsurprisingly, one of the best we’ve experienced so far on a Samsung flagship. The calls coming in LTE and 5G are pretty crisp and clear. The audio was warm and felt pretty natural. Of course, this also depended on the quality of the connection. Since Malaysia is only in its rollout of 5G with its 3G network has been sunset, the connectivity on 5G was spotty and subject to the rollout. However, the quality of the 5G connectivity was pretty stable and speeds were quick where available.
When it comes to connectivity, the Galaxy S22+ comes with all the options you could want including Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi 6 and even GPS. All of them work splendidly with stable connectivity. In fact, Samsung’s smart connect feature ensured that I always have connectivity when it came to messaging. It would allow messaging apps to jump on 4G or 5G when the WiFi is unstable. This allowed my messaging apps to be automatically connected to the most stable connection available. WiFi6 support also meant that DeX was much more stable when connecting wirelessly.
Gaming
The Galaxy S22+ isn’t touted as a gaming phone but it should be. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and the Adreno 730 give the smartphone enough juice to run even the most taxing games like Genshin Impact without much hassle. The high 120Hz refresh rate also lends itself to enhancing the experience on the Galaxy S22+. The dual speakers and Dolby Atmos sound allow an even more immersive experience, particularly when paired with a good set of wireless earphones.
During my time with the Galaxy S22+, gaming on the smartphone was enjoyable. Touch controls were snappy and responsive and this held true even for Bluetooth controllers. The high refresh rate and deep, vibrancy of the display also allowed for a more enjoyable visual experience. HDR compatibility meant that dark scenes were not just black but filled with detail.
For review purposes, I tried Genshin Impact, PUBG, Wild Rift and Pokemon UNITE on the S22+ and all of them played beautifully. There was no frame tearing in situations where the screen was filled with animation from multiple players like in Wild Rift and Pokemon UNITE. The animation was smooth and uninterrupted. The detail in the animation while gaming was also next level. It was able to render details I’m more used to seeing in console and PC level gaming.
The S22+ didn’t struggle with performance. However, when it came to cooling, it did get a little warm when gaming. While it didn’t overtly affect the gaming experience it did get warm enough to be noticeable and a little uncomfortable in my opinion. The heat was concentrated in the area immediately beside the camera enclosure. However, it did rapidly cool down after a few minutes post gaming session.
Battery Life
The new 4nm architecture of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 does lend itself to better power efficiency in the Galaxy S22+. However, I think most of the power efficiency we see in the S22+ comes from Samsung’s optimisations of One UI. One UI used to be notoriously power-hungry because of all the background processes it had. In One UI 4.1, that has been optimised to help with battery life. In fact, some of these optimisations come directly from stock Android 12. The software now intelligently puts programs and apps running in the background to sleep if you’re not actively using them. While this can lead to a small delay when it comes to chatting apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, the impact on battery life is significant.
During our review period, the smartphone consistently delivered between 10 to 12 hours of battery life with regular use. This included syncing multiple Gmail accounts, multiple chat apps and emails as well as light camera use and gaming in my case. Since we couldn’t go out much during the time, GPS and navigation use were pretty limited. However, it wouldn’t have impacted the battery life too much as it usually is plugged in when I’m driving. The battery managed to chug along for about 4 to 5 hours when it came to extended gaming sessions. Of course, the dip in battery life is thanks to the increased brightness, processor performance and refresh rate of the display.
Display
Like all of Samsung’s Flagships nowadays, the Galaxy S22+ comes with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. The panel is vibrant and has ample contrast. In fact, it seems like the panel is brighter than before but also seems to have better colour accuracy. During the review, I used the display in both its vibrant and natural modes. There is a huge difference between the two settings. The natural mode is more muted and natural when it comes to colour reproduction while the vibrant setting makes it more contrasted; more akin to the AMOLEDs of the past.
That said, when using the display for reading articles and comics, I preferred to use the natural setting as it felt less straining to the eyes. However, when it came to video content, the vibrant setting allowed more details to be seen especially in HDR-compatible content. When it boils down to it, the display of the S22+ is one of the more adaptable displays available on a smartphone. It’s able to accommodate the user when it comes to different content types as mentioned here.
It also enhances the immersiveness of content particularly gaming. The vibrant colours and HDR compatibility allow you to feel in the moment when gaming. The Ful HD resolution of the display strikes an important balance between resolution and battery life. While the Full HD+ resolution of the display is adequate, we feel like Samsung scaled too far back on the S22+ with the Full HD resolution. Instead, they should have used the same QHD+ display in the Ultra to further differentiate the S22+ and to add more value for the money spent.
Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S22+ comes with a triple camera setup – the same we saw in the S21+. However, unlike the Galaxy S21+, it comes with a larger, 50-megapixel main sensor. Yes, I said larger 50-megapixel sensor. The overall size and pixel size of the S22+’s sensor is larger than the S21+’s 64-megapixel sensor. It’s an important distinction as the larger sensor and pixel size allow more light to be absorbed which translates to more detail and sharpness in the picture.
The pictures taken on the S22+ are notably sharp with a lot of details preserved even in low light. The smartphone processes the images to be vibrant and saturated. That said, the quality of the pictures changes from sensor to sensor. It goes without saying that the larger 50-megapixel sensor produced the best quality pictures.
Samsung has packed the camera with tonnes of features. This round they were focusing on low light photography, and they’ve made noticeable improvements when it comes to the quality and detail that is reproduced in the pictures taken. However, it feels like there’s a little bit more work needed to take the camera to where they want to be.
During our review, I used the S22+ as my main camera for events and even when spending time with my family. It performed well and was able to respond quickly which is really important when it comes to taking pictures of a toddler.
The video from the S22+ is also pretty good. Shooting at 4K and 1080p produced really crisp detailed videos in the correct lighting. In low lighting, the videos were dramatic but lacked some depth and detail which is expected in such conditions. However, it’s still one of the best performers when it comes to smartphones. To be honest, we’ve yet to see any Android smartphone which is on par with the S22+. What amazes us is that this isn’t their true technological flagship and they still managed to get the camera to perform this well.
A new flagship experience with more of the same outward design proving that fine tuning may do the user experience well
Samsung’s approach to the Galaxy S22+ series proves that they have the capacity to produce amazing user experiences in both the hardware and software of their devices. The Galaxy S22+ brought some of the most compelling software features and paired it with capable hardware that helps elevate the experience significantly.
The Galaxy S22+ is the sweet spot in the series bringing both the size in hardware and software and comfort when it comes to viewing and manoeuvring the phone. It’s the goldilocks of the three S22 devices we have today. With Samsung’s commitment to actually supporting the new S22 series for at least 5 years, the S22+ is an amazing proposition when it comes to getting something that will be able to stand the test of time. It’s also got the versatility to be your companion when you’re out having fun and your sidekick when you need to be productive.
These days, when you talk flagship, you think about devices that cost at least MYR 3,000 and above. Anything below that price range is usually categorised as mid-range smartphones. They are usually specced as such too, with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 700 series, 6-8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage. Not this one though. It is priced as a mid-range smartphone, but on paper, it is a flagship.
First, the POCO F4 GT packs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the most powerful system on a chip (SoC) you can find in an Android smartphone currently. Sure, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is rumoured to come some time soon. Until then, the Gen 1 is still the most powerful SoC you can find on an Android. The powerful SoC is supported by up to 12GB of speedy LPDDR5 RAM with up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage for snappy operations.
They say that it is made for mobile gaming. To ensure that the SoC stays cool for extended gaming sessions then, they have something they call LiquidCool Technology 3.0. The technology large dual vapor chambers to ensure that heat from the SoC can be quickly and efficiently transferred and dissipated elsewhere on the device.
Source: POCO
Out the front is an expansive and immersive 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 10-bit colours. With up to 120Hz, your interface should feel smoother than running a hot knife through butter. At up to 480Hz of touch sampling rate, every touch should feel more instant and more responsive than ever before. Of course, with DisplayMate’s A+ rating, this display should be great with movies too.
Out the back is a 64-Megapixel main shooter which should be enough in most cases. Of course, most of the time, you are really taking 12-Megapixel photos unless you tell your camera that you want to shoot in 64-Megapixel mode. The powerful camera is supported by an 8-Megapixel ultra-wide shooter and a 2-Megapixel macro camera. Out the front is a 20-Megapixel selfie shooter for when you need to stream or when you just want to capture a clear selfie.
To keep everything running nicely an entire day and more is a 4,700mAh battery inside the device. It is also the first battery in POCO’s device range to offer 120W HyperCharge charging speed. The device can be fully charged in just 27 minutes. Charging your device at 120W at all times can destroy the battery pretty quickly though, so POCO’s AdaptiveCharge feature cleverly keeps your battery from overcharging to prolong its shelf life.
Alongside the POCO F4 GT, POCO also launched their new Buds Pro Genshin Impact Edition with a rather special design throwing homage to the ever so popular mobile game. They also launched the POCO Watch, their first ever smartwatch cum fitness tracker. It does not run on the Wear OS.
The POCO F4 GT is available in three colour options from 28th of April 2022 onward. You can choose between Stealth Black, Knight Silver, and Cyber Yellow colour options. You can also choose between an 8GB + 128GB variant and a 12GB + 256GB variant for MYR 2,299 and MYR 2,499 respectively. If you purchase your device on the 28th of April 2022 on either Shopee or Lazada, you can get your device for MYR 1,999 and MYR 2,199 respectively. The POCO Buds Pro Genshin Impact Edition and POCO Watch will be available for MYR 299 and MYR 249 respectively on the same date. More information on the new POCO devices can be found on their website.
Realme has made a name for itself by offering affordable smartphones. However, the company has been uncompromising when it comes to features and value in its offerings with smartphones like the recently released Realme 9 series. That said, Realme is breaking from its MO and exploring a true flagship in their Realme GT 2 Pro. Teased earlier this year at MWC, the smartphone is Realme’s first foray into the flagship market and it’s finally making its Malaysian debut.
Source: Realme
The Realme GT 2 Pro sports Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor which promises top of the line performance. The new 4nm process also brings with it better power efficiency. The phone pairs this with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. However, unlike Realme phones of the past, the GT 2 Pro does away with microSD card support.
It comes with a 6.7-inch, AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and support for HDR10+. The display maxes out at 1,400 nits peak brightness. The 2K resolution (1440×3216 pixels) of the panel gives it a 509ppi density. It also comes with Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi 6 support as well as 5G connectivity.
On the back, the Realme GT 2 Pro is coming with a triple camera setup with a dual 50-megapixel primary sensor with a large 150° field of view. Complementing this dual sensor setup is a 3-megapixel microscope sensor with 40x magnification. On the front is a 32-megapixel selfie camera. The main camera setup supports 8K video shooting. The main sensor comes with phase detection autofocus and optical image stabilization.
Source: Realme
Realme is touting all-day battery life on the GT 2 Pro thanks to its large 5,000mAh battery which supports 65W fast charging. It also comes with an under-display fingerprint sensor.
Pricing & Availability
The GT 2 Pro will be available in Malaysia starting on 25th March 2022 for MYR2,999. It will be available only in the 12GB RAM version with 256GB storage in either black or white.
However, if you’re looking for a great deal, the phone will be offered at MYR2,599 during flash sales on the Realme Malaysia Official store on Shopee from 25th to 26th March 2022 and from 30th to 31st March 2022. Units bought during these periods will come with a free set of Realme Buds 2 NEO.
The first sale at Realme authorized stores will be happening from 26th March 2022 until 27th March 2022. During this period, the GT 2 Pro will be sold at full retail price. However, purchases will be entitled to a free Realme Watch 2 Pro and an extended warranty.
OPPO’s looking to up the ante with nighttime videography with the Find X5 series. For now, OPPO’s flagship series will consist of the OPPO Find X5 Pro, the OPPO Find X5 and the OPPO Find X5 Lite. The Find X5 and Find X5 Pro will feature OPPO’s customised, dedicated imaging NPU – the MariSilicon X which they announced back during OPPO Inno Day.
The Find X5 & X5 Pro – True Flagship Technology
OPPO’s flagship device – the Find X5 Pro – will feature Qualcomm’s latest and greatest, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The new octa-core processor built on 4nm fabrication promises better power efficiency, processing performance and graphical performance. The Find X5, on the other hand, will feature the Snapdragon 888. The two smartphones are also the first smartphones touting OPPO’s MariSilicon X technology.
Source: OPPO
They both come with AMOLED panels capable of replicating 1 billion colours with a 120Hz refresh rate, and Gorilla Glass Victus for added protection. However, the Pro comes with a larger 6.7-inch display size with a QHD+ resolution while the regular Find X5 comes with a slightly smaller 6.55-inch display with an FHD+ resolution. Both also come with UFS 3.1 storage technology for faster storage with better read and write performance.
The Pro comes with configurations with up to 512GB of onboard storage and 12GB of RAM while the Find X5 has only been announced with a single configuration of 256GB with 8GB of RAM. Both don’t support microSD cards.
Source: OPPO
Design-wise, the phones sport an updated aesthetic from the Find X3. OPPO has made the curves more seamless giving it a little bit more of a futuristic feel. They’ve also opted to use ceramic instead of glass on the Find X5 and Find X5 Pro. According to them, it’s sturdier and more durable. The sleek, seamless integration of the camera hump is still there on the Find X5 series.
MariSilicon X Backed Camera Setups for Better Nighttime Video Performance
The Find X5 series is banking on the added umph of OPPO’s MariSilicon X. The dedicated photography and videography NPU is being touted as the backbone for most of the upgrades we see in the image and video processing in the Find X5 and Find X5 Pro.
Hardware Tuned to Keep Up with the MariSilicon X
Let’s look at the camera hardware first. The Find X5 and the Find X5 Pro both come with triple sensor setups. The Pro comes with a 50-megapixel, 1/1.56-inch main sensor with an f/1.8 aperture with multidirectional PDAF and OIS with 3-axis sensor shift and 2-axis lens shift. This is complemented with 13-megapixel, 1/1.34-inch telephoto sensor capable of 2x optical zoom with an f/2.4 aperture and PDAF and a second 50-megapixel, 1/1.56-inch ultrawide sensor with f/2.2 aperture with multidirectional PDAF. The regular Find X5 comes with a less robust 50-megapixel main sensor. The front camera sensor on both is a 32-megapixel wide sensor with gyro-EIS.
Source: OPPO
The mainstay of the MariSilicon X is its ability process imaging information on the fly. However, the hardware is only part of the equation. OPPO has bolstered the software to take advantage of the powerful hardware. Firstly, it’s teamed up with Hasselblad to bring true to life colours in still images in the camera’s pro mode. Then it’s also taking full advantage of the advanced NPU in its new 4K Ultra Night Video feature. With the backing on the NPU, the Find X5 and the Find X5 Pro are able to capture high resolution video in the dark. The video also has better dynamic range allowing it preserve more detail.
A Rebadged Reno 7 In the Tailgating Find X5 Lite
If you’ve realised, we didn’t mention much about the Find X5 Lite. This was intentional cause the Lite version of the Find X5 is simply a rebadged Reno7 smartphone. There’s no indication that the smartphone carries the same MariSilicon X NPU for the improved photography either. So, if you’re interested in getting the lowdown on the Find X5 Lite, you can refer to our article on the Reno7.
Pricing & Availability
The Find X5 Pro will be available in two colours – Ceramic White and Glaze Black. It will be retailing for €1,299 (MYR6,079.52).
Source: OPPO
The Find X5, on the other hand will be available in Black and White. It will be retailing for €999 (MYR4,676.23).
Both are available for pre-orders in select regions now.
Official Specifications
Screen grab from official press conference live stream on YouTubeScreen grab from official press conference live stream on YouTube
Samsung isn’t messing around with the Galaxy S series this year. With their refocusing of the Galaxy S22 and S22+, they’re also working on redefining their Galaxy S22 Ultra. After skipping the release of a new Galaxy Note last year, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is being imbued with the DNA and ethos of their most popular lineup.
The new Galaxy S22 Ultra is going through a total makeover this year and it starts with the design and seeps into its features. The first thing you’re going to realise about the new Galaxy S22 Ultra is that it doesn’t even share a hair with the design language of its siblings, the S22 and the S22+. Instead, its design cues hearken from the Galaxy Note series. In fact, it’s even adopted the integrated S-Pen slot! In essence, the Galaxy Note seems to have found new life as the top-of-the-line Galaxy S22 Ultra.
When it comes to materials, the Ultra shares the same materials that were used in its sibling devices. It comes with the same armour aluminium frame sandwiched in Gorilla Glass Victus+ that we see in the S22 and S22+. However, that’s where the similarities end. The Galaxy S22 Ultra adopts a dual-curved design that meets at the middle of the frame for a more ergonomic finish. It also has an angular finish. It has a rectangular silhouette that we saw in the Galaxy Note20+. However, like the Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22+, the S22 Ultra is also thicker. The thickness gives it a more natural feel in the hand. The S Pen finds itself back where it belongs in a slot on the right side of the device. On the back, the cameras are nearly flush and protected by Gorilla DX.
Making a Note-able Comeback
Speaking of the S Pen, it’s making a note-able comeback. Puns aside, the S Pen on the S22 Ultra is not the same we’ve seen in the Note10. Samsung has worked on making the writing experience on the S22 Ultra an even more natural one. The latency of the S Pen has been reduced even further to 2.8ms. This is done with improvements to the Wacom technology in the S22 Ultra as well as with AI prediction algorithms. The new Wacom IC is more sensitive allowing faster reaction to inputs while AI works in the background to predict the trajectory of the S Pen when in use. This time it will be able to predict multiple trajectories which allow the experience to feel even more instantaneous.
Together with the new hardware and AI, the S Pen is also supported by new software features. The Samsung Notes app is getting a few new features including improved handwriting recognition. You will be able to convert your handwritten notes into tidier typed out notes with a single click. It’s also coming with a new Quick Notes feature which allows you to capture full web pages for your notes. Additionally, it will also be able to work seamlessly with the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 in Collaboration View. This allows you to not only share via nearby share but also work on a larger display when needed. Similarly, Samsung has worked with Clip Studio to allow you to use the S22 Ultra as your colour palette for more precise control of colours in your digital art. You can even use the S22 Ultra’s camera to get colours you can’t get in the palette by snapping a photo and lifting the colour from there.
Packed with Cutting Edge Technology
Of course, it goes without saying that the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s note-able features are supported by the latest technologies. Like the S22 and the S22+. the S22 Ultra is coming with the latest 4nm processor. Depending on the region you’re in, it may be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or the AMD RDNA touting Exynos 2200. The processor will be complemented by either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of internal storage. The S22 Ultra comes with the same 120 Hz capable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display as its siblings albeit in a larger 6.8-inch flavour.
When it comes to the camera, it’s imbued with the same features that are packed in its siblings. However, it comes with a more robust quad camera setup. The main sensor is a 108-megapixel wide sensor with dual pixel autofocus, an f/1.8 aperture and an 85° field of view (FOV). This is complemented with a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 120° FOV and two 10-megapixel telephoto sensors. One of which is capable of 3x optical zoom and has an f/2.4 aperture while the other is capable of 10x optical zoom with an f/4.9 aperture. The front camera is a 40-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 80° FOV.
Like the S22 and S22+, the camera of the S22 Ultra comes with new enhancements. The biggest enhancement is the larger pixels of the 108-megapixel sensor which is 1.23 times the size of the pixels of the Galaxy S21. In addition, it utilizes the same nona binning technology for better low light photographs. Galaxy AI enhances this with multi-frame exposure. This means that the camera will take up to 20 frames and use the data in each to get a more detailed picture with better dynamic range. The more capable NPU in the processors of the Galaxy S22 Ultra allows it to process up to 4 times the data. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is also able to shoot in 16-bit RAW which allows for more flexibility when processing pictures.
It also comes with an enhanced super steady mode which allows you to shoot even steadier video at higher resolutions. Portrait mode has also been enhanced with Galaxy AI. A new feature called AI Stereo map captures a more detailed picture of your subject and allows you to adjust everything from the intensity of the bokeh to the light positioning with the new Studio Lighting feature.
Pricing & Availability
The Galaxy S22 Ultra will be available starting February 10, 2022, in Malaysia. It will be available in Phantom White, Phantom Black, Green and Burgundy. Prices for the Galaxy S22 Ultra will start from MYR5,099 (USD$1,218.46) for the lowest variant.
Samsung’s Galaxy S series has been the company’s hallmark Android touting series since its first foray into smartphones. This year it looks like the company is turning its formulaic approach on its head by bringing some of the signature design and features of its Note line up to the flagship. The new Galaxy S22 series not only builds on features of the Galaxy S21 and the new 4nm chipsets, but it’s also set on redefining the Galaxy S series moving forward.
This year’s Galaxy S22 series will be coming with three versions as it has before – the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra. However, Samsung is changing things up when it comes to the features and differentiation between the smartphones in the series. While the biggest change in their approach this year is with the Ultra, we’re zooming in on the Galaxy S22 and S22+ here.
Designed for Functionality & Durability
Samsung is reigning things back a little bit when it comes to the design of the S22 and S22+. It’s keeping things familiar with design cues we’re used to seeing in the Galaxy S series thanks to the S21. However, they’ve done away with the multicoloured colourways which left a lasting impression – at least for now. The smartphones are now flat. The curved screens we’re used to on the Galaxy S series are no more.
That said, Samsung has focused on making the new S series devices are sturdier and more functional. The Galaxy S22 and S22+ come with Armour Alumunium which made its debut with the Fold3 and Flip3. It gives added strength and rigidity to the frame of the phone and to the camera modules under the metallic camera hump. This is sandwiched by Gorilla Glass Victus with a matte coloured finish.
It’s not a question of “how thin can you go” for Samsung anymore, they’ve focused on making their phones last longer and feel more ergonomic in hand. The S22 and S22+ have thicker silhouettes but hold larger 3,700mAh and 4,500mAh batteries respectively. The thicker form also allows you to hold the phone with a firmer grip.
Camera, Camera and more Galaxy AI
The Galaxy S22 and S22+ are sticking to the Galaxy S formula. They’re looking to build on the camera features with their new release. Samsung’s focus this year is very much on their improved Galaxy AI implementation and also bringing features that make sense. The S22 and S22+ come with the same camera setup. They have a triple sensor setup. The main sensor is a 50-megapixel (f/1.8) wide sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus, optical image stabilisation (OIS), and an 85° field of view (FOV). This is complemented by a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 120° FOV and a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor capable of 3x optical zoom with an f/2.4 aperture and 36° FOV. On the front is a 10-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 80° FOV. While it may seem like the S22 and S22+ is taking a step back when it comes to the telephoto sensor, Samsung is claiming that they are able to achieve better performance with a larger main sensor and the 12-megapixel telephoto sensor.
The mainstay of the new camera is the improved VDI that comes with the 4nm processors that Samsung is using in their flagships. The improved processing of images allows them to bring better low light performance as well as imbue its camera with more Galaxy AI features for better pictures. Samsung’s buzzword this year is “Nightography”. With “Nightography”, the company is highlighting their new approach to low light photography on smartphones. In particular, how Galaxy AI composites 20 different versions of the same image for better low light results. It also improves dynamic range and creates a more detailed picture. Of course, this works in tandem with the nona binning technology that we’ve seen in Galaxy S smartphones before. When taking low light video, Galaxy AI will also adjust the frame rate of the video to ensure the best result.
Source: Samsung
Galaxy AI also brings features like Auto Frame which intelligently adjusts the camera’s framing to ensure that the person or object of interest is constantly in the frame. Even when it comes to moving subjects, Galaxy AI is able to adjust for the best framing. With the version in the Galaxy S22 and S22+, you’ll be able to automatically track up to 10 subjects. The Galaxy S22 and S22+ are also able to shoot in 16-bit RAW format. This will allow you to have more flexibility when it comes to posting processing shots taken on the smartphone.
In addition to this, Galaxy AI is also taking charge of the frame rate of your phone. While the new smartphones come with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with 120Hz refresh rate, they will not be running at 120Hz all the time. Galaxy AI will dynamically adjust the screen frame rate for better battery performance according to the content on the screen. It will go all the way down to 1Hz when viewing still images.
Pricing & Availability
The Galaxy S22 and S22+ will be available in Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green and Pink Gold. They will be available with either 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage or 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal memory. All Galaxy S22 and S22+ models will be available starting February 10, 2022.
Samsung’s next flagship is set to make its official debut in a few days. The Galaxy S lineup has always been the company’s pride and joy. It looks like this year is no different with Samsung packing their latest and greatest technologies into the new Galaxy S22. This includes the much anticipated AMD RDNA2 touting Exynos 2200 with its new XClipse graphics technology. So, what else can we expect? Here’s a quick rundown of all the leaks ahead of the launch on 9th February 2022.
Packed to the Brim with Tech
It comes as no surprise that Samsung’s new Galaxy flagship will be pushing the latest and greatest technologies. When it comes to their processors, the Galaxy S22 series is going to be running on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the U.S. while the rest of the world will be getting the Exynos 2200. Well, that’s if Samsung doesn’t just go full-on Exynos 2200 to show off its new XClipse technology. You can get all the details in our coverage of the announcement of the Exynos 2200.
That said, the performance of the processors remains the biggest unknown of the new Galaxy S22 series. Both processors have limited or no reliable benchmarks or performance indicators out there just yet – particularly when it comes to the Exynos 2200. However, if Samsung’s track record is anything to go by, it shouldn’t be a worry as their flagships have always been up to snuff.
Aside from the processor, it looks like we might be seeing a bump in the lowest RAM version of the S22, S22+ and S22 ultra as it’s expected that the series will come with at least 8GB of RAM. However, storage wise, rumours point to the S22 series sticking to the minimum of 128GB.
Click, click, Space Zoom
When it comes to screens, Samsung is rumoured to be using its Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels across the S22 series. All versions of the Galaxy S22 seem to support a 120Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy S22 is rumoured to have a 6.1-inch display while the S22+ is rumoured to have a 6.6-inch display. Both are also rumoured to come with FHD+ resolution. The S22 Ultra, however, is rumoured to come with a 6.8-inch QHD+ panel instead.
Samsung’s big push when it comes to the S22 series this year seems to be with camera technologies. That said, their approach seems to be taking a focus on the software. Hardware-wise, rumours point to the S22 and S22+ having a triple camera setup. Both are indicated to come with a 50-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 aperture complemented with a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (f/2.2) and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (f/2.4). On the front, both are rumoured to be equipped with a 10-megapixel selfie camera (f/2.2). The Space Zoom on the S22 and S22+ cap out at 30x.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is coming with a more robust setup similar to the S21 Ultra. It will come with a quad-camera setup with a laser autofocus sensor. The main camera is a 108-megapixel with an f/1.8 aperture. This is complemented by a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor (f//2.2) and two 10-megapixel telephoto cameras (f/2.4 and f/4.9). The telephoto sensor with a larger f/4.9 aperture is intriguing as it also indicates better low light performance.
Same, Same But Different
When it comes to the overall design of the Galaxy S22 series. It seems like Samsung has decided that it will stick to its highly praised design of the Galaxy S21 series. Leaks and rumours both have shown the same design for the S22 and S22+ with the raised camera module being encased in the metal frame of the smartphone. That said, we’ve yet to see if Samsung will be sticking to contrasting colourways which made the S21’s design memorable. So far, leaks have only shown the white and black versions of the S22 and S22+ which don’t seem to have the eye-popping contrast.
Source: @evleaks
That said, there are minor differences when it comes to materials. The Galaxy S22 series is rumoured to come with glass materials – for the back portion at least. This could be to support the faster wireless fast charging. However, it seems like the S22 will be capping its charging abilities at 25W while its siblings move on to 45W charging technology.
A Note-able Galaxy S22 Ultra… Maybe
However, the Galaxy S22 Ultra seems to be turning the Galaxy S series on its head – just a little. After skipping a year and retiring the popular Note moniker, it seems like Samsung is poised to bring the Note and S series into a single flagship family. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is not only adopting the S-Pen, it’s taken the familiar design cues of the Note.
The rounded, rectangular design of the Galaxy Note family is back in full force. The S22 Ultra is not only wider than its siblings, but it also brings an integrated S-pen slot. This seems to be a natural progression of the S-Pen’s S21 Ultra debut last year. In addition, the Ultra is looking to have a fully flushed camera setup – aside from the camera lenses. It also drops the encasing design of its siblings when it comes to the camera.
Pricier across the board
It seems like the Galaxy S22 won’t only be coming with the latest and greatest technology. It’s also coming with a hefty bump in price – at least in the U.S. The S22 series is rumoured to be a whopping USD$100 (MYR417.99) more than the S21 series. The Galaxy S22 will be starting at USD$900 (MYR3,761.95) while the S22+ starts at USD$1,100 (MYR4,598.12) and the S22 Ultra at USD$1,300 (MYR5,434.10).
However, prices in Europe seem to be remaining the same. We hope this rings true for the prices in Malaysia as well.
Where to watch Samsung Unpacked 2022
Source: Samsung
With all of that for you to feast on, the real deal will be launching on 9th January 2022. It will be streamed on the official Samsung website as well as the company’s YouTube and Facebook at 11 pm Malaysian time; that’s 1 pm in London (UTC+0) and 8 am in New York (UTC-5).
If you’re in Malaysia, you can actually get an MYR200 voucher if you register your interest ahead of the event. The voucher can only be used to pre-order the upcoming Galaxy S22 series though. So, if you’ve already set your heart on getting the S22, you’ve got nothing to lose!
