Samsung sent me their new Galaxy Z Flip4 foldable smartphone, and here is my unboxing and first impressions!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 Unboxing : What’s In The Box?
Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 launch happened just as I was going to fly to the UK, so I only received it when I got back.
First up – here is my unboxing video of Samsung’s new compact foldable smartphone!
Once you unbox it, you will only find these items :
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 smartphone
Set of documents – quick start guide in two languages, a warranty card, and a Samsung Pay pamphlet
USB Type C to Type C cable
SIM card extractor pin
It does not come with any charger, or earphones. Not even a TPU case to hold you over until you get a better case.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : My First Impressions!
Just before the launch, I was one of the few who had the rare opportunity to get my hands on not one, but four Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 smartphones, which allowed us to do a proper colour comparison.
And now, I present to you – my own hands-on experience with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 smartphone.
I apologise for the shaky video – Samsung still insists that I do not take photos or record videos with a smartphone, even though it’s their own Galaxy S22 Ultra!
Samsung maintained the same design from last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 3, so you will probably not be able to distinguish between the two models.
Like the Galaxy Z Flip 3, the Flip 4 has a large 6.7-inch display that folds in half, turning the Z Flip 4 into a really compact device.
Incredibly, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is water-resistant, even though it is not dust-resistant due to its hinge mechanism. And it is protected on all sides by a tough Armour Aluminium frame.
When folded, you can use the 1.9 inch Cover Display to view notifications and messages, as well as make quick replies and actions.
When unfolded, you can just about see the folding crease in the display, but it’s something that you learn to ignore after using it for some time.
On the left side, you will find the SIM card tray. At the bottom, you will find the USB port, as well as the speaker and microphone ports.
On the right side are the Power button with a built-in fingerprint sensor, and the Volume control buttons. At the top, you will only find another microphone port.
In the front, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 has a 10 megapixel camera with an f/2.4 aperture. You can see a row of speaker ports just above this camera.
At the back are two 12 megapixel cameras – a main camera with f/1.8 aperture, and an ultra-wide angle camera. Samsung also made the bezels just a tiny bit thinner, although you may not notice.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 : Specifications
Here are the key specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 smartphone :
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
If you are using the Galaxy Z Flip3, you may be wondering – how different is the new Galaxy Z Flip4 smartphone?
In this article, I will share with you the key differences… and similarities between the two foldable smartphones!
Galaxy Z Flip4 vs Z Flip3 : How Different Are They?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 builds upon the excellent Galaxy Z Flip3 from last year, offering an improved version of the compact foldable smartphone.
If you are comparing both devices side-by-side, it’s really hard to tell them apart… because Samsung essentially retained the same design.
When folded, the Galaxy Z Flip4 is slightly (1.5 mm) shorter, and imperceptibly (0.3 mm) narrower than the Galaxy Z Flip3.
When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Flip4 is even more alike the Flip3 – just 0.8 mm shorter and 0.3 mm narrower. If you don’t compare them closely, you might not be able to tell them apart!
They both have very similar weights too – the Galaxy Z Flip4 coming in 4 grams heavier at 187 grams, instead of 183 grams for the Galaxy Z Flip3. Again, you can’t really tell them apart.
Most of the upgrades in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 are internal… and out-of-the-box.
4nm Processor
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 naturally has a newer and more powerful processor than the Galaxy Z Flip3.
Manufactured on the more efficient 4nm process technology, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is the fastest processor money can buy in 2022.
But the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 used in the Galaxy Z Flip3 is no slouch, and you would be hard-pressed to tell their performance apart, outside of benchmark scores.
Main Camera Changes
Samsung retained the same 10 MP front camera, and the same dual camera setup at the back from the Galaxy Z Flip3 :
a 12 MP Dual Pixel camera, with f/1.8 aperture, and
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
Larger Capacity
Samsung is also offering a larger 512 GB internal storage capacity option for the Galaxy Z Flip4. This will be useful for those who need additional storage for photos, videos or documents.
Bespoke Edition
Samsung will also offer a special Bespoke Edition for those who want to customise their Galaxy Z Flip4 smartphone.
The Bespoke Edition is only available with 256 GB of internal storage on the Samsung website, and requires 3-4 weeks to deliver, as each unit is custom-made.
Samsung Care+
The biggest upgrade, I would argue, is the new Samsung Care+ warranty, which you can purchase or obtain for free as part of the pre-order offer.
With Samsung Care+, you get 2 years of device warranty including THREE (3) protective film replacements for the Main Display.
The device warranty itself covers repairs for accidental damage (including liquid damage), as well as device replacement if it cannot be repaired. Talk about peace of mind!
Galaxy Z Flip4 vs Z Flip3 : Specification Comparison
Here is a table I created to make it easier for you to compare the two models:
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Most of the upgrades in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 are internal… and out-of-the-box.
4nm Processor
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 naturally has a newer and more powerful processor than the Galaxy Z Fold3.
Manufactured on the more efficient 4nm process technology, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is the fastest processor money can buy in 2022.
But the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 used in the Galaxy Z Fold3 is no slouch, and you would be hard-pressed to tell their performance apart, outside of benchmark scores.
Main Camera Changes
Samsung retained the same triple camera setup from the Galaxy Z Fold3 with the same design and lenses, but changed two of their sensors.
Samsung upgraded the 12 MP main camera with a 50 MP sensor, while reducing the 12 MP telephoto camera to just a 10 MP sensor.
Larger Capacity
Samsung is also offering a larger 1TB internal storage capacity option for the Galaxy Z Fold4, albeit only on their website.
This will be useful for those who need additional storage for photos, videos or documents.
Samsung Care+
The biggest upgrade, I would argue, is the new Samsung Care+ warranty, which you can purchase or obtain for free as part of the pre-order offer.
With Samsung Care+, you get 2 years of device warranty including THREE (3) protective film replacements for the Main Display.
The device warranty itself covers repairs for accidental damage (including liquid damage), as well as device replacement if it cannot be repaired. Talk about peace of mind!
Galaxy Z Fold4 vs Z Fold3 : Specification Comparison
Here is a table I created to make it easier for you to compare the two models:
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 will soon be available in the Bora Purple colour option! Here is what you need to know!
Samsung Galaxy S22 Bora Purple : What You Need To Know!
Samsung is introducing a new colour option called Bora Purple for the Samsung Galaxy S22 – its baby flagship of the Galaxy S family!
Bora is Korean for purple, and Samsung chose to introduce this pastel colour to “evoke joy, spark creativity and embrace individuality”
6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Bora Purple comes with a large 6.1-inch display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel.
Its wide colour gamut of 100% DCI-P3, a peak brightness of 1300 nits, and a contrast ratio of 2 million:1 will guarantee the best possible image quality, whether indoors or outdoors.
Gamers will love its high dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, with a touch sampling rate of up to 240 Hz.
4nm Flagship Mobile Platform
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Bora Purple is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC, which is fabricated on the latest 4nm Samsung process technology.
Together with a powerful Adreno 730 GPU, it has eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.5 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.8 GHz.
Memory + Storage Options
Samsung will be offering just two memory and storage options :
8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage
8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage
Cameras Galore!
As a Samsung flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S22 comes with a smorgasbord of cameras!
In the front, it has a 10 MP camera, with a wide f/2.2 aperture.
In the back, it has a triple-camera system that consists of :
a 50 MP Dual Pixel camera, f/1.8 aperture,
a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera, f/2.2 aperture, and
a 10 MP telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture
Built To Last
The Samsung Galaxy S22 has a tough Armor Aluminium frame, and is protected in the back and front by the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+.
On top of that, it is IP68-rated against dust and water ingress. That means it can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S22 comes with a 3,700 mAh battery, which supports wired charging at up to 25 watts, and wireless charging at up to 15 watts.
It also supports Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to recharge other smartphones and wearables like the Galaxy Buds2.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Bora Purple : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Bora Purple will be available globally starting August 10, 2022.
We do not have a hands-on video of the Bora Purple, but here is our hands-on video of the earlier four colour options – Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Green and Pink Gold.
Note : Samsung only allowed us to use digital cameras, so the video is not stabilised as it would be with smartphones that I generally use.
Samsung did not reveal the price for the Galaxy S22 Bora Purple, but it should be priced the same as earlier colour options :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Unboxing Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra : What’s Inside Its Box?
Samsung just combined their Galaxy S and Galaxy Note series into the Galaxy S22 Ultra – their latest flagship smartphone.
Not only does it adopt the blockier industrial design language of the Galaxy Note series, it also comes with the S Pen built-in!
Despite being the biggest model in the Galaxy S22 family, the S22 Ultra comes in a slim cardboard box. Here’s an interesting fact – the colour of the S on the box shows you the colour of the Galaxy S22 Ultra inside!
In this video, we take a quick look at the box, before showing you exactly what you will find inside!
Here is everything you will find inside the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s box :
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone
Set of Galaxy S22 series documents
USB data and power cable (Type C to Type C)
SIM card tray extraction pin
Sadly, the Galaxy S22 Ultra does not come with a 45 watt charger in-the-box. You can reuse your old 15 watt charger, but you would be losing out on a key S22 Ultra feature.
Now, let us go through its key features, and show you why the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is worthy of our Editor’s Choice Award!
6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with a massive 6.8-inch display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel.
Its wide colour gamut of 100% DCI-P3, a peak brightness of 1750 nits, and a contrast ratio of 3 million:1 will guarantee the best possible image quality, whether indoors or outdoors.
Gamers will love its high dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, with a touch sampling rate of up to 240 Hz.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra offers two refresh rate options (Settings > Display > Motion smoothness) :
Adaptive : Get smoother animation and scrolling by automatically adjusting your screen refresh rate up to 120 Hz
Standard : Get longer battery life with a 60 Hz screen refresh rate
Last year’s Galaxy S21 Ultra also has an Adaptive mode, which dynamically refreshes between 10 Hz and 120 Hz
The new Galaxy S22 Ultra improves on that, with an Adaptive mode that dynamically refreshes between 1 Hz and 120 Hz.
By default, the Galaxy S22 Ultra uses the Adaptive mode, for smoother graphics, but you can choose to switch to the Standard mode for longer battery.
4nm Flagship Mobile Platform
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC, which is fabricated on the latest 4nm Samsung process technology.
Together with a powerful Adreno 730 GPU, it has eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.5 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.8 GHz.
Memory + Storage Options
Samsung will be offering four memory and storage options, but not all of them are available globally :
8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage
12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage
12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage
12 GB RAM + 1 TB storage
Cameras Galore!
As the premiere Samsung smartphone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with a smorgasbord of cameras!
In the front, it has a 40 MP camera, with a wide f/2.2 aperture, and the ability to combine pixels for better low-light performance.
In the back, it has a quad-camera system that consists of :
a 108 MP Dual Pixel camera, f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera, f/2.2 aperture
a 10 MP telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture, and
a 10 MP periscope camera with 10X optical zoom, f/4.9
Ultra-Low Latency S Pen
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the only model in the Galaxy S22 family to come with the S Pen.
Just like the Galaxy Note series, it has a dedicated S Pen slot, so you will never have to worry about dropping the S Pen.
This is an improved S Pen, with ultra-low latency of just 2.8 ms – down from 9 ms in the previous generation. This gives it an instantaneous feel, just like writing an actual pen on paper.
Built To Last
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is protected in the back and front by the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+.
On top of that, it is IP68-rated against dust and water ingress. That means it can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with a large 5,000 mAh battery, which offers a very long battery life.
On top of that, it can support wired charging at up to 45 watts, with wireless charging supported at up to 15 watts.
It also supports Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to recharge other smartphones and wearables like the Galaxy Buds2.
The only downside – Samsung is not providing the 45 watt charger in-the-box.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra : Battery Life Comparison!
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with a larger 5,000 mAh battery, which is the same size as last year’s Galaxy S21 Ultra.
To test its battery life, we turned off Automatic Brightness, and set its display brightness to 50%.
Why 50%? That is actually slightly higher than the average indoor brightness level of 40% during the day, and is what we usually use in all our mobile battery life tests.
It is important to fix the brightness level, to make sure the screen brightness does not change as the ambient brightness changes.
We then ran the PCMark Work 3.0 battery life test until its battery capacity dropped to 20% several times, and this was the best result we obtained with 60 Hz and 120 Hz refresh rates :
Will you look at that!
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has a battery life of 10.5 hours with Adaptive refresh rate enabled, and a whopping 14.25 hours with the Standard refresh rate!
But let’s compare its battery life at 60 Hz and 120 Hz, against the S21 Ultra and Z Flip 3 smartphones.
Standard Refresh Rate (60 Hz)
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra really shines with the refresh rate set to 60 Hz.
The S22 Ultra used 20% less power per minute, which delivered 25% longer battery life than the S21 Ultra.
Work 3.0
S22 Ultra
(60 Hz)
Z Flip 3
(60 Hz)
S21 Ultra
(60 Hz)
Battery Capacity
5,000 mAh
3,300 mAh
5,000 mAh
Battery Life
14 hrs
15 mins
8 hrs 11 mins
11 hrs 22 mins
Utilisation
per min.
4.68 mAh
5.38 mAh
5.87 mAh
Adaptive Refresh Rate (120 Hz)
While the Galaxy S22 Ultra certainly used less power than the S21 Ultra, that advantage was greatly diminished with the Adaptive refresh rate enabled.
The S22 Ultra used just 2% less power per minute, which delivered 2% (12 minutes) longer battery life than the S21 Ultra.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra supports up to 45 watts of wired fast charging, but unfortunately, does not come with the charger in-the-box.
So we relied on the standard 15 watt Samsung fast charger than shipped with their previous smartphones – something we believe most users will end up doing.
But we used the 25 watt charger for the S21 Ultra, because it came with that charger.
Work 3.0
S21 Ultra
S22 Ultra
Z Flip 3
Battery Capacity
5,000 mAh
5,000 mAh
3,300 mAh
Charger Output
25 watts
15 watts
15 watts
Battery Life
64 minutes
64.5 minutes
88.5 minutes
Recharging Speed
(per minute)
62.5 mAh
62.0 mAh
29.8 mAh
Interestingly, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra recharged as quickly with a standard 15 watt charger, as the S21 Ultra with its more powerful 25 watt charger!
In fact, the Galaxy S22 Ultra recharged itself twice as fast as the Galaxy Z Flip 3, even though they both used the same 15 watt charger!
This is really good news. It means that Galaxy S22 Ultra owners need not worry too much about its recharging speed with the older 15 watt chargers.
In fact, you don’t really need to splurge on a new 45 watt fast charger. The Galaxy S22 Ultra fully recharges from 20% to 100% in just over an hour with the standard 15 watt Samsung charger!
We first tested the Galaxy S22 Ultra using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 3.0
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Galaxy
S22 Ultra
Galaxy
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Mobile Platform
SD 888
SD 8
Gen 1
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
SD
750G
Performance Score
13317
12860
12535
10523
7874
Web Browsing
11637
10442
10185
8865
7021
Video Editing
7762
7444
6336
6232
5693
Writing
15316
15471
15247
11112
7454
Photo Editing
25357
30177
37847
30789
15812
Data Manipulation
11938
9691
8310
6825
6424
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Get 1 was surprisingly slightly slower than the Snapdragon 888 used by the Galaxy Z Flip 3, but the difference is just 5%, which means you won’t actually notice the difference.
For certainly, it will easily handle anything you throw at it, whether it’s just posting your latest Instagram pictures or editing a 4K video.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra : Gaming Performance
For gaming, we tested the Galaxy S22 Ultra using 3DMark, with these results :
3DMark
Galaxy
S22 Ultra
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
Note10+
Device
SD 8
Gen 1
SD 888
Exynos
990
Exynos
9825
Sling Shot Unlimited
11094
9248
8026
3327
Wild Life Unlimited
9106
3952
4504
3288
Wild Life
Extreme
Unlimited
2220
1174
1387
528
Look at that! The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was a head above the competition when it comes to gaming!
It was 20% to 130% faster than the Snapdragon 888, and 38% to 102% faster than the Exynos 990!
For certain, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will crush any game you throw at it.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra : Overall Performance
We then tested the Galaxy S22 Ultra using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
AnTuTu
Galaxy
S22 Ultra
Galaxy
Z Flip 3
Galaxy
S21 Ultra
Note20
Ultra
Galaxy
A52
Device
SD 8 Gen 1
SD
888
Exynos
2100
Exynos
990
SD 750G
AnTuTu Score
889167
696767
624411
522735
341908
CPU
203090
206228
166290
146783
105098
GPU
402617
242573
258995
215205
88068
Memory
146002
133586
120805
89376
60642
UX
137458
114380
78321
71371
88100
The AnTuTu benchmark confirme that the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a veritable beast of a performer, beating even the very fast Galaxy Z Flip 3 by 28%, and the last-generation Galaxy S21 Ultra by 42!
Its GPU performance was, in particular, spectacular, delivering 66% better performance than the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and 55% better performance than the Galaxy S21 Ultra!
But note that its temperature jumped by over 10°C! At peak performance, the Galaxy S22 Ultra can get quite toasty!
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra : Performance Summary
The Galaxy S22 Ultra was meant to be the ultimate Samsung smartphone for 2022, and it does not disappoint.
Built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 – the fastest mobile SoC that exists for Android devices – it offers a tremendous boost in GPU performance, which should make gamers and mobile content creators happy.
The benchmark results amply demonstrates, you can count on the Galaxy S22 Ultra to easily handle anything and everything you throw at it.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Video Recording Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s super-high resolution 108 MP main camera can take up to 8K videos, if you want to. But in reality – most people are not going to bother with 8K video recording, at least for now.
Very few televisions and devices support 8K video playback, and even the S22 Ultra will downsample the 8K video when playing back on its 3K display.
1080p and 4K videos are what the Galaxy S22 Ultra does best, thanks to its support for 60 fps recording and combination of optical image stabilisation and advanced electronic image stabilisation.
1080p Video Sample : Concubine Lane @ Ipoh
This video sample was taken at the famous Concubine Lane in Ipoh, which is crowded and really great to test the camera out.
In this video sample, you can see just how smooth and stable the video is at 60 fps, even with so much shaking and jostling.
4K Video Sample : Concubine Lane @ Ipoh
When we switched to 4K, the video was remarkably stable, even while we walk through the crowd, and pan around Concubine Lane.
You should also note the lack of wind noise, which is fantastic. You won’t need to use a third-party microphone with a dead cat with this phone!
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Video Zoom Capability
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra also supports multiple zoom levels – up to 20X zoom at 1080p, and up to 10X zoom at 4K.
Its ultra-wide camera lets you record with a wider 0.6X zoom, while its 3X zoom and 10X zoom cameras allow for extended optical zoom capabilities.
1080p Zoom Demonstration
At 1080p, you can record videos from 0.6X zoom up to 20X zoom – which offers much wider range than competing smartphones.
The best image quality was seen at up to 10X zoom, while image stabilisation was best at up to 4X zoom, and still pretty good at 10X zoom.
While 20X zoom has pretty decent image quality, it is not as sharp as at 10X or lower zoom. Colours also appear more washed out at 20X.
4K Zoom Demonstration
You can record 4K videos from 0.6X zoom up to 10X zoom. – which is narrower than recording 1080p video.
For best image quality, limit your zoom up to 3X while recording 4K video. While image stabilisation was pretty good at 10X zoom, the image isn’t sharp and colours appear washed out.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Video Recording Performance Summary
If you ignore the 8K hype, you will realise that the Galaxy S22 Ultra offers truly excellent 4K and 1080p video recording capabilities.
You should buy the Galaxy S22 Ultra for its advanced optical and electronic image stabilisation for super-stable recording on-the-move.
You should also buy the Galaxy S22 Ultra for its wide zoom range of 0.6X to 10X when recording 1080p videos, or 0.6X to 3X when recording 4K videos.
These are the critical video recording features that will give you greater flexibility and super stable videos, without the need to use a gimbal.
While not showcased in our videos, the Galaxy S22 Ultra also supports Audio Zoom, focusing the audio recording as you zoom into a scene. That can be really helpful in isolating audio from the subject from background noise.
These features are not new – they have been part of the Samsung Galaxy S and Note series for a few years now. Samsung just keeps improving them, which is why we keep using Galaxy S smartphones as our primary video recording device.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra boasts a super-high resolution 108 MP main camera, built around the same ISOCELL HM3 sensor used in the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
However, this camera features improved AI optimisations. Thanks to the improved performance of its GPU and NPU, it now runs approximately 60 new AI models through its Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to optimise the final output.
Here are six shots I took around Ipoh Old Town, using the 108 MP main camera, and the 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera.
They are 4000 x 3000 pixels in size, with a JPEG file size of between 4 MB and 15 MB – it all depends on the amount of detail in the picture. To save space, I definitely recommend that you enable HEIF – the High Efficiency Image Format.
By default, the 108 MP camera takes 12 MP photos, combining nine pixels into one super-large 2.4 µm pixel. Coupled with the new AI models, the final photo is not only much brighter, but has significantly lower noise.
When you take shots at night, the Galaxy S22 Ultra combines images taken using both the 108 MP main camera, and the 12 MP ultra-wide camera. The 12 MP camera provides the rough details, while the fine details are provided by the 108 MP camera.
Here are four shots to show you the incredible amount of detail you can capture at just 12 MP. If you need greater detail, you can always increase the resolution to the full 108 MP, but frankly – these pictures should show you that you don’t really need to.
Its digital zoom has also been improved by the new AI models and the faster processor. For images taken above 30X digital zoom, the camera actually takes 10-20 shots at once, and processes them to improve the details in the final photo.
Finally, the Galaxy S22 Ultra features a new AI portrait model that uses two cameras to accurately differentiate the depth between the person and the background.
This is critical because the 108 MP camera has a very wide f/1.8 aperture, which makes for very narrow depth-of-field (DOF). If you do not accurately focus on the subject, you could end up with a blurry photo even though it looks sharp on the phone.
In these four shots, you can see just how narrow of depth of field you have to work with. This makes for better photos – you just need to make sure the subject is really in focus.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Photography Summary
If you want the best cameras on a smartphone money can buy, you should definitely consider the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Ignore the 108 MP marketing hoohah. What you are really getting is an awesome 12 MP camera with super-large pixels for really great noise-free images, and better low-light photos.
You may be wary about Samsung reusing the ISOCELL HM3 sensor from last year, but it has better photographic capabilities, thanks mostly to software and AI improvements.
For one thing, I noticed that it is now much better at accurately focusing on the subject, resulting in far fewer wrongly-focused shots.
It also does a better job of correcting for disparate lighting conditions, although some of you may find the photos oversaturated.
But there is no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has some of the best smartphone cameras I’ve tried this year.
It is really quite hard for flagship smartphones to really different themselves from last year’s flagships, but Samsung somehow pulled it off with the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Most of the improvements may not be readily apparent to the user though.
Thanks to Samsung’s decision to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC, it has significantly better GPU and NPU performance.
Even its Dynamic AMOLED 2X display has been quietly improved. It is now 250 nits brighter and has a minimum refresh rate of just 1 Hz, allowing for better battery life.
If you don’t mind using the standard 60 Hz refresh rate, you will be pleasantly surprised by a 25% longer battery life than last year’s S21 Ultra!
Even its S Pen was upgraded. It may look like last year’s S Pen, but it has a much lower latency of just 2.8 ms – down from 9 ms in the previous generation.
Samsung reused the Galaxy S21 Ultra‘s excellent quad-camera system, but you may not know that it features improved AI optimisations. Powered by the much faster Snapdragon processor’s NPU, it now runs approximately 60 new AI models to optimise the final output.
This may not sound like much, but you will realise just how much has improved if you compare the videos and photos taken with the S22 Ultra against the S21 Ultra. Its AI optimisations have taken out most of the hard work of making sure that each picture comes out looking great, while its video stabilisation is truly best-in-class.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is not cheap, but if you want the best possible Android smartphone that is powerful and takes excellent photos and videos, this is as good as it gets!
On top of that, it boasts the best-in-class Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection on both front and rear aspects, and is IP68 dust- and water-resistant.
For these reasons, we gladly award the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra our Editor’s Choice Award! Great work, Samsung!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched their Galaxy S22 flagship smartphone, and here is everything you need to know!
Samsung Galaxy S22 : What You Need To Know!
The Samsung Galaxy S22 is the baby flagship of the Galaxy S family, and it comes at a great price point!
Take a look at its key features, and find out if this is the smartphone for you!
6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
The Samsung Galaxy S22 comes with a large 6.1-inch display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel.
Its wide colour gamut of 100% DCI-P3, a peak brightness of 1300 nits, and a contrast ratio of 2 million:1 will guarantee the best possible image quality, whether indoors or outdoors.
Gamers will love its high dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, with a touch sampling rate of up to 240 Hz.
4nm Flagship Mobile Platform
The Samsung Galaxy S22 is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC, which is fabricated on the latest 4nm Samsung process technology.
Together with a powerful Adreno 730 GPU, it has eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.5 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.8 GHz.
Memory + Storage Options
Samsung will be offering just two memory and storage options :
8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage
8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage
Cameras Galore!
As a Samsung flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S22 comes with a smorgasbord of cameras!
In the front, it has a 10 MP camera, with a wide f/2.2 aperture.
In the back, it has a triple-camera system that consists of :
a 50 MP Dual Pixel camera, f/1.8 aperture,
a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera, f/2.2 aperture, and
a 10 MP telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture
Built To Last
The Samsung Galaxy S22 has a tough Armor Aluminium frame, and is protected in the back and front by the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+.
On top of that, it is IP68-rated against dust and water ingress. That means it can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S22 comes with a 3,700 mAh battery, which supports wired charging at up to 25 watts, and wireless charging at up to 15 watts.
It also supports Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to recharge other smartphones and wearables like the Galaxy Buds2.
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched their Galaxy S22 Plus smartphone, and here is everything you need to know!
Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus : What You Need To Know!
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is the latest iteration of the Samsung Galaxy S family, targeting photography enthusiasts.
Lacking the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s new S Pen, this is the Samsung flagship smartphone for those who don’t need it.
6.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus comes with a massive 6.6-inch display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel.
Its wide colour gamut of 100% DCI-P3, a peak brightness of 1750 nits, and a contrast ratio of 3 million:1 will guarantee the best possible image quality, whether indoors or outdoors.
Gamers will love its high dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, with a touch sampling rate of up to 240 Hz.
4nm Flagship Mobile Platform
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC, which is fabricated on the latest 4nm Samsung process technology.
Together with a powerful Adreno 730 GPU, it has eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.5 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.8 GHz.
Memory + Storage Options
Samsung will be offering just two memory and storage options :
8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage
8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage
Cameras Galore!
As a Samsung flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S22 Plus comes with a smorgasbord of cameras!
In the front, it has a 10 MP camera, with a wide f/2.2 aperture.
In the back, it has a triple-camera system that consists of :
a 50 MP Dual Pixel camera, f/1.8 aperture,
a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera, f/2.2 aperture, and
a 10 MP telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture
Built To Last
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus has a tough Armor Aluminium frame, and is protected in the back and front by the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+.
On top of that, it is IP68-rated against dust and water ingress. That means it can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus comes with a large 4,500 mAh battery, which offers a very long battery life.
On top of that, it can support wired charging at up to 45 watts, with wireless charging supported at up to 15 watts.
It also supports Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to recharge other smartphones and wearables like the Galaxy Buds2.
The only downside – Samsung is not providing the 45 watt charger in-the-box.
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched their Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone, and here is everything you need to know!
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra : What You Need To Know!
Samsung just combined their Galaxy S and Galaxy Note series into the Galaxy S22 Ultra – their latest flagship smartphone.
Not only does it adopt the blockier industrial design language of the Galaxy Note series, it also comes with the S Pen built-in!
6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with a massive 6.8-inch display, with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel.
Its wide colour gamut of 100% DCI-P3, a peak brightness of 1750 nits, and a contrast ratio of 3 million:1 will guarantee the best possible image quality, whether indoors or outdoors.
Gamers will love its high dynamic refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, with a touch sampling rate of up to 240 Hz.
4nm Flagship Mobile Platform
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is built around the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile SoC, which is fabricated on the latest 4nm Samsung process technology.
Together with a powerful Adreno 730 GPU, it has eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.5 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.8 GHz.
Memory + Storage Options
Samsung will be offering four memory and storage options, but not all of them are available globally :
8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage
12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage
12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage
12 GB RAM + 1 TB storage
Cameras Galore!
As the premiere Samsung smartphone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with a smorgasbord of cameras!
In the front, it has a 40 MP camera, with a wide f/2.2 aperture, and the ability to combine pixels for better low-light performance.
In the back, it has a quad-camera system that consists of :
a 108 MP Dual Pixel camera, f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera, f/2.2 aperture
a 10 MP telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture, and
a 10 MP periscope camera with 10X optical zoom, f/4.9
Ultra-Low Latency S Pen
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the only model in the Galaxy S22 family to come with the S Pen.
Just like the Galaxy Note series, it has a dedicated S Pen slot, so you will never have to worry about dropping the S Pen.
This is an improved S Pen, with ultra-low latency of just 2.8 ms – down from 9 ms in the previous generation. This gives it an instantaneous feel, just like writing an actual pen on paper.
Built To Last
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is protected in the back and front by the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+.
On top of that, it is IP68-rated against dust and water ingress. That means it can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with a large 5,000 mAh battery, which offers a very long battery life.
On top of that, it can support wired charging at up to 45 watts, with wireless charging supported at up to 15 watts.
It also supports Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to recharge other smartphones and wearables like the Galaxy Buds2.
The only downside – Samsung is not providing the 45 watt charger in-the-box.
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just unveiled another Fan Edition smartphone – the Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G990)!
Take a look at the new Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, and find out why it’s such a great bargain!
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE : What You Need To Know!
Samsung just unveiled another Fan Edition smartphone – the Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G990), which promises to offer a great bargain for their fans!
It basically offers the best features of the Galaxy S21 series, with the same premium design, at a very attractive price point.
Let’s take a look!
120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display!
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE does not skimp on its display, which is an awesome Dynamic AMOLED 2X display!
It has a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a 240 Hz touch sampling rate in its Game Mode.
Protected From Drops + Water!
Its Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus – the toughest glass ever used on a Galaxy smartphone!
On top of that, the Galaxy S21 FE is IP68 water-resistant, so it is safe from water splashes and immersion in up to 1.5 metres of water for up to 30 minutes.
Flagship Performance!
Samsung didn’t skimp on performance either – the Galaxy S21 FE is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile SoC!
It comes with 8 GB of RAM, and either 128 GB or 256 GB of storage. Make sure you choose the storage option you need, because it does not support additional storage through microSD card.
Cameras Delight!
In the front, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has a high-resolution 32 MP selfie camera, with a wide f/2.2 aperture.
In the back, it has a triple camera setup that consists of :
a 12 MP main camera, with a Dual Pixel sensor, and f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP wide-angle camera, with f/2.2 aperture, and
an 8 MP 3X telephoto camera, with f/2.4 aperture
Long Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE comes with a large 4,500 mAh battery, which supports 25 watt wired fast charging, and 15 watt wireless charging.
It also supports Wireless PowerShare, which allows it to recharge your wearables and other smartphones wirelessly.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is available in four colour options, from left to right – Graphite, White, Olive and Lavender.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The 2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event is almost here! Are you ready for the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S21 smartphones?
While we wait for the official launch on 14 January 2021, here is everything we know about the S21 series so far!
2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked : Are You Ready?
Samsung is kicking off 2021 with a big bang on January 14 – the first Galaxy Unpacked of the year!
Unlike previous years, they are going to announce their latest Galaxy S21 smartphones on the last day of CES 2021, instead of during Mobile World Congress in February or March.
The 2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked will be broadcast globally on www.samsung.com (www.samsung.com/my here in Malaysia) at 11 PM (GMT+8) on 14 January 2021.
If you register your interest at https://www.samsung.com/my/unpacked/ by 14 January 2021, you will be entitled to redeem a FREE Samsung Galaxy Fit2 worth RM179 when you pre-order any Galaxy S21 smartphone!
2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked : What We Know So Far!
The 2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked will be the official launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series of smartphones. Here is what we know so far… based on what’s been leaked.
Three Galaxy Galaxy S21 Models
Samsung will offer three models :
6.2-inch Galaxy S21
6.7-inch Galaxy S21+ (Galaxy S21 Plus)
6.8-inch Galaxy S21 Ultra
Displays
All three models will come with a Dynamic AMOLED display, with dynamic refresh rates of up to 120 Hz.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 has a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED+ display, with a Full HD+ resolution.
It will come with 8 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of storage, and a 4,300 mAh battery. Its triple camera system will support 8K video recording :
a 12 MP main camera,
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, and
a 64 MP telephoto camera with 30X Space Zoom
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra has a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display, with a 2K+ resolution.
It will come with 12 GB of RAM, up to 512 GB of storage, and a 4,500 mAh battery. Its triple camera system will come with laser focusing and support 8K video recording :
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Just before the official launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 smartphones, an AT&T video leaked…
Take a look at the leaked video… and check out the key features and specifications of the Note20 and Note20 Ultra smartphones!
Samsung Galaxy Note20 | Galaxy Note20 Ultra Video Leaked!
This AT&T video of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy Note20 Ultra smartphones leaked ahead of the official launch, confirming earlier leaked information.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+
The US market will receive the super-fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ in their Galaxy Note20 / Note20 Ultra devices.
The Plus version offers a faster Prime core (3.1 GHz, instead of 2.84 GHz), and a 10% faster Adreno 650 GPU.
The Snapdragon 865+ also adds Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 capability, although it’s likely that Samsung may lock it at regular Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 for “consistency”.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra : Hands-On Experience
In this exclusive video, we present to you our hands-on experience of the Galaxy S20 Ultra smartphone in both colour options – Cosmic Black, and Cosmic Gray!
Samsung removed the dedicated Bixby button, so the only buttons you will find are the Volume control and Power buttons along the right edge.
The hybrid SIM tray is located at the top, with a second microphone that is used for noise cancellation.
Like the Galaxy Note 10, the Galaxy S20 Ultra no longer has the 3.5 mm audio jack. So you will only find the USB Type C connector at the bottom, flanked by the speaker and main microphone ports.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra does not come with an internal DAC, so you will need to use the provided USB Type C earphones, or purchase a USB-C audio adaptor with a built-in DAC.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra : 120 Hz Display
One of the new features introduced in the Galaxy S20 Ultra is a 120 Hz refresh rate for its Super AMOLED display.
Doubling the refresh rate to 120 Hz allows for smoother scrolling and a more realistic gaming experience.
However, running the display at 120 Hz will reduce the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s battery life.
The display not only refreshes twice as often, the GPU has to work twice as hard.
This is why Samsung sets the display to 60Hz by default.
To ensure it will last a long time, Samsung gave it a very large 5,000 mAh battery. The corresponding Galaxy S10 Plus from last year only has a 4,100 mAh battery in comparison.
On top of that, the S20 Ultra supports 45 watt fast charging, although it only comes with a 25 watt fast charger out to the box.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra : Battery Life!
We ran the PCMark Work 2.0 battery life test until its battery capacity dropped to 20% several times, with the display set to 60Hz and 120Hz. Here were the best results we obtained :
So there you have it – increasing the display refresh rate on the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra from 60Hz to 120Hz will reduce its battery life by about 21% or roughly 2.5 hours.
Now we can see why Samsung set the display to 60Hz by default. If battery life is important, keep it at the default refresh rate of 60Hz.
But if you prefer to enjoy the 120Hz display, go on right ahead. Thanks to its large 5,000 mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra will last you quite a few hours!
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra : Recharging Speed
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra supports 45 watt fast charging, but only comes with a 25 watt fast charger. Let’s find out just how fast it recharges its 5,000 mAh battery.
Impressive! Even with the same 25 watt fast charger that shipped with the Galaxy Note10+, the Galaxy S20 Ultra recharged its battery 27.5% faster!
It has an excellent battery life : recharging ratio of 12:1. A general rule of thumb – for one of hour battery life, you just need to charge it for 5 minutes.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 85% level. This took just 37 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 20.5 minutes to top up the last 15%.
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Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra : Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 in the United States, and Samsung Exynos 990 in the rest of the world.
Here is a comparison of the key specifications of the Exynos 990 vs Snapdragon 865 :
Exynos 990
Snapdragon 865
Process
7 nm EUV
7 nm N7P
CPU Cores
2 x Exynos M5 (2.7 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A76 (2.5 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (2.0 GHz)
1 x Kryo 585 (2.8 GHz)
3 x Kryo 585 (2.4 GHz)
4 x Kryo 485 (1.8 GHz)
GPU
Mali-G77 MP11
Adreno 650
Memory Support
LPDDR5
LPDDR5
Storage Support
UFS 3.0 / 2.1
UFS 3.0
5G Modem
Exynos 5123 (Separate)
– 7.35 Gbps
Snapdragon X55 (Separate)
– 7.5 Gbps
Samsung Exynos 990 Work Performance : PCMark
We tested its performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
What a nice surprise! Samsung Exynos has historically been rather poor at work performance.
The last-generation Exynos 9825 and Exynos 9820, for example, were significantly slower than their Qualcomm counterparts – the Snapdragon 855 and Snapdragon 855+.
But the Exynos 990 is 36% faster than the Exynos 9820 (its predecessor), and 13% faster than the Snapdragon 855.
Samsung Exynos 990 Gaming Performance : 3DMark
We tested its gaming performance using 3DMark, with these results.
Not bad at all! Samsung caught up with Qualcomm in gaming performance as well.
The new Exynos 990 was 7.5% faster than the Snapdragon 855+, that powered high-end gaming smartphones like the Black Shark 2 Pro, in Sling Shot Extreme, matching it in the easier Sling Shot benchmark.
Notably, the Exynos 990 was 50% faster than its predecessor, the Exynos 9820 that powered the Galaxy S10+.
Samsung Exynos 990 Gaming Performance : AnTuTu
We then tested the Exynos 990 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
Will you look at that? The Samsung Exynos 990 was 19% faster than the Snapdragon 855+, and 57% faster than its predecessor, the Exynos 9820!
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra : RAM + Storage
The top-of-the-line model pairs 16 GB LPDDR5 memory with 512 GB fast UFS 3.0 storage. The other two models come with 12 GB LPDDR5 memory, and either 128 GB or 256 GB storage.
If that’s not enough, the Galaxy S20 Ultra has a hybrid SIM tray, which allows you to use either two nano SIM cards simultaneously, or one nano SIM card and a microSD card for additional storage.
It also supports eSIM, which allows you to activate and swap mobile plans without using a physical SIM card; as well as the possibility of using two mobile plans with a microSD card!
Our review sample was the base model, which means it comes with just 12 GB of LPDDR5 memory, and 128 GB of internal storage.
Of that, 7.5 GB of memory and 104 GB of storage is free and available to use, out-of-the-box.
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Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra : Camera Features
In the front, it has a single 40 MP camera with a wide f/2.2 aperture.
At the back, it has a quad-camera system, which consists of :
a 108 MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture, PDAF and OIS,
a 48 MP telephoto camera (10X hybrid optical zoom) with f/3.5 aperture and OIS,
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture,
a VGA DepthVision camera with f/1.0 aperture (for depth sensing)
In addition, it is the first Samsung smartphone to be able to record 8K videos!
We can also see a third microphone in the camera bump, which is used to support Audio Zoom – letting you zoom into the action and focus on sound from the subject, while reducing ambient noise.
10X Hybrid Optic Zoom
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra uses a folded lens design, to deliver a 10X Hybrid Optic Zoom range in a slim design.
The lens lays flat, and is positioned at the bottom of the camera. Light from the aperture is redirected by a prism into the lens, refracting at a 90-degree angle to increase the focal length.
Space Zoom Technology
Space Zoom combines their Hybrid Optic Zoom, with AI multi-frame processing enhancements to give you incredible zoom ranges.
Hybrid Optic Zoom : longer zoom range by cropping their new super resolution sensor, and pairing it with new zoom lens
AI Multi-Frame Processing : better image quality of digitally-zoomed images through AI algorithms
Bright Night Mode
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra also offers a Bright Night Mode to greatly improve its low-light photography capability.
Without Bright Night mode enabled, you cannot make out the Minion prisoner’s hands and feet, or the details of Darth Minion’s armour.
But when we took the same scene with Bright Night mode turned on, the brightness and clarity of the scene is greatly boosted!
You can now see the Minion prisoner’s hand and feet, and the intricate details of Darth Minion’s armour, even though both are in the shadows!
In fact, even though we intentionally framed the scene with the light at the back, you can clearly see the details of all three Minions and the teddy bear.
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Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra : Camera Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra uses the Samsung ISOCELL Bright HM1 sensor, which is notable for its large 1/33-inch sensor size and ultra-high resolution of 108 MP.
But it defaults to 12 MP – combining nine pixels into one for better image quality, especially in low-light conditions.
At the default 12 MP resolution using the new HEIC file format, each 4000 x 3000 pixel picture has a file size of only about 1-3 MB.
Even using the HEIC file format, the full 108 MP resolution of 2000 x 9000 pixels has a much larger file size of 10-20 MB!
Here are 8 high-resolution unedited samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
The pictures look really good at the default 12 MP, with great detail even if you blow them up 100%. You really don’t need to go full 108 MP.
However, please note that the main camera has a very narrow depth-of-field. While this makes for great background bokeh (the flower picture above), it can be very difficult to focus on the subject.
Take a closer look at the broccoli picture, for example. Look at how only a narrow section of florets are in focus, with the rest quickly going out-of-focus.
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Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra : Video Samples
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is capable of recording 8K video from its 108 MP main camera, albeit only for 5 minutes, and without electronic image stabilisation, only optical image stabilisation provided by the lens.
It retains the ability to switch between cameras, and the Camera app has been modified to allow you to zoom all the way to 100X. However, the preset steps are much wider now.
Take a look at these 1080p, 4K and 8K video samples we took :
Video Sample #1 : Blues Band (1080p)
The image quality at 1080p is exceptional, with good control of the exposure. Image stabilisation by the main camera was good, but there was some shakiness when we switched to the telephoto camera.
Its audio quality and noise cancellation were also very good. Even though it was breezy that day, you can’t hear any wind noise.
Video Sample #2 : Blues Band (4K)
This is our favourite video recording resolution. Good image quality at a high resolution, with good exposure.
Video Sample #3 : Blues Band (8K)
The detail at 8K was exceptional, and the image stabilisation (only optical) was better than we expected. But we noticed some autofocus issues – you can see some seeking even though no one is moving.
Video Sample #4 : Street Market (1080p)
In this test of its image stabilisation capabilities, you can see that at 1080p, the S20 Ultra does a very good job of cancelling out hand shake while walking.
Video Sample #5 : Street Market (4K)
Image stabilisation at 4K was very good too. Very smooth video even while walking.
Video Sample #6 : Street Market (8K)
At 8K, there is some noticeable jerkiness, but thanks to OIS, it actually turned out better than we expected.
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Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra : Our Verdict + Award
As the biggest and baddest smartphone in the S20 family, the Galaxy S20 Ultra boasts everything Samsung could fit inside.
Large 6.9-inch high-resolution display – check!
120 Hz Dynamic AMOLED panel – check!
Powerful new Samsung Exynos 990 platform – check!
Lots of free memory – check!
5G connectivity – check!
40 MP front camera – check!
108 MP main camera – check!
10X Hybrid Optic Zoom – check!
100X Space Zoom – check!
8K video recording – check!
AKG-tuned stereo speakers – check!
Large 5000 mAh battery – check!
Very fast battery charging – check!
If you want the very best Android smartphone money can buy, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra would be right at the top of a very, very short list.
The only complaints we have are pretty short :
it should have come with at least 256 GB of storage
it has a rather short battery life, especially with the display at 120 Hz
it is on the bulkier and heavier side
it is not cheap!
On the last point, it should be pointed out that if you pay peanuts for your smartphone, you often get one designed for monkeys. It should come to no surprise that we find ourselves wishing we earned enough to afford one.
For those with deep pockets, this is really one of the best, if not the best, Android smartphones you can buy in 2020. That’s why we have no qualms but to give it our Editor’s Choice Award. Congratulations, Samsung!
Samsung Galaxy S20 Smartphones : Where To Buy?
Here are the online purchase options for the Samsung Galaxy S20 family :
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Samsung has a new heavyweight champion – the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus! It packs a larger display, more cameras, memory and storage, as well as a larger battery, into a smaller and lighter form factor!
In this in-depth review, we will see how Samsung achieved that feat, and find out if this is indeed the best smartphone Samsung ever made!
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Models
First, let us point out that there are three variants of the Galaxy S10 Plus smartphone :
a base model with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage
a higher-end model with 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage
a premium model with 12 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) is available in six colour options, although not all colours will be available in all countries.
Prism White
Prism Black
Prism Green
Prism Blue
Ceramic White
Ceramic Black
Here is a comparison of the available colours for the S10 Plus, as well as the S10 and S10e models.
Unfortunately, there was no sign of the Prism Blue, Flamingo Pink or Canary Yellow colours. As mentioned in our Galaxy S10 primer, not all colours are available in every country.
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Premium Ceramic Back
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) has two premium Ceramic White or Ceramic Black colour options, but they are limited to the higher-end models with 512 GB or 1 TB of storage.
The Ceramic back is heavier by 23 grams (13%), and was said to be more durable. However, we confirmed that both Ceramic and non-Ceramic backs are covered with Gorilla Glass 5. So the durability and scratch-resistance of the two types of backs are a moot point.
Ultimately, the Ceramic backs are all about the looks. You get a more premium looking back with the 512 GB or 1 TB models.
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) is available for sale at this price points :
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The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Up Close!
Before its availability on 8 March 2019, Samsung arranged an exclusive hands-on session. Here is our hands-on video of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) smartphone!
On the left side, you will find the Volume control buttons, as well as the dedicated Bixby button.
The Power button is located on the right side. Samsung repositioned it higher in the new Galaxy S10 smartphones, ostensibly to avoid accidental presses.
The hybrid SIM tray is located at the top, together with a second microphone port (for noise cancellation).
Thankfully, Samsung retained the 3.5 mm audio port while they squeezed the S10+ thinner – at just under 8 mm.
Everything else is the same as the Galaxy S9 Plus – a USB Type C port, a microphone port and an AKG-tuned speaker at the bottom.
More Powerful Exynos / Snapdragon Platforms
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) runs on either the new Samsung Exynos 9820 (worldwide), or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (United States) platforms.
The Samsung Exynos 9820 has a triple-cluster CPU architecture with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) (like the Kirin 980). Samsung says that it will deliver these performance advantages over the Exynos 9810 :
20% better single core performance,
15% better multi-core performance,
40% better power efficiency, and
7X faster AI performance
Built on the 8 nm LPP FinFET process technology, it also boasts 10% lower power consumption, compared to the last generation 10 nm LPP process.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, on the other hand, is fabricated on the 7 nm process technology., which should deliver similar power savings.
It also uses a triple-cluster CPU architecture, and comes with an Adreno 640 GPU and an X24 LTE modem that supports Cat20 download and uploads.
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Galaxy S10 Plus Has More Memory + Storage!
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) comes with a lot more memory and storage :
8 GB LPDDR4x + 128 GB eUFS 2.1 storage
8 GB LPDDR4x + 512 GB eUFS 2.1 storage
12 GB LPDDR4x + 1 TB eUFS 2.1 storage
And if that’s not enough, it comes with a hybrid SIM tray, where the second SIM slot can support a microSD card of up to 512 GB in capacity. If you don’t need the extra storage, you can use two nano SIM cards at the same time.
A hybrid SIM tray is generally good enough for most people. But if you need to use two SIM cards, you better opt for higher internal storage, because there is no way to add a microSD card.
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Infinity-O Display
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) features a very large 6.4-inch display with 1440 x 3040 pixels and a 495 ppi pixel density.
This is the new Infinity-O design, which allows Samsung to deliver a screen-to-body ratio in excess of 95%.
Instead of a notch, the Galaxy S10 Plus uses a pill-shaped hole to accommodate its two front cameras. Functionally, it works like a right-sided notch, with the area adjacent to the notch reserved for notifications.
Ignoring the notification area, the main display area has a WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960. However, the Galaxy S10 Plus defaults to a Full HD+ resolution to reduce power consumption and extend battery life.
Dynamic AMOLED Panel
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) uses the next-generation Dynamic AMOLED panel that is HDR10+ certified.
This is literally the best smartphone display in the industry right now, capable of producing 100% of the DCI-P3 colour range, with a maximum brightness of 1200 nits.
This Dynamic AMOLED panel was also engineered to reduce blue light by 42% without changing how colours appear. This would make for more comfortable viewing with less eyestrain, especially at night.
Gorilla Glass 6 + Gorilla Glass 5
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) is said to be protected by the latest Gorilla Glass 6, but that’s not entirely accurate.
It is protected by Gorilla Glass 6 in the front; but only has Gorilla Glass 5 covering its back. This is true even for the premium models with a Ceramic back.
In case you are wondering, Gorilla Glass 6 is about twice as tough as Gorilla Glass 5. It will withstand over 15 drops from a height of 1 meter on a rough surface.
Ultrasonic In-Display Fingerprint Sensor
One of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus’ killer feature is its new in-display fingerprint sensor.
In-display fingerprint sensors have already been introduced in smartphones like the OPPO R17 Pro, but these use optical sensors that basically take pictures for a 2D profile.
This new in-display fingerprint sensor uses ultrasonic pulses to take 3D profiles of the user’s fingerprints. This allows it to be more accurate and secure.
In our tests, it proved to be surprisingly good. You just need to learn to press a little harder for the sensor to detect your fingerprint.
The bad news is – Samsung dropped the pressure sensor and feedback for the virtual Home button. So you will need to tap twice on the Home button to activate it.
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Iris Scanner + Intelligent Scan Removed
With the introduction of the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner, Samsung removed the iris scanner. It was also removed to minimise the size of the punch hole in the display.
And with the iris scanner gone, there was no need for Intelligent Scan, which was first introduced in the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. Intelligent Scan, as you may recall, combines the iris scanner with facial recognition for faster identification in both bright and dark conditions.
Galaxy S10 Plus Has Built-In DeX Capability!
While not mentioned at all by Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) has built-in DeX capability, that was first introduced in the Galaxy Note9.
This mean it does not require a separate DeX Station or DeX Pad accessory. All it requires is a simple USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable! It does not even require a Samsung-branded adaptor (looking at you and your MFi bullshit, Apple!) – ANY USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable will do.
After you use the USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable to connect the Galaxy S10 Plus to a TV or monitor, you just need to link a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to use it like a PC. Best of all – you can continue to use your Galaxy S10 Plus while Samsung DeX is running!
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Dual-Lens Front Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) has a new dual-lens front camera.
The main front camera has a 10 MP Dual Pixel sensor with f/1.9 lens and a 80° viewing angle. The second “camera” is an 8 MP RGB depth sensor with f/2.2 lens.
Now, the depth-sensing camera does not take any pictures or video. Instead, it is used by the main 10 MP camera to better differentiate the subject from its background.
This allows for more realistic software bokeh effect, and adds Live Focus capability for the first time to a front camera.
3X Rear Cameras
In the back, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) boasts a triple camera system, which consists of :
a 12 MP dual-aperture camera (f/1.5 and f/2.4) – 77°, Dual Pixel, OIS
a 16 MP ultra wide-angle camera (f/2.2) – 123°, 0.5X optical zoom
a 12 MP telephoto camera (f/2.4) – 45°, 2X optical zoom, OIS
Look at how useful the three cameras are in aiding your creative composition :
Note that only the main dual-aperture camera, and the telephoto camera (both with 12 MP sensors) support optical image stabilisation (OIS). The new ultra-wide angle camera does NOT support optical image stabilisation.
This is important when you take videos, because you will lose optical image stabilisation if you switch to the ultra-wide camera. Your video will still be stabilised by electronic image stabilisation though.
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HDR10+ Video Recording
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) not only comes with a HDR10+ certified display, it also has the ability to record HDR10+ videos!
HDR10+ is an improved version of the HDR10 standard. It maintains the 10-bit colour depth of HDR10, but replaces its static metadata with dynamic metadata. This improves the dynamic range by allowing the brightness boundaries to be adjusted on a frame-by-frame basis.
However, please note that HDR10+ videos recorded on the Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) will only display properly on devices and TVs that support HDR10+, like the 2018 Samsung QLED TV range.
Samsung says that you can convert HDR10+ videos into non-HDR videos using its Gallery app. However, the functionality does not appear to be included in current version of their Gallery app. Enabling HDR10+ video recording also disables the more-efficient HEVC format.
Later in the review, we will show you what happens when you try to display or view HDR10+ videos on a platform or display that does NOT support HDR10+.
Improved Super Slow-mo
Like the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note9, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) supports Super Slow-mo ,which allows you to record 720p video at 960 fps. It has been improved though, with Samsung doubling its recording time from 0.2-0.4 seconds to 0.4-0.8 seconds.
The Super Slow-mo videos can be instantly edited, with a random selection from preloaded choices. Or you can use your own music / songs. You can also create a GIF from the recorded video, with three style of looping – reverse, forward or swing.
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Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) comes with a large 4,100 mAh battery – 600 mAh or 17% larger than its predecessor, the Galaxy S9 Plus.
What’s really cool though is its Wireless PowerShare feature. It allows the Galaxy S10 Plus to function as a wireless charger for any Qi-certified device!
However, its recharging speed is slow, so it’s really only useful to recharge the Galaxy Buds or the Galaxy Watch on a regular basis; and other smartphones in an emergency.
Although we expected Samsung to improve its fast charging technology, the Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) maintains the Quick Charge 2.0 fast wired charging, with the standard 15 watt Samsung fast adaptive charger.
This is frankly pretty dinky compared to the OPPO R17 Pro with its 50 watt SuperVOOC charging technology.
IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
Like the Galaxy S9 Plus, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is IP68-rated for dust- and water-resistance. Best of all, you don’t have to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water!
Officially, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes. That means you can take it for jogs in the rain, or reading in the bathtub. Heck, you can even take it for a swim!
There are some caveats though. The IP68 rating applies to a specific set of test conditions : 15-35 °C, 86-106 kPa, 1.5 metre, 30 minutes. Water may enter and damage the Galaxy Note9 if it is exposed to “water moving with force“, like running water from a tap or waterfall, or ocean waves.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) has the same display size as the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (US | MY Web | MY App). It even has a slightly larger battery. Yet it is smaller, thinner and lighter! In fact, it is smaller than a 5.7-inch smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy Note FE (Price Check).
That said, this is still a two-handed device, because of its height. If you prefer to use only one hand, you can turn on the One-handed mode option.
The new Dynamic AMOLED display is incredible. To see how much better it is, you need to compare it side-by-side with the already impressive Super AMOLED display used in the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note9. In particular, compare them in bright sunlight.
The main display area with its non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio means you will have to live with some pillarboxing– a black bar on each side of a movie. The extra wide display will come in handy in games though.
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Setting Up The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) runs on Android 9.0 Pie out of the box, and is very easy to set-up. If you are setting it up as a new device, it should take you only 5-7 minutes to finish the setup process.
Available Memory + Storage
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) base model comes with 8 GB of LPDDR4x memory. It has roughly the slightly more bloat than the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note9. However, it comes with 2 GB more memory, so you have almost 5 GB (61%) of free memory to use!
The base model also comes with 128 GB of internal flash memory, of which 107 GB is free to use. This is enough space to store about 24,000 photos, or 13 hours of 1080p videos, or 5 hours of 4K videos.
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Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Camera Performance – Photo Samples
Samsung brought over the excellent 12 MP dual-aperture camera from the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9.
Powered by the superb 12 MP Samsung ISOCELL Fast SAK2L3 sensor, it is capable of automatically or manually switching between the f/1.5 aperture, and the f/2.4 aperture.
The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio, with 4032 x 3024 pixels, and a file size of between 3 MB and 5 MB.
Here are 10 high-resolution unedited samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
There is no doubt that this is still one of the best smartphone cameras in the market, even though it was introduced a year ago.
You can see the intricate detail of the pepper seeds, the flower pollen, even the individual buds of the broccoli florets.
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It also did a great job of bringing out the colour of the subject matter. Every colour is accurately rendered and automatically “amped up” by AI algorithms. If you do not like the increased vividness though, you can turn off the Scene Optimiser feature.
The f/1.5 aperture naturally creates a very narrow depth of field, with a nicer bokeh effect. But if that’s not enough, you can use its Live Focus feature which allows you to create really awesome bokeh for the background.
No doubt, the Live Focus bokeh is artificially created, but the dual camera design allow for precise separation of the subject from the background. Live Focus also allows you to adjust the amount of bokeh for the background.
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Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Camera Performance – Video Samples
Like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) is capable of recording 4K videos from both front and back cameras. However, Samsung still limits the 4K recording time to just 10 minutes. This was likely done to ensure that the sensor does not overheat the battery.
Video Recording Test #1 : Piano (1080p)
In this video, you can see the amount of detail the sensor captures, even at just 1080p.
You can also see how well its OIS capability worked, even when we switched between the main camera and the telephoto camera. Its ultra-wide camera does not support OIS, but has good EIS capability.
There was a noticeable lag when we switched from the telephoto camera to the ultra-wide camera (at minute 2:02), but there was minimal lag if we go from telephoto camera > main camera > ultra-wide camera, and vice versa.
The Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY), sadly, does not support Hi-Res Audio recording, and its noise cancellation could really be much better. We hope Samsung will look at adding context-aware noise cancellation, and perhaps a third microphone next to the rear cameras.
Video Recording Test #2 : Piano (4K)
The resolution at 4K is incredible. You can clearly read the billboard of the pretzel stand in the background!
Samsung also solved the focus seeking issue we noted when we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check), which uses the same dual-aperture main camera.
There was, however, some auto-focus issues with the telephoto lens (which does not have a Dual Pixel sensor), and the OIS was slightly less effective at this high resolution.
Video Recording Test #3 : Piano (1080p with HDR10+)
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) supports HDR10+ video recording, but many devices still do not support HDR10+. Neither does YouTube. So check out what happens when you try to view a HDR10+ video on a non-HDR10+ platform.
Video Recording Test #4 : Piano (4K with HDR10+)
Just like with the earlier 1080p video, this HDR10+ video appears washed-out when viewed on a device or platform that does not support HDR10+.
Note that this is not a criticism of the HDR10+ video recording. The videos look great on the Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY). We are just demonstrating what happens if you try to view them on non-HDR displays.
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Video Recording Test #5 : Street Market (1080p)
The combination of OIS and EIS allowed the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) to deliver really good image stabilisation.
Video Recording Test #6 : Street Market (4K)
Its image stabilisation capabilities were not diminished with the higher resolution. Overall – very good OIS and EIS performance.
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus’ performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus’ Exynos 9820 greatly improved on the mediocre work performance of the Exynos 9810 used in the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9 . However, it still falls behind the Kirin 980 that powers the HUAWEI Mate20.
Gaming Performance – 3DMark
We tested the Galaxy S10 Plus’ gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) has the same battery size and battery life as the Galaxy Note9, but lasted more than an hour longer than the Galaxy S9 Plus.
Thanks to its larger 4,100 mAh battery, it lasted longer than the S9 Plus, even when you turned its display resolution all the way to WQHD+.
Battery Recharging Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus comes with an adaptive fast charger with a power output of 15 W. Take a look at how fast it recharged its 4,100 mAh battery.
Despite using the same old 15 watt adaptive fast charger as the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) has significantly improved fast charging performance – about 20-22%.
Even though the Galaxy S10 Plus has about the same battery capacity as the Galaxy Note9 and the HUAWEI Mate20, it fully recharged its battery 15 minutes and 26 minutes faster respectively.
This gives it an improved battery life : recharging ratio of 6.75 : 1. A rule of thumb – for one hour of battery life, charge it for 9 minutes.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 90% level. This took just 61 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 30.5 minutes to top up the remaining 10%.
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Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus – Our Verdict + Award
Despite Apple slacking on the job, Samsung continues to push the boundaries of smartphone technology. Perhaps, it’s the clear and present danger from HUAWEI. Perhaps it’s the fear of declining smartphone sales worldwide.
Whatever the reason – Samsung delivered another killer smartphone in the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus!
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) is, as we would expect, FASTER and comes with even more memory and storage than its predecessor. But that’s not why we think it’s a great smartphone.
They just packed a larger 6.4-inch display, a larger 4,100 mAh battery, and two extra cameras into a smaller, thinner and lighter device! This is a remarkable feat of engineering.
Its Dynamic AMOLED display deserves special mention. It is incredibly bright at 1200 nits, with a wide colour gamut – 100% of DCI-P3 – and is HDR10+ certified! This is hands-down, the industry’s best display.
Credit also goes to Samsung for taking their time to perfect and introduce an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. This is definitely more secure and accurate than optical in-display fingerprint sensors. In our tests, it even works with damp fingers!
We did not cover the dual-lens front camera much in this review, so we should point out that it’s not a gimmick. The ability to selectively blur the background of selfies is really useful. If you like taking selfies, it’s worth splurging on the Galaxy S10 Plus for its dual-lens front camera.
The addition of an ultra-wide angle camera to the already excellent dual camera system from the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9 is a nice upgrade. It’s not something you would appreciate until you actually start using it.
We also want to salute Samsung for introducing the ability to record HDR10+ videos, although we have to point out that HDR10+ support is still limited. Samsung also seemed to have forgotten to add the ability to convert the videos.
But if you already have a TV or monitor that supports HDR10+, you can start creating HDR10+ videos with your Galaxy S10 Plus! And remember – HDR10+ is the future. It’s a matter of time before you upgrade to a HDR10+ display or television.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) is not perfect, of course. Samsung still has not done much to improve its audio recording quality, even as they improved its audio output. And the relocated Power button always seems to be a thumb too far to press…
Its Wireless PowerShare feature is interesting and quite useful on-the-go. However, its slow recharging speed means its utility is largely limited to small devices like the Galaxy Buds and the Galaxy Watch. Recharging other smartphones is painfully slow, and should be relied on only in emergencies.
But its few faults are testament to the full decade of evolution behind its development. We continue to be impressed by each iteration of the Galaxy family, and the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY) is, in our opinion, a worthy successor to the excellent Galaxy S9 Plus.
There is no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is a truly great smartphone, and worthy of our Editor’s Choice Award! Great job, Samsung!
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