Samsung Galaxy A22 5G Evaluate

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is a predictably stable inexpensive cellphone with a robust foremost digicam and exemplary stamina, although its efficiency and show depart somewhat to be desired.

Introduction

Shopping for a 5G cellphone for across the £200 mark is a dangerous enterprise, but when anybody can instil somewhat confidence via model power alone it ought to be Samsung. So does the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G reward such belief?

The cellphone launched again in early June 2021, and with a launch worth of simply £209 it supplied one of many cheaper 5G-ready telephones of its time.

It’s since been changed by the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G, however this implies that you would be able to at present decide up a model new A22 5G from a longtime third social gathering retailer for nicely beneath the £200 mark. 

All of this leaves an apparent query: is the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G nonetheless a worthwhile purchase in case you’re in search of a cut price 5G cellphone?

Design and display screen

• Strong however heavy physique
• 6.6-inch FHD+ TFT LCD
• 90Hz refresh charge

The fundamental look of the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G follows the broad design template of different A-series handsets such because the Galaxy A32 5G and the Galaxy A52 5G. There are delicate variations to be discovered, nonetheless.

There’s a well-known plastic physique with a curved metal-effect rim, although right here there are curious ridges close to the entrance and rear edges. There’s additionally a glass-effect plastic again like these different telephones, however right here the end is matte slightly than shiny.

On the color entrance you get a selection of Gray, White, and Violet finishes. My mannequin comes within the silky white possibility, which ensures that these greasy fingerprints received’t present up, on the very least.

One other distinction from these aforementioned Samsung stablemates is the Galaxy A22 5G’s digicam module. Right here the three digicam sensors and flash are organized in a rounded-square formation slightly than stretched out in a line.

Once more, Samsung’s A-series design is reassuringly stable and unshowy. It received’t win any magnificence contests, however the very generic nature signifies that you could possibly pull it out of a college bag or a enterprise swimsuit pocket with out prompting any disparaging double takes.

Just like the Galaxy A32 5G, nonetheless, this isn’t a small cellphone. At 9mm thick and with a weight of 203g, it’s completely manageable, but it surely doesn’t soften into the background fairly as a lot as its normcore aesthetic would recommend it needs to.

Curiously, the Galaxy A22 5G’s show is definitely higher than the costlier Galaxy A32 5G’s, although it’s nonetheless removed from a star element. You’re getting a 6.6-inch TFT LCD, which implies you’re not even benefiting from the viewing angle-boosting advantages of an IPS panel, not to mention the colourful delights of full AMOLED. However no less than right here the decision is a full 1080 x 2400, or FHD+.

What’s extra, you get an elevated 90Hz refresh charge slightly than the Galaxy A32 5G’s lavatory normal 60Hz, and it’s energetic by default. Most inexpensive telephones that provide you with such a factor would require you to dive into the Settings menu to activate it manually.

It doesn’t get massively vibrant, nonetheless. Even cranked as much as full brightness, it’s completely comfy to view indoors, whereas even reasonably vibrant days will render outdoor viewability tough.

All that apart, picture high quality is respectable, and hues appear comparatively deep and correct. You are able to do higher for the cash, however the display screen isn’t such a number one cause to criticise the cellphone as it’s within the Galaxy A32 5G.

Digicam

• Completed 48MP foremost digicam
• Restricted 5MP ultra-wide
• 8MP selfie digicam creates some anomalies

Samsung has outfitted the Galaxy A22 5G with a well-known digicam set-up made up of three distinct sensors. There’s a 48MP broad digicam, a 5MP ultra-wide, and a superfluous 2MP depth sensor.

That foremost 48MP sensor is by far essentially the most completed of the three, and would seem like the identical as that discovered within the Galaxy A32 5G. Like with that fractionally pricier cellphone, this sensor captures vibrant, sharp, nicely uncovered pictures in respectable lighting.

Samsung’s hard-earned digicam savvy and its sensible algorithms lead to a robust digicam for the cash. I used to be impressed with how nicely the principle sensor picked out topics, with sharp edges and a pleasingly pure quantity of background bokeh.

The 5MP ultra-wide is a serious step down, nonetheless, with a giant drop intimately and publicity high quality, and with baggage of grain on the edges. It’s a transparent level of compromise, however not a completely sudden one on the worth.

The Galaxy A22 5G’s 8MP selfie digicam turned up some unusual outcomes for me too, capturing weirdly luminous pores and skin tones and an odd ‘cardboard cutout’ impact on background surroundings. The flexibility to ‘zoom out’ to a wider angle is a pleasant one, enabling you to squeeze extra into your selfie, however the general high quality of the pictures simply appears somewhat off.

Efficiency

• MediaTek Dimenisty 700 fairly gradual
• 4GB RAM
• 64GB storage considerably stingy

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G runs on a considerably restricted MediaTek Dimensity 700 chip and a meagre 4GB of RAM. It’s scarcely a step again from the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G and its Dimensity 720, with some parts of the Dimensity 700 really proving quicker, however then the Dimensity 720 was hardly a robust performer itself.

A median Geekbench 5 multi-core rating of 1744 drops it into comparable territory to its stablemate, together with the likes of the Redmi Observe 11, and lands comfortably behind telephones that run on the extra mainstream Snapdragon 695 just like the Realme 9 5G.

Within the hand, the A22 5G feels simply high-quality. I famous pauses right here and there, such because the odd time when flicking over from the house display screen to Google Feed, however usually it’s fluid sufficient to satisfy expectations at this finish of the market. 

You’ll need to take care of a relative lack of storage, although, with a place to begin of 64GB falling nicely wanting the 128GB we see elsewhere at this worth level. That’s a little bit of a disappointment.

Samsung has stored its inexpensive cellphone fairly updated on the software program entrance. Whereas it launched with Android 11 and One UI 3.1, it’s been up to date to Android 12 and OneUI 4.1.

Most will likely be conversant in Samsung’s software program. It’s somewhat heavy, however extraordinarily dependable and have full. For issues like battery optimisation and customisation choices, there are few producers who place as a lot high-quality management at your fingertips, even when the look of it may be somewhat overbearing in comparison with extra inventory Android choices.

Samsung has additionally promised that the Galaxy A22 5G will get an Android 13 replace sooner or later, so the cellphone stays a protected guess to purchase greater than a yr on from its preliminary launch.

Battery life

• 5000 mAh battery
• 15W charging
• An hour charging to 58%

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G packs a big (although as of late fairly regular) 5000mAh battery, very like the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G.

Not like the Galaxy A32 5G, after all, it additionally has a Full HD show to push. These further pixels don’t appear to have an effect on the cellphone’s stamina in any respect although, and the Galaxy A22 5G will get you thru two full days of average utilization fairly simply.

It stands as much as extra intense utilization, too. Operating the intensive 3DMark Wild Life Stress Check benchmark for an hour stable sapped 11% of a cost, which is a good outcome, to not point out precisely the identical because the Galaxy A32 5G managed to achieve.

Additionally just like the Galaxy A32 5G, you get a 15W charger bundled in. The mere inclusion of a charger in any respect is a optimistic factor for a Samsung cellphone, but it surely’s not particularly quick.

I discovered that half an hour of charging would get the A22 5G from 0 to 29%, whereas a full hour received it as much as 58%.

Newest offers