The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is a dependable, reasonably priced phone with a potent main camera and exceptional endurance, but its performance and display may be improved.
Introduction
The Galaxy A22 is the LTE counterpart to the Galaxy A22 5G, which we previously reviewed. The pair was actually jointly introduced in June, but we have only now had a chance to examine the LTE model.
The Galaxy A22 LTE is a low-cost smartphone with some advantages, including a quick 90Hz AMOLED display, a flexible quad-camera configuration, and a sizable 5,000mAh battery. Even while it isn’t quite on the same level as some of its higher-numbered siblings, that is still a strong foundation.
Samsung Galaxy A22 technical specifications:
Given that they both retail for around the same price, sharing important specifications with the Galaxy A32 LTE does not benefit the A22 LTE.
A quick side-by-side examination of the three devices reveals that the Galaxy A22 and Galaxy A32 essentially square up on specifications. For roughly 250 EUR, all three variants are available for purchase. The awkward topic of whether the Galaxy A22 has a spot of its own in Samsung’s lineup is thus brought up.
Of course, while deciding between the A22 and A32, your final decision may depend entirely on the local offer you happen to find. They have various specifications on their specs sheet that can also sway your own personal preference.
Unboxing
For a while now, Samsung has used this frugal “sleeve” style of packaging for its more cheap models, and while it appears to work just fine, we can’t say we are lovers. There is nothing shielding the phone that lies underneath if something presses on the top cardboard layer since it is simply too thin and weak. Nonetheless, it is debatably a more environmentally friendly method of packaging. Nonetheless, we think that a good medium ground can be found more effectively.
Our item only arrived with a power charger and a somewhat brief white USB Type-A to Type-C cable as accessories. With a maximum output of 9V@1.67A, the latter is one of Samsung’s entry-level Adaptive Fast Charging devices (15W). Nothing spectacular, but nonetheless respectable for a low-cost gadget. The USB cable is also wired for data, so that’s something, we suppose.
Samsung is currently using a few different general designs. They manage to maintain a somewhat consistent overall design language despite having a wide range of camera island structure and arrangement. We’re not sure what it is exactly, but despite their changes, new Samsung phones all still have a distinctively “Samsung” appearance.
Controls, build quality, and design
Design
Samsung is currently using a few different general designs. They manage to maintain a somewhat consistent overall design language despite having a wide range of camera island structure and arrangement. We’re not sure what it is exactly, but despite their changes, new Samsung phones all still have a distinctively “Samsung” appearance.
No exception applies to the Galaxy A22. It’s probably fair to say that, if we had to group it with some of its cheaper siblings, especially the square camera island, it adopts some of their “lower-end” design tendencies. In person, though, the “higher-end” influences from handsets like the Galaxy A52 and A72 are also noticeable, especially in the camera island’s softly sloping edges, which make it blend in with the back panel rather than sticking out. In that regard, it resembles the aforementioned models far more than the Galaxy A22 5G, which has sharper angles. Its style is unquestionably preferable to the Galaxy A32’s and its absence of a camera island. This much is certain.
Building materials and quality
About all of the Galaxy A22’s components are composed of plastic. It is constructed in a slightly retro three-piece sandwich style, with a distinct plastic back panel bending into a plastic middle frame. The opposing side of the frame has a display assembly put virtually on top of it, and a protective glass finish is placed on top of that. Although we are relieved that it is not plastic, we still would have liked to see a brand name for the type of glass that was utilized. The Galaxy A22’s official specifications are vague.
Regarding controls, the Galaxy A22 combines a traditional side-mounted fingerprint scanner with a power button. It is constantly on, really quick and accurate, and the positioning is ideal. Although the Galaxy A32 does have one at roughly the same price, we can understand how the absence of an under-display device would deter some customers.
Lab testing were performed on the speakers, display, and battery life.
Regarding its display, the Galaxy A22 is in an unusual position. It sports a 6.4-inch, 90Hz Super AMOLED panel with HDR capability that can reportedly increase brightness to 600 nits. At 720 x 1600 pixels, the resolution is a little underwhelming.
The Galaxy A22 is the same way. There is no mention of HDR support. At least it has the strongest Widevine L1 DRM available, allowing full resolution streaming from platforms like Netflix.
The Galaxy A22’s 90Hz refresh rate is implemented in a clear-cut and easy manner. Motion smoothness has two levels in the display settings: Standard and High. While High essentially locks everything to 90Hz, Normal locks everything to 60Hz.
There are undoubtedly advantages and disadvantages to this, with the disadvantages mostly relating to the potential power drain in circumstances like watching videos.
Regarding battery life, the Galaxy A22 follows a very expected pattern. Together with other devices, it features the same 5,000 mAh battery as the Galaxy A32 and A22 5G. We also know a lot about the 12nm MediaTek Helio G80 chipset’s anticipated performance and efficiency. In reality, as we indicated, there are a lot of similarities between the Galaxy A32 and A22, one of which is the aforementioned chipset.
The Galaxy A22 has a single loudspeaker located on the bottom of the phone, like the majority of other non-flagship Samsungs. Like most non-flagship Samsung devices, the A22 and A32 received a “Below average” grade for volume in our 7-track test, which is not especially noteworthy.
Conclusion
When it comes to the current Galaxy A series, Samsung has been working extremely hard. Almost all of the family’s recent models have been reliable and generally competitive in some form. For the most part, the Galaxy A22 operates similarly.
The LTE Galaxy A22 is a well-designed phone with a strong AMOLED display that offers a 90Hz refresh rate and simple refresh rate managing (even if lower-res). The Galaxy A22 also makes excellent use of its 5,000 mAh battery, sports a surprisingly feature-rich overlay called One UI 3.1 Core over Android 11, and makes the most of the respectable but uninspiring MediaTek Helio G80 CPU.
