Head to head
Samsung Galaxy S22vsSamsung Galaxy S21
The short answer
Neither the Galaxy S22 nor the Galaxy S21 wins a row by a gap you’d notice. Both cost £769 at UK RRP. The Galaxy S21’s security updates ended in February 2026; the Galaxy S22 gets them until February 2027.
- Released
- 2022-02-25endoflife.date, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Price
- £769Samsung Newsroom UK — Galaxy S22 and S22+, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Security updates until
- 2027-02-25endoflife.date — Samsung mobile, retrieved 2026-09-06
- Released
- 2021-01-29endoflife.date, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Price
- £769Samsung Newsroom UK — Galaxy S21 5G and S21+ 5G, retrieved 2026-08-20
- Security updates until
- 2026-02-21endoflife.date — Samsung mobile, retrieved 2026-09-06
0 wins for Galaxy S220 wins for Galaxy S214 differences you won’t noticeSame RRP
Verdict: nothing you’d notice between them
On the makers’ published figures, neither the Galaxy S22 nor the Galaxy S21 wins a row by a gap you would notice. The differences in weight, display size, battery capacity and claimed video playback are below the thresholds you would notice. Both state the same refresh rate, peak brightness, storage (base), RAM, fast charging and wireless charging. The other 34 rows have no threshold or no direction to judge by, so nobody wins them.
True to scale
Outlines from each maker’s published dimensions, drawn to scale. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.
Specifications
A win is marked only where the figures can be ranked and the gap is one you could notice. A row the site has no threshold for says whether the two differ, and that it is not ranking them. = marks the same figure on both, ≠ not ranked a difference with no ranking. Every figure carries its source.
Body
Display
Platform
Memory
Camera
Battery
Connectivity
Benchmarks
7 attributes neither phone has a sourced figure for
HDR peak brightness · OS versions supported · Google Mobile Services · Battery per charge · Battery lifespan · 3DMark Wild Life Extreme · Repairability (EU class). Rows appear as sources are cited — a gap in our data, not a statement about either phone.
Questions
Is the Galaxy S22 better than the Galaxy S21?
On the figures, neither: no row has a gap between them you’d notice. The differences that exist are borderline, too close to notice, or not ranked.
Which has the better battery?
The Galaxy S21 is ahead on paper, but not by a gap you’d notice: claimed video playback, 20 h against 19 h (both Samsung UK). The Galaxy S21 is ahead on paper, but not by a gap you’d notice: battery capacity, 4,000 mAh against 3,700 mAh (both Samsung Newsroom UK).
Which is lighter?
The Galaxy S22 is lighter on paper, but not by a gap you’d notice: weight, 167 g against 169 g (both Samsung Newsroom UK).
Which has the brighter screen?
Neither: both state 1,300 nits for peak brightness (Samsung Newsroom UK and GSMArena).
Which gets updates for longer?
The Galaxy S21’s security updates ended in February 2026; the Galaxy S22 gets them until February 2027. Sources: dates from endoflife.date.
Which is cheaper?
Both cost £769 at UK RRP. Prices from Galaxy S22: Samsung Newsroom UK; Galaxy S21: Samsung Newsroom UK.
Other comparisons
The pairs a buyer of either phone would also weigh. Any two phones in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.