When Samsung announced its Galaxy S22 series, it wasn’t accompanied by much fanfare. The devices didn’t seem to boast anything spectacular. In most cases, these suspicions were confirmed about the Galaxy S22 series. But the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra defied expectations, bringing users closer to what they’ve come to love in the Galaxy Note series and specifically the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. In fact, the Galaxy S22 Ultra merges the best of two smartphone legacies — the unrivalled power of the Note series and the pro-grade camera and performance of the S series.

It is the kind of mobile device that makes you feel you have the power of a high performance PC, neatly compacted into a sleek gadget right in the palm of your hands. At a glance, the curved screen is noticeably a premium and futuristic feature, which actually makes it easier to click buttons and use the keyboard. You may also notice pretty early that the Galaxy S22 Ultra is a little more bulky and not as lightweight as some of its predecessors. Here’s why: The phone packs a 6.8-inch QHD+ OLED panel and measures in at 77.9 x 163.3 x 8.9mm. Put simply, camera specs and other features are starting to contribute more weight than we’re used to.

But is it worth it?

In the case of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, it definitely is worth it. It’s arguably one of the most powerful and versatile android phones. The seamlessly integrated camera lenses and a sleek metal frame helps to create a mirrored effect which supports the premium look and feel of the device. The camera capabilities include colour balance, low-light shooting, selfie, and zoom like you’ve never experienced before. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which was rated as the best camera phone of 2021, comes the closest. Of note, colours are a little more saturated than is strictly realistic when using the Galaxy S22 Ultra, but it’s not strong enough to ruin your pictures.

At the same time and for the first time ever, Note users’ favourite built-in S Pen is included in an S series device. The S pen is the fastest, most responsive one yet. With a 70 per cent lower latency, you can write and draw more naturally on your S22 Ultra’s expansive screen and explore apps in new ways.

According to Samsung, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is built for the most productive workdays and is equipped with the latest 4nm processor, which powers Samsung’s most advanced AI and ML processing.

When put to the test, it does not disappoint. It features Wi-Fi 6E, up to twice as fast as Wi-Fi 6.8, which means you can actually enjoy unrivalled performance on all your most-used apps, whether you’re gaming, streaming, or working.

In the meantime, Samsung managed to deliver an even stronger all-day battery life phone, when we thought it couldn’t get any better. All the power runs on the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s powerful battery, which gives you more than a full day of use in a single full charge.

You’ll also experience 45W super-fast charging, so you can record more than 50 minutes of video after only 10-minutes of charge.

But it doesn’t come cheap. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is one of the most expensive devices on the market right now. The market rate is as high as $1,999, but you can get it for as low as $1,038 on Amazon. In the same vein, the exynos 2200, which contributes to the premium look and feel, isn’t as powerful as 8 Gen 1. Meanwhile, it can be hard to hold one-handed because of its bulkiness.

Nevertheless, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the best upgrade for existing Galaxy Note users because it’s compact with the unmatched premium features of both the S and Note series.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Specs

Android version: 12, One UI 4.1

Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED (3088 x 1440)

Refresh rate: 1-120Hz

CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (US), Exynos 2200 (UK)

RAM: 8GB, 12GB

Storage/Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB / No

Rear cameras: 108MP (f/2.2) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 10MP (f/2.4) 10x telephoto, 10MP (f/2.4) 3x telephoto

Front camera: 40MP (f/2.2)

Battery: 5,000 mAh

Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 8:50 (adaptive), 10:18 (60Hz)

Size: 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 inches

Weight: 8 ounces

Colours: phantom black, phantom white, burgundy, green