We were looking forward to this Samsung Galaxy S22 vs iPhone 13 showdown because it was the biggest phone battle thus far. After all, Samsung and Apple are the undisputed leaders of the smartphone business, and the champion of this battle may frequently lay claim to the title of the greatest phone overall.
Now that we’ve thoroughly tested Samsung’s phone, the Galaxy S22 surely makes a special case. In addition to a sharper display and a newer chipset, the new Galaxy S model features significantly enhanced cameras, especially the telephoto lens. That’s a significant improvement, given that the iPhone 13 lacks a separate telephoto lens.
However, the list of functions lacking from the iPhone 13 is rather modest. This phone has the greatest mobile silicon we’ve tested and some excellent cameras in its own right. Furthermore, Apple prioritized battery longevity for the iPhone 13 lineup, so this version reaps the rewards.
Specs of Galaxy S22 vs iPhone 13
| Features | Galaxy S22 | iPhone 13 |
| Screen size | 6.1 inches (2340 x 1080) | 6.1 inches (2532 x 1170) |
| CPU | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (US) | A15 Bionic |
| RAM | 8GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Front Camera | 10MP (f/2.2) | 12MP (f/2.2) |
| Weight | 5.9 ounces | 6.14 ounces |
| Size | 5.7 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches | 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches |
Galaxy S22 vs iPhone 13
Price and availability
When it concerns the initial pricing of both devices, the Galaxy S22 and the iPhone 13 are nearly identical. The Galaxy S22 or iPhone 13 will set you back $799. But now that Apple has recognized that 64GB of capacity on a flagship device is insufficient, you’ll receive 128GB of storage regardless of the base model.
Things begin to get fascinating when you keep introducing storage in Galaxy S22 vs iPhone 13. The 256GB iPhone 13 costs $899, while the 512GB variant costs $1,099. The 256GB Galaxy S22 costs only $50 more than the base model so you can boost your capacity for less with Samsung. This phone has the greatest mobile silicon, as well as some excellent cameras.
Furthermore, Apple prioritized battery longevity for the iPhone 13 lineup, so this version reaps the rewards.
Suggested Read: Why Are iPhones So Expensive?
Design – Galaxy S22 vs iPhone 13
The Galaxy S22 resembles the Galaxy S21 in appearance, down close to the Contour Cut design, which allows the phone’s back camera array to merge into the phone’s edge. However, the iPhone 13 mirrored the iPhone 12’s design, so Samsung can’t be blamed for its lack of innovation.
Samsung emphasizes the sustainability of this year’s model, with the new Galaxy phones incorporating ocean-bound recyclable plastics in the materials used for making the phone. Although with the plastic, the Galaxy S22 has a mostly glass back, one of the major differences between it and the Galaxy S21.
The Gorilla Glass Victus used on both the front and back of the S22 provides some sturdiness, yet at least one independent test suggests the S22 is less sturdy than the S21 due to the switch away from plastic. The iPhone 13 has received high praise for its resilience, so you’ll still want to acquire one of the best iPhone 13 cases for further protection.
Even though both phones have displays larger than 6 inches, the Galaxy S22 and iPhone 13 are remarkably tiny – comfortable to use with one hand.
Display – Galaxy S22 vs iPhone 13
The Galaxy S22’s 6.2-inch display is slightly bigger than that of the iPhone 13’s 6.1-inch screen, but there is no notch on Samsung’s phone — just a punch-hole cut in the top of the panel. But that isn’t the case here. Rather, Samsung has boosted the brightness of all Galaxy S22 variants, even the base model.
That translates to the full brightness of 1,300 nits for the Galaxy S22. The maximum brightness of the iPhone 13 was 795 nits. If you’re outside in direct sunshine. Both phones capture 110 percent of the sRGB color spectrum, however, the Galaxy S22 reading was obtained with the phone’s widescreen display set to natural mode.
Performance – Galaxy S22 vs iPhone 13
With a redesigned Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset in Galaxy S22, Samsung’s flagship falls short of the iPhone 13 and its A15 Bionic chip. The Galaxy S22 outperforms other Android phones in performance testing and everyday work, but it cannot compete with the iPhone 13.
In terms of benchmarks, the iPhone has single- and multicore scores of 1,684 and 4,129 on Geekbench 5. On those tests, the Galaxy S22 scored 1,204 and 3,348. On the graphical front, the Galaxy S22’s 60 fps result on 3DMark’s Wild Life Unlimited test outperformed the iPhone 13’s 56 fps result.
Both phones have significant 5G support, while the Galaxy S22 has a newer modem. The Galaxy S22 has a Snapdragon X65 modem, as opposed to the X60 modem in the iPhone 13 – the former is capable of quicker speeds and improved power efficiency.
Cameras
The iPhone 13 features a bigger primary sensor. As a consequence, the sensor allows more light. The iPhone 13 retains 12MP cameras for its wide and ultra-wide lens. The main sensor of the Galaxy S22 has been upgraded to 50MP, whereas the ultrawide angle camera has a broader field of view than prior Samsung models. More importantly, the Galaxy S22 now has a 3x optical zoom rather than the Galaxy S21’s 3x hybrid zoom. Because the iPhone 13 lacks a telephoto lens, the Galaxy S22 has a significant advantage in terms of photography performance.
Charging and battery life
Battery life was expected to be a challenge for the Galaxy S22, which shrank its battery to 3700 mAH. Apple does not reveal battery sizes. However, teardowns indicate that the iPhone 13 contains a 3,095 mAh battery.
Samsung reclaims some ground in terms of charging speeds. The Galaxy S22 enables 25W charging instead of the iPhone 13’s 20W charging. That means it is possible to charge your Samsung phone more quickly. We charged an exhausted Galaxy S22 for 30 minutes and got it to 60 percent; the iPhone 13 only got to 51 percent in that time.
Conclusion
In our flagship showdown, the iPhone 13 edges out the Galaxy S22 thanks to a speedier CPU and longer battery life. The two phones are quite equally matched in terms of design and cameras, with the Galaxy S22 having a prominent display. However, it’s difficult to ignore how wonderfully the iPhone 13 operates and how long this lasts on a charge.
That isn’t to suggest the Galaxy S22 isn’t a great Android phone. The enhancements Samsung made to the S22’s cameras are noticeable, and the improved software support makes this phone a better deal than before. Storage improvements are also reasonably priced, which we like.
With the iPhone 13, however, Apple has created a great combination of hardware and software. The flagship phone is visually appealing, produces fantastic images, and beats every other handset. There isn’t much you could expect from a phone.