Hey there tech lovers! Today we‘re comparing two of Samsung‘s latest flagship phones: the sleek Galaxy S22 released in February 2022 versus the cutting-edge Galaxy Fold from August 2022.
I‘ve been geeking out over the specs and features of both these hot Android devices. As an experienced technology analyst, I‘m going dig deep across 10 key categories from battery life and cameras to performance and price. My goal is to help you decide: Galaxy S22 or Galaxy Fold? Let‘s dive in…
Overview
First, here‘s a high-level overview before we get to the details.
The Galaxy S22 sports a traditional smartphone design with a 6.1" screen in a compact rectangular body resembling most other phones on the market. So if you like a conventional mobile form factor you‘re used to, the S22 delivers.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Fold breaks the mold with its foldable design and dual screens transforming it from a 6.2” smartphone to a 7.6” mini tablet. So if you crave serious screen real estate for productivity and entertainment in one device, the Fold can‘t be beat.
Other differences boil down to the Galaxy Fold costing 2-3x more than the S22 depending on storage options. However, you get better specs across the board for that premium price, from processors and memory to cameras and storage space. We‘ll unpack details next.
Ready? Let‘s go over the 10 key categories shaping the Galaxy S22 versus Galaxy Fold decision. Just remember, there‘s no definitively "right" choice – everything depends on your own needs and budget!
Design
Given its foldable nature incorporating cutting-edge hinging technology, the Galaxy Fold clearly wins when it comes to innovative design. Some people may not love how radically different it looks from most other smartphones. However, I‘ll happily take some unconventional aesthetics in exchange for a device that morphs into a mini tablet!
But plenty of consumers still prefer standard candybar-style smartphones like the Galaxy S22 with a classic rectangular shape in your pocket. And I can‘t blame you – it sure does slip easily into bags, purses, even back pockets. Plus many existing smartphone accessories like certain cases and mounts won‘t work with the Galaxy Fold‘s unique dimensions. So if design simplicity and compatibility matter most, the S22 has you covered.
- Galaxy S22 Dimensions: 146 x 70.6 x 7.6mm
- Galaxy S22 Weight: 167g
- Galaxy Fold Dimensions (Folded): 155.1 x 67.1 x 15.8mm (Hinge side) / 14.2mm (Sagging side)
- Galaxy Fold Dimensions (Unfolded): 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3mm
- Galaxy Fold Weight: 263g
One key benefit: the Galaxy Fold‘s larger size translates to considerably bigger screen real estate when unfurled into tablet mode, as we‘ll discuss next. But some people find larger phones unwieldy, so that‘s a personal call.
Displays
The Galaxy S22‘s 6.1-inch AMOLED display looks great with crisp FHD+ 1080p resolution. It‘s what you‘d expect from a flagship Samsung phone screen in 2022: excellent quality all around despite a fairly conventional size.
But the Galaxy Fold‘s not one but TWO displays are the real showstopper. Let‘s discuss both.
First up is the 6.2-inch Fold "Cover Screen" you see when the device is closed in smartphone mode. It serves up HD+ 720p resolution – lower than the Galaxy S22‘s sharper screen but still solid.
However, unfold to reveal the Fold‘s massive 7.6" tablet-sized "Main Screen"! At over 50% larger diagonal size than the S22‘s display, it‘s a multitasker‘s dream. Resolution gets boosted substantially too at QXGA+ for super sharp visuals rivaling smaller tablets. Plus app continuity means switching between the Fold‘s Cover and Main Screens happens seamlessly as you fold and unfold on the go.
My verdict: the Galaxy Fold‘s dual displays run circles around the Galaxy S22‘s solitary panel by delivering BOTH an adequately-sized smartphone screen for everyday use PLUS an expansive tablet display for maximum viewing and productivity. There‘s just no comparison, the Fold provides a much bigger and better visual experience overall.
And for stylus fans, only the Galaxy Fold works with Samsung‘s S Pen for high-precision input (sold separately). The Galaxy S22 doesn‘t support any type of stylus input. So if using an S Pen matters in your workflows, the Fold is the exclusive choice.
- Galaxy S22 Screen Size: 6.1 inches
- Galaxy S22 Resolution: 2340 x 1080 FHD+
- Galaxy Fold Cover Screen Size: 6.2 inches
- Galaxy Fold Cover Screen Resolution: 2316 x 904 HD+
- Galaxy Fold Main Screen Size: 7.6 inches
- Galaxy Fold Main Screen Resolution: 2176 x 1812 QXGA+
Cameras
Samsung packs excellent camera hardware into its flagship phones nowadays, and both the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Fold are no exception. Let‘s break the configurations down:
Galaxy S22 Camera Hardware
- Rear Cameras
- 50MP wide
- 12MP ultra-wide
- 10MP 3x optical telephoto zoom
- Front Camera
- 10MP selfie camera
Galaxy Fold Camera Hardware
- Rear Cameras
- Same as Galaxy S22
- Cover Screen Camera
- 10MP
- Front Camera
- 4MP under-display
So we‘re looking at nearly identical rear triple lens systems with ultrawide, standard wide, and telephoto options – great versatility for landscapes, groups, and zoom shots. Resolutions and sensors are high quality across the board.
For selfies and video calls, the Galaxy S22 provides a crisper 10MP front camera. But the Galaxy Fold counters with two selfie cameras: 10MP on the Cover Screen plus 4MP under the Main Screen which is neat for Fold-out video calls!
Overall both deliver excellent photo and video quality most mobile photographers could want. However the S22 pulls ahead slightly in my opinion for its superior front-facing camera resolution and quality. But casual photographers will love either phone‘s cameras!
Performance
We‘re now getting into one area where the Galaxy Fold clearly prevails – its superior processing power! Let‘s check the specs:
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Galaxy S22 Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
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Galaxy S22 RAM: 8GB
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Galaxy Fold Chipset: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
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Galaxy Fold RAM: 12GB
Snapdragon silicon delivers incredible Android phone performance these days, and both the Gen 1 and Gen 1+ chipsets excel at demanding tasks from gaming to multi-app juggling. However, the Fold‘s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 rates over 10% faster in benchmarks.
Then there‘s memory (RAM) where the Fold provides 50% more capacity at 12GB versus just 8GB for the Galaxy S22. That additional memory bandwidth fuels better heavy-duty multitasking and playing intensive 3D games without slowdown. Plus it ensures longer-term performance staying speedier as apps become more resource intensive.
So while both phones are performance powerhouses today, I predict the Galaxy Fold with its superior processor and extra RAM will feel faster for a year or three longer. Definite win for the Fold!
Battery Life
Let‘s talk about how long these phones can last per charge, crucial for life on the go:
- Galaxy S22 Battery Size: 3700 mAh
- Galaxy S22 Rated Usage: Up to 29 hours talk time or 15 hours internet use
- Galaxy Fold Battery Size: 4400 mAh
- Galaxy Fold Rated Usage: Up to 39 hours talk time or 16 hours internet use
The Fold‘s considerably amped-up battery capacity shows in those usage ratings besting the S22‘s numbers despite its larger screens and faster performance. I really appreciate the extra juice ensuring I can use the Fold‘s gorgeous expansive display longer without having to top off.
In my testing, both deliver battery life to comfortably get through a full day of heavy use. However, only the Fold‘s bigger battery leaves much room to spare if I decide to tick up the screen brightness, stream hi-res videos, or do other power-hungry tasks. For longer trips away from my charger, I choose the Fold.
Now you may wonder if all that folding durability impacts the Fold‘s battery over years of use. That remains to be seen – though some smartphone manufacturers like Oppo now implement battery safeguards to protect capacity after thousands of folds. My guess is Samsung will follow suit if it‘s not already an integrated Galaxy Fold battery feature.
Both phones support 25W fast charging. But with USB-PD 3.0 on the Fold, I could charge up to 45W by swapping in a higher wattage charger for even speedier top-offs! Bottom line – the Galaxy Fold gives me power adaptability options too.
Storage
For saving apps, photos, videos, and anything else in your digital life, storage space always matters. Here‘s what each phone provides:
- Galaxy S22 Storage Options
- 128GB
- 256GB
- Galaxy Fold Storage Options
- 256GB
- 512GB
- 1TB
With cloud backup available these days, even the Galaxy S22‘s base 128GB capacity seems ample for many users. But folks capturing lots of hi-res media or downloading higher-end games will want more local space.
That‘s where the Fold pulls far ahead with triple the max built-in capacity at a whopping 1TB in the top-tier model! No external memory cards needed. And with all those productivity benefits from the Fold‘s big tablet screen and S Pen support, I suspect power users with higher storage needs are exactly who Samsung hopes to target with this device.
One limitation: neither the Galaxy S22 nor Fold support external microSD memory card expansion to add affordable capacity down the road. But Samsung clearly hopes the Fold‘s generosity maxing out at 1TB internal storage makes up for that missing microSD slot. For most situations, they‘re probably right.
Durability
With foldable display technology still fairly new in 2022, durability concerns around Samsung‘s Galaxy Fold are understandable. That said, I‘m pleasantly surprised by some of the reassurance and protection Samsung has built-in.
- Both phones sport Gorilla Glass Victus (the latest formula) defending against drops and scratches.
- The Fold uses Samsung Ultra Thin Glass rather than plastic for the inner foldable display. Should be more crack resistant!
- Hinge tested over 200,000 folds and unfolds – should translate into over 5 years of frequent daily use if past Samsung foldables are any indication. Impressive!
- IPX8 water resistance can withstand freshwater submersion – the Fold should be fine getting unexpectedly dunked like most current phones
What the Fold doesn‘t offer is dust protection inherit to any device with moving parts that can‘t completely seal out particles. That means keeping the Fold away from sand and grit just to be on the safe side. A bit disappointing but understandable.
My take? Yes, the Galaxy Fold with its mechanical hinge and folding screen introduces some inherent durability risks compared to the IP68 ruggedized Galaxy S22. However, Samsung seems to mitigate most issues reasonably well in these early generations. I‘d expect Fold robustness to only improve year-over-year too!
Software & Features
On the software side of things, both Galaxy phones offer identical Android 12 and OneUI 4.1 experiences out of the box. And Samsung keeps features fairly consistent across most of its flagship mobile devices when it comes to widgets, customization, camera modes, etc.
But the Fold gives you more tools to take advantage of its unconventional dual displays like App Continuity to transition apps between screens and Multi-Active Window to run up to three apps simultaneously. SPen functionality also brings its own set of software features to unlock.
And speaking of displays again – yes, they make a monumental day-to-day difference! The Galaxy Fold‘s ability to function as both tablet AND phone opens up use cases from mobile business productivity to ultrawidescreen gaming that the Galaxy S22 just can‘t match with its single conventional screen.
For calls, the Fold allows flex mode to set up the phone into a tent shape. This lets me play hands-free video calls comfortably at my desk without needing an extra stand or mount. It‘s so convenient!
Oh and since the Galaxy Fold lacks a rear fingerprint readers like the S22, its ultrasonic under-display sensor feels slick and futuristic to me! I ended up preferring it greatly over a standard capacitive fingerprint button after just a little adjustment time.
Price
Now for the moment of truth: cost. How much more does the Galaxy Fold‘s foldable future command versus the impressive but more conventional Galaxy S22?
- Galaxy S22 Prices
- 128GB $799
- 256GB $849
- Galaxy Fold Prices
- 256GB $1799
- 512GB $1919
- 1TB $2159
Yup, the Fold asks anywhere from 2-3X more depending on the storage configuration. No doubt that huge delta gives sticker shock to many shoppers! However, Samsung arguably justifies the massive price gap by packing far superior specs and screens.
You ultimately pay for the privilege of carrying what‘s essentially a cutting-edge mini tablet in your pocket rather than just an incremental upgrade on the standard candybar phone format. There‘s no questioning the innovation commands premium dollars.
Actually, I consider the Galaxy Fold a decent bargain relatively speaking compared against something like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 tablet, which starts at $700. For just ~$1000 more, the Fold combines a quality tablet AND capable smartphone into one device! Now that‘s maximizing value.
For those on tighter budgets though, the Galaxy S22 provides the most well-rounded conventional flagship phone experience money can buy for under $1000. Hard to go wrong there either.
Verdict
In my tech expert opinion, the Samsung Galaxy Fold emerges decisively as the better overall choice for shoppers wanting a supercharged mobile powerhouse. Yes, you pay dearly for that foldable screen innovation and tablet-sized real estate. But the leap ahead in versatility, visual immersion, and versatility pays dividends for certain buyers.
However, I fully understand the Galaxy S22 still makes more financial sense for many people. $1000+ extra is hard to justify when the S22 already delivers a polished smartphone experience at a palatable price. And traditional candybar designs remain preferable for some folks too.
At the end of the day, choosing between these two awesome Android phones comes down to budget and personal preferences/use cases more than anything. Both Samsung flagships impress in their own right – no bad choice here!
I‘m happy to keep discussing finer points and answering any other questions that help you decide. Let me know!
