Galaxy S22 Ultra vs S25 Ultra: 3-Year Upgrade Worth Making?
Galaxy S22 Ultra was runner-up Phone of the Year at MKBHD's 2022 Smartphone Awards; S25 Ultra was runner-up at MKBHD's 2025 awards. Three years and three chip generations apart — is the upgrade worth it?
Updated · Verdict based on MKBHD Smartphone Awards results and spec analysis.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Samsung · 2022 · From $1199
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung · 2025 · From $1299
Round wins
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: 0 · Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: 6 ·Ties: 1
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz | 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz LTPO |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB |
| Camera | 108MP main + 12MP ultrawide + 10MP 3x + 10MP 10x telephoto | 200MP main + 50MP ultrawide + 10MP 3x + 50MP 5x telephoto |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| OS | Android 12 (One UI 4.1) | Android 15 (One UI 7) |
| Starting price | $1199 | $1299 |
| Released | 2022 | 2025 |
Round-by-round breakdown
Display
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraS25 Ultra adds anti-reflective coating and is meaningfully brighter (~2,600 nits vs ~1,750 on S22 Ultra).
Performance
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraSnapdragon 8 Elite (S25 Ultra) is roughly 80% faster than 8 Gen 1 (S22 Ultra) and dramatically better thermals.
Camera
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraSame 200MP main + 5x periscope hardware (the S22 Ultra had 10x periscope but lower-res). Processing pipeline is meaningfully improved on S25 Ultra.
Galaxy AI
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraS25 Ultra has the full Galaxy AI suite. S22 Ultra has limited support — most features don't work or run poorly.
Battery
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraS25 Ultra: 8+ hours screen-on. S22 Ultra on 3-year-old battery: 4–5 hours typical.
Software longevity
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraS25 Ultra: 7 more years of updates. S22 Ultra: 1.5 more years (4-year update commitment from launch).
Price
TieS25 Ultra is $1,299 new. S22 Ultra trade-in value offsets some of the upgrade cost.
Final verdict
Yes, upgrade — the S22 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is infamous for thermal throttling and battery is degrading after 3 years. The S25 Ultra adds 7-year update commitment (vs S22's expiring updates), Galaxy AI, and dramatically better cameras and battery. Easy upgrade call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I upgrade from Galaxy S22 Ultra to S25 Ultra?
Yes — the S22 Ultra's chipset, battery, and software-support runway are all at the end. The S25 Ultra adds Galaxy AI, dramatically better thermals, and 7-year update commitment.
Galaxy S22 Ultra or discounted S24 Ultra as a cheaper alternative?
Discounted S24 Ultra at $899–$999 — won MKBHD's 2024 Phone of the Year, same 7-year update commitment as S25 Ultra, and significantly better than the S22 Ultra.
How long will the Galaxy S22 Ultra be supported?
Through 2027 — Samsung's pre-S24-era 4-year update commitment. Roughly 1.5 more years from mid-2026.