Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The Google Pixel 7 Pro is a relatively minor update from the Pixel 6 Pro, but it represents the best Google has to offer in a smartphone today. If you’re eyeing a flagship Android upgrade, the Pixel 7 Pro is quite likely a front-runner for you. Its most obvious competition comes in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung’s current flagship offering. They’re both fantastic Android phones, but not necessarily for the same reasons. Let’s find out how the two stack up.

Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Design and build quality

The Google Pixel 7 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra have a lot in common, physically. They’re both big phones, with screens measuring 6.7 and 6.8 inches, respectively. Those screens each curve over the long edges of the phones, though the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s curve is more pronounced. In addition, each phone has an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, and neither has a headphone jack.

But there are key differences, of course. For one, these phones are styled very differently. The Pixel 7 Pro sticks close to the Pixel 6 series’ unique aesthetic, camera bar and all (though that bar is now mostly metal rather than glass, as it was on the Pixel 6 Pro). The Galaxy S22 Ultra, on the other hand, looks plainer, with a largely featureless glass back and a cluster of discrete camera modules in the upper-left corner. Samsung’s flagship also includes the fan-favorite built-in S Pen, a return to form after Samsung’s 2021 lineup lacked any phone with a built-in stylus.

Neither phone feels cheap, but the S22 Ultra has the edge regarding build quality. Samsung’s phone feels more solid and dense than Google’s; the seams where glass meets metal are smoother; and the S22’s flat top and bottom edges give it a more modern look than the Pixel’s bubbly, rounded design. Plus, the S22 Ultra has a built-in stylus — a unique advantage for Samsung.

Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Software and performance

The Pixel 7 Pro ships with Google’s customized version of Android 13 out of the box. The S22 Ultra, meanwhile, is running Android 12 under One UI, Samsung’s software skin — although an Android 13-based One UI 5 beta has been ongoing for several months. The Pixel 7 Pro is guaranteed security patches for five years (ending in 2027) and three major Android release updates (ending in 2025). The S22 Ultra is guaranteed five years of security updates, ending earlier in 2022 than the Pixel’s and four Android version upgrades. Since the Pixel 7 Pro started on 13 and the S22 Ultra on 12, they should both make it to Android 16.

Samsung’s software experience is super customizable, with all kinds of fun tricks possible through Good Lock. The Pixel 7 Pro, on the other hand, has Google’s excellent and exclusive features like Assistant-powered call screening, crazy good voice-to-text, and access to Photo Unblur in Google Photos.

Performance out of each phone is roughly comparable — they’re both really fast. The Pixel 7 Pro has Google’s custom Tensor G2 chipset paired with 12GB of RAM, whereas the Galaxy S22 Ultra runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 with 8 or 12 gigs of RAM. Either phone can handle the basics like calls and web browsing with flying colors, and they both have ample horsepower for more intensive tasks like gaming or productivity multitasking. Using the two side by side, you might notice one is quicker than the other at certain tasks, but with both devices performing at such a high level, power isn’t a meaningful differentiator between the two phones.

Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Battery and charging

The Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra each have a 5,000mAh battery. Google promises “all-day battery life” in the Pixel 7 Pro, but our results haven’t been so sunny. In our review, we noted getting through the day with moderate use — that’s five hours of mixed-use screen time — with about 20 percent left in the tank. That might translate to “all day” if you’re a lighter user, but it’s not quite what we’d expect out of such a claim.

The S22 Ultra fairs a little better. We saw “a little over 24 hours” on a charge “with around six hours of screen time” in our review. Also not an endurance champ, but likely more manageable than the Pixel.

Charging is no contest, though: Samsung wins. The S22 Ultra can hit 45W with compatible chargers, whereas the Pixel 7 Pro can pull about 23 watts — despite its 30W rating.

Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Display

Both the Pixel 7 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra feature 1440p OLED displays with refresh rates that top out at 120Hz. They both look great, but Samsung’s is just a hair larger at 6.8 inches compared to the Pixel 7 Pro’s 6.7 inches. The Ultra’s display is also covered in Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus+, meaning it should be marginally tougher than the regular Victus glass used in the Pixel 7 Pro.

The Pixel 7 Pro can manage a peak brightness of 1,500 nits outdoors; the Galaxy S22 Ultra can crank it up to 1,750 nits. These figures are for HDR content viewed in exceptionally bright conditions, so you won’t often see either get quite so bright. Still, both phones can get plenty bright enough to use in most lighting conditions, and overall, both screens look great.

Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Cameras

The Pixel 7 Pro and the Galaxy S22 Ultra have flagship-level camera setups, but the one you choose will come down to your preferences.

Google’s Pro phone has a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 48MP 5x telephoto camera. The S22 Ultra has a 108MP primary, a 10MP ultrawide, a 10MP 3x telephoto, and a 10MP 10x telephoto. With two telephoto shooters at two very different magnification levels, the S22 wins on versatility — there’ll be some shots the S22 can get that the Pixel can’t. While that 108MP primary looks like an advantage on paper, both phones bin their primary sensors down to about 12 megapixels by default.

Some will prefer Google’s photo processing, though, which tends to skew cooler and darker than Samsung’s. The Pixel 7 Pro also often maintains faster shutter speeds than the S22 Ultra in low light, so indoor shots of moving subjects will likely be clearer from the Pixel 7 Pro than the Galaxy S22 Ultra — handy if you take lots of photos of your kids or pets.

The S22 Ultra has a 40MP selfie camera with autofocus, whereas the Pixel 7 Pro has a 10.8MP fixed-focus selfie shooter. As a result, photos from the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s front-facing camera should turn out sharper than those from the Pixel.

Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Price and availability

The Google Pixel 7 Pro starts at $899 for the version with 128GB of storage; the 256GB and 512GB versions go for $999 and $1,099, respectively. It’s available through all the major US carriers. Internationally, you can get the phone in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, India, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and the UK.

The 128GB Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra retails for $1,200 in the US; the 256GB model is $1,300, and the 512GB is $1,400. Samsung sells its phones in dozens of countries, so if you’re reading this, chances are good you can buy one locally.

Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Which should you buy?

The Pixel 7 Pro and the Galaxy S22 Ultra are both great phones, and you can’t go wrong with either; however, the S22 Ultra does edge the Pixel 7 Pro out in several ways. The S22 Ultra’s display gets brighter; its battery lasts a little longer; it has a tighter build quality; it’s a bit tighter, and it comes with an S Pen. Samsung’s updates have also become nearly as timely and, in recent history, more reliable than Google’s — the Pixel 6 series suffered from a number of late and rocky updates early in its lifespan.

But the Pixel 7 Pro is also $300 less expensive at retail, and it’s got Google’s excellent software and trademark camera performance going for it. If you want everything and the kitchen sink, and you don’t mind paying for it, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is a good pick. On the other hand, if you can live with moderately worse battery life, slower charging, and the lack of a bundled stylus, give the Pixel 7 Pro a shot.