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DisplayWe put the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon) through our rigorous DXOMARK Battery test suite to measure its performance in autonomy, charging and efficiency. In these test results, we will break down how it fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases.
Overview
Key specifications:
- Battery capacity: 5000 mAh
- 45W charger (not included)
- 6.8-inch, 1440 x 3088, 120 Hz, OLED display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
- Tested ROM / RAM combination: 128 GB + 8 GB
Scoring
Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
Key performances
These key points are derived from the lab measurements during testing and do not figure into the overall score. The lab measurements, however, are used for the overall score.
142nd
38th
Pros
- Good autonomy when streaming video and calling
- Good autonomy when using GPS navigation and calling on the go
- Charging time that is faster than the average
- Excellent adapter efficiency
- Low residual consumption when the device is fully charged and still plugged in
Cons
- Less than 2 days of autonomy of moderate usage
- Battery level collapses after 5%
- 4% lost on average per night
- Poor autonomy when streaming music
- Very high discharge currents when scrolling on social apps and taking pictures on the go
- High residual consumption of the wireless stand
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon) comes up with impressive specs, including a large 5000 mAh battery. But even with a big battery, it still struggled with autonomy, delivering less than 2 days in moderate usage. The main issue appeared to be idle management, where the device consumed a lot even though it was not performing much—and when the battery reached 5%, it would just collapse. Compared with other phones in our database, the Samsung scored poorly in autonomy and efficiency, but delivered a decent charging experience.
The new 45W charger has brought with it a slight improvement, shortening the charging time by 5 minutes, compared with the 25W charger. Although this new adapter is much more efficient, its residual consumption when the smartphone isn’t plugged in is about 5 times higher than the previous charger (but remains average compared with our database).
Efficiency is not a strong point because of the phone’s high discharge currents in almost all our use cases.
Compared with devices from the Ultra-premium segment, the device is average in almost all our scores and sub-scores. But because of weaker autonomy and efficiency, it scored lower than its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (Snapdragon). However, the Snapdragon version slightly outperformed Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos).
Test Summary
About DXOMARK Battery tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone battery reviews, DXOMARK engineers perform a variety of objective tests over a week-long period both indoors and outdoors. (See our introductory and how we test articles for more details about our smartphone Battery protocol.)
The following section gathers key elements of our exhaustive tests and analyses performed in DXOMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations under the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.
| Battery | Charger | Wireless | Display | Processor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon) | 5000mAh | 45W (not included) |
15W | AMOLED 2X 1440 x 3088 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon) | 5000mAh | 25W (not included) |
15W | OLED 1440 x 3200 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos) | 5000mAh | 45W (not included) |
15W | OLED 1440 x 3088 |
Samsung Exynos 2200 |
| Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max | 4352mAh | 20W (not included) |
15W | OLED 1284 x 2778 |
Apple A15 Bionic |
Autonomy
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
195
Autonomy score is composed of three performance sub-scores: Stationary, On the go, and Calibrated use cases. Each sub-score comprises the results of a comprehensive range of tests for measuring autonomy in all kinds of real-life scenarios.
Battery Life (moderate)
157th
Battery Life (moderate)
38th
Home/Office
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
221
A robot housed in a Faraday cage performs a set of touch-based user actions during what we call our “typical usage scenario” (TUS) — making calls, video streaming, etc. — 4 hours of active use over the course of a 16-hour period, plus 8 hours of “sleep.” The robot repeats this set of actions every day until the device runs out of power.
On the go
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
195
Using a smartphone on the go takes a toll on autonomy because of extra “hidden” demands, such as the continuous signaling associated with cellphone network selection, for example. DXOMARK Battery experts take the phone outdoors and perform a precisely defined set of activities while following the same three-hour travel itinerary (walking, taking the bus, the subway…) for each device
Calibrated
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
198
For this series of tests, the smartphone returns to the Faraday cage and our robots repeatedly perform actions linked to one specific use case (such as gaming, video streaming, etc.) at a time. Starting from an 80% charge, all devices are tested until they have expended at least 5% of their battery power.
Charging
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
218
Charging is fully part of the overall battery experience. In some situations where autonomy is at a minimum, knowing how fast you can charge becomes a concern. The DXOMARK Battery charging score is composed of two sub-scores, (1) Full charge and (2) Quick boost.
Full charge
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
224
Full charge tests assess the reliability of the battery power gauge; measure how long and how much power the battery takes to charge from zero to 80% capacity, from 80 to 100% as shown by the UI, and until an actual full charge.
Two charts here below illustrate the full charge performance of the smartphone: (1) The charging curves, in wired and wireless (if available) showing the evolution of the battery level indicator as well as the power consumption in watts during the stages of charging toward full capacity.
(2) The time to full charge chart breaks down the necessary time to reach 80%, 100% and full charge.
The charging curves, in wired and wireless (if available) showing the evolution of the battery level indicator as well as the power consumption in watts during the stages of charging toward full capacity.
The time to full charge chart breaks down the necessary time to reach 80%, 100% and full charge.
Quick boost
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
212
With the phone at different charge levels (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%), Quick boost tests measure the amount of charge the battery receives after being plugged in for 5 minutes. The chart here compares the average autonomy gain from a quick 5-minute charge.
Efficiency
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
154
The DXOMARK power efficiency score consists of two sub-scores, Charge up and Discharge rate, both of which combine data obtained during robot-based typical usage scenario, calibrated tests and charging evaluation, taking into consideration the device’s battery capacity. DXOMARK calculate the annual power consumption of the product, shown on below graph, which is representative of the overall efficiency during a charge and when in use.
Charge up
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
205
The charge up sub-score is a combination of four factors: the overall efficiency of a full charge, related to how much energy you need to fill up the battery compared to the energy that the battery can provide; the efficiency of the travel adapter when it comes to transferring power from an outlet to your phone; the residual consumption when your phone is fully charged and still plugged into the charger; and the residual consumption of the charger itself, when the smartphone is disconnected from it. The chart here below shows the overall efficiency of a full charge in %.
Discharge
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
194
The discharge subscore rates the speed of a battery’s discharge during a test, which is independent of the battery’s capacity. It is the ratio of a battery’s capacity divided by its autonomy. A small-capacity battery could have the same autonomy as a large-capacity battery, indicating that the device is well-optimized, with a low discharge rate.
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