Samsung's S21 Ultra was released a year ago and two significant aspects of that release were the S Pen support and$200 price drop from previous flagship releases. The launch price is the same, but the S Pen is now fully integrated with a silo and S Pen in the retail package.

Other than improved S Pen integration, are there other specifications or features that might compel you to upgrade? If you are considering an upgrade, I recommend you take advantage of the pre-order launch specials and generous trade-in offers since it is always best for the customer to buy a Samsung phone before the official launch date. We have the S22 Ultra in hand and are trying to decide if its worth selling aniPhone 13 Pro Max to purchase the S22 Ultra.

---

Also: Best Samsung phones: Explore a new Galaxy

---

If you own a Note 20 Ultra from 2020, then I think the answer about upgrading is much clearer for you as the S22 Ultra offers an overall better experience in every way except for the microSD card slot. However, if you have a S21 Ultra, the answer is not so clear. The QualcommSnapdragon 888processor proved to be a fantastic processor and we have yet to see the impact of the new Qualcomm processor on battery life and performance. The annual upgrade cycle is harder to justify when the S21 Ultra is still perfectly capable at excelling in so many ways.

Tale of the tape

Specifications don't provide the complete picture regarding the capabilities of a smartphone, but they are useful for comparison purposes and to provide you with an indication of what each device offers.

Feature	Galaxy S22 Ultra	Galaxy S21 Ultra
Display size	6.8 inches	6.8 inches
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Gen 1	Snapdragon 888
Dimensions	163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm	165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm
Weight	229g	229g
RAM	8/12GB	12/16GB
Internal storage	128/256/512GB/1TB	128/256/512GB
Battery capacity	5000mAh	5000mAh
Rear cameras	Four: 10MP tele (10x), 10MP tele (3x), 108MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide	Four: 10MP tele (10x), 10MP tele (3x), 108MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide
Front cameras	One 40MP	One 40MP
Other	Armor Aluminum, Gorilla Glass Victus Plus	Contour Cut camera array

Both Samsung devices have an adaptive 120MHz refresh rate display, fast wireless charging, IP68 dust/water resistance, wireless powershare capability, UWB, and 5G. The battery capacity, weight, and camera hardware specs are also all the same between these two devices. The S22 Ultra includes the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and newer materials.

Also:Best Android phones

If you never use the S Pen on the S21 Ultra, then there is even less reason to consider an upgrade. If the S Pen is an essential part of your daily routine, then having a silo and S Pen included in the S22 Ultra may be all that you need to justify the upgrade.

We will continue to use the S22 Ultra here at ZDNet in the coming weeks so stay tuned for more coverage on the camera performance, S Pen, and more.

Samsung Unpacked

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review: Three features I love (and two that I still wish for)Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra hands-on review: Minor improvements to an already great tabletHow to preorder the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Flip 5, Tab S6 and moreSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 hands-on review: Three upgrades that make a notable differenceWe tested every foldable phone on the market. These are the best models

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review: Three features I love (and two that I still wish for)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra hands-on review: Minor improvements to an already great tablet
• How to preorder the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Flip 5, Tab S6 and more
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 hands-on review: Three upgrades that make a notable difference
• We tested every foldable phone on the market. These are the best models