Weight: 172 grams
Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm
Screen Size: 6.1 in
Precision: 1170 x 2532
CPU: A15 Bionic (with quad-core GPU)
RAM: 6 GB
storage: 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB
battery: 3279 mAh
back camera: 12 mega pixel camera + 12 mega pixel camera
front camera: 12 megapixels
The iPhone 14 is a compact flagship, and while it’s not a massive upgrade to the iPhone 13, it can still compete with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S22.
It’s powerful, has a strong main camera, and solid battery life, but its design is a bit outdated, and it lacks a telephoto camera.
to
- good cameras
- Very strong
- Design and build quality
against
- Notch remains
- The latest generation of the A15 Bionic chip
- There is no telephoto camera
Weight: 167 grams
Dimensions: 146 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm
Screen Size: 6.1 inches
Precision: 1080 x 2340
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 / Exynos 2200
RAM: 8 GB
storage: 128 GB / 256 GB
battery: 3700 mAh
back camera: 50MP + 10MP + 12MP
front camera: 10 megapixels
The Samsung Galaxy S22 has the same screen size as the iPhone 14 but wins at the refresh rate, has a more modern design, and benefits from an additional camera – the telephoto lens.
It doesn’t do as well on some of the basics, with worse endurance, fewer pixels, and less power, despite packing a newer chipset than an Apple phone.
to
- Exquisite design without crack
- Handheld telephoto camera
- Excellent performance
against
- Less powerful than the iPhone
- Not a big update
- The screen is only 1080p
Every year, the biggest flagship phone vendors come from Apple and Samsung. without fail.
In 2022, this translates into a direct confrontation between the iPhone 14 and the Samsung Galaxy S22. So which phone is the best?
There are as many differences as these two phones have in common, and placing them facing each other proves to be a great exercise.
iPhone 14 vs. Samsung Galaxy S22: Price and Availability
iPhone 14 arrived September 16, 2022. Prices start at $799 / £849 / AU$1,399 for the entry-level 128GB model, while the 256GB is $899 / £959 / AU$1,579, and the 512GB will set you back $1,099 / £1,179 / AU$1,899.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 hit stores on February 25, 2022 in the US, then on March 3 in Australia, and on March 11 in the UK. Prices start at $799 / £769 / AU$1,249 for the 128GB, while $849 / £819 / AU$1,349 will get you the 256GB model.
In terms of pure American pricing, these phones are very similar. This is different when you look outside the US, particularly in the UK, where Samsung is much cheaper.
There’s also a good seven months between these phones, which means you can often find the Samsung Galaxy S22 for cheaper, if you shop around.
iPhone 14 vs. Samsung Galaxy S22: Design
The iPhone 14 is very similar to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 before it. It has the same shape, the same flat glass front and back, and the same flat aluminum frame.
While the two phones look nothing like one another, it’s a similar story for the Samsung Galaxy S22, which more or less features the same slim design as the Samsung Galaxy S21. This includes the same “Contour Cut” camera module, which is visible from the body of the phone.
The Samsung phone is relatively smaller than the iPhone 14 all around, with dimensions of 146 x 70.6 x 7.6mm compared to the iPhone’s 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8mm. The Galaxy S22 is also slightly lighter at 168g (vs 172g). It’s all very simple, though, and these are two of the smallest flagship phones on the market.
Both phones benefit from IP68 certification, though we’ll give the iPhone 14 a nod for the durability of its screen. Apple has used a detailed ceramic glass screen cover, which feels tougher than the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ from the Galaxy S22.
Another major design difference is the handling of the front camera. The iPhone 14 has a completely dominant and intrusive display, taking up much of the top portion of the screen. Galaxy S22 has a more compact selfie camera.
In terms of color options, the iPhone 14 comes in Violet, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, and Product Red. Galaxy S22 gives you more options: Phantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, and Cream, depending on your region.
iPhone 14 vs. Samsung Galaxy S22: Display
Both phones give you a 6.1-inch OLED display, which delivers rich and vibrant HDR colors. But things are a little different from there.
The iPhone 14 screen wins out for its sheer sharpness, with a resolution of 1170 x 2532 which compares favorably to the equivalent 1080 x 2340 of the Galaxy S22. It’s not a huge difference, but it does ensure that small text looks sharper on the iPhone.
On the other hand, the Galaxy S22’s screen is more flexible than its competition. Samsung’s support for a 120Hz refresh rate far exceeds the iPhone 14’s 60Hz support.
The Samsung Galaxy S22’s screen also gets brighter, with a peak brightness of 1,300 nits compared to 1,200 nits on the iPhone 14. But they’re very close.
Samsung has fitted an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under that display, while Apple relies entirely on its Face ID system, which is inside that large notch. This is very much a matter of preference — do you want to unlock your phone and authenticate payments with a look or a touch?
iPhone 14 vs. Samsung Galaxy S22: The cameras
iPhone 14 gives you a dual 12MP camera setup that covers wide and ultrawide tasks. Samsung does everything new with a 50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a dedicated 10MP telephoto camera capable of 3x optical zoom.
Numerical differences aside, Apple seems to have the most accomplished main sensor. This is the same main sensor as the iPhone 13 Pro, which captures 1.9µm pixels, and benefits from a wide f/1.5 aperture and advanced sensor-shift Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) system.
Apple’s new Photonic Engine adds even more punch in low light, with the Deep Fusion process applied earlier in the shot. In short, it’s a low-light beast.
Samsung’s main camera isn’t without a hitch, with a new 50MP ultra-wide sensor and f/1.8 aperture. The company’s aggressive color science is the most divisive point here, especially compared to the iPhone’s natural look.
Both phones give you a 12MP ultrawide, and take great shots with it. The Galaxy S22 has the advantage for zoomed shots, of course, as the iPhone 14 needs to crop its main sensor.
Apple has improved the iPhone 14’s front camera at 12MP, adding autofocus and offering a wider f/1.9 aperture. Apple says this results in super low-light focused selfie shots, and group shots that can be taken from a distance.
Providing auto focus also allows the iPhone selfie camera to match the Galaxy S22 for clarity.
iPhone 14 vs. Samsung Galaxy S22: Specifications and performance
We have to admit, the iPhone 14 processor proved a bit of a let down when it was released. It retains the same A15 Bionic we saw in the previous generation, while the iPhone 14 Pro moves to the A16 Bionic.
However, the A15 Bionic remains a more capable chip than the Samsung Galaxy S22, whichever model you’re talking about. Depending on where you get your Samsung from, you’ll either get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or the Exynos 2200 chipset.
Both are 4nm chips (versus the less efficient 5nm of the A15 Bionic) in broadly equivalent power, with the off-the-shelf Snapdragon having a slight advantage over its custom-made counterpart. But neither can match the iPhone 14’s chip for CPU or GPU output, at least by our standards.
Elsewhere, the iPhone 14 comes with 6GB of RAM to 8GB in the Galaxy S22. However, the differences between iOS and Android make any direct comparisons pointless.
What matters is that both phones are very fast and responsive in the hand, and can handle high-end games with ease.
In terms of storage, the iPhone 14 gives you 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. The Galaxy S22 only gives you a choice between 128GB or 256GB.
iPhone 14 vs. Samsung Galaxy S22: Battery
iPhone 14 comes with a 3,279mAh battery, while the Galaxy S22 offers a 3,700mAh cell. Again, though, the different ways that iOS and Android operate makes a direct capacity comparison pointless.
We got nearly 12 hours of battery life from the Samsung Galaxy S22 with varied, almost continuous use, while our reviewer reported getting more than a full day’s battery life from a single charge with the iPhone 14.
Neither of the two phones affects the charging interface. The Galaxy S22 only supports up to 25W wired charging, while the iPhone 14 only supports 20W charging. It does not ship with a charger in the box.
Both phones support Qi wireless charging – 15W for Samsung and 7.5W for iPhone. The latter can reach the lofty heights of 15W wireless, but only if you invest in a proprietary MagSafe charger.
away
We gave both of these phones 4-star ratings in 2022, which shows how equally compatible they are. Both are around the same price, similar in size and weight, and have 6.1-inch AMOLED screens.
The Galaxy S22 had a more responsive screen, but the iPhone 14’s screen is sharper. iPhone 14 also has the advantage of strength and endurance, and its main camera is more impressive than its counterpart. However, the Samsung phone gives you a dedicated telephoto camera and doesn’t have an intrusive display notch.
In the end, both phones are incremental upgrades to their immediate predecessors, making both phones safe – if not inspiring. We can’t really call an outright winner here, so it all comes down to which design (curvy vs. angular) and which operating system (Android vs. iOS) you prefer.