Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 or wait for the Galaxy S23?

Samsung announced the Galaxy S22 series on February 9, 2022. That means it’s been about eight months since the launch (at the time of writing), and we’re only a few months away from seeing what we expect to be the Samsung Galaxy S23 series.

The question, at the moment, is what potential buyers should do if they need a new phone. Should they grab a months-old Galaxy S22 handset today or wait until the Galaxy S23 devices land? In this article, we’re going to make an argument for both sides. In the end, we’ll give some advice on what buyers should do in the near future.

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Although the Galaxy S22 series came out over eight months ago, they are still terrific phones. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, in particular, has the best camera system of any Samsung phone ever, and one of the best overall cameras in the world of smartphones. The Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus are no slouches either when it comes to cameras. Both offer the same high-end wide/ultrawide/telephoto system, headlined by a sweet 50MP primary sensor.

Likewise, in Samsung’s biggest markets, all three phones feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, but not the slightly newer Plus variant processor. Nevertheless, this is a powerful chipset, even if it is a bit more power-hungry than we’d like it to be. Samsung’s own Exynos 2200 powers the phones in other markets, which is also quite capable. Adding to that processing capability is the inclusion of at least 8GB of RAM to help with multitasking. In the case of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, that can jump up to 12GB, depending on the model.

Being that the Galaxy S22 series is still Samsung’s active flagship, they were the first phones to receive the update to One UI 5, based on Android 13. This is just the first of four Android upgrades coming to these phones, meaning they will continue to see new versions of Android all the way through 2026. Even then, they’ll continue to get patches and security updates through 2027, making them good investments for the long haul.

Finally, these phones spending eight months on shelves means you can often buy them with a reasonable discount. There are also plenty of used models available that could slash your investment by hundreds. Even without any discounts, though, the $799 entry price for a Samsung Galaxy S22 makes these phones a great buy, even this late in the year.

While the Galaxy S22 series are still great phones, the Galaxy S23 series is poised to be a step up in several areas. First, the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus will likely see a significant design overhaul. This will be the first time Samsung’s switched up the formula since 2021, the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 series looked very similar (with the exception of the Ultra).

Notably, leaked renders suggest the phones could adopt the look of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, with the rear camera module broken up into three “islands” for each lens. If having the newest look is important to you, waiting for the Samsung Galaxy S23 family might be worth it.

Additionally, the Galaxy S23 phones should all have the as yet unannounced Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 under the hood. This processor will almost certainly be more powerful and less power-hungry than its predecessor. If speed is of the utmost importance to you, it might be worth waiting until next year. Also, do note that we expect almost all phones in this series — if not every single one — to have the Snapdragon processor. Rumors suggest Samsung will skip its own Exynos processor for next year’s flagship phones. This could also be an important factor in your decision-making if you live in an area where Exynos is your only choice at the moment.

Another big upgrade we expect to see in 2023 is an increase in battery capacities for the vanilla and Plus models. Rumors suggest we could see a 200mAh boost for the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus, resulting in 3,900mAh cell and 4,700mAh cells, respectively. Combined with the new processor, this could result in significantly better battery life for both phones. The Galaxy S23 Ultra, however, is expected to have the same 5,000mAh battery as its predecessor.

Finally, Samsung hasn’t raised the prices of its Galaxy S phones in two years. It’s possible that 2023 could be different, but as of right now, we don’t see big changes coming. Apple is still selling its latest iPhones at the same price as years prior, and Google’s latest Pixel phones are at the same prices as they were in 2021. We have a strong feeling you can expect the same $799/$999/$1,199 pricing for the Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra, respectively.

Whether to buy something now or wait until 2023 rests on what the potential buyer values most. For example, if you need something right now or very soon because your current phone isn’t doing well, buying a Galaxy S22 phone is a no-brainer. Likewise, if you are on a tight budget, you won’t find the Galaxy S23 to be cheaper than a Galaxy S22.

However, even if you could wait until 2023, that doesn’t necessarily mean it would be worth it. Galaxy S22 phones offer a whole lot of terrific features and are well on their way to becoming some of our favorite phones of the year. Also, the expected upgrades for next year’s models aren’t going to be Earth-shattering. When you combine that with the fact that finding them at a discount is quite easy at this stage in the cycle, it becomes obvious that every buyer should at least give them a look.

On the other hand, you only have five months at the most before the Samsung Galaxy S23 series lands. These phones will be more powerful, likely have a new look, probably have bigger batteries and better overall battery life, and are very likely to land at the same prices as the Galaxy S22 family. Those are all very good reason to stick it out.

Ultimately, we think anyone who can wait should wait. Better battery life alone is probably worth a few months of holding into your current phone. Besides, even if you eventually decide that a Samsung Galaxy S23 phone isn’t what you want, it isn’t like the Galaxy S22 series will vanish immediately. You can always backtrack in 2023.

Six months later review: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra revisited

What do you think? Answer our poll above to let us know where you fall in this debate!