Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
QR 769
The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is currently available in Qatar at a price of QAR 769. This affordable 5G smartphone offers great value for money, combining advanced connectivity with impressive features. Let’s dive into the details of this device and see what it has to offer.
Specifications
Feature | Specification |
---|---|
Display | 6.6″ TFT LCD, 90Hz |
Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 700 |
RAM | 4GB / 6GB / 8GB |
Storage | 64GB / 128GB (expandable) |
Main Camera | 48MP Wide + 5MP Ultra Wide + 2MP Depth |
Front Camera | 8MP |
Battery | 5000mAh |
Charging | 15W Fast Charging |
5G | Yes |
Fingerprint Sensor | Side-mounted |
Operating System | Android 11, One UI Core 3.1 |
The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G was released on June 24, 2021, bringing 5G connectivity to the mid-range smartphone market.
Comparison with Galaxy A21
When comparing the Galaxy A22 5G to its predecessor, the Galaxy A21, we see significant improvements. The A22 5G brings 5G connectivity, a larger and higher-resolution display with a faster refresh rate, and a more powerful processor. The camera setup has also been upgraded, with higher megapixel counts and more versatile lens options. Additionally, the A22 5G features a larger battery, providing better endurance for heavy users.
Galaxy A22 5G vs Galaxy A23
In Galaxy A23, we find some further enhancements. The A23 comes with a slightly improved processor, the Snapdragon 680, which offers better performance for gaming and multitasking. The main camera has been upgraded to a 50MP sensor, potentially providing even better photo quality. The A23 also introduces optical image stabilization (OIS) to the main camera, a feature not present in the A22 5G, which helps reduce blur in photos and videos.
However, it’s worth noting that the standard Galaxy A23 doesn’t offer 5G connectivity, which might be a drawback for some users who prioritize faster mobile data speeds. In this aspect, the A22 5G still holds an advantage over its successor. A 5G version of the A23 is also available.
Design and Build Quality
The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G sports a modern design that’s both attractive and functional. The phone features a plastic back and frame, which helps keep the cost down while still providing a premium feel. The device is available in various colors, including gray, white, mint, and violet, allowing users to choose a style that suits their preferences.
On the front, you’ll find a waterdrop notch housing the selfie camera, which Samsung calls an Infinity-V display. This design allows for a large screen-to-body ratio, maximizing the available display area. The bezels around the screen are relatively thin, contributing to a modern and immersive viewing experience.
The side-mounted fingerprint sensor is a thoughtful addition, providing quick and easy access to unlock your device. It’s positioned within easy reach, doubling as the power button for added convenience.
Despite its large screen and battery, the Galaxy A22 5G maintains a relatively slim profile at 9mm thick. It weighs 203 grams, which is on the heavier side for a mid-range phone, but this extra weight contributes to a solid and premium feel in hand.
Display Technology
The 6.6-inch TFT LCD display on the Galaxy A22 5G is one of its standout features. With a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, it offers sharp and clear visuals for all types of content, from text to videos and games. The pixel density of approximately 399 pixels per inch ensures that individual pixels are not visible to the naked eye, resulting in smooth and crisp images.
One of the most exciting aspects of this display is its 90Hz refresh rate. This means the screen updates 90 times per second, compared to the standard 60Hz found on many smartphones. The result is noticeably smoother scrolling, more responsive touch inputs, and a more fluid experience when navigating the user interface or playing games that support high refresh rates.
While the TFT LCD technology may not offer the deep blacks and vibrant colors of AMOLED displays found in some higher-end models, it still provides good color reproduction and brightness levels suitable for most lighting conditions. The display also supports a wide range of colors, ensuring that your photos, videos, and games look vivid and lifelike.
Camera Capabilities
The camera system on the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is designed to cater to a wide range of photography needs. The triple camera setup on the rear consists of:
- A 48MP main wide-angle camera with an f/1.8 aperture
- A 5MP ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture and 115-degree field of view
- A 2MP depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture
The main 48MP camera uses pixel binning technology to combine four pixels into one, resulting in 12MP photos with improved light sensitivity and reduced noise, especially in low-light conditions. This camera is capable of capturing detailed and vibrant photos in various lighting scenarios.
The 5MP ultra-wide camera is perfect for capturing expansive landscapes or group shots where you need to fit more into the frame. With its 115-degree field of view, you can capture a significantly wider area compared to the main camera.
The 2MP depth sensor works in conjunction with the main camera to create a depth-of-field effect in portrait mode. This allows you to capture professional-looking portraits with a blurred background, making your subject stand out.
On the front, the 8MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture is designed to capture clear and detailed self-portraits. It also supports various software features like beauty modes and filters to enhance your selfies.
The camera app on the Galaxy A22 5G comes with a range of shooting modes and features, including:
- Pro mode for manual control over camera settings
- Night mode for better low-light photography
- Panorama for capturing wide scenic shots
- Live Focus for adjustable background blur in portraits
- Slow motion and hyperlapse video modes
In terms of video capabilities, the rear camera can record Full HD (1080p) videos at 30 frames per second. While it doesn’t offer 4K recording, the Full HD resolution should be sufficient for most users’ needs, providing a good balance between quality and file size.
Performance and Gaming
The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, which is designed to deliver solid performance for everyday tasks while enabling 5G connectivity. This octa-core chipset features two high-performance Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.2 GHz and six power-efficient Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz.Coupled with options for 4GB, 6GB, or 8GB of RAM, the Galaxy A22 5G provides smooth performance for most day-to-day activities. Users can expect quick app launches, fluid multitasking, and responsive web browsing. The device handles social media apps, messaging, email, and productivity tasks with ease.
When it comes to gaming, the Dimensity 700 chipset, along with its Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, offers decent performance for casual and some mid-range games. Popular titles like PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, and Asphalt 9 can run smoothly at medium graphics settings. The 90Hz refresh rate of the display also enhances the gaming experience, providing smoother visuals in games that support high refresh rates.
However, it’s worth noting that for the most demanding 3D games, you may need to lower the graphics settings to achieve stable frame rates. While the Galaxy A22 5G isn’t marketed as a gaming phone, it still provides a satisfactory gaming experience for most mobile gamers.
The phone’s performance is further enhanced by Samsung’s One UI Core 3.1, which is based on Android 11. This user interface is optimized for smooth operation and includes features like Game Booster, which can optimize the device’s performance for gaming by managing resources and blocking notifications.
5G Connectivity and Network Features
One of the key selling points of the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is, as the name suggests, its 5G capability. This next-generation cellular network technology offers significantly faster data speeds and lower latency compared to 4G LTE networks. With 5G support, users can enjoy faster downloads, smoother streaming, and improved online gaming experiences where 5G networks are available.
The Galaxy A22 5G supports both standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) 5G networks, ensuring compatibility with various 5G implementations around the world. It’s important to note that 5G availability and performance can vary depending on your location and network provider.
In addition to 5G, the device also supports older network technologies, including:
- 4G LTE
- 3G HSPA+
- 2G GSM
This ensures that you’ll have network connectivity even in areas where 5G isn’t yet available. The phone also supports dual SIM functionality, allowing you to use two different phone numbers or network providers simultaneously.
Other connectivity features include:
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band Wi-Fi 5)
- Bluetooth 5.0
- GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo for location services
- NFC for contactless payments and quick pairing with compatible devices
The inclusion of NFC is particularly noteworthy, as it enables the use of mobile payment systems like Samsung Pay or Google Pay, adding convenience for users who prefer contactless transactions.
Battery Life and Charging
The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G comes equipped with a large 5000mAh battery, which is one of its strongest features. This sizeable battery capacity ensures that the phone can easily last through a full day of heavy use, even with 5G enabled.For average users, the phone can potentially last up to two days on a single charge. This long battery life is particularly impressive considering the phone’s 5G capabilities and 90Hz display, both of which typically consume more power than their 4G and 60Hz counterparts.
The device supports 15W fast charging, which, while not the fastest charging speed available in the market, still provides a decent charging rate. With the included charger, you can expect to charge the phone from 0 to 50% in about 45 minutes, and a full charge takes around 2 hours.
Samsung has also implemented various power-saving features in its One UI Core 3.1 software. These include:
- Power saving mode: Limits background app usage and reduces screen brightness to extend battery life
- Adaptive power saving: Automatically adjusts power settings based on your usage patterns
- App power management: Puts rarely used apps to sleep to prevent them from draining battery in the background
These features allow users to further extend the battery life when needed, making the Galaxy A22 5G an excellent choice for those who prioritize long-lasting battery performance.
Software and User Interface
The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G runs on Android 11 with Samsung’s custom One UI Core 3.1 overlay. This version of One UI is specifically designed for mid-range devices, offering a balance between features and performance.
One UI Core 3.1 provides a clean, intuitive, and user-friendly interface. It includes several features that enhance usability, such as:
- Dark mode: Reduces eye strain in low-light conditions and can help save battery on OLED displays
- One-handed mode: Makes it easier to use the large display with one hand
- Secure Folder: Allows you to keep sensitive apps and data in a protected space
- Digital Wellbeing: Helps you monitor and manage your screen time
- Samsung Knox: Provides enhanced security features to protect your data
The interface also includes Samsung’s own suite of apps, such as Samsung Internet browser, Samsung Health for fitness tracking, and Samsung Members for device support.
While One UI Core 3.1 doesn’t include all the features found in the full version of One UI on flagship devices, it still offers a comprehensive and polished user experience. The interface is designed to be easy to navigate, with most elements positioned for easy reach, especially useful on a device with a large 6.6-inch display.
Samsung has a good track record of providing software updates for its devices, including those in the A-series. Users can expect to receive security updates and potentially major Android version updates in the future, although the exact update schedule may vary depending on the region and carrier.
Storage Options and Expandability
The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G offers flexible storage options to cater to different user needs. The device comes in two internal storage variants:
- 64GB
- 128GB
Both options use eMMC 5.1 storage technology, which, while not as fast as UFS storage found in higher-end devices, still provides decent read and write speeds for everyday use.
One of the standout features of the Galaxy A22 5G is its support for expandable storage. The phone includes a dedicated microSD card slot that supports cards up to 1TB in capacity. This means you can significantly increase your storage space without having to compromise on using a second SIM card.
The ability to expand storage is particularly useful for users who like to store large amounts of photos, videos, or music on their devices. It also provides a cost-effective way to increase storage capacity compared to buying a higher internal storage variant.
It’s worth noting that while apps can be moved to the SD card, not all apps support being run from external storage. System apps and some third-party apps will still need to be stored on the internal memory.
Audio and Multimedia Experience
The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G offers a solid audio and multimedia experience, making it a good choice for users who enjoy consuming media on their smartphones. The device features a single bottom-firing speaker that produces clear and loud audio. While it may not match the quality of stereo speakers found in higher-end models, it’s more than adequate for casual listening to music, watching videos, or making hands-free calls.
For those who prefer personal listening, the Galaxy A22 5G retains the 3.5mm headphone jack. This is a welcome feature for users who still prefer wired headphones or want to connect the phone to external speakers or car audio systems without the need for adapters. The device also supports Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless audio connections, offering improved range and stability compared to older Bluetooth versions.
The phone supports various audio formats and comes with Samsung’s own music player app. It also includes Dolby Atmos support for headphones, which can enhance the audio experience when using compatible content and headphones.
When it comes to video playback, the 6.6-inch Full HD+ display provides a good viewing experience. The screen’s high resolution ensures sharp and clear visuals, while the large size makes it comfortable for extended viewing sessions. The 90Hz refresh rate also contributes to smoother video playback, especially for content that supports high frame rates.
The Galaxy A22 5G supports popular video formats and streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. With its 5G capabilities, users can enjoy high-quality streaming with minimal buffering when connected to 5G networks.
Security Features
Samsung has equipped the Galaxy A22 5G with several security features to protect user data and privacy. The most prominent of these is the side-mounted fingerprint sensor. This sensor, which doubles as the power button, provides quick and convenient biometric authentication. It’s responsive and accurate, allowing users to unlock their device or authenticate apps and payments with a simple touch.
In addition to fingerprint recognition, the device also supports face recognition for unlocking. While not as secure as the fingerprint sensor, it offers an alternative method for quick access to the device.
On the software side, the Galaxy A22 5G benefits from Samsung’s Knox security platform. Knox provides real-time protection against malware and other security threats. It also includes features like Secure Folder, which allows users to keep sensitive apps and data in a protected space within the device.
The device also supports Samsung’s Find My Mobile service, which can help locate, lock, or wipe the device remotely in case it’s lost or stolen. Regular security updates from Samsung help to keep the device protected against newly discovered vulnerabilities.
Is it worth buying?
The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G represents a solid offering in the mid-range smartphone market, particularly for users looking to experience 5G connectivity without breaking the bank. Its combination of a large, smooth 90Hz display, versatile camera system, long-lasting battery, and 5G capabilities make it a compelling choice for many users.
While it may not compete with flagship devices in terms of raw performance or camera quality, it offers a well-rounded package that should satisfy the needs of most average users. The inclusion of expandable storage and a headphone jack also adds to its versatility.
For those in Qatar looking for an affordable entry point into the world of 5G smartphones, the Galaxy A22 5G, priced at QAR 769, offers excellent value for money. It strikes a good balance between features and affordability, making it a worthy consideration for anyone in the market for a new mid-range smartphone.
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