Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Green 128GB

A camera zoom beast with a built-in stylus that's still worth it at $250. Skip it if you don't care about the S Pen or 10X photos.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is the one spec here that shows its age. In our database, it lands in the 74th percentile for raw performance, which is solid but definitely mid-pack by modern standards. What surprised us is how little that actually matters for everyday tasks. Apps open fast, the 120Hz display keeps scrolling buttery smooth, and the 8GB of RAM handles multitasking without choking. The real performance bottleneck is the 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage. It's slower than the UFS 3.1 or 4.0 you'll find in newer phones, and you'll feel that when installing large games or shooting 8K video. The 10X optical zoom camera, however, is still best-in-class. It's one of the absolute best zoom lenses we've ever tested, and it makes you feel like a spy.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the S22 Ultra's natural enemy. It gets you a cleaner Android experience, a brighter display, and a Tensor G4 that handles AI tasks better, but its zoom lens tops out at 5X optical. You'll miss the S22 Ultra's 10X reach. The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is the video king and has a much more efficient A18 Pro chip, but it's locked into iOS and costs triple the price. If you want a flip phone, the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is a fun alternative, but its cameras are a joke compared to this Samsung. The OnePlus 13R is a strong value pick with a newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but its camera system isn't in the same league.

Pricing is all over the place, ranging from $250 to $450 across vendors. At $250, this is an absolute steal for the camera system alone. At $450, you're brushing up against much newer mid-range phones with faster chips and better update promises. The sweet spot is finding a clean refurbished unit at the lower end of that spread. Newegg currently has the best deal we've spotted. Just don't overpay for the 128GB model.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is the last of a dying breed, and that's exactly why it's still so compelling. It's a no-compromise slab phone with a built-in S Pen silo, a ridiculous zoom camera, and a screen that still embarrasses most 2025 flagships. The one thing to know? You're buying this for the camera zoom and the stylus. If you don't care about either, put your wallet away.

Samsung packed everything into this thing. The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED hits 1750 nits, the 108MP main sensor is backed by a genuine 10X optical periscope lens, and the 5000mAh battery keeps it all running. It's a big, heavy, squared-off tank of a phone. And honestly, we miss this era. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 isn't winning any races in our database anymore, but for daily use, it's still plenty snappy.

If you're looking for a compact phone, this isn't it. Go get a Pixel 9 or an iPhone 16 instead. This thing is a two-handed monster that barely fits in some pockets. Also skip it if you need the absolute fastest chip for gaming, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is showing its age and the OnePlus 13R will run circles around it for the same price.

Buy the S22 Ultra if you want a built-in stylus and a telephoto lens that can read a street sign from a block away. It's a niche device that does two things better than almost anything else, and at refurbished prices, it's a screaming deal. Just know you're trading raw speed and software longevity for that zoom and S Pen. If you don't need those, get a newer mid-ranger with a better chip.