Galaxy S25+ vs S22+: What are the benefits of upgrading?

Samsung’s S Plus phones might not be the most popular of the three flagship variants, but they have earned many fans who prefer them over the small base model and the large Ultra.

There’s the new Galaxy S25+ in town, and if you’re planning to upgrade from an older phone and not worry about sequels for the next 12 months or so, this is the perfect time to do it.

We’ll compare the Galaxy S25+ with many of its predecessors in the coming days and weeks, and we’re starting today with the Galaxy S22+ from 2022. What would you gain if you were to trade up from the Galaxy S22+ to the Galaxy S25+? And are there any technical downsides?

To briefly answer the latter question, no, there aren’t. The Galaxy S25+ is the better phone across the board, and there’s nothing the Galaxy S22+ does better than the new model (unlike the Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S22 Ultra).

As for the benefits, below, you will find a full list of upgrades you could enjoy by switching to the 2025 flagship.

Galaxy S25+ vs Galaxy S22+: Design and build quality

• The Galaxy S25+ has better Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection at the front and back — an upgrade over the Victus+ solution.
• Samsung’s new phone features a more resilient Armor Aluminum 2 frame.

• The new Galaxy S25+ looks more modern thanks to its camera rings and has a flat frame instead of a slightly rounded one.
• The Galaxy S25+ is slightly thinner and lighter. It has a 7.3mm profile and weighs 190 grams. The S22+ has a 7.6mm profile and tips the scales at 195g.

Galaxy S25+ vs Galaxy S22+: Performance and specs

• No matter where you are, you’ll get the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chip if you upgrade to the Galaxy S25+. There’s no more Exynos chip this year.
• The Galaxy S25+ has better (UFS 4.0 vs UFS 3.1) and more storage, starting at 256GB instead of 128GB.
• Upgrading from the Galaxy S22+ to the Galaxy S25+ will ensure you have 4GB extra RAM. The Galaxy S25+ comes with 12GB minimum.
• Samsung’s new Galaxy S25+ has a larger 4,900mAh battery compared to the 4,500mAh unit on the S22+.

Galaxy S25+ vs Galaxy S22+: Display

• The Galaxy S25+ sports an improved Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display with a higher peak brightness of 2,600 nits.
• The LTPO display has a refresh rate of 1-120Hz, whereas the Galaxy S22+ can only go as low as 48Hz. The new phone enables features like full-screen Always On Display.

• The Galaxy S25+ has a slightly larger screen. The latter measures 6.7 inches instead of 6.6 inches.
• You’ll get a higher resolution of 1440 x 3120 from the Galaxy S25+ versus the 1080 x 2340 resolution on the S22+.

Galaxy S25+ vs Galaxy S22+: Camera capabilities

• While the Galaxy S22+ and S25+ cameras sound very similar on paper, the Galaxy S25+ offers better 8K video recording at 30fps.
• The Galaxy S25+ has a higher resolution selfie camera of 12MP, up from 10MP.

• Samsung’s latest flagship takes advantage of more advanced camera processing. The new ProVisual Engine offers better details.
• Unlike the S22+, the new Galaxy S25+ can record videos in LOG format, which is highly desirable for video editors.

Galaxy S25+ vs Galaxy S22+: Software and support

• The Galaxy S25+ comes with Android 15 and One UI 7 out of the box. The Galaxy S22+ will receive One UI 7 later this year, but the experience might not be as complete or optimized.
• You’ll enjoy every new Galaxy AI feature upon upgrading from the S22+ to the S25+, such as the Now Bar with Google Sports, Now Brief, better Generative AI tools for Sketch to Image and Browsing Assist, and more.

• Samsung will support the Galaxy S25+ with seven OS yearly upgrades. The Galaxy S22+ only has two more OS upgrades (including One UI 7) before it will stop getting big updates.
• The new Galaxy S25+ offers better security features, including a new Knox Vault protection layer. It’s the first Samsung phone to take advantage of post-quantum cryptography.

Galaxy S25+ vs Galaxy S22+: Quality-of-life improvements

• The Galaxy S25+ supports Qi2 accessories.
• You’ll enjoy a better audio experience from the S25+ with improved onboard speakers.
• The Galaxy S22+ tops out at Wi-Fi 6E dual-band connectivity. The Galaxy S25+ has Wi-Fi 7 tri-band.
• With the Galaxy S25+, you get Bluetooth 5.4, whereas the S22+ has Bluetooth 5.2.

Galaxy S25+ vs Galaxy S22+: Conclusion

So then, the Galaxy S25+ is a definitive upgrade over the Galaxy S22+ in every conceivable way.

Should you upgrade to the new model? That’s up to you to decide, but if you are considering an upgrade, you might want to check out Samsung’s trade-in offers.

In markets like the USA, Samsung has valued the Galaxy S22+ at $400 through its trade-in program. If you were to exchange your S22+ for the newer Galaxy S25+, you could upgrade for $599 instead of the usual $999.

Watch our hands-on video below for a closer look at the Galaxy S25+, and refer to the pre-order button below if you want to see more S25+ offers at Samsung’s e-shop. The company also has some nice Galaxy S25+ bundles that can give you more value.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8jaEmgsrU