Following the S22 Ultra's transformation into the new Note, stylus and all, the S22 Plus has a new role for those wanting a top of the range phone with a slightly sleeker look.
As impressive as the S22 Ultra was, it's not necessarily the first choice for many people because of that less curved form, thrusting the S22 Plus into the spotlight.
It might not have the 108 MP camera but the S22 Plus still has impressive specifications promising strong performance.
So can it step into that breach and become the first choice for Samsung fans after a new phone?
I've been using the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus for a week and here are my thoughts.
The good
It may be a couple of inches smaller than its big brother, but the S22 Plus's screen is still an absolute delight.
The 6.6-inch screen offers a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels and an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, ensuring scrolling and game playing beautifully smooth.
The colours are vivid and, with a little extra brightness to suit my eyes, I was watching high definition videos and thoroughly enjoying the experience.
There's also a seriously impressive 1750 nits of maximum brightness that ensures the S22 Plus can be used in Aotearoa's bright sunlight.
I forced myself outside for an hour to test and it remained usable and eminently readable even out of the shade.
It's also unquestionably more stylish than the Ultra. The rounder form combined with the lighter weight gives it a classier look as well as a bit more room in your pocket or bag.
I don't tend to consider the overall look of a phone that important in the big scheme of things, but the Pink Gold one I reviewed is certainly one of the more attractive phones I've used.
Of course, it's ridiculously quick too.
Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is on offer with this range for the first time and for me it meant a completely lag-free experience with no issues flipping between apps and a flawless performance while playing games.
The cameras are also pretty impressive. I took a number of shots in different lights with the S22 Plus alongside Oppo's new Find X5 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
While professionals might argue over some of the details, to my eyes it's pretty clear there's not much between them. Each takes brilliant photos.
Sure, one may be slightly better outside in bright sunlight, but that tends to be offset by the shots inside in slightly darker conditions. Keep in mind the below examples have been scaled down and compressed in order to be published on the Newshub website.
There are three lenses on the back of the S22 Plus: The 50 MP main wide-angle camera supported by a 12 MP ultra-wide and a 10 MP telephoto offering 3x zoom.
If you're a big fan of selfies, you may find the 10 MP front facing camera a little underwhelming. I found it a touch darker than the other phones but with post-photo processing options it doesn't matter an awful lot in the big scheme of things.
Besides, my wrinkles and grey hairs really don't need that much highlighting.
The phone is protected by the latest Gorilla Glass Victus Plus and is also IP68 certified, ensuring it should emerge unscathed from being immersed in fresh water over a metre deep and avoid dust issues at the beach.
As has become standard with Samsung's phones, it also comes with four years of Android software updates and five years of security patches, meaning a long life for your buy, if you look after it.
The bad
It's probably not a surprise that the flaws of the S22 Plus are very similar to those of the Ultra.
As is becoming standard with flagship Android phones the lack of microSD options for additional storage means you can end up forking out more than you want to ensure you get enough room for all of your photos, games and music.
While that probably ensures your phone performs better overall, that extra $100 to upgrade from 128GB to 256GB ends up costing you a bit more than an extra card would.
The battery has also been reduced in size from last year, from a 4800 mAh one to a 4500 mAh offering.
With no access to last year's phone, it's hard to do a direct comparison, and the jump to the new Snapdragon processor may more than offset that reduction.
However, I considered the overall battery performance to be average. It didn't disappoint me and it didn't make me rub my hands together in glee, it's just very standard.
Apologies for relitigating a now old complaint, but the advertised 45W Super Fast charging isn't included in the box. You'll get a standard USB-C cable and you'll have to fork out extra if you want to be able to juice up quicker.
It'll be the last time I mention this. Maybe.
The verdict
Because I tend to like those bigger and bulkier phones more, I'll always prefer the S22 Ultra starting at $1999 over the Plus just because it ticks so many of my boxes.
However that $400 difference, better cameras and all, won't be worth it to everyone, so the great news is the S22 Plus will more than delight those who want a top performing phone and love Samsung's One Android overlay.
From the stunning screen and the beautiful rounded form to the excellent cameras, this really is a phone that impresses.
The only nagging question I have is whether the slightly larger and brighter screen is worth the extra $300 you'll pay over the $1299 for the standard S22.
The difference between 6.6-inches and 6.1-inches may be a big selling point to some. But the rest of the phone, battery aside, shares nearly identical specs, so it's a big price jump.
Regardless, you're still going to get an impressive four years of software updates and five years of security patches, with generous bundles available online if you want something like a new smartwatch too.
Those bundles may even be enough to put a smile back on your face as you get over the lack of a charger.
If you do decide to plunge for an S22 Plus, you're highly unlikely to be disappointed. Samsung knows how to make great phones and this is no exception.
Newshub was supplied with a Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus for this review.
