Samsung may have lied to us about the Galaxy S22’s refresh rate.
It’s easy to see why the Samsung Galaxy S22 series is so popular by looking at its specifications. However, the refresh rates of the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus are shown in two different ways depending on which table you look at, giving you a drastically different view of the phones’ capabilities.
During its introduction day, Samsung said that the upcoming Galaxy S22 and S22 Ultra had an adjustable refresh rate that could range from 10–120Hz (with 1 – 120Hz on the Galaxy S22 Ultra). That same press release for the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus has been modified to indicate that the maximum display refresh rate is 48Hz, as it was for the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus last year.
Samsung’s S22 and S22+ spec sheets have been updated from 10Hz – 120Hz to 48Hz – 120Hz. It would have been a first for a company to release a commercial product at lower than 48 Hz as a demo.
Samsung’s website still lists the 10Hz – 120Hz standard, which just serves to further complicate matters.
It’s likely, says Young, that the 48Hz value is true, and that the gap between the various specifications sheets is due to this. He claims that although LTPS screens (such as the ones found in the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus) may achieve a refresh rate of 10Hz under test circumstances, this won’t be the case for the final products that people buy.
This is why in the initial wave of marketing material, Samsung utilised the data from its labs, but is now modifying this to better reflect the product that consumers can actually purchase.
This item will be updated when we hear back from Samsung on the refresh rate of the Galaxy S22, so stay tuned.
Is it important what the refresh rate is?
However, Samsung’s 10Hz minimum spec listing may have mislead customers, but it is not a deal-breaker. While the phone drops down to 48Hz, you still receive the claimed maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, and you still conserve power.
It’s possible that the longer minimum refresh rate may limit power savings, which would be bad news for the S22 and S22 Plus’ battery life, especially because Samsung has lowered battery capacity this year compared to last year’s model. When we’re done with our evaluations, we’ll have to check how they do on our special TG battery test.
Samsung’s brilliant screens, which can reach 1,750 nits on the Galaxy S22 Plus, are still a bonus. However, the Galaxy S22 Ultra still boasts the best display with a 6.8-inch LTPO display capable of an adjustable refresh rate of between 1Hz and 120Hz; it has the same 1,750-nit brightness as the Galaxy S22 Plus and works with the phone’s built-in S Pen.
If I were to purchase an S22, I’d be upset that the display wasn’t nearly as fantastic as Samsung had previously said. I don’t believe it’s worth cancelling your pre-order for the Galaxy S22. Fortunately, the phone won’t be available until February 25th, so if you’ve been put off by the delay, you still have time to get your money back.