Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra early impressions: Say hello to the S Pen

Samsung’s most expensive nonfoldable phone is taking a lesson from the company’s past. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, announced on Wednesday alongside the Galaxy S22, S22 Plus and the Galaxy Tab S8 effectively replaces the Galaxy Note in Samsung’s lineup. The Galaxy S22 Ultra starts at $1,200 (£1,149, approx. AU$2,170) and launches on Feb. 25, with preorders live now.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is the first Samsung phone since the Galaxy Note 20 to not only incorporate S Pen support, like the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Z Fold 3, but also include a physical slot on the phone for stowing the stylus. S Pen fans who bought last year’s Galaxy S21 Ultra had to buy the stylus separately and opt for a specific phone case that could store it. Other upgrades to the phone are more iterative, including steps forward in the processor, camera and screen.

Samsung declined to comment on future products when asked if it would release new Galaxy Note phones in the future. But it did say the company is now thinking of the Galaxy Note as an “experience” more than a product line, and it plans to point Note fans toward the Galaxy S22 Ultra in future.

The Galaxy Note, which debuted more than a decade ago, was an industry disrupter. It popularized bigger screens, and Samsung further distinguished the line with exclusive features that were missing from other Galaxy phones. 

But the Note’s place has become less clear. In 2020, Samsung squeezed the Note lineup in between the Galaxy S20 and S20 Ultra. The Note line skipped 2021 entirely. Now, the Galaxy S22 Ultra represents what appears to be a much-needed merging of the Note and the Ultra.

A more Note-like experience on the Galaxy S22 Ultra

In addition to full S Pen support and a spot inside the phone to store it, Samsung also made some improvements to the way its stylus works. The latency is lower, and it can transcribe handwritten notes to text in 88 languages. In the brief time I had to try the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the S Pen felt fluid and responsive, although it’s hard to tell if it was any different than before. 

The Galaxy S22 Ultra has also inherited the Note’s more streamlined design, which has sharper edges and a more angular look compared to the standard Galaxy S phones. This gives it the more “notebook” like shape that Note fans are likely familiar with, and it could be helpful for reading and reviewing documents. The regular Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus, which Samsung also announced on Wednesday, have a more rounded aesthetic by comparison. 

This makes the S22 Ultra feel…