Samsung A35 Vs S22 Is It Worth Upgrading Or Is The Older S22 Still Better

Choosing between the Samsung Galaxy A35 and the Galaxy S22 isn’t just about picking a new phone—it’s about understanding what you truly need from your device. The S22, released in 2022, was a flagship powerhouse with premium features and top-tier performance. The A35, arriving in 2024, brings mid-range refinement with strong durability and solid specs at a lower price. But does that mean the A35 makes the S22 obsolete? Or does the older flagship still hold its ground?

This comparison dives deep into design, display, performance, camera quality, software support, and real-world usability to help you determine whether upgrading to the A35 makes sense—or if holding onto (or buying) an S22 remains the smarter choice.

Design and Build Quality

The Galaxy S22 stands out with its sleek, minimalist design featuring Armor Glass Victus and an aluminum frame. It feels compact and premium in hand, weighing just 167g with a 5.8-inch display—ideal for users who prefer one-handed use. Despite its smaller size, it maintains excellent water resistance with an IP68 rating.

In contrast, the A35 adopts a more utilitarian but durable approach. It uses Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back, paired with a plastic frame. While not as luxurious as the S22, it still carries an IP67 rating, meaning it's dust-tight and can survive brief immersion in water. At 195g and 6.6 inches, it’s larger and heavier, catering to those who prioritize screen space over portability.

Tip: If pocketability and premium feel matter most, the S22 wins. For durability on a budget, the A35 holds up well.

Display Comparison: Brightness vs. Resolution

The S22 boasts a 5.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a sharp 1080x2340 resolution and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Its peak brightness reaches up to 1,300 nits, making it highly visible even under direct sunlight. This screen delivers rich colors, deep blacks, and buttery-smooth scrolling—a hallmark of Samsung’s flagship lineup.

The A35 counters with a larger 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display, also at 1080p and 120Hz. However, its peak brightness caps around 1,000 nits—still good, but noticeably dimmer than the S22 in outdoor conditions. While both screens are excellent for media consumption, the S22’s superior color accuracy and higher brightness give it a clear edge for photographers, designers, or frequent outdoor users.

“Even two years later, the S22’s display remains competitive with many current flagships.” — TechRadar Display Analysis, 2024

Performance and Real-World Speed

Under the hood, the differences become stark. The S22 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (or Exynos 2200 in some regions), a true flagship chipset designed for heavy multitasking, gaming, and AI processing. Paired with 8GB of RAM, it handles demanding apps and games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile without breaking a sweat—even in 2024.

The A35, meanwhile, relies on the Exynos 1380—a capable mid-range processor with four Cortex-A78 cores and Mali-G68 MC4 GPU. It performs smoothly for everyday tasks: browsing, social media, video streaming, and light gaming. But when pushed with high-end games or prolonged multitasking, it shows thermal throttling and slower load times compared to the S22.

Feature	Samsung Galaxy S22	Samsung Galaxy A35
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 / Exynos 2200	Exynos 1380
RAM	8GB	6GB or 8GB
Storage Options	128GB / 256GB	128GB / 256GB
Benchmark (Geekbench 6)	Single: ~1,300 | Multi: ~3,700	Single: ~950 | Multi: ~3,200
Gaming Performance	High settings, stable FPS	Medium settings, occasional drops

Camera Capabilities: Flagship vs. Mid-Range Refinement

The S22’s triple rear system includes a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. Its computational photography engine excels in low-light environments, producing detailed night shots and accurate HDR balance. Video recording supports 8K at 24fps and 4K at 60fps, ideal for creators.

The A35 simplifies to a dual setup: 48MP main and 8MP ultra-wide, lacking a dedicated telephoto lens. While the primary sensor captures decent daylight photos, low-light performance lags behind due to smaller pixel binning and less advanced image processing. There’s no optical zoom—only digital cropping, which degrades quality quickly.

Front cameras are comparable: 10MP on the S22 and 13MP on the A35. The latter has a slight edge in selfies thanks to higher resolution, but skin tone rendering and background blur are more natural on the S22.

Tip: If you regularly shoot in low light or use zoom frequently, the S22 remains unmatched in this comparison.

Battery Life and Charging: Efficiency Over Power

The A35 packs a 5,000mAh battery, significantly larger than the S22’s 3,700mAh unit. In practice, this translates to 1.5 to 2 full days of moderate use on the A35, while the S22 often requires daily charging, sometimes twice under heavy loads.

However, efficiency matters. The Exynos 1380 is built on a 5nm process and optimized for power savings, helping the A35 achieve long endurance despite its large screen. The S22’s powerful chip consumes more energy, especially during gaming or 5G usage.

Charging speed favors the A35 too: 25W fast charging versus the S22’s 25W wired and 10W wireless options. Notably, the S22 supports reverse wireless charging; the A35 does not.

Real-World Example: Daily Use Scenario

Meet Priya, a freelance photographer and commuter. She uses her phone for navigation, editing JPEGs, messaging clients, and capturing reference shots. She upgraded from an aging S10 to the A35 for its longer battery and affordable price. But within weeks, she noticed slow gallery loading when reviewing RAW-like shots, blurry distant subjects without zoom, and lag when switching between Lightroom and WhatsApp.

She traded back into a refurbished S22. Though the battery dies by evening, the faster processor, superior camera detail, and brighter screen made her workflow smoother. For her use case, performance trumped longevity.

Software Support and Longevity

One critical factor often overlooked is update policy. Samsung promises four major Android OS upgrades and five years of security patches for the S22 series—meaning it will be supported through Android 16 and into 2027. The A35 receives four OS updates as well, starting from Android 13, so it should reach Android 17.

While both have similar update commitments, the S22 benefits from earlier access to beta programs, priority bug fixes, and faster rollout speeds due to its flagship status. Users report receiving updates weeks before mid-range models.

“Flagship phones may cost more upfront, but their extended software life often makes them more cost-effective over time.” — David Kim, Mobile Analyst at Android Authority

Is Upgrading to the A35 Worth It?

If you’re currently using a phone older than the S20 series, the A35 offers significant improvements: better battery, modern design, improved main camera, and 5G connectivity—all at a fraction of flagship cost. For students, casual users, or secondary-device buyers, it’s an excellent value pick.

But if you already own an S22, upgrading to the A35 is a downgrade in nearly every department except battery capacity. You’d sacrifice performance, display quality, camera versatility, and build refinement. Unless battery life is your absolute priority or your S22 is damaged beyond repair, staying put is the logical move.

Checklist: Should You Upgrade?

• ✅ Need longer battery life than your current device?
• ✅ On a tight budget (under $400)?
• ✅ Prefer larger screens for videos or reading?
• ❌ Already own an S22 or newer flagship?
• ❌ Use your phone for gaming, photography, or creative work?
• ❌ Want the fastest app performance and longest resale value?

If most of your answers are “yes” to the first three and “no” to the last three, the A35 could be right for you. Otherwise, the S22 still holds up remarkably well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the A35 replace the S22 in 2024?

For basic tasks like calls, messaging, streaming, and light photography, yes. But for power users, creatives, or gamers, the S22 remains superior in responsiveness, camera flexibility, and screen quality.

Is the S22 still worth buying used in 2024?

Absolutely. Refurbished S22 units often sell for $300–$400 and deliver flagship-level performance, software support until 2027, and a compact form factor rarely seen today. Just verify battery health before purchase.

Does the A35 support expandable storage?

Yes. Unlike the S22, the A35 includes a microSD card slot, supporting up to 1TB of additional storage—an advantage for users who store lots of photos, videos, or offline media.

Final Verdict: Make the Choice That Fits Your Lifestyle

The Samsung Galaxy A35 is a strong contender in the mid-range segment, offering durability, solid battery life, and reliable day-to-day performance. But the Galaxy S22, despite being two years older, proves that flagship engineering leaves a lasting impact. Its superior processor, brighter display, versatile camera system, and premium build make it relevant even in 2024.

Upgrading to the A35 only makes sense if you're coming from a much older or non-flagship device and prioritize affordability and endurance. But if you already enjoy the S22 experience—or are considering buying one secondhand—you’ll likely find the A35 underwhelming in comparison.

💬 Have experience with both phones? Share your thoughts below—help others decide whether to upgrade, hold on, or go retro with a proven flagship.