With the year 2022 upon us, we are looking at the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S22 launch, and now that the OnePlus 9T has not appeared and the iPhone 13 and Pixel 6 are available for purchase, this will be the next big smartphone launch (as the Galaxy S21 FE has been a bit disappointing so far).

It would be very surprising if the Samsung Galaxy S22 was not immediately installed at the top of the list of best smartphones, but how exactly is it different from the Galaxy S21 devices that are now available at rapidly dropping prices? Is it worth the upgrade?

Here are the biggest differences we expect between the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S22 and the readily available Galaxy S21.

If you own a Samsung Galaxy S21 and the bold new look is important to you, you may want to miss the S22. Rendered images from the usually reliable leaker OnLeaks show a device that is virtually indistinguishable from the current model, at least for the basic Galaxy S22 and S22 Pro (which appears to have been renamed from the Plus model for 2022)

The only exception to this is said to be the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which appears to be a Galaxy Note 22 in everything but name, with a large 6.8-inch display, stylish curved design, and space for docking the S Pen. The S Pen is supported by the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, but there was no space to put the S Pen down to charge it when not in use (unless you buy a specially designed case).

Incidentally, the rumored 6.8-inch size is virtually the same as the S21 Ultra, but the other two models are said to take up less pocket space; the S21 and S21 Plus had 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch screens, while the S22 and S22 Pro have 6.06-inch and 6.55-inch panels, reportedly.

The smaller screen size means a smaller battery footprint, and aside from the Ultra, the S22 family's battery capacity is said to be reduced as a result. The regular and Pro models are expected to have about 200 mAh less than the 2021 model, but this may not be noticeable in daily use, as the smaller screen means less battery drain.

Another major factor regarding stamina is chip efficiency, which is one of the known unknowns regarding the Samsung Galaxy S22. What is guaranteed, however, is that the new phone will be faster in every respect, whether it is the rumored Qualcomm Snapdragon 895 model or the version said to be powered by Samsung's Exynos 2200 chipset.

But thanks to Samsung's partnership with AMD, there will be tremendous mobile gaming performance, and maybe even room for ray tracing. A leaked Ice Universe tweet certainly shows promise in that regard:

Whether you get the Exynos chip or the Qualcomm version depends on where you live, and the leaker @FrontTron says the new Exynos chip's " low yield" thanks to "most markets," claiming that "most markets" will get the latter.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor in the Galaxy S21 is of course not inferior and can easily handle anything you try to throw at it. So for most people, the speed difference could be purely theoretical, unless app makers move quickly to take advantage of the new Exynos chip.

Camera arrays seem to be one of the areas where Samsung is planning major, radical changes from the S21-perhaps through a partnership with Olympus.

The S21 Ultra's 108MP, f/1.8 lens is expected to be retained in the S22 Ultra, but the rear camera design is said to be different and could be "P" shaped or even "water drop" shaped, as shown in the render above.

Meanwhile, it has been suggested that the regular and Pro models will see a decent set of upgrades. The main lens is expected to be upgraded to 50 MP, with a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle and telephoto camera. Its telephoto lens could be 3x optical, a significant upgrade from the S21's 3x hybrid model. However, Samsung is said to be incorporating an RGBW sensor, which could address a weakness in the company's cameras: improved color in high-contrast scenes.

There is also talk of being able to shoot 8K video at 60 fps, which would be an upgrade over the 24 fps limit currently on the S21. 8K TVs are so few and far between that it won't make the list of necessary features for many, but equally It would be great.

Rumors surrounding the Galaxy S22 Ultra suggest that it will be more Galaxy Note-like than ever. From the built-in S Pen to the familiar design, the new Ultra model appears to be a step up from the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

According to leaked photos, the Galaxy S22 Ultra looks very different, right down to the camera: instead of a single module like the S21 Ultra, each lens seems to be independently placed flush with the back of the phone.

We'll have to wait to see the Galaxy S22 Ultra for ourselves before we can judge. That said, we have high hopes for the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Of course, these are all rumors, but assuming they are accurate, the Samsung Galaxy S22 looks to be a solid upgrade of the S21 - especially the S22 Ultra, which should scratch the itch of Galaxy Note fans discouraged by the non-show in 2021.

Of course, these upgrades come with a hefty MSRP and may not be substantial enough to justify a purchase over the still very good S21, as Samsung's flagships drop in value fairly quickly. If we can get the phone in our hands and put it through its paces, we'll have a better idea ...