© Provided by CNET From left: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy S22 Plus and Galaxy S22. Lisa Eadicicco/CNETCan you wait to buy the Galaxy S22 ?
Samsung's Galaxy S23 series is expected to launch in February , which means the Galaxy S22 you're considering buying could look out of date in just a few weeks. Even if you want to get a discount and don't care about the latest phone, there's good reason to wait.
The biggest, of course, is that the Galaxy S23 family could have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which brings benefits like better graphics and power efficiency. A leaked image, purportedly posted by the WinFuture blog, also suggests a slightly different design.
However, the biggest update will come to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which is rumored to have a 200-megapixel camera, according to Ice Universe, which is usually correct. Samsung's new 200-megapixel image sensor should offer high quality and great performance in harsh conditions, my colleague Stephen Shankland reports. However, we won't know if that chip will be in the Galaxy S23 Ultra until Samsung announces the phone.
These changes might not sound like much, especially when it comes to the standard Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus. But it's still a good idea to wait if you can.
You get more from the Galaxy S23 than from older phones like the Galaxy S22 for two simple reasons. One of them is the new processor, so the performance stays fast for a long time. But more importantly, there are likely to be more software and security updates.
Last year, Samsung promised to provide four generations of Android updates and five years of security updates for the Galaxy S22, and it could do the same for the Galaxy S23. The Galaxy S22 is a year into that update cycle.
You may be tempted to buy the Galaxy S22 as there are plenty of deals available through Samsung and other retailers. I ask you to think that the same discount can be seen on the Galaxy S23 line after the launch of the device. For example, last year AT&T took $800 off the Galaxy S22, even though it was selling old broken phones . Samsung offered some discounts last year to push the Galaxy S22 family ahead of time. Those who order devices before February 24 are eligible to upgrade to the next storage level and receive Samsung credit that can be used toward a Galaxy Watch 4 or Samsung Freestyle projector.
There is also a possibility that we will see some discounts on the Galaxy S22 after the launch of the Galaxy S23. Samsung has marketed the Galaxy S21 FE as a slightly cheaper alternative to the 2022 Galaxy S22, aimed at an audience that typically prefers to save a few bucks over last year's model. Since Samsung has not released the Galaxy S22 FE, it can keep the Galaxy S22 variant at a low price.
Still, it's worth the wait if you can. Knowing what the Galaxy S23 offers and seeing what deals are available will help you make a more informed decision. And of course, CNET will have plenty of advice on whether the Galaxy S23 is worth upgrading once it hits the market.
