The Galaxy S22 is a conditional gaming upgrade, not an automatic one. Its newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Exynos 2200 can deliver higher peak performance than the Galaxy S21’s Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, but the result depends on your region, game, settings, session length, and the condition of the individual phone. In controlled tests, the Exynos versions had virtually identical long-run 3DMark stability, while one direct gaming-battery test slightly favored the S22 despite its smaller battery.
The short answer
Choose the Galaxy S22 when you are comparing the same regional chip family, want the newer platform, and find a unit with a healthy battery. Choose the Galaxy S21 when it is substantially cheaper, when its larger battery matters more than peak benchmark speed, or when you are comparing an exceptionally well-kept S21 with a worn S22.
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Do not compare an American Snapdragon S22 with an international Exynos S21 and call the result a generational upgrade. Those are different processor and graphics combinations. For a fair decision, identify the exact model number, test the games you actually play, and judge sustained frame rate rather than a short benchmark score.
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Hardware differences that affect gaming
Regional processors are the first thing to check
Samsung sold the two generations with different system-on-chip (SoC) versions by market. PhoneArena lists the United States Galaxy S21 with Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 and the international S21 with Samsung Exynos 2100. The United States Galaxy S22 uses Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, while international models use Exynos 2200.
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| Phone and market | Processor | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S21, United States | Snapdragon 888 | Different CPU/GPU platform from the international S21; benchmark results from Exynos testing do not describe this model. |
| Galaxy S21, international markets | Exynos 2100 | The version used in Notebookcheck’s S21 thermal and game measurements. |
| Galaxy S22, United States | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Different thermal and graphics behavior from the Exynos S22; do not substitute one variant’s test for the other. |
| Galaxy S22, international markets | Exynos 2200 | The version used in Notebookcheck’s S22 measurements and DXOMARK’s listed comparison. |
A model sold through an importer can therefore have a processor that is unusual for your country. Check the model number and specification before relying on any benchmark, review, or seller description.
The S22 has a smaller rated battery
PhoneArena lists a 3,700mAh battery for the Galaxy S22 and 4,000mAh for the Galaxy S21. The S22’s rated capacity is about 7.5% lower, commonly rounded to an 8% reduction. Capacity is only one input to runtime: the SoC, display refresh behavior, modem activity, brightness, game engine, firmware, and battery wear also matter.
Both phones can drive high refresh rates, but games set their own limits
Samsung describes the S22 display component as supporting 48–120Hz. Its adaptive technology can reduce application-processor-to-display data transfer as low as 10Hz to save power. That describes display operation, not a guarantee that a game renders at 120 frames per second. A game may be capped at 30 or 60fps, or may fluctuate below its cap because of graphics load.
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Samsung’s Singapore launch announcement lists 25W wired charging for the base S22. PhoneArena reports that both generations support up to 25W wired charging, up to 15W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging, and that neither phone includes a charging brick in the box. A compatible 25W USB-C charger can reduce time spent plugged in, but it does not increase a phone’s sustained gaming performance.
Peak benchmark speed versus sustained gaming
A brief benchmark measures what a phone can do while it is cool. A long gaming session measures how well it can hold that speed after heat accumulates. These phones show why the distinction matters.
What the mixed-chip South African comparison found
MyBroadband’s 2022 South African comparison paired an Exynos 2100 Galaxy S21 with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Galaxy S22. In that specific pairing, the S22 scored 8% higher in Geekbench 5 single-core performance and 2% higher in multi-core performance. Its 3DMark Wild Life overall score was 51% higher.
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In the same article’s CPU-throttle test, the S22’s average speed was reported as 21% higher, with table results of 84% for the S22 and 81% for the S21. The article said neither phone showed significant temperature throttling in that test. Those results support a peak-performance advantage for that Snapdragon-versus-Exynos comparison; they are not a same-chip regional comparison and should not be applied to every S21 and S22.
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Notebookcheck’s Exynos S21 measurements
Notebookcheck used Gamebench on an Exynos Galaxy S21. Armajet version 1.57.2 averaged 101.4fps, with results ranging from 72 to 120fps. PUBG Mobile version 1.2.0 averaged 29.9fps, ranging from 28 to 31fps. The measured temperature in its temperature test was 35.8°C.
In a 20-repetition 3DMark Wild Life stress test, only 56.5% of the S21’s initial performance remained at the end. That stability figure is a sustained-load indicator, not a prediction of the frame rate in every game.
Notebookcheck’s Exynos S22 measurements
Notebookcheck’s tested Exynos Galaxy S22 did not exceed about 30fps in its measured versions of Armajet and PUBG Mobile, regardless of graphics settings, even though the screen supports up to 120Hz. The review reported that the Exynos 2200 reached maximum performance only while cool and throttled significantly after short demanding workloads.
The Exynos S22 recorded 56.4% Wild Life stress stability, effectively tied with the S21’s 56.5% in the same reviewer’s comparison table. Notebookcheck also reported more temperature problems on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 variant than on the Exynos 2200 model. That observation is a warning not to use the Exynos S22 result as a direct test of a Snapdragon S22.
| Test or observation | Galaxy S21 result | Galaxy S22 result | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|---|
| MyBroadband Geekbench 5 single-core, South Africa | Exynos 2100 baseline | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was 8% higher | Peak CPU result from a mixed-chip comparison. |
| MyBroadband Geekbench 5 multi-core, South Africa | Exynos 2100 baseline | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was 2% higher | Small advantage in that pairing. |
| MyBroadband 3DMark Wild Life overall, South Africa | Exynos 2100 baseline | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was 51% higher | Large peak-graphics difference in that particular comparison. |
| Notebookcheck Wild Life stress stability | 56.5% after 20 repetitions, Exynos 2100 | 56.4% after 20 repetitions, Exynos 2200 | Essentially tied sustained stability for the tested Exynos units. |
| Notebookcheck Armajet | 101.4fps average, 72–120fps range, Exynos S21 | About 30fps maximum in the tested version, Exynos S22 | Different game builds, settings behavior, and test conditions prevent a universal winner claim. |
The apparently contradictory results are not an error: they answer different questions. The South African test compared unlike chips and emphasized peak scores. Notebookcheck compared sustained behavior in specific Exynos phones and game versions. A buyer should give more weight to the test that matches the phone’s region, the games played, and the length of a normal session.
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- The S22 uses a flat (non‑curved) 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with adaptive 120 Hz refresh that dynamically adjusts between 48 – 120 Hz depending on content — which means smoother scrolling and better battery efficiency when high refresh isn’t needed.
Heat, throttling, and long sessions
Why the first five minutes can mislead you
Modern mobile chips briefly raise clock speeds when they have thermal headroom. As the phone warms, the system can lower CPU and GPU clocks to protect the device. A short race, match, or benchmark may therefore feel faster than the same game after 20 or 30 minutes.
The Exynos evidence shows this clearly: the two phones’ Wild Life stability results were nearly identical, despite the S22 having a newer processor. The S22’s Exynos 2200 could reach high performance while cool, but Notebookcheck observed substantial throttling after short demanding workloads. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 S22 also has a separate report of more temperature problems than the Exynos version, so processor branding alone does not settle the heat question.
What changes the temperature in actual use
- Graphics quality and frame-rate targets increase GPU work.
- High screen brightness adds display power draw and heat.
- Weak cellular signal makes the modem work harder during online play.
- Warm rooms, direct sunlight, and a thick case reduce the phone’s ability to shed heat.
- Playing while charging adds another heat source.
- Battery age can increase drain and make a used phone feel less consistent than a launch-era test unit.
These are operating factors, not measurements proving that one model always runs hotter. Treat the measured temperatures and stability percentages as evidence about the tested units under their stated protocols.
Practical ways to keep either phone steadier
- Run the game at the frame-rate and graphics combination it can sustain, rather than selecting the highest preset automatically.
- Test for a full session, not just a menu benchmark. Record the frame-rate behavior after the phone has warmed up.
- Remove a heat-trapping case for a demanding session and avoid direct sunlight.
- Keep brightness and mobile-signal conditions consistent when comparing two phones.
- Let the phone cool before repeating a benchmark so the second run is not confused with a cold-start result.
- If performance suddenly falls, lower the graphics load, pause charging, and allow the device to cool before diagnosing a hardware fault.
Gaming battery life: the measured results
PhoneArena’s direct battery comparison recorded 4 hours 29 minutes for the Galaxy S22 and 4 hours 14 minutes for the Galaxy S21 in its 3D gaming test. In that test setup, the smaller-rated S22 battery lasted 15 minutes longer. The same source measured 7 hours 26 minutes of video streaming on the S22 and 7 hours 36 minutes on the S21.
| PhoneArena test | Galaxy S21 | Galaxy S22 | What the result does and does not show |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3D gaming battery test | 4h 14min | 4h 29min | S22 lasted 15 minutes longer in this outlet’s protocol. |
| Video streaming | 7h 36min | 7h 26min | S21 lasted 10 minutes longer in this non-gaming test. |
| Rated battery capacity | 4,000mAh | 3,700mAh | S21 has the larger nominal capacity; capacity alone did not determine the gaming result. |
PhoneArena’s surfaced page does not expose a publication year for these figures, so they should be treated as results from that outlet’s test setup rather than as a current guarantee. Brightness, refresh behavior, game engine, network conditions, ambient temperature, firmware, and battery age can all move the result substantially.
DXOMARK lists its tested Exynos S22 with a 3,700mAh battery and Exynos 2200, and its Exynos S21 comparison device with 4,000mAh and Exynos 2100. Its protocol covers controlled typical use and calibrated single-use cases, but the surfaced result does not provide a direct S21-versus-S22 gaming-runtime figure. It cannot be used to declare a gaming winner.
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What 120Hz means for games
A 120Hz panel can refresh the image up to 120 times per second when the system and application supply frames quickly enough. It does not create those frames. The game engine, GPU workload, thermal state, and the game’s own frame-rate cap determine the rendered fps.
Samsung’s explanation says the S22 display component supports 48–120Hz and that adaptive behavior can lower application-processor-to-display data transfer to as little as 10Hz to save power. The lower end is a power-management capability, not a claim that games run at 10fps. Conversely, the 120Hz ceiling is not evidence of 120fps gameplay. Notebookcheck’s Exynos S22 tests reached only about 30fps in the measured Armajet and PUBG Mobile versions regardless of graphics settings.
For a competitive game that genuinely supports 90 or 120fps, a compatible high-refresh mode can make motion look smoother. For a title capped at 30 or 60fps, the panel’s maximum refresh rate does not remove that cap.
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| Your situation | More defensible choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| You are in the United States and comparing Snapdragon models at similar condition and price | Galaxy S22, if sustained testing of your games is satisfactory | It has the newer Snapdragon platform, but the smaller battery and possible heat behavior still need checking. |
| You are in an Exynos market and play long sessions | Whichever individual unit holds steadier fps and has the healthier battery | Notebookcheck’s Exynos stress stability was 56.4% for S22 and 56.5% for S21, effectively tied. |
| You mainly play short sessions and value peak graphics scores | Galaxy S22 | The South African mixed-chip test recorded a 51% higher 3DMark Wild Life score for the Snapdragon S22 over the Exynos S21. |
| You need maximum time away from a charger and find an S21 in excellent condition | Galaxy S21 can be the better value | Its rated battery is 4,000mAh versus 3,700mAh, and a healthy older phone can outperform a worn newer one in practical endurance. |
| You want a 120fps guarantee | Neither based on the specifications alone | 120Hz is the panel ceiling; game support and sustained rendering determine actual fps. |
The table’s recommendations assume comparable storage, network compatibility, and physical condition. A heavily worn S22 battery or a phone with prior heat damage should not be treated as equivalent to a lightly used S21.
How to evaluate a used S21 or S22 before buying
1. Confirm the exact regional model
Open the phone’s About phone screen and record the model number. Match that number to the seller’s stated market and processor. Do not rely solely on the words “Galaxy S22,” because the same name covers Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200 versions.
2. Ask about battery condition
Request the phone’s battery-health information if the seller has it, ask how long it has been used, and check whether a return period is available. Launch-era battery tests cannot reveal the remaining capacity of a particular used handset.
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3. Test your actual games
Install the games you play, use the intended graphics and frame-rate settings, and play long enough for the phone to warm up. Watch for sudden frame-rate drops, touch interruptions, excessive heat, or rapid battery loss. A single benchmark score is not a substitute for this test.
4. Check charging and accessories
Both phones can accept up to 25W wired charging, but neither was reported to include a charging brick. Verify that the USB-C port works reliably and budget for a compatible charger if the used listing does not include one.
5. Verify network and software support
Imported models may have different cellular-band support and firmware behavior. Confirm compatibility with your carrier and check that the phone can update normally before giving performance results more weight than those practical constraints.
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- Mixing processor variants: A Snapdragon S22 versus Exynos S21 comparison is not a clean generational test.
- Using a peak score as a session prediction: A high 3DMark result can coexist with substantial later throttling.
- Reading battery capacity as runtime: The S22’s 3,700mAh rating was smaller, yet it lasted longer in PhoneArena’s named 3D test.
- Assuming 120Hz equals 120fps: The display can refresh at that rate only when the game and rendering pipeline provide enough frames.
- Ignoring used-device wear: Battery aging and past thermal stress can outweigh the paper difference between generations.
- Comparing different game versions: Notebookcheck’s S21 and S22 measurements used identified but different software builds and should not be read as a universal head-to-head frame-rate chart.
Bottom-line buying verdict
The Galaxy S22 is the more modern gaming platform, and a Snapdragon S22 can show a substantial peak-graphics lead over an Exynos S21 in a mixed-chip comparison. That advantage is not guaranteed to survive a long session: Notebookcheck’s Exynos stress results were effectively tied, and the S22’s smaller battery did not prevent it from slightly winning PhoneArena’s specific 3D gaming test.
For a new purchase of these older generations, prioritize the exact SoC and the condition of the individual phone. Pick the S22 when its regional variant matches the performance evidence you are using and its battery is healthy. Pick the S21 when its lower price, larger rated battery, or better physical condition matters more than newer peak hardware. In either case, test the games and session length that define your own use.
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