To restore what we mentioned in our full review, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the first in the Galaxy S series to come with a built-in S Pen.
Much like the earlier released Samsung Galaxy Note20 and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, the S Pen has a lot of features that can help in productivity. Additionally, it now comes with a new bunch of strategies in its sleeve that you may not know.
In previous S series models, you could say that the S Pen was an unfamiliar element to many S Series users, even the marketing of the S21 Ultra did not highlight the S Pen too much. Well, at that point it still doesn’t feel fully integrated with the phone, considering that you have to buy it separately with an external case to store the S Pen.
The S22 Ultra purposefully integrates the S Pen better, and it can be seen in many ways that increase the use of smart stylus phones.
A familiar design
The S Pen can be found in the lower left corner of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra next to the charging port.
Like the S Pens found in the Galaxy Note20, it has a flat round tube shape. This means that those accustomed to using the Note20’s S Pen will feel at home with the S22 Ultra.
Much like a real pen, you can press the back of the S Pen for a satisfying, audible click. As fun as it is to press, there is nothing more practical than helping you get it out of the phone.
Not surprisingly, the S Pen glides effortlessly on the display surface for a 2.8ms latency. However, if you use a matte screen protector, you may feel some friction with the S Pen while writing or drawing.
The Stylus supports pressure sensitivity up to 4,096, allowing you to create more dense lines if you apply more pressure to the display. This feature seems to apply to mobile artists, but in general, it’s a nice touch that makes writing with S Pen more realistic.
Try not to apply too much pressure as this can damage the non-replaceable nib and once damaged or broken, you will need to replace the S Pen completely.
Even with the S Pen removed, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is still waterproof because the inside of the storage bogie is also impervious to water loss.
In the name of productivity and creativity
If you turn off the screen and remove the S Pen, it will launch the Samsung Notes app which lets you download doodles or notes.
At the top, you can change the color and thickness of the pen tool as well as access the eraser tool.
Alternatively, you can hold the button next to the S Pen to quickly switch to the Eraser tool, which is more intuitive.
Once you’re done, you can pin it to the always-on display where it will be shown when the screen is off. If you want to replace what you pinned, all you have to do is create a new note and pin it.
These are great for quick notes while unlocking your phone and not having to go through the speed of opening the Note app. The ability to pin notes also comes in handy for quick reminders, a grocery list and more.
With S Pen Out, you can tap on the floating pen icon to access various S Pen features including Smart Select, Screen Writing, Live Message, AR Doodle, Translate and PenUp.
To give a brief explanation of some of the features found in the S22 Ultra, Smart Selection lets you take a screenshot of a region on your display so you can either draw on it or extract text.
Screenwriting is almost like the previous feature, it captures the whole screen and you can only draw on it. Then there is the live message that lets you add animated doodles to pictures or videos
Finally, PENUP is a sketching app that doubles as a social media platform that lets you share images you create. You can also browse and rate other people’s drawings.
For those who really work on their phones, Smart Select and Screenwriting are beneficial, while I will consider Live Messaging and PENUP nice, fun additions that you can make to the S22 Ultra.
The S22 Ultra also supports the S Pen Air Action feature, only activating your S Pen by waving it in the air.
By drawing “V” in the air, you can instruct the phone to open the latest apps or browse backwards. If you want to get to your home screen, all you have to do is draw a reverse-down “V” instead.
This feature can be further customized so that you can easily launch your favorite apps with a wave of your S Pen.
A side button with multiple uses
In addition to the S Pen features, the side button can be used with other compatible apps.
For example, you can use it to pause your music or pause a YouTube video on Spotify. You can also use the side button as a remote shutter to take pictures.
The latter comes in handy when taking selfies or taking a large group photo while the phone is on the tripod.
There are a few more strategies inside it
When you have an S Pen equipped with so much functionality, the last thing you want is to lose it. Fortunately, the S22 Ultra’s Settings menu has a “Warning if S Pen left” option that warns you if the S Pen is a long way from the S22 Ultra.
It is also possible to use multiple S pens on a device by turning on the “Allow multiple S pens” setting. While this may come in handy for collaboration, it seems like a very special and situational feature.
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For quick price reduction, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra starts at RM5,099 (8GB, 128GB storage) and goes up to RM5,499 (12GB, 256GB storage) and RM5,899 (12GB, 512GB storage). If you ever need an S Pen replacement, it will probably cost you more than RM200.
Once your S Pen runs out of juice, it can still be used for basic scribbling, but remote functions will be unavailable. To recharge it, slot it on the phone again
Actually, I don’t see myself using every feature of the S Pen in my daily phone usage, but I’m sure there are others out there who actually make the most of it.
Nevertheless, the ease with which it can be carried without relying on an external case for storage makes the S22 Ultra’s S Pen an easy tool for tackling both productivity and monotony.
- Learn more about Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Here.
- Read more technology reviews here.
