Smartphone Comparison: OnePlus 9 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
1. Specifications Comparison
Design
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Dimensions | 163.2 × 73.6 × 8.7 mm | 167.2 × 76.4 × 9 mm | The A22 5G is slightly larger, may feel less comfortable in smaller hands or pockets. The 9 Pro has a more compact footprint, which may be more comfortable for some users. |
| Weight | 197g | 203g | The 9 Pro is lighter, may feel less fatiguing during extended use. The 6 gram difference is noticeable |
| Build Material | Not specified | Not specified | Unknown. We have no data to compare. |
Display
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Size | 6.7" | 6.6" | The 9 Pro provides a slightly larger viewing area, beneficial for media consumption and multitasking. |
| Resolution | 1440x3216 | 1080x2400 | The 9 Pro's higher resolution results in a sharper, more detailed display with less pixelation, improving the viewing experience for text and images. |
| Pixel Density (PPI) | 525 | 399 | The 9 Pro has a noticeably sharper display, resulting in much finer details and less blurriness. |
| Technology | Not Specified | TFT LCD | The Galaxy A22 5G uses a TFT LCD screen, the technology of the OnePlus 9 Pro is not specified. |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 90Hz | The 9 Pro's 120Hz refresh rate offers smoother scrolling and animations, making the user interface feel more fluid and responsive. |
| Brightness | 1300 nits | 0 nits | The 9 Pro is much brighter, making it much more usable in direct sunlight. The Galaxy A22 5G's screen will be hard to see in bright environments, due to the missing specs it's hard to compare. |
| Screen Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Unknown | The 9 Pro provides better screen protection with its Corning Gorilla Glass 5, meaning better resistance against scratches and minor falls. |
Performance
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm) | The 9 Pro's Snapdragon 888 is significantly more powerful, enabling faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. |
| AnTuTu Score | 877,600 | 379,800 | The 9 Pro offers drastically better performance, excelling in demanding tasks and gaming, while the A22 5G is better suited for everyday tasks. |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Mali-G57 MC2 | The 9 Pro's Adreno 660 GPU is much more powerful, providing superior graphics performance, crucial for high-end gaming and demanding applications. |
Camera
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Main Camera Resolution | 48MP | 48MP | Both have 48MP main sensors, but the 9 Pro has a larger sensor which may result in better low-light performance and detail capture. |
| Main Camera Sensor Size | 1/1.43" | 1/2" | The larger sensor of the 9 Pro captures more light, resulting in better image quality, especially in low-light conditions, and finer detail. |
| Main Camera Pixel Size | 1.12 µm | 0.80 µm | The 9 Pro has larger pixels, capturing more light per pixel which improves low-light performance. |
| Selfie Camera Resolution | 16MP | 8MP | The 9 Pro’s front camera produces higher resolution selfies with more detail. |
| Selfie Camera Aperture | f/2.4 | f/2.0 | The A22 5G has a wider aperture for better low-light selfies. |
| Telephoto Lens | 8MP | None | The 9 Pro's dedicated telephoto lens enables optical zoom capabilities, allowing closer shots without digital zoom's quality loss. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 50MP | 5MP | The 9 Pro's ultra-wide camera captures significantly more detail and clarity in wide shots. |
| Portrait (Depth) Lens | None | 5MP | The A22 5G has a dedicated depth sensor for better portrait mode with a more natural bokeh effect. |
| Black & White Lens | 2MP | None | The 9 Pro has a dedicated black and white lens for artistic monochrome photography. |
| Video Recording | Up to 8K@30fps | Up to 1152p@30fps | The 9 Pro can record significantly higher quality videos, suitable for professional-grade content creation. |
| Video Stabilization | Yes (with EIS) | No | The 9 Pro's video recording is more stable, reducing shakiness and blur, while the Galaxy A22 5G relies more on the user's steadiness. |
| Slow-motion Video | 480 fps | 120 fps | The 9 Pro captures much slower motion videos with more detail. |
| DxOMark Score (Mobile) | 122 | 48 | The 9 Pro has much superior camera performance overall based on the DxOMark score |
| DxOMark Score (Photo) | 124 | 0 | The 9 Pro's photo quality is significantly superior, based on the DxOMark score |
| DxOMark Score (Video) | 118 | 0 | The 9 Pro's video quality is significantly superior, based on the DxOMark score |
| Camera Features | More (including OIS, 8K video, RAW capture) | Less | The 9 Pro has a much richer set of features, suitable for pro users. |
Battery
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Capacity | 4500 mAh | 5000 mAh | The A22 5G's larger battery offers better battery life and more usage time between charges. |
| Charging Speed | 65W | 15W | The 9 Pro charges much faster, reducing downtime. |
| Features | Reverse charging, Wireless charging 50W | None | The 9 Pro offers the convenience of wireless and reverse charging, expanding its utility and functionality. |
Software
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Operating System | Android 11 (upgradable to 14) | Android 11 (upgradable to 13) | The 9 Pro will receive software updates longer, providing access to the latest features and security improvements. |
Connectivity
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) | The 9 Pro has newer Wi-Fi standards, enabling faster speeds and better performance in congested networks. |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.0 | The 9 Pro has a newer Bluetooth version, which may offer more stable connections and better power efficiency. |
| GPS | More satellites | Less satellites | The 9 Pro is more accurate in tracking locations with its dual band and more satellite support |
Storage
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Internal Storage | 128 GB or 256 GB | 64 GB or 128 GB | The 9 Pro offers more storage, better for users with large media libraries and heavy apps, and has higher base storage options. |
| RAM | 8 GB or 12 GB | 4 GB or 6 GB or 8 GB | The 9 Pro offers substantially more RAM in the higher end model, allowing smoother multitasking and better performance for memory intensive applications. |
| Expandable Storage | No | No | Neither phone allows adding more storage with SD cards, so users are limited to what comes with the phone. |
Audio
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Features | Dolby Atmos, Stereo Speakers, Noise cancellation microphone | Dolby Atmos | The 9 Pro has stereo speakers, delivering a more immersive audio experience when listening to music or watching movies, and better voice capture when calling. |
| Additional Features | 3 microphones | Dolby Digital Plus | The 9 Pro is better for call quality, noise cancellation and better voice capture. |
Security
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Fingerprint Sensor | basic fingerprint sensor | side-mounted | The A22 5G has a more convenient and faster to use side-mounted fingerprint scanner. |
Sensors
| Feature | OnePlus 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A22 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Sensors | Biometric: Fingerprint; Proximity: Proximity; Motion: Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Biometric: Fingerprint; Proximity: Proximity; Motion: Accelerometer | The 9 Pro has a more complete set of motion sensors for gaming and augmented reality features. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
OnePlus 9 Pro Advantages:
- Superior Performance: The Snapdragon 888 chipset offers significantly faster processing and graphics, ideal for gaming and intensive tasks.
- High-Quality Display: Higher resolution, pixel density, and refresh rate provide a much better visual experience.
- Advanced Camera System: Features a more versatile camera setup with a telephoto lens, superior sensors, 8K recording, and more detailed photos.
- Fast Charging & Wireless Charging: Supports significantly faster wired and wireless charging, making it more convenient.
- More RAM/Storage Options: Offers up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, beneficial for power users.
- Better Audio: Stereo speakers and noise cancellation microphone improve audio experience.
- More Complete Sensor Suite: Has a more complete set of sensors to take advantage of modern apps and games
- Superior screen protection: Has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 screen protection, providing better resistance against scratches and minor falls.
Samsung Galaxy A22 5G Advantages:
- Larger Battery: The 5000mAh battery offers longer battery life for those who are concerned about all-day battery life.
- Wider Selfie Aperture: The wider aperture lens on the selfie camera improves the quality of low light selfies.
- Lower Price: The A22 5G is typically more affordable, making it a budget-friendly option.
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor: Has a fast and convenient side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
- Dedicated Depth Sensor: Offers dedicated depth sensor for better portrait mode photography
Significant Trade-offs:
- OnePlus 9 Pro: Higher cost, slightly smaller battery capacity.
- Samsung Galaxy A22 5G: Inferior performance, lower display quality, much less impressive camera system, slower charging.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
OnePlus 9 Pro:
- Ideal User: Power users, mobile gamers, photography enthusiasts, and those who value top-tier performance and display quality.
- Use Cases:
- High-end mobile gaming with demanding graphics.
- Professional photography and videography, including 8K video recording.
- Heavy multitasking with resource-intensive apps.
- Media consumption with a high-quality display and immersive audio.
- Price-to-Value: Offers flagship-level performance and features, justifying its premium price if these are prioritized.
Samsung Galaxy A22 5G:
- Ideal User: Budget-conscious users, casual gamers, and individuals who primarily use their phone for basic tasks and daily use.
- Use Cases:
- Social media browsing, messaging, and web surfing.
- Casual mobile gaming and media consumption.
- Basic photography and video recording.
- Users who value longer battery life over performance and display quality
- Price-to-Value: Provides reasonable performance and features for an entry-level price point.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- What is your budget? The A22 5G is significantly cheaper, while the 9 Pro comes at a premium price.
- What will you primarily use the phone for? If gaming, video recording, or multitasking are your main activities, the 9 Pro is a better choice. If basic communication and light usage are the primary focus, the A22 5G may be sufficient.
- How important are display and camera quality to you? The 9 Pro has a much superior display and camera system, which will drastically affect the user experience.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1 (Budget Conscious): If you are on a tight budget and only need a phone for basic use, the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G is a more affordable choice.
- Scenario 2 (Performance Priority): If you want the best performance, the 9 Pro is the better option, offering top-tier specs for gaming, multitasking and more demanding tasks.
- Scenario 3 (Photography Focus): If camera quality is important to you, the 9 Pro is better, offering more versatile camera features and better image quality.
Personal Choice:
If I were to choose, I would pick the OnePlus 9 Pro. Although the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G has a bigger battery and is cheaper, the performance of the OnePlus 9 Pro drastically outshines it, with better screen technology, a more powerful chipset, and a much better camera system. The faster charging speeds, higher quality screen, better camera features and faster performance are well worth the trade-off for a slightly smaller battery and higher price. As an enthusiast user who values performance and camera quality, the 9 Pro is the superior phone.
