Tech
Samsung Galaxy S22: Rumors, leaks and everything we know
The highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S22 series is not long away from its release with speculations brewing for early 2022 launch, and rumors of the flagship doing rounds in plenty. The premium phone will come in three variants: the successors to Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra respectively.
This line-up will try and retain the charm of the canceled Note series for this year at least. The Galaxy S22 Ultra will be the best device in the line-up, and current rumors and leaks assure the Samsung flagship for 2022 will edge out the competitors by a long way.
Design and display
The design of the Galaxy S22 and the Galaxy S22 Plus will be more or less the same as the predecessor, whereas the Galaxy S22 Ultra will have a boxier Galaxy Note influence courtesy of the squared corners and the S Pen slot. This fact is clear from the leaked renders by reliable leakster Steve Hemmerstoffer (a.k.a. OnLeaks) in partnership with Digit.
Another thing that’s very clear is the refreshing gamut of color options; the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus will come in white, rose gold, green and black colors. The Galaxy S22 Ultra will feature white, black, and dark red colorways.
The camera module on the rear of the Galaxy S22 Ultra will have a P-shaped camera housing split in half. Another backplate picture also suggests the existence of this radical design change. This has gained more substance as the recent real-life leaked images of the S22 Ultra prototype align with whatever is said earlier.
Trusted tipster Ice Universe and Mauri QHD recently tweeted about the screen size of the upcoming flagship. According to them, the Galaxy S22 will adorn a 6.06-inch Full-HD+ flat AMOLED display which will be a bit smaller than the one on Galaxy S21.
The Plus variant will have a 6.55-inch display and Galaxy S22 Ultra might get a slightly bigger 6.81-inch Full HD+ display. The latter is also speculated by Mauri QHD to have an adaptive refresh rate between 1Hz – 120Hz thanks to the LTPO technology. Ice Universe claims the phone will have a brightness level of 1500 nits or even 2,000 nits.
Specification and features
The processing power of the Galaxy S22 lineup will be a hot topic until its release. It will expectedly be powered by the 4nm Snapdragon 898 chipset, which will take graphics and AI to a whole new level. So will it bump up the camera performance and overall user experience with massive processing power. However, according to a leak, many global carriers are requesting Exynos variant of the phone over Snapdragon for a good reason.
The Exynos 2200 with the AMD RDNA 2 architecture-based GPU powering the Galaxy S22 variants will present a good fight. Capabilities comparable to gaming consoles and the Wild Life results leaked by Ice Universe suggest a graphics benchmark of 8,134 and average FPS of 50.3. In fact, the South Korean electronics giant is believed to be testing the AMD graphics-based chip that’ll change the landscape of gaming on mobile devices.
According to Max Weinbach, Samsung could offer both the SoC options for each device in the lineup irrespective of the region, as it did in the past. Either of these SoCs will be mated to 8GB LPDRR5X RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage on the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus. The Galaxy S22 Ultra on the other hand will come with 12GB and 16GB LPDRR5X RAM and 256GB and 512GB UFS 3.1 onboard storage.
Camera prowess
While Samsung is “investigating” my S22 Ultra leak…
EXCLUSIVE 👀
Unpacked event for S21 FE
January 4, 2022
No pre-order period
Available January 11, 2022Unpacked event for S22 lineup
February 8, 2022 @ 10:00am ET
Pre-orders begin same day (2/8)
Available February 18, 2022— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) November 6, 2021
While we had an early rumor of an Olympus partnership, the rumor has been washed away now. As per Ice Universe, the Galaxy S22 Ultra will see some changes in the camera sensors. The main camera lens will be a 108MP (f/1.8) HM3 sensor with an 85-degree field-of-view and laser autofocus.
The ultra-wide (with optical image stabilization) will be the same and the 10MP telephoto lens will have a larger pixel size for improved low-light photography. For the S22 Ultra, the company is working on a super detailed photo mode to match iPhone 13 Pro Max and Pixel 6 Pro.
Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus will have a 50MP primary sensor (probably ISOCELL GN2) with the RGBW unit for better color reproduction. Another rumor points to a 3X telephoto zoom level at 10MP resolution. The Galaxy S22 variant is also tipped to record 8K video at 60 fps, which will be better than the Galaxy S21 Ultra from the last year.
Battery and charging
The batteries on the vanilla Galaxy S22 and the Galaxy S22 Plus might see a downgrade with 3,700mAh and 4,600mAh respectively. Compare that to the equivalent predecessor variants which have 4,000mAh and 4,800mAh capacity batteries. The S22 Ultra will have the same 5,000mAh juicing up its guts though.
A recent listing spotted by SamMobile points to a 4,370mAh battery for the Plus variant and 4,855mAh for the Galaxy S22 Ultra. In either case, buyers seeking a higher battery capacity will have to live without such a change, if the final released Galaxy S22 line-up arrives with the speculated battery capacities.
Rumors in the past by Ice Universe have hinted at the reincarnation of the 65W fast charging for the Galaxy S22. That’s contradicted by a recently leaked listing on China’s tech regulator portal suggesting the 25W charging tech for the phone. If that’s the case, eager buyers will be a bit disappointed, especially seeing other OEMs offering crazy fast charging speeds.
Release date and price
The Samsung Galaxy S22 series is likely to launch in February 2022 but we have to factor in the global chip shortage. In that case, a delay of a few weeks or even months won’t be surprising. A recent rumor by Jon Prosser hints at a February 8, 2022 release for the line-up. The reliable tipster also claims the flagship will be up for pre-order the very same day with the sale going live on February 18.
Last year, the Galaxy S21 lineup saw a drop of a couple of hundred dollars on all the variants. While we don’t expect a further drop in price for the new Galaxy S22, similar pricing (in the best-case scenario) as that of the predecessor is on the cards. That said, a recent rumor could shatter the dreams, it tips a price increase to $849 for the vanilla Galaxy S22 and the Plus variant it suggests a $1,049 tag. The Premium flagship Galaxy S22 Ultra will cost a hefty $1,299 according to the leaked information.
Wrap-up
Usually, leaks by reliable tipsters turn out to be close to the official release specs, we have seen this in the past. So, we can have a fair idea about the upcoming Galaxy S22 series from all that’s around in the tech cloud already. An under-display selfie camera (which won’t have many changes) could be on the cards, while S Pen support for the Galaxy S22 Ultra could be a surprise everyone will relish.
We would wish for a fast-charging device, at least 45W charging support would be great together with better battery management courtesy of the new-age chipsets. So, a lesser battery capacity won’t hurt that much, and we are sure Samsung has got that covered.
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At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Very accurate color
- Great out-of-box image quality
- Good range of image adjustments
- Smooth, clear motion performance
Cons
- Expensive for a 1080p monitor
- Bland, basic design
- Modest SDR brightness
Our Verdict
Acer’s Nitro XV272 costs more than a lot of 1080p monitors, but the IPS, 165Hz screen provides above-average image quality and motion performance, and a full range of monitor-stand adjustments and a generous array of ports make it worth the cost.
Best Prices Today: Acer Nitro XV272
1080p resolution isn’t cutting-edge, but it remains the most popular resolution among modern PC displays. This is often because of budget: There are dozens of cheap 1080p monitors. But what happens when a 1080p monitor makes image quality a priority?
Acer XV272: The specs
The Acer Nitro XV272 (LVbmiiprx) is a 27-inch, 1080p monitor with an IPS panel and a 165Hz refresh rate. This puts it smack-dab in the most crowded segment of the monitor market. Here are the XV272’s most noteworthy specs.
- Display size: 27-inch
- Native resolution: 1920×1080
- Panel type: IPS
- Refresh rate: Up to 165Hz
- Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium and G-Sync Compatible
- Ports: 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort, 4x USB 3
- Stand adjustment: Height, tilt, swivel, pivot
- VESA mount: Yes, 100x100mm
- Speakers: Yes
- Price: $349 MSRP, around $279 typical
A few features help the Nitro XV272 stand out. It has a 165Hz refresh and is compatible with both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync. It also has three video inputs, four USB ports, and a stand with numerous ergonomic adjustments. These features signal that the Nitro XV272, though not expensive, is a cut above entry-level 1080p monitors.
Acer Nitro XV272: Design
The “Nitro” name might sound exciting, but the XV272, like all such monitors from Acer, looks pretty plain. Acer’s Nitro sub-brand focuses on performance over design. Essentially all Nitro monitors use a simple, matte black housing paired with a skinny stand with round base. It’s dull but inoffensive.
Matt Smith / Foundry
The stand feels cheap when handled but offers plenty of ergonomic adjustment. This includes height, tilt, swivel, and even pivot. Swivel and pivot aren’t guaranteed at this price point, so it’s good to see them here. There’s also a 100x100mm VESA mount for attaching a third-party monitor arm or stand.
There is one problem with the stand: cable management. You won’t find a hole in the stand for routing cables. Instead, Acer uses a tiny clip on the base that does a terrible job of keeping cables bundled.
Acer XV272: Features and menu
Connectivity includes two HDMI 2.0 ports, plus one DisplayPort, and a total of four USB-A 3.0 ports for connecting wired peripherals. This makes the monitor a moderately useful USB hub, though it lacks more advanced features like USB-C with Power Delivery. Still, the Acer Nitro XV272 has more ports than most 1080p gaming monitors.
Matt Smith / Foundry
The Nitro XV272’s menu system could be better. It looks basic, with simple icons and unattractive fonts, and doesn’t feel responsive while using the joystick to scroll through options. The joystick and select buttons are easy to use, but the power button is a bit too close to the select buttons. I accidentally turned off the monitor several times.
These issues hide a surprisingly robust slate of image-quality options. This includes precise gamma presets, several color temperature modes, and six-way adjustment of color saturation and hue. There’s also a few gaming-centric features such as a frames-per-second counter and built-in aim points. The monitor lacks a black equalizer setting for brightening dark areas, however, which might disappoint fans of competitive shooters.
The monitor includes a pair of two-watt speakers. They’re not great but well suited for podcasts, YouTube, or games with less impressive audio. You’ll want to put on a headset when sound quality matters.
Acer XV272: SDR image quality
The Acer Nitro XV272 is towards the high end of pricing for a 27-inch 1080p display. Gamers can snag a 1440p or 4K monitor for about the same price. Acer combats this with a vivid, accurate image.
SDR brightness comes in at about 250 nits. This is low but, as you’ll see when I discuss HDR, it’s not the monitor’s true maximum brightness. Acer appears to be limiting the monitor’s maximum potential in SDR mode. That said, the monitor is still bright enough for use in nearly all situations. It will only appear dim if used opposite a sunlit window.
Matt Smith / Foundry
The Nitro XV272’s modest contrast ratio is typical for a modern IPS gaming monitor without Mini-LED technology. Like its peers, the XV272 suffers from “IPS glow”—a hazy and blotchy appearance noticeable in dark scenes.
That said, the monitor’s contrast ratio is good for the price. Aside from LG’s new IPS Black panel technology, which is currently available in just a couple displays from Dell, no IPS monitor without Mini-LED performs significantly better.
Matt Smith / Foundry
Color gamut is solid, covering the entire sRGB color space plus 88 percent of DCI-P3. The range of colors it can display is great for a mid-range gaming monitor and does provide an advantage over alternatives with a more narrow color space. The added color provides a vivid, saturated look that’s attractive in games.
As for color accuracy, the Nitro XV272 knocks it out of the park, with a default color accuracy more typical of a high-end professional monitor than a mid-range gaming monitor.
Acer doesn’t sell the XV272 as a professional display, and its meager 1080p resolution will take it out of contention for many, but creators who stick to 1080p resolution will find this monitor surprisingly capable when editing photos, video, and digital art.
Matt Smith / Foundry
The monitor had an ideal gamma curve of 2.2, which means content looks about as bright as was intended. Default color temperature came in at 6200K, which is slightly warmer and more reddish than the typical temperature of 6500K. As mentioned earlier, the monitor offers multiple gamma and color temperature settings, so there’s a lot of room to tweak the image if you want.
But you don’t need to—and that is the monitor’s greatest strength. The XV272’s decent contrast, accurate color, and lack of noticeable flaws makes for a fantastic out-of-box experience. The SDR image is lively and inviting.
Matt Smith / Foundry
There’s one obvious limitation: resolution. This is a 27-inch 1080p monitor, which translates to a meager pixel density of 81 pixels per inch. Fonts are poorly defined, videos lack sharpness, and games show distracting shimmering and pixelation. This isn’t a dealbreaker for me, but you should know what you’re getting into. A 1440p alternative will look much sharper.
Acer XV272: HDR performance
The Acer Nitro XV272 supports HDR and is VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified. HDR support is becoming common among gaming displays, but it still feels special at this price point. I measured a maximum HDR brightness of 450 nits, which is solid.
Though it supports HDR, the Nitro XV272 failed to automatically detect an HDR signal and turn on HDR mode. I had to select it manually. This is a minor annoyance but disappointing, as nearly all monitors I test have no problem detecting HDR automatically.
The Nitro XV272’s HDR performance is better than expected. It delivered performance that was superior to more expensive monitors, such as the Gigabyte M27Q X and Asus ProArt PA279CV, with better color gamut and accuracy in HDR.
Still, ultimately, this is a budget monitor that can’t do HDR justice. HDR content can deliver a bit more detail in bright areas but otherwise isn’t necessarily more colorful or rich than in SDR—it just looks slightly different.
Acer XV272: Motion performance
Acer’s Nitro XV272 has a maximum refresh rate of up to 165Hz. This delivers smooth, fluid motion in games and a quicker, more responsive feel when using the desktop. The monitor officially supports AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync, so you don’t need to worry about whether the monitor will work with your particular video card.
Shoppers should remember this is a 1080p display, which is less demanding than 1440p or 4K resolution. Achieving a frame rate that fully uses the 165Hz refresh rate is possible in a wide range of titles. This is good news for gamers on a budget.
Motion clarity is good at the monitor’s default response-time setting. The monitor has an OverDrive mode, which can be activated when using several gaming-oriented image-quality presets. This can improve clarity but also causes overshoot, an issue where a pixel moves beyond the intended color, resulting in artifacts around high-contrast objects. Most owners should just leave OverDrive at the default setting of Normal.
Final thoughts
The Acer Nitro XV272 LVbmiiprx is a good monitor for gamers who want attractive image quality at a mid-range price. Resolution will be an obstacle for some, as it’s possible to buy a 1440p monitor on the same budget, but the XV272’s accurate image and great motion clarity makes up for the lack of sharpness.
The XV272 is also a good choice for content creators who want accurate color for less than $300, making it a well-rounded, budget-friendly choice for those who work from home and want one display for both productivity and gaming.
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While nothing beats a full-featured PDF editor like Adobe’s Acrobat Pro DC, sometimes you don’t need all the bells and whistles. When you just have to edit a few lines of text, add or reposition an image, or make some review notes, a free PDF editor may be the way to go.
Free PDF editors offer a few advantages over their paid partners. First and most obviously, they don’t cost anything. If you don’t work regularly with PDF files, a premium editor probably won’t be worth the investment and a free editor can get the job done on the occasions you need to make some quick changes to document. Second, free PDF editors generally work in your browser so, unlike paid PDF editors, there are no platform- or device-compatibility issues to worry about. (The exceptions are free trial versions of paid editors, which need to be downloaded to a device.) Finally, because free online PDF editors are used on-the-fly, they generally have much simpler, more-intuitive interfaces and tools than paid editors do.
Of course, you can’t expect a free product to have all the sophisticated features of a paid one. Most will let you edit PDF files by adding and modifying text and images and annotating with shapes, freehand drawings, and notes. Fonts and font sizes, colors, and shape options will almost assuredly be more limited than what you’d find in a paid editor, though. Free editors will also let you create PDFs and convert them to other file formats. This is probably all you need for occasional work with PDFs.
You may find features like form filling, e-signatures, and content redaction in some free editors. But capabilities like password protection and bates numbering are almost unheard of. Frankly, if you dive deep enough into PDFs to use any of these features, you’re probably better served by one of the desktop editors in our best paid PDF editors buying guide.
1. PDF Candy – Best free PDF editor overall
Pros
- Many advanced features
- OCR capability
- Very easy to use
Cons
- Lacks a single interface, which some users may not like
- Free version limits you to one task per hour
PDF Candy is the rare free PDF editor that offers a lot of the features you’d typically have to pay for. We’re talking scanning, multiple file-conversion options, and OCR functionality. While the free version has access to the expansive toolset of the paid version, you’re limited to one PDF task per hour. For unfettered access, you need to shell out $6 month.
2. Apple Preview PDF editor – Best free PDF editor for Mac users
Pros
- Full set of PDF markup tools
- Supports form filling
- PDFs can be protected with passwords, encryption, and permission controls
Cons
- Limited native sharing options
- Only available to Mac users
Mac users have an excellent PDF editor built right into their operating system. Although its ostensibly a photo viewer, macOS’s Preview app is rife with PDF-editing capabilities including tools for adding text and shapes, redacting content, making freehand drawings, inserting sticky notes, and capturing your signature using your trackpad, camera, or iPhone.
3. Sejda PDF editor – Most versatile free PDF editor
Pros
- Online and desktop versions available
- Performs dozens of PDF tasks
- No frills interface is easy to use
Cons
- There are daily usage limits without a subscription
- Limited font options
Offered as both an online tool and a desktop editor, Sejda is capable of performing dozens of tasks including editing, form creation and filling, Bates stamping, file encryption, and more. If the daily usage limits are too restrictive for you, you can upgrade to the affordable paid version.
Read our full
Sejda PDF editor review
What to look for in a free PDF editor
- Content editing: As its name indicates, a PDF editor’s primary function is to enable you to edit a document. That includes the ability to add and modify text; insert, resize, and move images; and reorganize pages in the PDF. Most free PDF editors will let you perform these tasks, though they may impose daily limits on how many you can perform or how many documents you can edit.
- Create, convert, and export PDFs: A common need for a PDF editor is to create PDF files from scanned hard copies or by converting digital documents. A good free PDF editor will be able to convert common file formats such as Word, JPG, and HTML to a PDF and preserve the original formatting. It should also be able to export PDFs into other editable formats such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, HTML, or plain text, maintaining the original files hyperlinks, images, and other elements.
- Review and annotate: Most free PDF editors allow you to add comments and other annotations to PDF files during review. Typical annotation tools include sticky notes, shapes, and drawing markup options.
- Signatures: Often all you need a PDF editor for is to sign a document. This used to be a premium feature only available on paid desktop editors, but more free PDF editors are allowing users to create and add electronic signatures to documents.
Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details.
- Productivity Software
Author: Michael Ansaldo, Freelance contributor
Michael Ansaldo is veteran consumer and small-business technology journalist. He contributes regularly to TechHive and PCWorld.
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Acer Nitro XV272 review: Top-tier gaming on a 1080p monitor
Best free PDF editors: Our top picks
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