The new phone lines of the S-series have been launched and we have already done a hands-on review of Galaxy S24! And if you ask me should you upgrade to S24? I would say if you are a professional who has been engaged on the phone for most of your work and travel to different parts of the world then, definitely yes! However, tons of other features will go to attract several new users. Let’s take a thorough and unbiased look at supposedly The Phone King – Samsung Galaxy s24 Ultra!
Questions In My Mind After First Look
I’ve owned the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy S21 Ultra and have been interested in Samsung’s feature expansion. I’ll be reviewing this phone shortly, but I had questions after my first look. What does Samsung phone AI look like? While one of the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phones, it will set the bar for Qualcomm and Google’s AI efforts in Android. I wanted to investigate if Samsung’s top phone could employ AI.
Next, is the Galaxy S24 Ultra a Galaxy S23 Ultra downgrade? We heard about the 5X zoom reduction from 10X. We know the display is flat. Samsung hasn’t released major new features or enhanced its software or hardware. However, the Galaxy S24 Ultra costs $100 more than the S23 Ultra. Is it Worth that much? You will give the final verdict after reading our detailed review!
Most importantly, longevity and partnerships make me optimistic. Samsung appears to be working closely with Google, stealing software functionality when needed. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the most Pixel-like Galaxy phone yet, and while it has space for development, it’s the most forward-thinking ultra phone.
Having said that, let’s hold our horses and find out together answers to the above questions in a brief overview below. After this overview, we will dig deeper covering every aspect one by one! But before that let us have a quick look at Samsung Galaxy s24 ultra specs:
Galaxy S24 Ultra specs
To get a stark overview of this phone have a quick look,
| Features | Specification |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 163 x 79 x 8.6mm |
| Weight | 233g |
| Screen | 6.8-inch OLED |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 500ppi |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
| OS | Android 14; One UI 6.1 |
| Rear Cameras | 200MP main; 50MP 5x zoom; 10MP 3X zoom; 12MP ultra-wide |
| Front Camera | 12MP |
| Colors | Titanium Grey, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow |
For Starters: A Brief Overview
Though it is the follow-up to the widely acclaimed S23 Ultra, the Galaxy S24 Ultra adopts a distinct strategy by putting quality above sheer quantity of features. With this release, Samsung shows discipline and underlines its commitment to being a long-term player in the smartphone market.
Samsung emphasizes the importance of this strategic choice by choosing a shorter zoom lens with a larger image sensor rather than boosting the zoom from 10X to 20X. This model retains the good features of the previous one while making significant changes to the overall camera configuration.
Read Also | Samsung Galaxy s23 ultra vs s24 ultra Full Comparison.
Samsung stays away from needless updates to its display and battery technologies in favor of new artificial intelligence (AI) features, some of which are derived from Google’s Pixel 8 and include the Magic Editor for images and Generative AI wallpaper. Interestingly, the S24 Ultra defies industry standards by promising an astounding seven years of major OS updates and security patches, which could increase its long-term value.
Although the phone’s look is similar to that of its predecessor—it has a titanium frame without getting any smaller or lighter—the AI functions are primarily located in the settings menu, which may make them less useful. While certain AI functions are less useful than others, Samsung fulfills a major request by matching Google’s Pixel 8 family with seven years of software support.
Well, the Galaxy S24 Ultra makes significant advancements, especially in key areas that might secure its dominance in the smartphone industry, even though it may not completely solve all of the major problems of its predecessor.
Galaxy S24 Ultra Section-Wise Detailed Review
Galaxy S24 Ultra Display
- Not the best but still better than any iPhone display you’ll find
- Flat sides actually make the bezels look bigger, which they aren’t
Although the Galaxy S24 Ultra display is fantastic, it won’t receive any awards for excellence in this year’s phone yearbook. Although the Google Pixel 8 Pro may achieve higher peak brightness levels, this display isn’t the brightest. With a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, it isn’t the fastest display—many phones can achieve 144Hz or more. It isn’t the sharpest display because the OnePlus 12 has slightly higher pixel density. Additionally, Samsung continues to reject Dolby Vision, so if you’re a Netflix fan, your shows might appear better on a another brand.
But let’s face it, Samsung simply wants to outperform one other phone on the market, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra outperforms the iPhone 15 Pro Max in terms of display quality. It’s slightly larger, crisper, and brighter. An actual stylus can also be used with it, but that’s just being extra ultra.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s display is flatter than that of the S23 Ultra, but this difference wouldn’t be noticeable unless you were holding them side by side. As a result of much of that border being tucked inside the curve, the S23 Ultra appears to have a smaller bezel than the S24 Ultra, which boasts the tiniest bezel that Samsung has ever managed on a smartphone. Writing with a pen should also be easier on a flat screen, at least in the vicinity of the edges.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Design
The design is spot on, as my friend pointed out, however there is one change I would like to address: the replacement of the old screen with a flat one. It seems heavier in your hand when combined with the S24 Ultra’s flatter sides. When you grip the S23 Ultra, its slimline feel is unexpected, as its curved frame fits more comfortably in the palm of your hand.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s flat screen more successfully showcases the vast size of the 6.8-inch Super AMOLED panel, which is further enhanced by the reduced bottom bezel, even if it is primarily an optical illusion because both panels are the same size. Most importantly, though, is that writing on it using the S Pen stylus is far more pleasant. Because of its flatness, your hand’s heel pad lays more comfortably and requires less mental effort to maintain while you write.
Read Also | Exploring The Best Samsung Phones, with a Focus on the New Galaxy S24 Ultra!
Lastly, compared to the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 glass on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the Gorilla Armor glass is notably less reflective, and there is a noticeable boost in overall brightness. The screen of the S24 Ultra sparkles when it’s outside on a sunny day, and I can’t think of any circumstance in which you’ll be squinting at it because it’s too dim.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra camera
- A larger sensor and more MPs have a significant impact.
- Images appear significantly better, while having slightly less fine detail.
The big question: did the Galaxy S24 Ultra cameras get worse? The 10X zoom lens helped make last year’s Galaxy S23 Ultra our top photography phone, but it wasn’t the only factor. Samsung reduced the Ultra phone’s magnification to 5X this year, and I never expected that Samsung would drop any spec. The question is whether it still takes the greatest photos.
I started with that crucial question because I had little time with the Galaxy S24 Ultra. I used my S23 Ultra to take 10X zoom shots on both Ultra phones. That’s the S23 Ultra’s optical range. Although the S24 Ultra features digital zoom, that doesn’t give the whole story.
Larger sensors are the main change. The new 5X zoom lens sensor is over twice as large. Think about that. Digital zoom from 5X to 10X won’t matter if the sensor is more than twice as large. Even though it can see less, the sensor will collect more images.
Samsung also uses a better sensor than last year. The S24 Ultra’s 50MP telephoto sensor is second only to the 200MP primary camera in resolution. The S23 Ultra’s 10X telephoto camera was 10MP. Samsung uses many pixels to create a final image with a 50MP sensor, therefore the more pixels it contains, the better the image.
The final image looks awesome! The appearance is greatly improved. Photos from my previous Galaxy S23 Ultra showed more fine details, but they were washed out and desaturated. In S23 Ultra 10X images, noise and watercolor blurring are common.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra shots are better, although I missed certain details. Noise is minimized and lighting dynamics and color are improved.
I had little time to test this, especially capturing moon and astrophotography photos, the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s Wow! factor. Still, my quick hands-on time proved that Samsung has not made the Galaxy S24 Ultra worse than the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Samsung lovers can quarrel over specs, but photographers will like the enhancements.
Related Read | Samsung Galaxy S24 Detailed Review.
Software In Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s biggest software features are all about AI, but where it comes from may surprise you. There aren’t many features I wish the Galaxy would take, but the Pixel phones’ remarkable Recorder software, which can recognize distinct voices and transcribe as it records, gets my vote.
I missed the Pixel’s generative AI wallpaper most after my review period.
Guess what?! Both features are on Samsung. Like Google Pixel’s Recorder app, Samsung’s Voice Recorder classifies speakers, transcribes, and summaries recordings. Samsung’s generative AI wallpaper has the same MadLib-style prompts as Google’s.
Keep going? Google Photos provided Samsung’s Pixel Magic Editor. Amazingly, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has Google Photos, yet Samsung put the Magic Editor in its Gallery application. Samsung’s Voice Recorder now has the new recording features, not Google’s Recorder.
Samsung has some photo tricks of its own. If you tilt a photo and it doesn’t match the frame, the phone’s generative AI will fill in the backdrop. I distorted a photo of a hiker leaning on a rock, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra drew the rock and the guy’s shadow. My curiosity about the phone’s capabilities makes me want to play with this more.
Galaxy AI – Point In Focus
My first impressions of the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Galaxy AI features were impressive. What about after using the phone?
I’ve occasionally used the translation, message suggestions, or note-taking additions, and I doubt many people will. But I’ll use Circle to Search by Google more often.
Simple gestures to engage, quickness, dependability, and precision are crucial. The screenshots above show it identifying stuff from my Instagram feed, Chrome, and photographs. It takes seconds and solves the difficulty of knowing what to ask Google to find something you saw in a photo. Currently, it links to shopping sites, Google Maps, and other landmark sites. It doesn’t search for persons, so don’t anticipate “Who Is that?” answers.
Generative AI photo edit mode is great for when you modify an image so well you can’t see what worked. It does this with your photos and third-party images stored to Google Photos and elsewhere. It is versatile, but it doesn’t transform your photos into otherworldly images as Magic Editor does.
So it’s not as enjoyable as Google’s tool. Additionally, the Adobe Lightroom for Samsung app is fantastic. It’s simple to use and transforms photographs less artificially than Magic Editor. Through the Galaxy App Store, it requires a membership.
I also tried the S24 Ultra’s AI-enhanced auto slow-motion option. Tap and hold the screen to slow down a regular video and fill in the “missing” frames for a smooth playback. It works well, and you can modify and save slowed-down videos separately.
It’s unlikely you’ll use every function in the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s AI toolbox every day, but when you do, it works well and is fun. Well-judged and executed.
Also Read | iPhone 16 Specifications, Release Date, Price, And All The Updates That You Must Know
Battery & Performance
I installed my SIM card in the Galaxy S24 Ultra on Friday morning and didn’t charge it till Sunday night when I went to bed. It still had 25% charge. My five-hour weekend screen use included taking photos, utilizing GPS, streaming video, and using calls, messages, and social media apps.
Galaxy S24 ships with an FHD+ screen, and variable refresh rate. The phone’s Bluetooth connection to a smart ring and always-on screen were turned on throughout the day.
It wasn’t hard, but considering all the background activity setting up a new phone involves, it was good. The Galaxy S24 Ultra and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy CPU are a solid union, and the phone is fast.
Notably, it’s speedier than the Galaxy S23 Ultra in key areas. In the camera app, snapping images back-to-back with both phones has been most obvious. It won’t affect everyone, but the S24 Ultra reacts a beat faster than the S23 Ultra while snapping shots at 30x magnification or in burst mode. It makes operating the camera more fluid and polished.
These are my initial Galaxy S24 Ultra reviews after a few days. But no alarms have gone off, and no major issues like the Galaxy S23 Ultra have arisen. Fast performance, long battery life, and a brilliant, less reflective, and stronger screen make the S Pen easier to use. Those are better than daily design refreshes.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Price – Really An Ultra Price
- The 256GB/12GB variant costs $1,299.
- This is $100 more than last year. Longer support may increase resale values.
If you’re like me, you won’t buy this phone at full price. I’ll trade in my Galaxy S23 Ultra for this phone since Samsung normally has the finest trade-in prices. Trade an iPhone (mythical switcher) at any store for a decent price. Every Galaxy Ultra launch brings exceptional trade-in discounts from Samsung and the big carriers.
Is the Galaxy S24 Ultra worth its high price? Not if you won’t use advanced features. If you want the best camera, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has more possibilities, but the iPhone 15 Pro and Google Pixel 8 Pro have outstanding main cameras for hundreds less.
Value becomes clearer when you integrate exclusive features. Samsung DeX makes the Galaxy S24 Ultra a convenient laptop replacement, especially if you utilize work and personal accounts. The S Pen can be used as a writing tool, camera remote, or stylus for games and swiping the onscreen keyboard.
More importantly, seven years of OS upgrades and security fixes make a big difference. We don’t expect many Galaxy S24 Ultra purchasers to keep the phone for seven years, but we expect you to sell or exchange it for the next great thing. Longer support may raise the phone’s worth, but I think having weaker support than Apple made the Galaxy less valuable than the iPhone. That’s gone.
Final Verdict
In summary, the Galaxy S24 Ultra introduces significant changes, emphasizing quality over sheer quantity of features, especially with a shorter zoom lens and a larger image sensor in the camera setup. Samsung’s commitment to seven years of OS upgrades and security fixes, though users may not keep the phone for that long, enhances its long-term value and eliminates the perceived weaker support compared to Apple.
The flat screen, while making the phone seem bulkier, enhances the writing experience with the S Pen stylus. The display, although not the brightest or fastest, outperforms the iPhone 15 Pro Max in various aspects. The camera improvements, featuring a larger sensor and better image quality, maintain the Galaxy’s competitive edge. The AI features, borrowed from Google Pixel and integrated seamlessly, add functionality. The overall performance, extended battery life, and competitive trade-in options contribute to the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s value proposition, making it a worthy consideration for those seeking advanced features and long-term support.
Continue Reading | Best phones to buy in 2024!