Samsung Galaxy S24 vs. S24+ vs. S24 Ultra: What's the Difference?

All three phones in the Galaxy S24 family offer top-of-the-line power and features, but which one should you buy? We have everything you need to know about Samsung's newest flagships.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

At its first Unpacked event of 2024, Samsung announced a trio of high-end Galaxy S phones, including the base Galaxy S24 ($799), the premium Galaxy S24+ ($999), and the flagship Galaxy S24 Ultra ($1,299). Considering the substantial differences in price, you're probably wondering: Which Galaxy S24 is right for you?

We're in the process of testing the phones, so we can't offer definitive buying advice until we've reached our final conclusions. For now, however, we can walk you through all the differences in specs and features to help you understand your options.

Three Phones, Three Sizes

Both the S24 and the S24+ have a curved rectangular shape. The Galaxy S24 is the smallest and lightest in the lineup at 5.79 by 2.78 by 0.30 inches (HWD) and 5.93 ounces. It nearly matches the dimensions of the S23 (5.76 by 2.79 by 0.30 inches, 5.93 ounces).

The Galaxy S24+ comes in at 6.24 by 3.00 by 0.30 inches and 6.95 ounces, making it a bit taller and heavier than the S23+ (6.21 by 3.00 by 0.30 inches, 6.91 ounces).

The S24 Ultra (6.40 by 3.11 by 0.34 inches, 8.22 ounces) is the outlier in design, retaining the more squared-off look of the S23 Ultra (6.43 by 3.07 by 0.35 inches, 8.25 ounces). Despite their nearly identical weights, something about the S24 Ultra's build makes it feel lighter in the hand. S Pen compatibility remains exclusive to the Ultra model, which has a built-in slot for storing the stylus.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

As is the norm for high-end phones, the S24 family skips the headphone jack and the microSD card slot.

They all get an IP68 rating, which means they can fully withstand dust and water. The two smaller handsets use Samsung's Armor Aluminum frame, while the S24 Ultra gets titanium (matching that of the iPhone 15 Pro Max). Another advantage of the S24 Ultra is that it has the new Corning Armor glass on the front, which Corning claims is the toughest panel it makes. It has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the rear, which is what the S24 and S24+ use on the front and back.

All three models come in similar colors. The S24 and S24+ are available in Amber Yellow, Cobalt Violet, Marble Gray, or Onyx Black. Meanwhile, Samsung sells the S24 Ultra in Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, or Titanium Yellow. All have a matte finish.

---

Displays: Big, Bigger, Biggest

All three handsets have flat displays with a variable 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. In short, the screens should feel responsive and remain easily visible in direct sunlight.

Left to right: Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

As for sizes, the S24 has a 6.2-inch display with FHD+ resolution, the S24+ features a 6.7-inch screen with QHD+ resolution, and the S24 Ultra has a 6.8-inch panel with the same resolution as the S24+. A fingerprint sensor sits underneath each display for biometric security.

---

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for All

Every S24 model in the US runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy system on a chip (SoC), which has boosted CPU, GPU, and NPU numbers that should give the phones a performance advantage over phones like the OnePlus 12, which use the standard version. We plan to investigate how much of a real-world benefit the modified version provides. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the RedMagic 9 Pro and the Asus ROG Phone 8 handled pretty much anything we threw at it, so we don't anticipate any of the S24 devices having trouble with graphics-intensive tasks.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

Each device gets access to Samsung's many new AI features, including everything from Object Eraser to advanced search functions. Some features like phone translation (which translates both sides of a conversation with an automated voice) happen on-device, while others like Circle to Search (which lets you easily search the content on your screen) rely on the cloud. Of course, if you don't want to use cloud-based AI features, you can disable them. Samsung says that previous-generation Galaxy devices will get some of these features over time, but that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 allows them to run faster.

The S24 has 8GB of RAM and comes with either 128GB or 256GB of storage. The S24+ and S24 Ultra models get a memory bump to 12GB of RAM. You can configure the S24+ with either 256GB or 512GB of storage, while the S24 Ultra ships with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. All three phones support fast LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, a pleasant surprise.

---

Advanced Connectivity

All three S24 phones support 5G (both sub-6GHz and mmWave), meaning they should work well on all the major US carriers. We can't comment yet on network performance, but plan to test their Snapdragon X75 modems thoroughly in our reviews.

The S24 Ultra offers Wi-Fi 7, NFC, and Bluetooth 5.3. The S24 and S24+ use the older Wi-Fi 6Estandard but otherwise offer the same connectivity. We don't have any details yet on ultra-wideband (UWB) support.

---

Cameras: Familiar, But Different

The S24 and S24+ feature the same rear camera array that includes a 50MP f/1.8 main shooter with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, and a 10MP Ff2.4 telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Based on the specs, these seem like the same cameras as in the previous models.

Left to right: Galaxy S24 Ultra, S24+, S24

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

The S24 Ultra has the same 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP telephoto cameras as the others, but opts for a 200MP f/1.7 main camera with OIS and adds a 50MP f/3.4 telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom. Last year's S23 Ultra had a 10x optical zoom, but Samsung says the 10x digital zoom on the S24 Ultra will get you similar results. We plan to test that claim.

For selfies, all three share the same 12MP f/2.2 front-facing camera with an 80-degree field of view.

As for video capture, all three models record in 8K resolution at up to 30fps.

---

Minor Battery Differences

The S24, S24+, and the S24 Ultra respectively have 4,000mAh, 4,900mAh, and 5,000mAh batteries. The S24 and S24+ see minor increases over their predecessors (3,900mAh and 4,700mAh), but the Ultra remains unchanged. Samsung says it has improved power efficiency, but the increased screen brightness means we may not see much of a change in testing.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

As with the S23 lineup, the wired charging speed depends on the model. The S24 gets speeds of up to 25W, while the S24+ and S24 Ultra can each charge at 45W. Just keep in mind that you need to supply your own charger because Samsung doesn't include one in the box.

Each S24 device supports wireless charging at up to 15W and can charge other devices wirelessly via the Wireless Power Share feature.

---

Similar Software

All three phones run Android 14 with Samsung's One UI 6.1 overlay out of the box. Samsung has upped its commitment to software upgrades for these phones, promising seven years of OS and security updates. This is a significant move that matches Google's seven-year commitment for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

As expected, Samsung's desktop-like Dex software is on board. Bixby also returns, but Samsung was quick to say that the voice assistant will remain separate from the phone's Galaxy AI software. We'll have to see what that means in practice.

---

Which Galaxy S24 Is Right for You?

Samsung's Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra are shaping up to be tough competitors. We haven't gotten a chance to fully put the phones through our tests, but if you want to preorder one now, consider the below advice:

• If you like taking hand-written notes with a stylus, need a strong telephoto lens, or want the largest screen for watching movies, the S24 Ultra makes the most sense.
• If you want a big phone that balances power and battery performance, the S24+ is for you.
• If you want all the benefits of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip in as small a package as possible and don't need breakneck charging speeds, the base S24 is just fine.

With that in mind, check back soon for our full reviews in which we'll provide detailed analysis and buying advice for each phone.

Source: PCMag.com

iPhone 16 Camera - Apple designers shed light on the new iPhone 16 Camera Control button

While some may pooh-pooh the iPhone 16 lineup as a boring addition to Apple's smartphone catalog, many people are excited for one single feature: the Camera Control button. Here's what Apple designers have to say about it.

Human interface designer Johnnie Manzari and senior director of product design Rich Dinh sat down with Design Tangents to discuss what it took to make the iPhone 16's new camera a reality. The interview took place in Apple's own podcast studio in Cupertino following September's "It's Glowtime" event.

Much of the interview centers on discussing Apple's design philosophy and how designers figure out what makes the cut and what doesn't.

"I think sometimes people think we have a recipe that we're trying to adhere to when we make these devices, when we think of these devices, and we really don't," Dinh says. "We really set off focusing on the customer experience, not trying to make new hardware, not trying to make new software, but really how do we move that customer experience forward and using your iPhone."

And that philosophy is reflected in the new iPhone 16 Camera Control button. Dinh points out that the button was designed to be somewhat inconspicuous, sitting flush against the device.

"...So, for day-to-day use we're hoping that the phone feels very much like your phone today in terms of how you grip it and handle it, but we've added a little chamfer in there to give that really lovely half press and full press experience with the button flush," he says.

And by designing a button that could detect both full- and half-presses, the designers realized that they could embrace the playfulness of a dedicated camera button.

"The idea that by lightly pressing on the button, you could signal to the phone that you were intending to take a capture," Manzari notes. "That led to all sorts of interesting new experiences that we started to design."

Intentionality is another thing Apple prizes. The moment you press the camera button, the interface clears, allowing for better composition of designs. This intentional removal of distractions is something the design team was most excited about.

"I'm probably more of the prosumer level photographer and being able to have Zoom control on your fingertips and have the screen really free of any obstruction to what you're composing and what you're seeing," Dinh notes. "You're making these videos of family, friends, kids, whatever, and it feels cinematic."

And, to give credit where credit is due, the pair notes that the camera button wouldn't exist without extensive collaboration across teams.

"... It's work from across the whole company, the sensor team, passing that information down into the architecture stack. And then on the design side, just trying to understand how would a professional do this? How would they do the ramps? And pulling it all together," Manzari says.

"And again... hopefully, people don't have to think about any of this. They're just getting the video that they want of their friends and family, but it's really built off this really deep collaboration across the entire company."

Source: Appleinsider

Unboxing the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Apple Watch Series 10

Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max and Apple Watch Series 10 are larger devices — but they seem to come in smaller packages every year.

Let's see if Apple's Journal app picks up on today's unboxing and recommends an entry about it. While in every case it is the device itself we believe we've paid for, part of our money does go on the packaging — and it's remarkable how well Apple does this.

It may seem a bit much to praise a box or two, but fine. The ever-shrinking Apple packaging is no casual afterthought, it is always precision designed to use the least material, but remain strong enough to survive being transported around the world.

Apple does of course talk up the environmental impact of how it is reducing packaging. To that end, 2024 is a significant year, too, because Apple aims to entirely kill off plastic packaging before 2025.

Then there is also a straight logistical advantage to making smaller packaging. It means that more iPhones and Apple Watches can be fitted into an aircraft hold or freight shipping container.

But for all that there are sensible discussions to be had about Apple packaging, there is really just that it's fun to see what you get. So take a look at the unboxing of both an iPhone 16 Pro Max and an Apple Watch Series 10 on a cloudy day in an English garden.

Unboxing the iPhone 16 Pro Max

Top to bottom: undoing Apple's packaging, getting the iPhone out of its box, and turning it on for the first time

There's the new Camera Control button

Unboxing the Apple Watch Series 10

Top to bottom: unboxing both the Apple Watch Series 10 and a Watch band

Do notice the black wrapping around the Apple Watch Series 10 itself, to the left in its box. That's the only criticism AppleInsider has of Apple's packaging, because it's the only part that easily tears.

It appears that the wrapping is a sleeve and that the Apple Watch should slide out of it. But instead the sleeve is tight enough that in trying to free the Apple Watch, it gets torn.

Packaging is a truly serious business

Now you know just how Apple is packaging its latest devices. You might well have guessed, since it isn't noticeably different from last year, but at least now you know.

And should anyone spot you looking at unboxing photos, tell them this. Apple has a department where the staff spend most of their time opening boxes.

It's true, too. It's called the "packaging room" and for years it was a secret. It was secret because Apple did not want anyone to know just how much effort goes into designing its boxes.

Source: Appleinsider