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.
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.
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.
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.
