Latest Galaxy S24 review
The Samsung Galaxy S24 series is one of the most anticipated smartphone launches of 2024, offering a refined and upgraded experience over its predecessors. Here’s an in-depth review covering its design, display, performance, camera system, and battery life.
Design and Build Quality
Samsung continues its tradition of sleek, premium designs with the Galaxy S24. The S24 Ultra stands out with a titanium frame, which enhances durability without adding much weight. This is a notable improvement from the aluminum frames of the past. The flat display design is a departure from the curved screens seen in previous models, which many users find more practical for handling and screen protectors.
The standard S24 and S24+ models maintain the curved edges but still feel modern and elegant, with a focus on ergonomics. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 adds additional scratch and drop resistance, making all models highly durable.
Display Quality
The Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays across the Galaxy S24 lineup are nothing short of spectacular. The Ultra version, with its 6.8-inch screen, boasts a 2,600-nit peak brightness, one of the highest in the smartphone market, ensuring perfect outdoor visibility. The 120Hz adaptive refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling, and the screen resolution of 3088 x 1440 offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast.
Even the smaller S24 and S24+ models have impressive displays, although with slightly lower resolution and brightness levels. Still, they outperform many competitors in terms of sharpness and vibrancy, providing excellent experiences for watching content, gaming, and everyday use.
Performance and Hardware
Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or Exynos 2400 (depending on the region), the Galaxy S24 series delivers top-tier performance. These processors are built on cutting-edge 4nm architecture, ensuring efficiency and power for all types of tasks. From high-end gaming to AI-driven applications, the phones handle it all without lag.
The Ultra model, equipped with 12GB of RAM (or 16GB in the highest configurations), pushes multitasking and performance even further. All models offer 5G support, Wi-Fi 7 compatibility, and UFS 4.0 storage, which enhances read and write speeds for a faster, more responsive user experience.
Camera System
The Galaxy S24 Ultra stands out with a 200MP primary sensor, enabling high-detail photography, even in low light. The camera has improved low-light photography capabilities with Samsung’s Nightography technology, which reduces noise and enhances clarity in dark environments. A 50MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom ensures impressive zoom shots, while the 100x Space Zoom allows for detailed distant photography.
On the other hand, the S24 and S24+ models feature a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. While they don’t offer the same extreme zoom capabilities as the Ultra, these models still capture exceptional images with great dynamic range and color accuracy.
Battery Life and Charging
The S24 Ultra packs a 5,000mAh battery, with support for 45W fast charging. Samsung claims you can charge the device from 0% to 50% in about 30 minutes. The standard S24 has a 4,000mAh battery, while the S24+ offers a 4,900mAh battery. Both models support 25W and 45W fast charging, respectively.
Thanks to Samsung’s AI-driven power management, the phones are incredibly efficient, extending battery life even during heavy use. However, while the Ultra’s charging speed is impressive, it doesn’t quite match some competitors offering even faster charging times.
Software and Ecosystem
All Galaxy S24 models run Android 14 with One UI 6 on top. Samsung’s One UI is clean, highly customizable, and packed with useful features, like Samsung DeX, which allows users to connect their phones to monitors and use them as a desktop replacement. Samsung also promises four years of Android updates and five years of security patches, ensuring long-term software support.
The integration with other Samsung devices, such as Galaxy Watches, Galaxy Buds, and smart home devices, creates a seamless ecosystem experience. Features like Quick Share and Samsung Pay further enhance the overall user experience.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S24 series solidifies Samsung’s dominance in the premium smartphone market. The Ultra model, with its outstanding camera system, premium design, and top-tier performance, is an excellent choice for tech enthusiasts, mobile photographers, and gamers. Meanwhile, the S24 and S24+ offer more affordable yet highly capable alternatives, making the lineup appealing to a broad range of users.
Though the S24 Ultra doesn’t bring revolutionary changes over the S23 Ultra, the subtle refinements in design, camera performance, and processing power make it a worthy upgrade for those seeking the latest in smartphone technology. For those upgrading from older models, the Galaxy S24 series represents a significant leap forward in terms of both performance and user experience.