It’s time to choose if the Samsung Galaxy S24, the company’s newest flagship model, should be your next smartphone after its much anticipated release. Although the entry-level S24 model misses some of the significant hardware upgrades of more recent iterations, it still has a lot going on inside that makes it a compelling option for smartphone buyers.
Preorders for Samsung’s entry-level flagship, the Galaxy S24, are now open, with prices starting at $799. When the phone goes on sale on January 31, you will have some time to decide whether or not to buy it. Unless, of course, you want to take advantage of preorder promotions like Samsung’s, which allow you to trade in your phone for a cash refund of up to $550 and upgrade your storage for free.
We can assist you in weighing the benefits and drawbacks of the Galaxy S24. We had some time for a hands-on with the Galaxy S24 as part of our evaluation and testing process to gain some understanding of what’s new with this phone. We already have some strong opinions about why the Galaxy S24 would be a worthwhile purchase and why you might want to go elsewhere for a new phone, even if a complete verdict won’t be available until testing is complete.
REASONS TO BUY THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S24
The numerous new functions of the Galaxy S24 that rely on artificial intelligence must be included in any discussion of the device. It’s reasonable to argue that the primary focus of this update cycle is AI capabilities.
And if you’ve determined that the more costly Samsung models are out of your price range, then good news awaits you. The Galaxy S24 may offer the same capabilities as the Galaxy S24 Plus or Galaxy S24 Ultra since Samsung includes the same AI functions on every S24.
These capabilities, which relate to the kinds of daily tasks you probably use your phone for, have proven to be some really helpful features. For instance, Circle to Search simplifies web searches by allowing you to just circle an object within any app that you may be using. Depending on the person you are attempting to reach, Chat Assist can recommend various text message phrasing and tones. Additionally, Live Translate can translate phone conversations in real time, all while the discussion is displayed on your phone.
Larger, more vivid display
You’ll have more screen real estate than ever if you get a Galaxy S24. As a result of Samsung’s recent phone bezel reductions, the Galaxy S24 now has a 6.2-inch screen, which is marginally larger than the 6.1-inch screen on the Galaxy S23 from the previous year.
With its dimensions of 5.79 x 2.78 x 0.3 inches, the Galaxy S24 isn’t any bigger than its predecessor because the additional screen real estate is caused by decreasing bezels rather than bulk. This implies that you won’t be giving up on the small form factor, which is actually one of the nicest features of Samsung’s flagship phone for beginners.
In addition to being larger, the Galaxy S24’s display is also brighter. The maximum brightness of 2,600 nits on the Galaxy S24 is actually the same as what the Galaxy S24 Ultra gives because Samsung uses the same brightness rating for the whole Galaxy S24 family. If our phone demo time is any indication, the display on your phone will remain visible regardless of the harsh lighting circumstances surrounding it.
Seven years of software updates
When Samsung first began to promise four years of software upgrades in addition to five years of security support a few years ago, we felt it was pretty generous. That was the most liberal Android device support policy, including software and security support that was on par with Apple’s.
Since then, Google has outlasted that four-year commitment by offering seven years of service starting with the debut of the Pixel 8 last autumn. What is Samsung’s response? Join them if you can’t beat them; the Galaxy S24 comes with seven years of security and software support. This implies that you will be able to keep this phone for as long as you like, or until 2031, whichever comes first, if you purchase it.
Better cameras than you might expect
From the standpoint of paper, there is no distinction between the camera configurations of the Galaxy S24 and S23—that is, the 50MP primary camera or the 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto lenses. Not even the sensor apertures and diameters have changed.
Samsung, however, would counter that ignores the Pro Visual Engine, a collection of features that use artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance photographs in ways that earlier Galaxy camera phones were unable to. You can zoom in at night and have crisp, noise-free images thanks to the Pro Visual Engine. Better segmentation for portrait photos is also supported by this function, allowing the subject of the picture to truly pop.
A bigger battery than before
The battery capacity of the Galaxy S24 is 4,000 mAh. Compared to the 3,900 mAh power pack Samsung employed in the Galaxy S23, it is a slight improvement. You would think that the Galaxy S24 would have a longer battery life than the model from the previous year when you take into account the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3—Qualcomm’s new technology is meant to be more power efficient than its predecessor.
That would be welcome news. In our battery test, where we have phones browse the web over cellular until they run out of juice, the Galaxy S23 performed better than average.
The same price as before
You need only look at the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which is currently $100 more expensive than its predecessor, to see that prices are rising. Both the Pixel 8 smartphones and the iPhone 15 Pro Max have seen price increases in recent months.
Fortunately, the Galaxy S24 has avoided that fate; like the Galaxy S23 before it, it starts at $799. Furthermore, the Galaxy S24 is an exceptionally amazing deal because it’s one of the few phones in this price bracket with a dedicated telephoto lens (the OnePlus 12 might be another, depending on OnePlus’s final decision regarding price). And that’s not even taking into account the additional features like the enhanced display’s brightness and integrated AI functions.
REASONS TO SKIP THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S24
As we previously reported, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is not present in every Galaxy S24 model. An Exynos 2400 powers Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus devices that are shipped outside of North America.
Benchmark tests will reveal how the Exynos 2400 performs in comparison to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 powered versions, so we cannot say for sure if the chip is up to the job or not. History, at least in testing, does not favor the Exynos 2400, since previous Exynos CPUs have struggled to match comparable silicon from Qualcomm.
The Galaxy S23 is still around
Samsung is simply carrying over its strategy from the previous year, when it maintained the lower-end flagship model from the previous generation in its lineup. The Galaxy S23, on the other hand, is available for $699, which is $100 less than the model’s 2023 launch price.
Even though the Galaxy S23 is a year older and doesn’t have the same AI features as the Galaxy S24, it’s still a fantastic phone—among the finest that we’ve tested in the previous year.
You’re giving up storage and RAM
The base variant of the Galaxy S24 has 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, which is about as basic as it gets for a flagship device. In comparison, the Galaxy S24 Plus comes with 256GB of storage out of the box and 12GB of RAM. (It also charges more quickly.) Are the additional $200 for the S24 Plus worth those base specs alone? Perhaps, perhaps not. However, it serves as a reminder that there are trade-offs associated with the Galaxy S24’s cheaper starting price.