Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

Samsung releases dozens of telephones each single 12 months however except you need a high-end foldable, it’s the Galaxy S collection that will get many of the consideration. 

And inside that vary, the Extremely mannequin is the one Samsung actually desires you to purchase. It is a Samsung smartphone at full throttle, providing virtually each conceivable characteristic individuals are on the lookout for in a handset. 

That’s actually true of the S24 Extremely, which provides a brand new chipset, titanium construct and a number of other AI options to the combo, to not point out a brand new and improved dedication to software program updates.  

However is that sufficient to make it definitely worth the eye-watering price ticket? For some individuals, the reply will likely be a convincing sure. And from utilizing it as my predominant telephone for every week, I can perceive why. 

Design & Construct

• Massive, heavy construct
• New titanium body
• Built-in S Pen

Samsung has modified the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s design in a few main methods, however you wouldn’t realize it from trying behind the telephone. Aesthetically, it’s virtually an identical to final 12 months’s S23 Extremely, which itself was a near-carbon copy of the S22 Extremely. 

Whereas this can be irritating to some, I’m happy to see Samsung keep on with this tried-and-tested design. Offered you don’t thoughts an enormous 6.8-inch telephone, it’s nonetheless snug to make use of. 

A matt coating on the glass again helps the telephone keep away from choosing up seen fingerprint smudges and different grime. Nevertheless it nonetheless appears and feels very premium, even on the muted gray mannequin I examined. Black (proven beneath), violet and yellow variations are additionally broadly out there, plus blue, inexperienced and orange in the event you go direct to Samsung. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

All seven colors are prefixed with the phrase ‘titanium’, hinting on the body of the system. The Extremely is the one S24 telephone to incorporate titanium, although you is perhaps conscious that it’s not the primary smartphone: Apple launched it on the iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max in 2023 to a lot fanfare.  

Titanium is heavier than the same old aluminium, however its power means it’s essential to use much less of it. That ought to permit the telephone to be lighter, however at 233g, there’s no vital distinction in comparison with the 234g S23 Extremely. Each are among the many heaviest non-foldable telephones you should purchase. 

So, is the titanium price it? Not on first impressions however it ought to assist with sturdiness over time, one thing which seems to be a high precedence. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The S24 Extremely is exceptionally effectively made, with Corning’s robust Gorilla Glass on each the back and front. Business commonplace Victus 2 ensures glorious drop and scratch safety, however Gorilla Armor on the entrance is a brand new top-of-the-line model that guarantees even higher sturdiness and diminished reflections. On the time of writing, it’s unique to this telephone. 

Alongside an IP68 ranking (water-proof as much as 1.5m, absolutely protected towards mud), the S24 Extremely is clearly constructed to final.  

Nevertheless, I’d nonetheless advocate utilizing the S24 Extremely with a case. There isn’t one included within the field, and I used to be nonetheless anxious about it sliding off a desk or out of my pocket at instances. 

You don’t have to fret about dropping the S Pen stylus, although. It’s securely docked into the underside of the telephone, and requires a agency click on to be launched. The design of the S Pen is unchanged, however it’s nonetheless snug to make use of and nice for issues like handwritten notes or digital signatures. 

Subsequent to it is the trio of USB-C port, speaker grille and SIM tray, with clicky energy and quantity controls of their normal positions on the appropriate facet. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

It’s additionally price mentioning the vibration motor, which is one of the best I’ve used on any telephone. The delicate haptic suggestions makes every little thing from calls and notifications to alarms and even typing really feel richer and extra satisfying. 

Display screen & Audio system

• New flat show
• Wonderful 6.8-inch 120Hz display screen
• Spectacular stereo audio system

After years of experimenting with curved screens on its top-of-the-line telephones, the S24 Extremely has a very flat show. I didn’t have a selected drawback with the delicate curves of the S23 Extremely, however this new panel appears incredible. 

There are not any modifications to its core specs however there didn’t should be. The 6.8-inch AMOLED show continues to be the most effective you’ll discover on any smartphone. Its default 1080p decision already affords glorious element, however the Quad HD+ (3120 x 1440) setting takes readability to the following degree. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

As an OLED display screen, you may also anticipate wealthy, vibrant colors and deep blacks, making it preferrred for content material consumption. In case you watch loads of movies in your telephone, that is the system to get. 

It’s additionally an LTPO show, that means the refresh fee can mechanically alter from 1-120Hz relying on what you’re doing, serving to to preserve battery life. It feels as clean and fluid as ever, although a hard and fast 60Hz is your solely various to this adaptive setting. I’d have preferred the choice to manually set it at 90- or 120Hz. 

With the ‘Sport Booster’ mode activated, contact sampling can even attain 240Hz. This makes the show much more conscious of your contact, which makes an actual distinction in some cell video games. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Samsung says the S24 Extremely can attain an unimaginable peak brightness of 2600 nits, through an ‘Additional brightness’ toggle in Settings when you flip off auto brightness. However even with out it, I had no drawback utilizing the telephone open air – even on a vibrant sunny day. The diminished reflectivity of the brand new Gorilla Armor glass actually helps right here. 

With its new flat design, the S24 Extremely’s show is one of the best it’s ever been. And with a good smaller digicam cut-out and a slimmer bezel, the entrance of the system is now just about all display screen. 

For one of the best audio expertise, you’ll need to join earbuds or headphones. However the built-in audio system are surprisingly good.  

A downward-firing grille combines with the earpiece for a stereo setup, which delivers a full-bodied sound with a pleasant hit of bass. Even at max quantity, there’s no audible distortion. 

Specs & Efficiency

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset
• Excellent all-round efficiency
• No less than 256GB non-expandable storage

The Galaxy S24 Extremely is powered by what’s referred to as the ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy’. Basically, that is an overclocked model of Qualcomm’s newest flagship chip that’s been particularly designed for Samsung telephones. 

Within the UK and most different markets, it’s the one S24 telephone to get this chip; the common and Plus fashions use Samsung’s personal Exynos 2400 for Galaxy as a substitute. However within the US, Canada, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is present in all three. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

We haven’t run benchmarks on the opposite S24 telephones but, so can’t supply direct comparisons when it comes to efficiency. However there’s no doubting that the 8 Gen 3 is an immensely succesful chipset, and alongside 12GB of RAM on all configurations, efficiency is just chic. 

My testing included loads of internet looking, messaging and e-mail, plus taking loads of photographs and the occasional name. As anticipated, the telephone dealt with all of it with ease, even when rapidly switching between duties. 

The sturdy efficiency extends to cell gaming, the place the telephone the likes of Name of Responsibility: Cellular, PUBG Cellular and Asphalt 9 have been all a pleasure to play. Nevertheless, this is among the few instances the place you’ll discover the again of the telephone getting heat to the contact – generally, the cooling system may be very efficient. 

The bottom S24 Extremely mannequin I examined has 256GB of storage, which is a lot for most individuals however 512GB and 1TB variations are additionally out there, although there’s no help for expandable storage. 

The telephone is effectively future proofed when it comes to connectivity. Alongside the same old 5G, you additionally get the newest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 requirements, plus NFC for cell funds.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 benchmarks

As you possibly can see from these benchmarks, the S24 Extremely is a contender for essentially the most highly effective Android telephone you should purchase. Nevertheless it does have sturdy competitors. 

Cameras

• Nice quad rear cameras
• 5x telephoto replaces 10x
• Stable selfie digicam

Samsung has made one vital change to the digicam {hardware} on the S24 Extremely. The 10Mp 10x telephoto lens is gone, changed by a brand new 50Mp sensor that solely affords 5x optical zoom. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Whereas that is technically a downgrade, it makes much more sense in the actual world. Beforehand, shifting between 3x zoom (utilizing the 10Mp telephoto, which remains to be right here) and 10x left you counting on an inferior digital zoom, which has a noticeable decline in high quality. 

Now, photographs as much as 5x can reap the benefits of optical zoom, whereas even at 10x the standard remains to be superb. This new setup makes me more likely to take photographs at as much as 10x. The 100x ‘Area Zoom’ remains to be right here, however solely helpful if it’s essential to see textual content that’s miles away. 

Samsung calls the brand new setup ‘Quad Telephoto’. Listed below are a few of the zoom photographs I took, starting from 0.6x to 100x: 

The principle digicam remains to be right here, however it doesn’t take 200Mp photographs by default. As an alternative, a course of referred to as pixel binning (the place 16 pixels are mixed into one) produces 12.5Mp stills, however I’d advocate most individuals go away it like this. A 200Mp photograph takes up rather more storage in trade for less than a tiny enchancment to picture high quality. 

In good lighting, stills from this lens are superb. There’s an excellent degree of element and dynamic vary is great. As normal for Samsung, the colourful colors aren’t fairly true to life, however they do pop in a means which means enhancing usually isn’t required. Even a dreary winter morning within the UK seemed rather more inviting than it really was so it comes right down to style. 

The principle sensor is equally effectively suited to structure and panorama photographs, however I loved switching to the 12Mp ultrawide for the latter. Its 120˚ area of view means that you can seize rather more within the picture, and there’s solely a slight drop-off in high quality vs the principle digicam. 

Like most telephones nowadays, the S24 Extremely is reliant on software program for the portrait mode. Nevertheless it does a fairly good job with edge detection, and with the ability to alter the extent of background blur later is a pleasant contact. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The night time mode mechanically activates in low-light environments, rising the publicity time to seize extra gentle. I’m impressed with the way in which it could actually brighten key areas of a picture with out introducing an excessive amount of noise or making it look synthetic. 

A macro mode can also be enabled while you get very near a topic. It’s a bit hit-and-miss, however actually no worse than the photographs you get from these 2Mp macro lenses which might be usually added to telephones to bump digicam depend.  

On the entrance, the 12Mp digicam can nonetheless take superb selfies, dealing with the publicity of topics and backgrounds effectively.  

Right here’s a choice of digicam samples I took: 

By way of video, the S24 Extremely can document at as much as 8K. However the default 1080p at 30fps nonetheless delivers clear, crisp footage, whereas OIS (optical picture stabilisation) throughout the principle and each telephoto lenses means video stays clean when you’re shifting round. 

So, is that this one of the best digicam setup of any smartphone? Virtually, however not fairly. The S24 Extremely is undoubtedly the most effective digicam telephones you should purchase, however I’d nonetheless belief the Pixel 8 Professional to take nice level and shoot photographs extra usually. It’s actually up there, although.  

Battery Life & Charging

• 5000mAh battery
• Wonderful battery life
• Gradual 45W charging

The Galaxy S24 Extremely’s 5000mAh battery doesn’t sound like something particular, particularly with a big 6.8-inch show to energy. However battery life is one thing you received’t want to fret about. 

On the times the place I used to be principally at residence, I used to be capable of get virtually three full days on a single cost. That was with solely round two hours of utilization per day, however it was refreshing to not have to cost the telephone each night time.  

Nevertheless, even on these demanding days the place you’re utilizing loads of cell information, excessive brightness and placement information, the S24 Extremely will nonetheless comfortably final a full day. The one exception to that’s in the event you spent a number of hours taking part in video games. 

For many of my testing time, I used the telephone on the default FHD+ decision and adaptive 120Hz refresh fee. However even when bumping it as much as QHD+ for the PCMark battery check (which simulates real-world utilization), a rating of 14 hours and 14 minutes ranks it as one of many longest-lasting telephones we’ve tried. 

Nevertheless, charging stays probably the most disappointing issues concerning the S24 Extremely. It’s nonetheless caught at 45W, regardless of many Android rivals providing greater than double that, and there’s no cable or energy brick included within the field.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Utilizing one I had at residence, it reached 30% in quarter-hour and 63% after half an hour. A full cost took round 70 minutes, which appears like an age while you’re used to true quick charging. 

The telephone helps 15W Qi wi-fi charging, however it’s unusual to see no help for the brand new Qi 2 commonplace. 4.5W reverse wi-fi charging remains to be right here, permitting you to cost another person’s telephone. 

Software program & Apps

• One UI 6.1 over Android 14
• Intelligent Galaxy AI options
• Seven years of updates

There’s lots to speak about in the case of software program, however let’s begin with the principle query: are these new Galaxy AI options any good? 

The quick reply is sure. AI doesn’t rework the consumer expertise on the S24 Extremely, however it introduces a number of small however vital high quality of life enhancements that I’m glad to have the ability to name upon. 

Circle to Search is my favorite, bringing the ability of Google Lens to any display screen in your telephone. Reasonably than having to make use of your digicam or take a screenshot, you possibly can simply circle one thing (together with your finger or the S Pen) and immediately seek for it on Google. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

See also  Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 review: Big performance with a brilliant display

AI additionally helps take translation to the following degree. I’m genuinely impressed with the Dwell Translate characteristic inside calls, which interprets between languages in actual time and offers a transcript alongside it.  

It really works no matter which telephone the opposite particular person is utilizing, although I can’t confirm the accuracy of its translations. Simply be sure to allow it in settings first.  

Elsewhere, Transcript Help makes audio recordings rather more helpful, permitting you to create summaries, translate into one in every of 35 languages and export to Samsung Notes, the place a spread of Observe Help instruments might help with computerized formatting. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Photograph enhancing additionally will get a giant enhance. The S24 telephones get Pixel 8-style skills to take away, transfer and resize objects, plus fill within the lacking components of a picture while you straighten it with out cropping in. Not every little thing works completely, however when it does, it’s mightily spectacular. 

I actually just like the video slow-mo characteristic too, which lets you play any video taken with the telephone in sluggish movement just by holding on the display screen whereas it’s taking part in. Saving a replica is slightly trickier as it’s essential to faucet the pencil icon after which alter the velocity. 

Not one of the AI options are groundbreaking, however they mix to make an actual distinction day-to-day.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The large concern is that Samsung is just guaranteeing free use of those options till the top of 2025 (based on its phrases and situations), after which you could have to pay for AI. Hopefully Samsung decides towards this however it’s attainable. 

That’d be an actual disgrace, particularly now the S24 Extremely will likely be supported with seven main OS updates and 7 years of software program updates. This class-leading promise matches Google’s Pixel 8 and eight Professional and means the telephone will likely be supported till a minimum of 2031. 

As for the remainder of the software program expertise, it’s principally extra of the identical. Samsung’s One UI 6.1 pores and skin (working on the S24 Extremely at launch) is kind of totally different to the model of Android 14 you’ll discover on Pixel telephones, however I really want it. 

Fast settings and notifications are effectively thought out and supply in depth customisation, whereas all of Samsung’s personal apps are designed to benefit from the massive show. I simply want a few of the ones I didn’t need to use may very well be uninstalled. 

The S24 Extremely additionally has a pair extra software program tips up its sleeve. One is full help for the S Pen stylus, together with the flexibility to create notes from the lock display screen and convert them into textual content through Samsung Notes.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The opposite is Samsung DeX, which turns the telephone right into a desktop-style interface when related to a appropriate monitor. It’s not fairly as practical as Home windows 11, however might exchange a laptop computer for some individuals. 

Worth & Availability

As anticipated, the Galaxy S24 Extremely doesn’t come low-cost. It begins at £1,249/$1,299.99 for the 256GB mannequin I examined, however 512GB (£1,349/$1,419.99) and 1TB (£1,549/$1,659.99) variations are additionally out there.  

It’s out there to pre-order direct from Samsung UK and Samsung US, but additionally through quite a lot of third-party retailers and carriers. Most are providing double the storage for a similar worth in the event you purchase one earlier than the 31 January launch date.

See the total vary of choices our separate article on the place to pre-order. Listed below are one of the best contract offers within the UK and US proper now:

When shopping for outright, the S24 Extremely is among the costliest non-foldable telephones you should purchase. The iPhone 15 Professional Max (from £1,199/$1,199) is the obvious various, whereas the Asus ROG Cellphone 8 Professional (from £1,099/$1,199.99) is equally costly. 

However lots of the greatest smartphones you should purchase are considerably extra reasonably priced. That features the common S24 and S24+, however loads of options are unique to the Extremely.

Must you purchase the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely?

The Galaxy S24 Extremely may look lots just like the S23 Extremely, however it’s a major improve in additional methods than one.  

Reasonably than being gimmicks, the brand new Galaxy AI options really make it simpler to speak or get issues finished. Alongside a brand new dedication to seven years of updates, the entire software program expertise is one of the best it’s ever been on a Samsung telephone. 

{Hardware} is top-drawer too, with very good Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 efficiency, 5 superb cameras and a stunning show. S Pen help and nice battery life are the icing on the cake, even when charging remains to be frustratingly slowly.  

The S24 Extremely is essentially the most full handset you should purchase, so that you received’t be disenchanted in the event you can afford to take action. 

Specs

• 6.8-inch, 120Hz, WQHD+, LTPO AMOLED show 
• Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset 
• 12GB RAM 
• 256/512GB/1TB storage 
• 5000mAh battery 
• 45W wired charging 
• 15W wi-fi charging 
• 200Mp f/1.7 predominant digicam 
• 12Mp f/2.2 120˚  ultrawide digicam 
• 50Mp f/3.4 5x optical telephoto digicam 
• 10Mp f/2.4 3x optical telephoto digicam 
• 12Mp f/2.2 entrance going through digicam 
• 5G 
• Wi-Fi 7 
• Bluetooth 5.3 
• IP68 
• Gorilla Glass Armor (entrance), Gorilla Glass (again), titanium body 
• S Pen (built-in) 
• 162.3 x 79 x 8.6mm 
• 233g 
• Android 14 with One UI 6.1 and Galaxy AI 
• Seven years of software program updates