Samsung Galaxy S24+ Vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra: Is Bigger Always Better?

• Samsung Galaxy S24+

  Average success

  Excellent packaging designed for 7 years.

  The slim fit of the S24+ compared to its predecessor makes it one of the best large-screen phones on the market, without any noticeable increase in size or weight. Premium design, powerful hardware and constantly improving software make this a choice.

  strengths

  • An almost unbeatable exhibition
  • Appropriate size and weight
  • Excellent performance

  Disadvantages

  • Not much has changed since the S23+
  • Getting the Exynos SoC in Europe
  • Wi-Fi 7 is missing

• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

  great and responsible

  In terms of features and price, there is nothing better.

  The Galaxy S24 Ultra, the biggest and most advanced Galaxy ever, may be the buzz, but it's hard to ignore. Performance, battery life, and camera specs are on point, as is the longevity of Samsung's promised next-level Android update.

  strengths

  • Tons of screen space
  • Ultra high resolution camera
  • Built-in S Pen

  Disadvantages

  • A little too big for some
  • The camera is always blurry.
  • It costs a lot

Samsung's Galaxy S24 family may not be a revolutionary redesign, but it offers some interesting generational improvements that are worth considering, and they're still some of the best Android phones on the market.

While the base model S24 doesn't differ much from the S24+, the S24 Ultra has some key improvements that make it an interesting option for those looking for the best. But are these improvements worth the new increased price? In many cases yes, but not in all.

Price, availability and specifications.

At first glance, price differentiates these two premium devices more than any other aspect. Neither is cheap, of course, but the 256GB Ultra costs $300 more than the $1,000 Plus. The 256GB upgrade costs $120 and the single 1TB Ultra option costs a whopping $1,660 with no trade-ins, rebates or retailer offers.

In terms of availability, both will be available on all major networks in all major markets soon after their launch in late January 2024. Of course, this is not surprising since the Galaxy S series represents the family of the world's most popular high-end Android smartphones. American state for many years.

• 	Samsung Galaxy S24+	Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
  SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
  AZP	12 GB	12 GB
  STORAGE	256 GB or 512 GB	256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB
  BATTERIES	4900 mAh	5000mAh
  ports	USB-C	USB-C
  operating system	Android 14 and a UI 6.1	Android 14 with OneUI 6.1
  Front camera	12 megapixels, f/2.2	12 megapixels, f/2.2
  backup camera	50 MP, main OIS f/1.8; 12 MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide angle; 10 MP telephoto lens, f/2.4 (3x zoom)	200MP, f/1.7 main lens; 12 MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide angle; 10MP telephoto lens (3x); 50 MP telephoto lens, f/3.4 (5x)
  COMMUNICATION	NFC, UWB	UWB, NFC
  Dimensions	158.5 × 76.2 × 7.6 mm	162.6 × 79.0 × 8.6 mm
  colors	Black Onyx, Gray Marble, Purple Cobalt, Yellow Amber, Green Jade, Blue Sapphire and Orange Sandstone	Black titanium, gray titanium, purple titanium, yellow titanium
  Screen type	AMOLED, 1-120 Hz	LTPO AMOLED, 1-120 Hz
  Weight	197	233
  Download speed	Wired 45W, wireless 15W	Wired 45W, wireless 15W
  IP rating	IP68	IP68
  PRICE	1000 dollars	1300 dollars
  style	No.	Pen included
  Show the dimensions	6.7"	6.8", 19.3:9
  Viewing permission	3120×1440	3088×1440
  Payment options	USB-C wired, Qi wireless	Wired, wireless and reverse charging
  Mobile connection	4G LTE, 5G (Sub-6 and mmWave)	5G mmWave and Sub-6, LTE
  WiFi connection	Wi-Fi 6e, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 7
  Bodybuilding	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3

design

Similar language, different feeling.

At first glance, these two phones clearly belong to the same family. The color offering is almost identical, the camera lenses differ in placement but hardly in appearance, and the sizes are similar to each other. However, their collection tells a different story.

The S24+ looks like a premium device, but the Ultra goes further and oozes luxury. The square edges (even more so than the flat design of the S24+ compared to its predecessor) make it an absolute joy to hold and perhaps more iPhone-like than ever before - a good thing from a design perspective . And while you can't easily tell the colors of the two phones apart in the images, the larger phone's titanium frame and overall finish look a little better.

When it comes to the hands, the difference is even more noticeable. Although it's only about 4 millimeters longer and wider, it's noticeable that the Ultra is more than 10 percent thicker and almost 20 percent heavier. It's not at the level of a foldable phone, but it's almost the heaviest flagship phone you can buy. Like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it doesn't look like the thin titanium frame did much to keep the grams down.

Finally, the Ultra has a slight advantage in terms of durability. In the race to improve the balance between scratch and tear resistance, the new Gorilla Glass armor on the front shows incredible resilience like we've never seen before. This is a good indication of the durability of this expensive device.

show

Once again the top two

In terms of screen quality, a few important things have changed since the S23 family, although there wasn't much room for improvement. The S24+ finally got a resolution upgrade, returning to the QHD+ screens of the S Plus series models of yore. Both now have a ridiculous 2600 nits peak brightness, making for solid HDR performance, though they still don't support Dolby Vision, instead using the less desirable (but still excellent) HDR10+ protocol by default.

The Ultra is 0.1 inches larger and both see a larger surface area due to flattened edges and the disappearance of the curved screen concept. Aside from the improved lighting and the aforementioned Gorilla Glass armor, the Ultra's screen remains largely unchanged and is again at or near the top when it comes to gaming screens. However, in comparison, the S24+ resembles its more expensive cousin than ever.

software

Almost the same thing

This time around, Samsung has taken software to the next level, choosing to focus on machine learning tools rather than revolutionary hardware or design changes for its latest flagships. This means you will continue to enjoy the highly acclaimed OneUI experience with its intuitive and relatively customizable interface. While it's not for everyone, there are good reasons why it continues to receive high marks from users and experts.

Like Google's first AI launch, Samsung's expanded feature set is still a work in progress, but it already looks promising. Interestingly, some of the most useful parts of the Galaxy AI tools are based on Google's Gemini AI model, which is a very good sign in our opinion. We also like Samsung's promise to integrate some AI features into the S23 family. If this is the case with the launch of the S24, it stands to reason that the S24 series will likely continue to receive new features after the flagship launches next year.

Currently, the latest Galaxy software is still a bit sparse and could be a promising asset for these two new devices. It remains to be seen how it will fare against Google in the long run, but it's already showing early signs of superiority, such as its excellent AI voice recorder. However, there are no significant differences in software between them.

However, stylus engagement remains an important application area in which the Ultra continues to impress. As big as the S24+ is, Samsung has reserved the premium S-Pen for the larger phone, giving its high-end model a high level of functionality and multitasking. As always, it slides into the S24 Ultra's case and pops out by simply pressing the slightly protruding cover. Like its predecessor, the Ultra leaves all other smartphones behind in terms of stylus performance.

The new standard for software longevity

To keep up with Google and its slightly less familiar interface, Samsung is now guaranteeing at least seven full Android updates, followed by another year of security patches. We're big fans because not only will this keep these phones in people's pockets longer, but it will also improve the market for used phones. Will today's flagships still be on top in about five years, when most power users will have moved on to new high-end phones? The jury is still out, but they are likely to be better than many mid-range options, to say the least.

productivity

Neck race

In each of them, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy leads all the numbers. It's an overclocked version of Qualcomm's current SoC and builds on Gen 2 for performance and, to a lesser extent, efficiency. We had no complaints about the latest Snapdragon chip, and we have no doubts about it.

Both phones also come with 12GB of RAM, which means they offer essentially the same performance and remain among the best in the world. Given the clock speed changes, minor instruction set improvements, and our initial test numbers, these bad boy devices should have no problem keeping up with Samsung's new Android 7 update policy.

Battery life

Better than ever

The S24+'s battery life isn't as flawless as the S22+, but it builds on its predecessor's excellent battery life. We expect the S24 series to remain within reach of the best phones in terms of battery life this year, thanks in large part to the continued efficiency of the chips. Its SoC provides much of this with higher efficiency and less heat loss than ever before. We weren't able to drain the battery in a day of moderate or heavy use. And since they have the same number of pixels as most other hardware devices, battery life should be practically the same throughout the lifespan of the Plus and Ultra.

However, there are some specific areas where the Ultra could perform better in the long run. First, the S24+ achieves Wi-Fi 6E compared to Wi-Fi 7 on the Ultra. This new standard won't affect current speeds in most environments, but it may make a small difference to Wi-Fi performance in a few years when Wi-Fi 7 routers are more widely used.

Another minor issue in terms of performance and efficiency is Samsung's continued insistence on using its own Exynos chip in the European models of the Galaxy S24 and S24+. Of course, early tests show that the Exynos 2400 can keep up with the industry-leading Snapdragon hardware, but that's probably not the case, and the EU S24+ is likely to have a slightly shorter battery life.

No load change

As for the load, it's still good, but those of us who are more demanding have a small quibble. A maximum frequency of 45 W is not exactly low, but it is a little behind the competition. In about 30 minutes both phones go from empty to half full, after which they slow down. This is acceptable for most users.

Considering these phones start at $1,000, we don't think the speed boost is too much to ask, but it's not the end of the world either. Unless you're a power user and expect a 50 percent charge in just a few minutes, we doubt you'll have a problem with this.

camcorders

Where are the corrections?

To be clear: Samsung cameras are not bad; Far from it. They capture (mostly) beautiful images and video in vivid colors and with particularly impressive telephoto zoom capabilities. In fact, the Ultra wins here with a 5x periscope zoom lens that takes some of the best long-distance photos you'll find on a phone.

It's also nice that Samsung's image processing delivers more realistic shadows in both cases than last year. Combined with the 200-megapixel main lens, it creates some of the best night photos available on a Samsung phone. Hardware-wise, the Ultra's cameras are better on paper, though they translate only slightly into real-world experiences beyond the Plus's simple 3x optical zoom.

However, the crux of the problem remains relevant for both phones. With smartphones set to cost more than $1,000 in 2024, Samsung's apparent failure to improve motion controls borders on criminal. Our in-depth investigation revealed noticeable blurring issues not only with fast-moving subjects like our four-legged friends, but also with relatively slow-moving subjects like a city bus stopping in medium brightness. In great lighting conditions, the problem is a little less pronounced, but we're still a little confused as to why it's still an issue. While it's not really a deal breaker, the occasional blur keeps both of them from being among the best camera phones on the market right now.

Which of these is right for you?

Bigger isn't always better, and the mid-sized Galaxy S now looks more like its more expensive alternative than ever. While the market tends to choose the larger of the two models (the Ultra has sold more than twice as much as the Plus in recent years), the S24+ is a fantastic option for most people as the best all-round package. Its shape makes it a bit more practical without sacrificing large screen real estate or anything in screen quality. Considering that all the hardware is mostly the same except for the cameras, this is probably the best option for most people.

However, power users, pen enthusiasts and people looking for the best will surely love the S24 Ultra. It's a fantastic phone in every way except its frame-shift handling, and Samsung's seven-year-old software makes it a worthwhile investment. If you're willing to spend a few hundred more, you won't be disappointed with Samsung's flagship this year.

Galaxy S24 vs Galaxy S23 speed test