Samsung Galaxy S24 Review: Impressive AI-powered features
Unveiled Samsung Galaxy S24 might be your best option.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 isn’t just about impressive AI features like Circle to Search and enhanced language translation. It also boasts the same powerful processor as the Samsung S24 Ultra in a compact design that rivals the iPhone 15’s portability. This powerful little phone could transform your mobile gaming experience and even power a desktop environment with Samsung DeX.
Is the Galaxy S24’s balance of features and size worthy of an upgrade? This Samsung S24 Galaxy Review will cover the phone’s AI features, hardware and software upgrades, and our verdict. Let’s find out.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Review: Verdict
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung wants to show the world how good it is at making AI smartphones with the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus. These phones have a lot of new and improved AI tools that users can enjoy. They also have some small but nice changes in their screen and battery. We don’t know yet if these phones can beat the Google Pixel 8 or the iPhone 15 Pro max in AI or performance, but Samsung has definitely started strong with the Galaxy S24 series.
Pros
- Lot of new AI features that are very cool.
- Bigger screen on both the S24 and the S24 Plus that shows everything better.
- Larger batteries that last longer.
- 7 years of updates that keep them fresh and safe.
Cons
- Don’t have any big changes in their camera that make it better.
- Limited memory and storage on the base model that might not be enough.
Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Price and availability
Starting at $799 / £799 / AU$1399, the base Galaxy S24 packs flagship power for the same price as last year’s model (or even less in the UK!). Australians even get a storage boost with 256GB standard. You won’t likely pay full sticker price either – Samsung consistently offers generous trade-in deals and promotions.
While upgrading storage to 256GB is wise, there’s little reason to shell out for the Galaxy S24 Ultra unless you demand its top-notch camera or larger screen. For everyday use, the S24 delivers comparable performance at a much friendlier price. Compared to the iPhone 15, you get features like a zoom lens and longer battery life. Unless tied to the Apple ecosystem, the Galaxy S24’s power, longevity, and competitive pricing make it a compelling choice.
Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Spec
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus share most of the specs, except for the screen size, battery capacity, and charging speed. Here are the main specs of the phones:
| Specifications | Galaxy S24 | Galaxy S24 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $799 | $999 |
| Display size and resolution | 6.2-inch AMOLED, FHD+ flat screen | 6.7-inch AMOLED, QHD+, flat screen |
| Display brightness, refresh rate | 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate | 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3/Exynos 2400 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3/Exynos 2400 |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 256GB, 512GB |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto (3x optical zoom) | 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto (3x optical zoom) |
| Front camera | 12MP | 12MP |
| Battery size | 4,000 mAh | 4,900 mAh |
| Charging speed | 25W | 45W |
| Size | 5.79 x 2.78 x 0.30 inches | 6.24 x 3.00 x 0.30 inches |
Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Design
The Samsung Galaxy S24, a successor to the S23, maintains a similar design but introduces subtle yet impactful changes. The phone’s unibody-like design brilliantly blends the flat screen and back panel, both encased in aluminum, with metal side rails. However, the S24’s design leans closer to the iPhone 15, with well-rounded corners that starkly contrast the right angles of the S24 Ultra.
One of the most significant design changes is the reduction in bezel size. This allows the S24 to offer a slightly larger 6.2-inch display without altering the phone’s compact dimensions. Despite the larger screen, the S24 remains as lightweight and thin as its predecessor, making it a great one-handed phone option. It’s even thinner than the iPhone or Google Pixel, and it outperforms all competitors in terms of battery life.
The S24’s durability isn’t compromised, thanks to the Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Although it’s not as scratch-resistant as the Gorilla Armor Glass found on the S24 Ultra, it’s still tough enough to withstand everyday use. Plus, the phone offers IP68 water resistance, so accidental drops in water aren’t a concern.
When it comes to color options, the S24 offers a variety, albeit a bit muted. The standard options include Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, and Amber Yellow. For those seeking more variety, Samsung’s online store offers exclusive options in blue, orange, and green. The colors, particularly the Cobalt Violet, have a natural look with a nice matte finish and texture to the back glass, although they could benefit from more saturation.
Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Display
The Samsung Galaxy S24’s display is a testament to the company’s reputation for quality screens. With a resolution of 2340 x 1080 and a 120Hz refresh rate, the S24 offers a vibrant and smooth viewing experience. However, it’s not without its quirks.
The S24’s display isn’t the sharpest on the market, with both the Google Pixel 8 and iPhone 15 boasting higher pixel densities. However, the difference might not be noticeable to the average user. The S24 does outshine these competitors in brightness, reaching 1,416 nits with HDR enabled, although it falls short of the OnePlus 12’s impressive 4,500 nits.
Color reproduction is another area where the S24 excels. It recreates more colors than the iPhone 15 using both the sRGB and DCI-P3 spectrums. While the iPhone’s screen is slightly more accurate, the difference is negligible with the S24’s Delta-E rating of 0.22 in its default Vivid mode.
Despite these strengths, the S24’s display has room for improvement. The lack of Dolby Vision HDR support is a drawback for Netflix enthusiasts, although HDR10+ content still looks great. Additionally, the Edge Panel and Quick Panel features can feel cluttered on the smaller 6.2-inch display, suggesting a need for more software simplicity.
In terms of outdoor visibility, the S24 performs well, with the screen remaining legible even in bright sunlight. However, under less favorable lighting conditions, you might need to crank up the brightness to see screen details clearly.
Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Performance
The Galaxy S24 and the Galaxy S24 Plus have different chips depending on where you buy them. In the U.S., these models have a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip like the Galaxy S24 Ultra. But in other places, like the U.K., these models have Samsung’s own Exynos 2400 for Galaxy chip.
We think that S24s with the Snapdragon chip will have some of the best phone performance right now, but previous Exynos chips were not as good as Snapdragon chips, so buyers outside the U.S. might get a worse phone.
Let’s talk about other specs. The Galaxy S24 has 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage as normal, which is not a lot, but you can get more storage up to 256GB if you want. The S24 Plus has 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage as normal, which is more, and you can get even more storage up to 512GB if you need.
Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Software and updates
The Galaxy S24 series comes with Android 14 and One UI 6.1 out of the box, giving you a lot of features to enjoy as standard, such as improved lock screen personalization and a more elegant Camera app design. But the real star of the show on the Galaxy S24 is the Galaxy AI-powered features that aim to make common smartphone tasks simpler or more advanced.
One of the first ones you’ll encounter is Chat Assist, which is integrated into your keyboard. This tool lets you rewrite a text or email to match the tone you want, or translate it to one of the 13 languages that Galaxy AI supports at launch.
When you find something you want to know more about, you don’t have to open your browser to search thanks to Galaxy AI. Its Circle to Search with Google feature allows you to press and hold the home button or gesture bar at the bottom of the phone, then simply draw around something on-screen to send a query to Google. You can then ask the AI follow-up questions, such as asking it to book a trip for you to the fascinating place you just circled. There’s also Live Translation, either during calls, where a robotic voice will translate for you, or face-to-face, where you can use a special two-sided interface to chat with someone in front of you.
Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Camera
The Galaxy S24 series has the same camera hardware as the previous two models. But it has a new 2x optical zoom (by cropping the sensor) and new AI-powered image editing features. Samsung is following the Pixel’s example by not changing the hardware but focusing on the new ProVisual Engine, which is made to give AI-improved image processing before and after taking a picture.
For the before part, it says it can remove noise, make low light pictures better and give more true and bright colors, when needed. Samsung’s phones usually have more colorful and contrasty pictures as normal, but they have been getting more real and accurate colors over time, so it’ll be fun to see what the ProVisual Engine does for pictures in this way.
For the after part, Edit Suggestion is now ready to quickly give you editing tools that the phone thinks are good for the picture you took; like removing reflections, making the colors and contrast better or adding a portrait effect later. Generative Fill, on the other hand, lets you fill the empty space made by tilting an image or moving and resizing things in a picture to get a different look, by itself. These tools are strong and cool in action but a) they’re not very fast, even with the S24’s AI power and b) like the Pixel 8 series’ Magic Editor, they challenge the idea of what is photography and what is more like AI-made digital art.
Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Battery life and charging
The Galaxy S24 and the Galaxy S24 Plus have bigger batteries than the previous models. The S24 has a 4,000 mAh battery, which is 100 mAh more than the S23. The S24 Plus has a 4,900 mAh battery, which is 200 mAh more than the S23 Plus.
Samsung is using the same chargers as the Galaxy S23 series for these batteries. The S24 has a 25W charger, which Samsung says will charge the phone to half in half an hour. That’s not very fast compared to some other phones, but it’s similar to Apple and Google’s new phones.
Samsung has a 45W charger for the Plus model and higher, which can charge the Galaxy S24 Plus to 65% in half an hour. That’s a bit better but still not very fast overall.
Samsung Galaxy S24 review: Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S24 delivers flagship-level power and innovative AI features in a compact, affordable package. Its Circle to Search, advanced language translation, and potential for desktop-like functionality through Samsung DeX make it a productivity powerhouse that rivals the iPhone 15. If you’re searching for a future-proof smartphone with exceptional battery life and a long software support window, the Samsung Galaxy S24 may be the perfect upgrade.
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