Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra is the company's latest flagship smartphone and has a lot to offer. The most prominent updates are related to Artificial intelligence (AI), which is unsurprising since AI seems to be seeping into everything. (Software, search, writing, etc.)
It also has a few camera upgrades and the promise of seven years of software and security updates, which is a big deal for sustainability and consumer costs since it will likely cause people to upgrade their smartphones less frequently, even if it's not every seven years.
So who should buy this? If you're ready for an upgrade, it's a great choice. But it's not a must-buy unless you're super into the new AI features.
The Latest Model
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Last Year's Model
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Features: S24 Ultra Gets Some Design Upgrades
Like the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, the S24 Ultra features a titanium build. It also has Corning's new Gorilla Armor cover material, offering extra protection against wear and tear and a rich display even in bright sunlight.
Most other specs are the same or similar, including the S Pen, which did not receive an update.
Features
6.8-inch display
6.40 x 3.11 x 0.34 in, 8.22oz
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Android 14, One UI 6.1 (shipped)
7 years of OS and security updates
12GB RAM
256GB, 512GB, 1TB storage options
$1300 starting price at release
Released January 2024
6.8-inch display
6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in, 8.25oz
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Android 13, One UI 6 (shipped)
4 years of OS and security updates
8GB or 12GB RAM
256GB, 512GB, 1TB storage options
$1200 starting price at release
Released February 2023
S24 Ultra Snapshot: What's New
Samsung announced Galaxy AI will be incorporated into the S24 series of smartphones, including messaging, notes, web browsing, and photo editing.
Galaxy AI
- Circle to Search with Google
- Live Translate: Translates text messages, phone calls and more
- Chat & Note Assist. Helps when drafting messages and notes by adapting to your writing style and tone
- Transcript Assist. Transcribe and format recordings from the voice recorder app
- Browsing Assist. When using Samsung Internet, Galaxy AI can summarize and translate search page results and web pages
- Generative Edit. AI-powered photo editing
- Instant Slow-mo for video. Long press and hold the screen to review footage frame by frame
Cameras: S24 Ultra Gets AI Assistance
The S24 Ultra's camera gets boosted with features like Magic Eraser and Generative Edits. The phone will even suggest photo edits; making them happen is much easier with AI.
200MP Wide
12MP Ultra Wide
10MP telephoto with 3x Zoom
50MP telephoto with 5x Zoom
12MP Front
200MP Wide
12MP Ultra Wide
10MP telephoto with 3x zoom
10MP telephoto with 10x zoom
12MP Front
Final Thoughts: Is Artificial Intelligence Enough?
The Galaxy S24 isn't enough of a dramatic update to upgrade from an S23 unless you want to get your hands on these AI features now. It's worth considering if you have an older phone running out of software updates, though you would also do well with an S23 Ultra, especially if you can get a deal through your wireless carrier. If you love the S Pen, it remains unchanged, so you won't miss out if you buy an S23 Ultra.