It's happening - artificial intelligence (AI) is finally making its full-featured debut in the Samsung's Galaxy S24 series. Prepare to take your smartphone experience to incredible heights in this release.
On January 17, 2024, Samsung announced pre-orders for its latest flagship instalment from the iconic S Series, which includes Galaxy S24, S24+ and S24 Ultra. New phones have started being dispatching as of February 1, so now's the perfect time to buy via a Prime subscription to get free, fast delivery.
Out of the three iterations, which Galaxy smartphone is calling your name? We break down the specifications for each, what Galaxy AI means for your user experience, and any exciting camera upgrades to look forward to.
What's new: Samsung Galaxy AI
Artificial intelligence features will roll out across the S24 series, from its budget-friendly model to the premium Ultra model. Galaxy AI is going to be integrated into your basic, everyday phone functions, such as calling, texting, note-taking, image search, photo editing and so much more.
Below, we've summed up some of the ways this AI-powered phone could make life easier for you.
- Live Translate: Calls and texts will get translated in real-time, whether you're trying to make a restaurant reservation on vacation or messaging an exchange student on campus. Samsung Keyboard can also carry out some live translations in 13 languages.
- Circle to Search: Draw a circle around any object on the screen and Google will run an image search, without leaving YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Pinterest or any app.
- Note Assist: Generate easy-to-read bullet points of your meeting minutes or format your messy lecture notes with the help of AI in the Galaxy Notes app.
- ProVisual Engine: Use AI to edit people, pets and objects around and out of your photos with natural results.
- AI Zoom: Enjoy the famous 100x digital zoom with AI smoothing out the details between digital zoom lengths.
Besides future-proofing with AI, the S24 series sees obvious upgrades within the range, compared to its predecessors.
At a glance: Samsung Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+
Pros
- Highest resolution on a Galaxy phone ever in S24+
- Bigger screens in both models by 0.1 inch
- Increased RAM in S24+ and new 512GB storage option in S24
- Bigger battery capacity - longer battery life on both models
- Galaxy AI
Cons
- No massive camera upgrades
- Same design
Design
Not much has changed in terms of physical appearance, though both the Galaxy S24 and S24+ will feel slightly bigger than previous models to the discerning eye. Each display gets a 0.1-inch boost in size to 6.2 and 6.7 inches, respectively.
You'll find the same Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen technology here, but there's an exciting uptick in the pixels on the S24+. It carries Samsung's highest resolution, QHD+ (quad high definition), on a Galaxy phone ever yet, and this means clear, vivid details for you. The S24 and S24+ are also much brighter in the sun than the S23 models at 2,600 nits.
Besides the obvious difference in size, the triple rear camera system remains unchanged on the space-grade aluminium frame, which Samsung says is lighter than before. The series continues to incorporate more recycled components, from recycled cobalt and rare earth elements to steel. Reflecting this eco-conscious design are the mineral-inspired colours of the phone, both coming in onyx black, marble gray, cobalt violet and amber yellow.
Features
The S Series' 2024 launch is mainly led by the new Galaxy AI integration. You'll see a lot of AI-powered assistance in both models, as detailed above. In terms of main components, there are some worthwhile upgrades to be had.
Let's begin with the camera. Both the S24 and S24+ hold on to their previous megapixel counts, and add a 2x 'optical quality' zoom on the main 50MP lens. Thanks to AI, 'nightography' (night photography) is better than ever, especially in portrait mode. Your social apps, like Instagram, are now optimised to work with the S24 camera's Super HDR feature. So every video and photo, even if shot using the in-app camera, will retain its life-like colours and contrast on your feeds.
Next up, battery capacities have increased to make room for realistic usage times. The S24 boasts a 29-hour battery life on video playback, and the S24+ takes it up to 31 hours. Where the chipset is concerned, both models are powered by Samsung's Exynos 2400 processor (10-core CPU and six-core GPU), as opposed to Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (eight-core CPU) on the S23 and S23+.
Users will find the S24+ faster than the previous generation, too. The memory sees an upgrade to 12GB RAM, but the S24 still runs on 8GB.
Specifications
- Screen Display: S24: 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X | S24+: 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: S24: 2340 x 1080 pixels | S24+: 3120 x 1440 pixels
- Platform: Exynos 2400 for Galaxy (both)
- Operating System: Android 14
- RAM: S24: 8GB | S24+: 12GB
- Storage: S24: 128GB/256GB/512GB | S24+: 256GB/512GB
- Cameras: 50MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide camera, 10MP telephoto camera (both)
- Dimensions: S24: 70.6 x 147 x 7.6mm | S24+: 75.9 x 158.5 x 7.7mm
- Battery size: S24: 4,000mAh | S24+: 4,900mAh
- Charging speed (wired): S24: 25W | S24+: 45W
Conclusion
If you want longer battery life, slightly larger screen real estate and AI assistance every step of the way, the S24 and S24+ models deliver a great bargain. Compared to the S24+, the series' entry model sees little difference from the S23, but it's still a price worth paying to enjoy Galaxy's new software upgrades. With the increase in RAM and display resolution, the S24+ is a clear winner of the two.
At a glance: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Pros
- Strong titanium frame for the first time
- Runs on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset
- Optical zoom 5x on new 50MP telephoto camera
- Increased battery life
- Galaxy AI
Cons
- Same physical appearance
Design
The Galaxy S Series' premium Ultra range has always gone head-to-head with the Apple Pro Max series. In the 2024 lineup, Samsung brings a durable titanium exterior to the S24 Ultra, which is the same material the iPhone 15 Pro models employ.
It's only fair that the screen gets an upgrade, too. The 6.8-inch display is more scratch-resistant and less reflective than before with the newly applied Corning Gorilla Armor, compared to S23 Ultra's Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The resolution does see an increase in pixels with QHD+, but the difference is negligible in this model. Like the S24 and S24+ phones, you're getting a higher peak brightness of 2,600 nits for better visibility.
Otherwise, you're greeted with familiar curved edges, an even flatter display for S Pen scribbles and protruding pro-grade rear cameras. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is IP68-certified for dust and water protection, much like the S23 series, and is available in four mineral-inspired colours: titanium gray, titanium black, titanium violet and titanium yellow.
Features
There's no doubt that the Ultra's built-in S Pen will greatly facilitate Galaxy AI features. You're more likely to edit pictures and search images with better precision than without the tool. On the processor, camera and battery fronts, improvements are not massive, yet can be attractive to Ultra fans.
The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the latest mobile platform out yet. This eight-core CPU fuels a longer 30-hour battery life on the S24 Ultra, despite carrying the same capacity as the S23 Ultra, and its AI-packed quad-camera system.
Its dual telephoto lenses are best known for their impressive zoom, so much so that the Ultra is the smartphone of choice at concerts. Now, meet the all-new 50MP telephoto camera, which replaces one of the two 10MP lenses. With this, you can zoom in farther and clearer than the S23 Ultra via its new 5x optical sensor. The fan-favourite digital 100x zoom also gets an overhaul with a wider OIS (optical image stabilisation) correction angle - meaning, stable concert videos, even in low light.
Mobile gamers will particularly appreciate the S24 Ultra's vastly improved thermal control that keeps a hot phone at bay when playing power-intensive titles.
Specifications
- Screen Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3120 x 1440 pixels
- Platform: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Operating System: Android 14
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB
- Cameras: 200MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide camera, 50MP and 10MP telephoto cameras
- Dimensions: 79 x 162.3 x 8.6mm
- Battery size: 5,000mAh
- Charging speed (wired): 45W
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra's top-tier features, combined with hardware upgrades, are expected to reach new heights with AI. From the strong titanium frame to Qualcomm's fastest mobile chipset, this is Samsung's sleekest, most durable Galaxy yet.
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