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Review of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Excellent, but pricey compared to what it provides
As a stand-alone smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is fantastic because to its superb performance, camera, design, and display. But is it a worthwhile improvement over the S23 Ultra? This 5-point assessment contains the answer to this query.
Samsung this week unveiled its flagship Galaxy S24 series, the most expensive and luxurious of the bunch being the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Not only is the lot more costly than the S23 series from 2023, but that’s a topic for another time. The entire series this year is also more costly. Now that the embargoes have finally been lifted and we have had a week or so to use the phone, we feel comfortable discussing our experiences with the Galaxy S24 Ultra.Â
The largest modification on the S24 Ultra is Galaxy AI, even if there haven’t been any noteworthy hardware advancements between the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra. There are tons of AI features on the Samsung flagship phones. However, is the Galaxy S24 Ultra a worthwhile purchase for an end user? The solution is available in our in-depth analysis of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. However, below is our five-point summary of the S24 Ultra experience if you’d like a short rundown of it.
AI Galaxy
The S24 Ultra has a wide range of AI features, such as Circle to Search, Live Translate, Chat Assist, Magic Compose, Transcript Assist, and Generative Edit recommendations for images and videos. The smartphone’s functionality is improved by features including enhanced photo and video editing, real-time translation, call transcription, and the ability to address subtleties like undesired shadows.
Even though I was unable to thoroughly explore every AI capability, Circle to Search and Generative Edit stood out as particularly useful functions that were easily incorporated into both hardware and software. Specifically, Circle to Search uses simple taps or doodles to expedite web searches. With the help of the Generative Edit feature, items in photos may be easily moved or removed, and the AI will organically fill in the empty space.
Call Assist emphasizes data processing on the device by facilitating real-time call translation. Though the integration of Galaxy AI capabilities is outstanding, there is a concern about their value proposition for a high-end smartphone because of the subjective nature of intelligence, which makes it difficult to measure its importance for a range of customers.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has a very good integration of the Galaxy AI features. They greatly improve the device’s intuitive user experience. But I also believe that not all consumers would benefit equally from the AI features. Some users might view it as a means to make their phones smarter, but others might just think it’s a gimmick.
Camera functionality
Although competent, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s camera falls short of the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s in terms of major improvements. The camera configuration is essentially the same, with the same primary, ultrawide, 3x telephoto, and selfie cameras—both in theory and in practice. Notable software improvements like better low-light photography and Super HDR don’t really affect real-world testing. Though improvements in zoom capabilities are subjective, the sole noticeable change is the addition of a 50-megapixel sensor to the second telephoto camera.
Positively, photos taken at 30X and even 100X showed unexpectedly good quality, with the 30X zoom beating the difficult 100X zoom because of its greater steadiness and ability to hold onto information. Portrait mode performed erratically, performing best in well-lit settings but having trouble separating backgrounds in dimly lit areas. Selfies presented difficulties because the S24 Ultra had trouble correctly focusing on faces, which frequently led to lower focus for far-off things.
The camera can be made better, even if it is generally competent due to its lack of significant upgrades and ability to be adjusted through software updates.
Design and Display
Subtle design improvements are seen in the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which has a titanium body for increased durability and weight savings. Samsung has decided against curved edges in favor of a flat display, which works well with S-Pen capability, reduces mishaps, and is advantageous for gamers. With a resolution of 1440p, the 6.8-inch AMOLED screen displays vivid images that are now even brighter at 2,600 nits. Additionally, a unique coating on the display eliminates reflections even in direct sunlight.
Furthermore, the display’s HDR 10+ compatibility, speed, and low latency provide an immersive viewing experience with good viewing angles and barely any glare.
Having said that, the S24 Ultra’s larger form factor may make it difficult to use one-handedly and may require both hands to operate, despite its premium and high-quality feel. On the other hand, the device’s luxury looks are what draw consumers who value gaming or video watching over one-handed convenience.
Efficiency and Lithium-Ion Batteries
For those who enjoy playing mobile games, the Galaxy S24 Ultra shows to be a very capable phone even though it isn’t specifically promoted as one. Samsung has improved the vapour cooling chamber and added a titanium construction, which helps to better dissipate heat when playing games. Thanks to the potent combination of a 2,600 nits display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU, and ray tracing, the device’s gaming performance exceeds that of its predecessor, the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
I also played games like Asphalt 9 and Harry Potter Awakened, which showed fluid gameplay devoid of lags or frame drops. Beyond gaming, the S24 Ultra is excellent at daily chores. It responds quickly to inputs and can be used to navigate social media and move between programs. The resilience of the gadget under extended heavy usage was further proven by benchmark tests, which included stress tests and display capabilities.
Regarding battery performance, the S24 Ultra’s 45W charging provides a full charge in around an hour, even though it doesn’t equal other competitors’ quick charging rates.
Conclusion: The Galaxy AI experience is pricey.
When used alone, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a very powerful phone. The tablet provides incredibly strong performance, and the gaming experience is much more enjoyable than it was a year ago. Thanks to its redesigned titanium structure, the S24 Ultra now has an even brighter display as well as a more upscale and robust design. There aren’t many improvements for the camera, battery, or S-Pen, but since Galaxy AI is so prominent, you hardly notice them.
Thus, the S24 Ultra is a fantastic option if you’re wanting to get a brand-new high-end gadget or are interested in checking out the Samsung Ultra series for the first time. The S24 Ultra is a fantastic option if you’d like to use AI hardware integration in a high-end phone. But if you’re someone who weighs the cost and value of the S24 Ultra, the S23 Ultra is unquestionably a superior option because it comes with nearly identical specs and can be purchased for a significantly lower price thanks to a mix of sales and discounts. What about all those Galaxy AI features, you ask? They are going to travel to the S23.