The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has arrived, and it’s everything we’ve come to expect from Samsung’s Ultra series—premium design, top-tier performance, cutting-edge camera capabilities, and an overall versatile flagship experience. If you’re in the market for a smartphone that pushes boundaries in almost every department, the S24 Ultra deserves serious consideration. Here’s a deep dive into what this latest offering from Samsung brings to the table.
Design & Build Quality
At first glance, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra doesn’t deviate drastically from its predecessor, but that’s not a bad thing. The Ultra’s signature boxy design, with squared-off corners and sleek lines, gives it a premium look and feel. The frame is constructed from durable Armor Aluminum, and it’s flanked by Gorilla Glass Victus 3 on the front and back, ensuring durability against daily wear and tear.
With an IP68 rating, the S24 Ultra is water and dust resistant, and it feels solid in hand. However, it remains a large device, and one-handed use might be tricky for some users. Available in a range of new colors, including Phantom Black, Phantom White, and more exotic finishes like Burgundy, Samsung ensures there’s a style to suit everyone.
Display: A Visual Delight
Samsung has once again delivered one of the best displays on the market with the 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. The display offers a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate with an adaptive setting that can drop to 1Hz to save battery. This makes scrolling, gaming, and media consumption a joy.
With a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels, the display is incredibly sharp, and it supports HDR10+, offering vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent brightness levels, even under direct sunlight. Whether you’re watching high-definition videos or simply browsing social media, the S24 Ultra’s display is an experience in itself.
Performance: Power Unleashed
Under the hood, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor (or Exynos 2400, depending on your region). Both chipsets provide impressive performance, but the Snapdragon variant has an edge in terms of power efficiency and gaming performance.
The phone is available with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of internal storage, making it a beast when it comes to multitasking, gaming, and handling large files. The combination of high-performance hardware with Samsung’s polished One UI 6 based on Android 14 ensures a smooth and fluid user experience.
Gaming is a standout experience on the S24 Ultra. Titles like Genshin Impact and PUBG Mobile run flawlessly, with zero stuttering or lag. The phone doesn’t heat up much, thanks to improved cooling systems, and frame rates remain consistent even during extended gaming sessions.
Camera System: Beyond Expectations
The Galaxy S24 Ultra continues to set the bar high with its quad-camera setup. The main camera boasts a massive 200MP sensor, allowing you to capture extremely detailed photos, even in challenging lighting conditions. Paired with Laser Autofocus and OIS, the camera is quick to focus and delivers sharp, vibrant images.
The 12MP ultra-wide camera excels in landscape photography, providing a wider field of view without distorting the edges of your images. Then there’s the pair of telephoto lenses—a 10MP 3x optical zoom and a 10MP 10x periscope lens—that allow for incredible zoom capabilities without sacrificing much quality. The 100x Space Zoom is back, and while it’s more of a party trick at extreme levels, zooming up to 30x delivers usable and detailed images.
The front-facing 12MP selfie camera is another winner, delivering crisp selfies with excellent color reproduction and natural-looking skin tones. Video recording on the S24 Ultra is equally impressive, with support for 8K video at 30fps and 4K at 60fps across both the rear and front cameras.
Battery Life: All-Day Power
With a 5,000mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra promises all-day battery life, even with heavy usage. Samsung’s 45W fast charging support means you can get a 50% charge in just around 30 minutes. Additionally, 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging make it convenient to charge accessories like the Galaxy Buds on the go.
On moderate usage—browsing, social media, a couple of hours of video streaming, and some photography—the battery comfortably lasts through a full day. More power-hungry users will still find it sufficient, although intensive gaming and 5G use will reduce battery longevity.
Additional Features
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra also packs several additional features that enhance the overall experience:
- S Pen Integration: As expected from the Ultra series, the S24 Ultra continues to support the S Pen, which is tucked neatly inside the device. It remains an excellent tool for note-taking, sketching, and precision tasks.
- 5G Connectivity: Whether you’re streaming content, downloading large files, or playing cloud-based games, the S24 Ultra takes full advantage of next-gen 5G networks for blazing-fast speeds.
- Security: The under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is fast and secure, while Face Unlock provides a convenient alternative for unlocking your phone.
Verdict: Is It Worth It?
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the ultimate Android flagship in 2024. Its premium build, stunning display, powerful performance, and best-in-class camera system make it a top contender for anyone looking for the best smartphone experience. Whether you’re a photography enthusiast, a gamer, or someone who needs a powerhouse for multitasking, the S24 Ultra has you covered.
However, with all these premium features comes a hefty price tag. If budget isn’t a concern and you’re seeking a no-compromise device, the S24 Ultra is a fantastic investment. For others, the S24 Ultra might be overkill, but you can’t deny its status as one of the most complete smartphones on the market.
Pros:
- Stunning display with smooth 120Hz refresh rate
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor
- Versatile and top-tier camera system
- S Pen integration for enhanced productivity
- Long-lasting battery life with fast charging
Cons:
- Expensive
- Large and unwieldy for one-handed use