Samsung introduced its latest flagship phone lineup, the Galaxy S24 series, during the company's Unpacked event on January 17.
The new Samsung lineup comprises the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus, and Galaxy S24 Ultra. In addition to the customary processor upgrade that accompanies each new generation, each Galaxy S24 model received various updates, including design tweaks, alterations to screen sizes, and a significant change to the Galaxy S24 Ultra's headline camera specifications.
However, Samsung's standout upgrade lies in AI powered by Qualcomm and Google, introducing helpful features and enhancements to photography.
Samsung Galaxy S24: Price and Release Date
The base Galaxy S24 starts at $799.99, the Galaxy S24 Plus at $999.99, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra at $1,299.99. These prices are in line with Samsung's premium flagship phones, except the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which is $100 more than its predecessor.
The Galaxy S24 phones are available for preorder from Samsung's website, retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy, and various carriers. The phones will be officially released and available for purchase through carriers and retailers on January 31.
During the preorder period, it's noteworthy that Samsung offers a Galaxy S24 model with double the storage at no additional cost, available through Samsung's website and carriers like AT&T and Verizon. Additionally, trade-in values for old phones are at their peak during preorders from Samsung and carriers, potentially making the new Galaxy S24 phones more affordable. Depending on the old phone and the desired Galaxy S24 model, it might even be possible to obtain a new phone for free.
Samsung Galaxy S24: New Features
For the Galaxy S24 lineup, Samsung implemented several changes across all models, with the Galaxy S24 Ultra receiving the majority of updates compared to previous models.
All Galaxy S24 phones from Samsung run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 optimized for the Galaxy processor from Qualcomm. While we haven't tested the Galaxy S24 phones at the time of writing, they are likely to deliver top-notch performance among the best Android phones in 2024.
Samsung made minor adjustments to screen sizes compared to previous generations. The base Galaxy S24 model now features a 6.2-inch display, up from 6.1 inches, and the Galaxy S24 Plus has a 6.7-inch display, up from 6.6 inches. The Galaxy S24 Ultra maintains its 6.8-inch screen size, but Samsung finally abandoned the curved display edges for flat edges, a welcome change.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra's metal body has transitioned from aluminum to titanium, potentially contributing to a slightly thinner design. Overall, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is not lighter than previous aluminum models.
Both the base Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus underwent a minor redesign, featuring less rounded and more rectangular edges.
Samsung altered the Galaxy S24 Ultra's second zoom camera from an anticipated 10x optical zoom lens to a 5x optical zoom lens. Despite this, the Galaxy S24 Ultra can still capture photos with 10x zoom using a pixel binning technique, essentially cropping into the 5x lens's 50MP sensor. This represents a significant change to one of the Galaxy Ultra lineup's key features.
While it may seem like a downgrade, Samsung explained that the shift from a 10x lens to a 5x lens was driven by how most people use the Galaxy Ultra's zoom camera. The company noted that more people take photos in the 5x zoom range than in the 10x range. With that in mind, switching the second zoom lens from 10x to 5x makes more sense, as it results in better-quality photos in the 5x zoom range. Additionally, Samsung stated that zoom ranges beyond 5x would be enhanced with AI—a claim that requires thorough testing.
Regarding AI, Samsung emphasized its collaboration with Google to apply "Galaxy AI" to photo editing and search features in the new Galaxy S24 lineup. This includes a new "Circle to Search" function from Google, allowing users to circle or highlight any aspect of the phone's screen to search for the related image or information.
The phones also feature AI-based typing features designed to assist users in writing with an appropriate tone, depending on the recipient. Among the other new features in the Galaxy AI suite is a "Live Translate" function that facilitates two-way voice and text translations of calls in real time.
For the Galaxy S24 Ultra with the S Pen, AI can provide summaries of handwritten notes, automatically format them into digital form, and check spelling and grammar.
| Specs | Galaxy S24 | Galaxy S24 Plus | Galaxy S24 Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.2 inches, FHD+, AMOLED, 1-120Hz | 6.7 inches, QHD+, AMOLED, 1-120Hz | 6.8 inches, QHD+, AMOLED, 1-120Hz |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Optimized for Galaxy | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Optimized for Galaxy | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Optimized for Galaxy |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x zoom | 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x zoom | 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x zoom, 50MP 5x zoom |
| Front camera | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Battery and charging | 4,000mAh; 25W wired charging, up to 15W wireless charging | 4,900mAh; 45W wired charging, up to 15W wireless charging | 5,000mAh; 45W wired charging, up to 15W wireless charging |
| Starting price | $799.99 | $999.99 | $1,299.99 |
