Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Full Review

Introduction

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the pinnacle of Samsung’s flagship lineup, promising unmatched performance, groundbreaking technology, and a premium user experience. Each iteration of Samsung’s Galaxy series pushes the envelope of what a smartphone can achieve, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra is no exception. In this comprehensive review, we’ll explore every aspect of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, from its cutting-edge design to its powerhouse performance, and determine if it truly stands as the king of flagship smartphones in 2024.

Unboxing and First Impressions

Opening the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is an event in itself. The packaging exudes luxury with its sleek and minimalist design. Inside, you’ll find the Galaxy S24 Ultra handset, a 45W fast charger, a USB-C to USB-C cable, a SIM ejector tool, and a quick start guide.

The first look at the Galaxy S24 Ultra is breathtaking. It boasts a sleek, sophisticated design that feels incredibly premium in the hand. The matte finish on the back not only looks elegant but also resists fingerprints and smudges. The device’s weight and balance provide a reassuring heft, hinting at its robust build quality.

Design and Build Quality

Samsung continues its tradition of leading the pack in smartphone design with the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Available in stunning colors like Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, and Mystic Bronze, each variant offers a unique aesthetic appeal.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra features a polished aluminum frame sandwiched between Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both the front and back, providing excellent durability and a premium feel. It also boasts an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, ensuring it can withstand the elements.

Button placement is intuitive, with the power button and volume rocker located on the right side. The in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is both fast and reliable, providing quick access to the device. Facial recognition is also supported for added convenience.

Display: Visual Brilliance

The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s display is nothing short of spectacular. It sports a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels. The 120Hz refresh rate makes every interaction buttery smooth, from gaming to everyday scrolling. With HDR10+ support, the screen delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and impressive brightness levels.

The adaptive refresh rate feature intelligently adjusts the refresh rate based on the content, conserving battery life without compromising the viewing experience. Whether you’re watching movies, playing games, or browsing the web, the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s display provides an immersive and enjoyable experience.

Minimal bezels provide a nearly edge-to-edge viewing experience, with a small punch-hole cutout for the front-facing camera that is barely noticeable, ensuring an uninterrupted display. The screen’s brightness levels are superb, ensuring good visibility even in direct sunlight.

Performance: The Powerhouse Within

Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is powered by either the Exynos 2400 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, depending on the region, paired with up to 16GB of RAM. This powerhouse combination ensures the device can handle anything you throw at it, from multitasking and gaming to productivity tasks and media consumption.

Benchmark tests show the Galaxy S24 Ultra delivering top-tier performance, outpacing many competitors. The device handles demanding applications effortlessly, providing a smooth and lag-free experience. An advanced cooling system ensures the device stays cool even during extended gaming sessions.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra also includes a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) that enhances AI and machine learning tasks, resulting in faster and more efficient performance in areas like photography, voice recognition, and real-time translations.

Camera Capabilities: Photography Revolutionized

Samsung has always been at the forefront of camera innovation, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra takes it to new heights. The device features a quad-camera setup on the back: a 200MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, a 48MP periscope telephoto sensor with 10x optical zoom, and a 10MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom. The front houses a 40MP selfie camera.

The camera system is a photographer’s dream. The primary sensor captures stunningly detailed photos with vibrant colors and excellent dynamic range. The ultra-wide sensor offers versatility, perfect for expansive landscapes and group shots. The periscope telephoto sensor provides impressive zoom capabilities, bringing distant subjects into sharp focus without losing detail.

Advanced camera features like Night Mode deliver impressive low-light performance. Super Steady mode ensures smooth and stable video recording even in challenging conditions. AI-powered Scene Optimizer adjusts camera settings based on the scene, ensuring the perfect shot every time.

The 40MP front-facing camera produces sharp, detailed selfies with AI enhancements to make you look your best. Whether taking a quick snapshot or a detailed portrait, the front camera delivers excellent results.

Software and User Experience

The Galaxy S24 Ultra runs on One UI 6.0, based on Android 14. One UI 6.0 brings a host of new features and improvements, providing a smooth and intuitive user experience. The interface is clean and easy to navigate, with plenty of customization options to make the device your own.

One of the standout features of One UI 6.0 is its enhanced multitasking capabilities. The Galaxy S24 Ultra supports split-screen mode and pop-up view, allowing you to use multiple apps simultaneously. The improved edge panel provides quick access to your favorite apps and tools, making it easier to get things done.

Samsung’s commitment to security is evident with Samsung Knox, a multi-layered security platform protecting your data from potential threats. The Secure Folder feature provides a secure space for sensitive information, ensuring it remains private and protected.

Battery Life: Endurance Tested

Battery life is a crucial factor for any smartphone, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra excels in this regard. Equipped with a 5000mAh battery, it provides all-day power for most users. Whether streaming videos, playing games, or using productivity apps, the Galaxy S24 Ultra ensures you won’t be left searching for a charger by midday.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra supports 45W fast charging, allowing you to quickly top up your battery when needed. Additionally, it supports wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, offering flexibility to charge your Galaxy S24 Ultra and other compatible devices wirelessly.

Samsung’s adaptive power-saving feature intelligently manages battery usage by learning your habits and prioritizing power for the apps and services you use most. This helps extend battery life and ensures you get the most out of your Galaxy S24 Ultra throughout the day.

Real-world usage shows the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s battery performance is impressive. Even with heavy usage, including gaming, streaming, and navigation, the device consistently provides a full day of power. The fast-charging feature is a lifesaver when you need a quick boost, delivering hours of usage with just a short charge.

Connectivity and Additional Features

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra offers a comprehensive set of connectivity options, including 5G support for faster internet speeds and improved network performance. It also includes Wi-Fi 6E for faster and more reliable wireless connectivity, and Bluetooth 5.3 for seamless pairing with accessories and peripherals.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra features an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, offering quick and secure access to your device. Additionally, it supports facial recognition, providing another convenient option for unlocking your phone and securing your data.

Other notable features include stereo speakers delivering rich and immersive audio, a USB-C port for fast data transfer and charging, and support for Samsung Pay, allowing you to make contactless payments with ease.

Samsung DeX, a feature allowing you to use your smartphone as a desktop computer by connecting it to a monitor or TV, is also included. This feature is perfect for productivity tasks, providing a PC-like experience with the convenience of a smartphone.

Price and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is priced competitively for a flagship device, offering excellent value for the features and performance it delivers. It is available in multiple storage configurations: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is available through various retail channels, including Samsung’s online store, major carriers, and select electronics retailers. Samsung offers attractive trade-in options and financing plans, making it easier to upgrade to the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Samsung also provides a range of accessories for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, including protective cases, wireless chargers, and Galaxy Buds. These accessories enhance the overall user experience, offering added convenience and functionality.

Comparison with Competitors

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

The iPhone 15 Pro Max is often considered the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s main competitor. Both devices offer exceptional build quality, but their design philosophies differ. While the S24 Ultra opts for a more industrial look with its matte finish and sharp edges, the iPhone 15 Pro Max features a sleek, rounded design with a polished stainless steel frame.

In terms of display, both devices boast impressive screens, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate offers a slightly more immersive experience compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display.

Performance-wise, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, powered by the A17 Bionic chip, is a formidable contender, delivering smooth and efficient performance. However, the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Exynos 2400 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, paired with up to 16GB of RAM, ensures it can handle even the most demanding tasks with ease.

The camera systems on both phones are exceptional, but the S24 Ultra’s 200MP primary sensor and versatile quad-camera setup provide more flexibility and higher resolution shots compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s triple-camera system.

Battery life on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is robust, with its 5000mAh battery and fast charging capabilities, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro Max also offers impressive battery life, but with slower charging speeds.

Google Pixel 8 Pro

The Google Pixel 8 Pro is another strong competitor, known for its exceptional camera software and clean Android experience. The Pixel 8 Pro’s design is sleek and minimalistic, with a distinctive camera bar that sets it apart.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s display is superior, offering a higher refresh rate and better color accuracy compared to the Pixel 8 Pro’s OLED display. In terms of performance, both devices are neck and neck, with the Pixel 8 Pro powered by Google’s own Tensor G3 chip, providing efficient performance and AI capabilities.

The camera systems on both phones are standout features. The Pixel 8 Pro excels in computational photography, delivering stunning images with its software optimizations, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s hardware prowess with a 200MP sensor gives it an edge in raw photographic capability.

The battery life on the Galaxy S24 Ultra outperforms the Pixel 8 Pro, thanks to its larger battery capacity and faster charging options.

OnePlus 12 Pro

The OnePlus 12 Pro is a notable competitor with its focus on delivering a flagship experience at a slightly lower price point. The design of the OnePlus 12 Pro is modern and sleek, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s build quality feels more premium.

The display on the OnePlus 12 Pro is excellent, with a high refresh rate and vibrant colors, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X display still takes the crown for its superior brightness and color accuracy.

Performance on the OnePlus 12 Pro, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, is on par with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, ensuring smooth performance for all tasks. However, the S24 Ultra’s additional RAM options provide more flexibility for power users.

The camera systems on both phones are impressive, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s versatile quad-camera setup with a 200MP sensor offers more options for photography enthusiasts compared to the OnePlus 12 Pro’s triple-camera system.