The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, along with its counterparts, the Galaxy S24 Plus and Galaxy S24, are now on the market. These devices should undoubtedly be regarded as Samsung’s finest smartphones to date. In fact, they can easily be considered as some of the most valuable and top-tier flagship phones available currently.
After spending some time with both devices, it becomes evident that the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the more captivating option, as it embodies the true essence of a flagship device that Samsung encourages you to purchase. However, having thoroughly reviewed the Galaxy S24 Plus, I am convinced that it offers superior value and is the phone you should opt for. With cutting-edge hardware, exceptional displays, rapid charging capabilities, and an impressive seven-year software support, the Galaxy S24 Plus and Galaxy S24 Ultra share numerous noteworthy features. Additionally, the Galaxy AI experience is virtually identical on both devices.
There are several compelling reasons why you might want to consider the Galaxy S24 Plus over the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Let’s delve into what those reasons might be!
The Galaxy S24 Plus: Superiority in All Aspects
In contrast to the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the Galaxy S24 Plus offers a similar user experience, with the exception of the built-in S Pen and camera setup. Our evaluations and benchmarking assessments indicate that the Galaxy S24 Plus outperforms the Ultra in certain key areas. Both models feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip (in the US), ensuring comparable performance. Notably, the Galaxy S24 Plus delivers slightly superior battery life in our tests, despite having a slightly smaller battery capacity. This improvement is significant, as historically, the best battery life has been associated with the Galaxy S Ultra series due to their larger battery sizes. The efficiency of current high-end phone chipsets suggests that both devices can potentially offer extended usage times, with the Galaxy S24 Plus showing improved endurance.
Feature-Rich Affordability
Due to the transition to titanium, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is priced at approximately $100 higher than last year’s Galaxy S23 Ultra. Samsung’s latest device has a starting price of $1299.99 for the base 256GB model. While Samsung typically offers various ways to save, it is evident that there has been a significant price increase.
On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 Plus, which is essentially the same device, starts at $999, just like its predecessor, the Galaxy S23 Plus, and the Galaxy S22 Plus before that. This implies that you can enjoy a similar experience at a much lower cost when entering the Galaxy S24 series.
A Casual Approach to Camera Setups
In all honesty, the Galaxy S24 Ultra stands out as the top-notch camera phone currently available in the market, addressing the majority of previous issues and catering to the concerns that affected the Galaxy S23 Ultra. With its remarkable and adaptable camera, the Galaxy S24 Ultra captures exceptional photos.
However, surprisingly, even though the Galaxy S24 Plus lacks the additional 5X telephoto camera and has a main camera with fewer megapixels compared to the one featured in the Galaxy S24 Ultra, it still performs exceptionally well and produces outstanding results. From a certain perspective, it boasts the most versatile camera setup.
Based on our evaluations of both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy S24 Plus, Samsung has enhanced the algorithms in comparison to last year’s Galaxy S23 series, resulting in more natural and arguably superior image processing, which places it at the forefront.
Moving Beyond the S Pen Gimmick in Smartphones
The Galaxy S24 Ultra includes an S Pen, which is quite impressive. It enables a wide range of additional activities on your phone… however, it must be acknowledged that it may come across as somewhat gimmicky. While some users find the accessory indispensable, it is also evident that a significant number of phone users may not find much use for a stylus.