Samsung Galaxy S24 Review: The Small Phone That Changes Everything
Samsung Galaxy S24 offers top performance, great battery life, AI features, and a durable design with 7 years of Android updates.
I was surprised by Samsung Galaxy S24. I thought it would be more basic than S24 Ultra but after testing it for weeks, I had second thoughts. It offers excellent performance in a small, portable package.
With AI-powered tools S24 makes daily tasks easier. Circle to Search finds info from web pages, YouTube videos or photos instantly. AI translation helps you communicate across languages making it one of smartest AI phones available.
Gaming is smooth, rivaling iPhone 16 with near Pro-level performance. Samsung DeX even turns it into a desktop computer when connected to a monitor. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (or Exynos 2400 in some regions) keeps everything fast and smooth.
Battery life is excellent, beating iPhone 16 and Pixel 9. Bright display is sharp and vibrant. Camera, while not at S24 Ultra level, outperforms the iPhone 16 with a real 3X zoom lens.
However, Samsung’s software feels cluttered with too many hidden features. It’s less intuitive than Apple’s simple approach.
If you want a compact phone with great battery life, powerful performance, and AI features, Galaxy S24 is a great choice. If you prefer a simpler experience, Apple or Google might be better but Samsung is shaping the future of smartphones.
Samsung Galaxy S24 – Full Specifications
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| 📅 Release Date | January 24, 2024 |
| 📢 Announcement | January 17, 2024 |
| 📏 Dimensions | 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm |
| ⚖️ Weight | 167g / 168g |
| 🛡️ Build | Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (Front & Back), Aluminum Frame |
| 💧 Water Resistance | IP68 (1.5m for 30 min) |
| 📲 Display Type | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) |
| 📐 Screen Size | 6.2 inches (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| 🔍 Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels (~416 ppi) |
| 🛡️ Screen Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| 📱 Operating System | Android 14 (7 major updates), One UI 6.1.1 |
| ⚙️ Chipset (USA/China) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| ⚙️ Chipset (International) | Exynos 2400 (4 nm) |
| 🚀 CPU (Snapdragon) | 8-core (3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & others) |
| 🚀 CPU (Exynos) | 10-core (3.2GHz Cortex-X4 & others) |
| 🎮 GPU (Snapdragon) | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) |
| 🎮 GPU (Exynos) | Xclipse 940 |
| 💾 Storage Options | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB (No SD card slot) |
| 🔄 Storage Type | 128GB: UFS 3.1, Others: UFS 4.0 |
| 📷 Main Camera | 📸 50MP (Wide) + 📷 10MP (3x Telephoto) + 🌅 12MP (Ultrawide) |
| 🎥 Video Recording | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@240fps, HDR10+ |
| 🤳 Selfie Camera | 12MP (HDR, 4K@60fps) |
| 🔊 Speakers | Stereo Speakers, Tuned by AKG |
| 🎧 3.5mm Jack | ❌ No |
| 📶 Network | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, LTE, 5G |
| 📡 Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| 🔵 Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| 🌍 GPS & Navigation | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| 📳 NFC | ✅ Yes |
| 📻 FM Radio | ❌ No |
| 🔌 USB | USB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG |
| 🔒 Security | Ultrasonic Fingerprint (Under-Display) |
| 🖥️ Software Features | Samsung DeX, Wireless DeX, Circle to Search |
| 🔋 Battery | 4000mAh (Li-Ion, Non-Removable) |
| ⚡ Charging | 25W Wired (50% in 30 min), 15W Wireless, 4.5W Reverse Wireless |
| 🎨 Colors | 🖤 Onyx Black, ⚪ Marble Grey, 💜 Cobalt Violet, 🟡 Amber Yellow, 💚 Jade Green, 🧡 Sandstone Orange, 🔵 Sapphire Blue |
| 💰 Price | ₹52,470 / $398.95 / £409.75 / €530.49 |
| 📊 Benchmark Scores | GeekBench: 6747 (v6), 3DMark: 4183 (Wild Life Extreme) |
| 🌞 Max Brightness | 1401 nits (Measured) |
| 🔋 Battery Life | 12 hours 06 minutes (Active Use) |
Galaxy S24: Price and Availability
Samsung Galaxy S24 starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399. In Australia, base model has 256GB storage, while other regions start with 128GB. If you take lots of photos and videos upgrading to 256GB or 512GB is worth it.
Samsung frequently offers trade-ins and discounts. Any phone may be traded in for $699 in the US, making it less expensive than the iPhone 15.
S24 is more affordable than S24 Ultra for most people. Although Ultra has a larger screen and battery, its gaming & app performance are almost identical.
Compared to Pixel 8, S24 is more powerful and will likely last longer. Against the iPhone 15, it offers a real zoom lens and a bigger battery but Apple’s ecosystem and resale value might appeal to some users.
💰 Samsung Galaxy S24 Pricing
| Storage | USA 🇺🇸 | UK 🇬🇧 | Australia 🇦🇺 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | $799 | £799 | ❌ Not Available |
| 256GB | $859 | £859 | AU$1,399 |
| 512GB | ❌ Not Available | ❌ Not Available | AU$1,599 |
Samsung frequently provides trade-in incentives that can result in a large price reduction. Any phone can be traded in for $699 in the United States.
For most users, Galaxy S24 is a better choice than S24 Ultra. It has same power but in a smaller and more affordable package.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Design
At first glance, Galaxy S24 looks a lot like the iPhone 15. The rounded edges, smooth finish and compact form make it feel familiar, though Samsung still adds its own touch. S24 Ultra, on the other hand, keeps its signature sharp corners making it stand out more.
Color choices are among Galaxy S24’s greatest features. Deep, almost melancholy shade of Cobalt Violet was the color of my review unit. But if you prefer something brighter, Sandstone Orange and Amber Yellow offer a more vibrant look. Matte glass finish gives phone a sleek feel, though I wish the colors were a bit bolder.
However, Samsung didn’t include Gorilla Armor on this model—that’s reserved for the Ultra. Instead, the S24 uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which was great last year but doesn’t quite match the Ultra’s improved scratch resistance. I’ve already noticed a small scratch on the back and I haven’t even put it in a case yet.
The Galaxy S24 is easy to use with one hand because it is slim and light. It is ideal for daily usage because it is smaller than the Pixel 8 and iPhone 15 while yet having a longer lifespan than competitors.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Display
Galaxy S24‘s vivid, bright screen is perfect for gaming, watching videos, and reading. It is still crisp and visible in direct sunshine.
While the display is not the sharpest, it still looks fantastic. The Pixel 8 and iPhone 15 have slightly higher pixel density, but the difference is hardly noticeable. However, OnePlus 12 offers much higher brightness, so Samsung isn’t the absolute leader in this area.
Colors are vibrant, and HDR10+ content looks great, though Dolby Vision HDR (used by Netflix) is still missing. Despite this, most streaming content shines on this screen.
One downside is the small size. At 6.2 inches, screen sometimes feels too cramped for Samsung’s many features. The Edge Panel often opens accidentally and the Quick Panel feels cluttered. A simpler software design would make the display even better.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Software
Galaxy S24 has many features but they can feel overwhelming. It includes deep customization settings & Samsung DeX, a desktop-like interface. While this makes the phone powerful, finding simple settings can be frustrating.
Many features are buried in the Settings menu. For example, wireless power sharing, which lets you charge your earbuds, is hidden under Battery settings. It shouldn’t be this hard to find.
Setting up the phone can be messy. Transferring data from an old Samsung device failed multiple times before finally working with Samsung Smart Switch. App updates also failed at first and then disappeared, making the process confusing.
There are too many preloaded apps. Samsung, Google, and even Microsoft have their own apps and folders, making the software feel cluttered and pushing you to use more than you need.
Samsung needs to simplify the software. Galaxy S24 is powerful but experience should be smoother and more user-friendly.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Cameras
Galaxy S24 has one of the best cameras for its price. Photos look more natural and vibrant compared to Galaxy S23 and iPhone 15.
A real 3X zoom lens makes a big difference. While the sensor is small and images can be a bit noisy, it’s still better than digital zoom. Neither the Pixel 8 nor iPhone 15 has optical zoom, so Samsung has the edge here.
Samsung also offers fun camera modes, like Food mode (great for baked goods) and dual-camera recording (perfect for reaction shots). Low-light photos are better on the Pixel 8, and the iPhone 15’s main camera is sometimes sharper, but the Galaxy S24 is more versatile overall.
The AI-powered Magic Editor lets you resize, move, or erase objects in photos. You can even replace backgrounds or add missing parts to an image. These tools work well, and edited photos get a watermark to show they’ve been modified.
Galaxy S24’s camera is impressive—great quality, lots of features, and useful AI tools.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Performance
Galaxy S24 is fast and powerful, using the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip as the S24 Ultra. It’s even faster than most Android phones including OnePlus 12, and beats iPhone 15 (except the Pro models).
This means smooth gaming, fast photo editing and easy multitasking with Samsung DeX. Even demanding apps run without issues.
Only slowdowns happen with AI features like Circle to Search and text rewriting, which take a moment to load. Samsung’s AI tools also feel slower than Google’s.
S24 Ultra has more RAM (12GB vs. 8GB), making it slightly quicker but in daily use, S24 still handles everything smoothly.
Performance Scores
| Test | Galaxy S24 | Pixel 9 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geekbench (Single-Core) | 2235 | 1758 | 3301 |
| Geekbench (Multi-Core) | 6922 | 4594 | 8033 |
| 3D Mark Gaming Test | 5009 / 30 fps | 2550 / 15 fps | 3811 / 22 fps |
Galaxy S24 is a top performer, beating Pixel 9 and coming close to the iPhone 16 in speed.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Battery Life
Galaxy S24 has great battery life lasting a full day with normal use and well into the evening with heavy gaming and photography. Even though the battery is only slightly bigger than S23, it lasts hours longer.
It charges slowly in comparison to competitors like the OnePlus 12, which takes 30 minutes to fully charge. The S24, like the iPhone 15, takes around half an hour to reach 50%.
Though hidden under settings, Samsung has battery-saving modes. Using Power Saving mode from Quick Settings panel is the simplest method to increase battery life.
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Samsung Galaxy S24 Pros & Cons
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| 📱 Compact & sturdy with a grippy matte finish. | 🌍 Different chips (Snapdragon or Exynos) in different regions. |
| 🛡️ Durable design with aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass & IP68 water resistance. | 💾 Slower storage on the 128GB model. |
| 🌟 Bright OLED display, slightly bigger and brighter than before. | 📡 No Ultra-Wideband (UWB) support. |
| 🔋 Long battery life, better than last year. | 🎨 No 10-bit color support for the screen. |
| 🔊 Loud stereo speakers for clear sound. | ⚡ Performance slows under heavy use. |
| 🚀 Fast performance with a top-tier chip. | 🔌 Charging is limited to 25W, and no charger included. |
| 📷 Good cameras for photos and videos. | ❌ |
| 🤖 Feature-packed software with AI tools, DeX & strong connectivity. | ❌ |
Conclusion
Samsung Galaxy S24 is a solid choice for Android users. It offers great battery life, fast performance, and a durable, compact design. It includes new Galaxy AI and Google’s circle-to-search, though Samsung’s software can feel a bit complex. The cameras may not beat some rivals, but they offer more zoom than the iPhone 15 and have fun shooting modes. With seven years of Android updates, it’s one of the best value Galaxy S phones in recent years.
