Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
You have $1,300 to spend on an Android slab phone in 2024. Why would you get any other phone? No, seriously, why would you get any other phone? The S24 Ultra has taken the best things from every other ultra-high-end phone and packed them into one device. Anything you could possibly value has been pushed to the max, with multiple cherries on top. This phone sets the tone for 2024.
The formula for Samsung’s Ultra phones has evolved a little bit over the years. At first, it was all about the biggest numbers—highest megapixel count, most zoom, and all that. Then, it added the S Pen and became a bit more refined, essentially replacing the Note. Now, it’s just everything—all the best hardware and all the best software combined into one phone.
Design and Display
At first glance, this phone looks almost the same as last year’s model. But if you think it’s nearly identical, you’re missing a lot. The more you use this phone and search for weaknesses, the more impressive it gets.
Maybe you’re a screen snob, someone who loves to pixel peep. Perhaps you were considering an ultra-high-end Oppo or Xiaomi phone just for an amazing display. Well, look no further. The S24 Ultra features a class-leading 6.8-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, and it is incredible.
Ultra phones have had 120Hz LTPO panels and super-sharp Quad HD resolution for a while now, but now Samsung has introduced two key improvements:
- The display is completely flat.
- It’s much brighter.
We’ve seen a wave of 2,500+ nit phones over the past few months, but this one stands out as the best-looking yet. The S24 Ultra reaches a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, making it fantastic for outdoor use, and it can also dim extremely low at night without the weird banding seen on some other phones.
Samsung has also completely flattened the display, extending it to the very edges with some of the thinnest bezels we’ve seen. Plus, there’s a new anti-reflective coating on the Gorilla Glass Armor, which makes a noticeable difference when light hits it at off-axis angles.
And then, beneath it all, there’s a crazy-fast ultrasonic fingerprint reader. Maybe I wish the touch target was slightly larger, but that’s about it. If you’re a display enthusiast, it really doesn’t get much better than this.
Battery Life
What if your primary concern is battery life? Well, you could always go for that Energizer phone we saw at CES that one time. But as far as reasonably sized flagship slab phones go, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Samsung has managed to keep a 5,000mAh battery inside one of the best-performing battery phones of the past two years, despite making it thinner and keeping the S Pen.
- 45W wired charging remains.
- 25W wireless charging is still here.
- Battery life? Fantastic. I easily got through long days with over six hours of screen-on time. With careful use, I even stretched it to two full days—at 1440p, 120Hz, and high brightness.
So, yeah—why get anything else?
Performance
Maybe raw performance is what you care about most. Well, we’re seeing a lot of phones launching with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and they all look great. Performance gains, efficiency boosts—it’s all there.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra pairs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 12GB of RAM, making it a multitasking champ. And if you’re a stylus fan, this is basically the only high-end stylus phone left. The S Pen remains the best for note-taking, drawing, highlighting—whatever you need it for. Even if you rarely use it, it’s great to have.
But if you’re more into gaming, this phone has got you covered too. With new ray tracing support and a 90% larger vapor chamber, the phone stays cooler for longer gaming sessions.
Of course, if you’re really into gaming, you could get a dedicated gaming phone and squeeze out 5–10% more frames with some crazy cooling setup. But then you’d have to deal with all the compromises that come with a gaming phone. Do you really want those extra frames that badly? Depends on who you ask.
Cameras
If you’re dropping $1,300 and camera quality is your top priority, you’ve got options. The Pixel just won the blind camera test. Sony has the best manual mode. There are a lot of great camera systems out there. But let’s simplify things.
When reviewing smartphone cameras, there are two main aspects to consider:
- Utility – the technical side, specs, and versatility.
- Aesthetics – the subjective, artistic quality of images.
Utility-wise, on paper, this camera system has it all:
- 200MP primary sensor – with all the same pros and cons as before. Great dynamic range, fast autofocus, and versatile shooting.
- Ultra-wide camera – meaningfully wider than the main sensor, fun to use, though automatic macro mode is still trash (just turn it off).
- 3x telephoto – blends smoothly with the main sensor, matching colors and exposure well.
- New 50MP 5x telephoto – replacing last year’s 10MP 10x. Technically a shorter optical zoom, but thanks to the extra resolution, it actually performs better. Images between 5x and 10x look sharper than ever.
Plus, you can still zoom all the way to 100x if you want to take ultra-stable photos of faraway objects, like the moon.
So, technically, this camera system checks every box. Aesthetically? Samsung still leans toward slightly extra processing—a bit more contrast, slightly higher exposure, and brighter colors. If you prefer a more natural look, you might lean Pixel or iPhone. But if you want versatility, this is the one.
Software & AI Features
Maybe you’re a software person. Maybe your top priority is having the smartest smartphone with the best AI features and the longest software support. Sounds like I’m describing a Pixel, right? Well, not anymore.
Samsung has packed the S24 Ultra with a ton of useful AI features, many built in collaboration with Google. Some highlights:
- Circle to Search – hold the home button, circle anything on your screen, and Google it instantly.
- AI-powered photo editing – erase objects, add background blur, and even generate missing parts of an image.
- 7 years of major software updates – yes, seven years, meaning this phone will be up to date until 2031.
Final Thoughts
So, why wouldn’t you buy this phone? Well, the best argument against it is the price. It’s a $1,300 phone.
But here’s the thing—Samsung offers cheaper alternatives:
- The S24+ – drops the S Pen and one telephoto camera, saves you $300.
- The S24 – even cheaper, but still 90% of the experience.
You don’t have to spend $1,300 on a phone. But if you’re going all out, this is the one to get. It’s reliable, fast, versatile, and it checks every box.
I know—this review sounds like an ad with all the praise. But it’s not.