Samsung Galaxy S24 review

Introduction

The Galaxy S24 series has finally launched after numerous rumors, speculations and daily leaks. And the trio is what we expected - a solid but incremental update over the S23 models. Today, we will be exploring the runt of the next generation Galaxy phones, the smallest of the bunch, and Galaxy mini, if you will - the Galaxy S24.

Quick note - we are reviewing the Exynos model of the Galaxy S24 here.

The new Galaxy S24 introduces a refreshed, refined, even design, with flat Victus 2 panels and a flat aluminum frame with a new matte finish. The Galaxy S24 keeps the same size as the S23, but thanks to the LTPO screen panels, it manages to fit an even larger 6.2-inch display with thinner bezels into the same space.

And that is the first upgrade - the Galaxy S24 now comes with a 6.2-inch LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2x with extended 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. It has 2,600nits of peak brightness, up from 1,750 on the S23.

Left: Galaxy S24 • Right: Galaxy S23

The chipset upgrade is the next improvement, and the hardware fragmentation is back! The S24 employs the Exynos 2400 chipset in most markets with a 10-core CPU and a new AMD GPU, while the US, Canada and China get it with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. The S24 has two storage versions for the global model - 128GB UFS 3.1 and 256GB UFS 4.0, both with 8GB RAM. There is a limited 512GB version in some countries, too.

The entire camera kit has been lifted from the S23. There are three imagers at the back - a 50MP OIS primary, a 10MP 3x tele, and a 12MP ultrawide. A 12MP front camera with autofocus will take care of selfie capture.

The battery capacity has increased from 3,900mAh to 4,000mAh, while the charging capabilities remain the same - 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless.

Here is the complete specs sheet.

Samsung Galaxy S24 specs at a glance:

• Body: 147.0x70.6x7.6mm, 167g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min), Armor aluminum 2 frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised).
• Display: 6.20" Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak), 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 416ppi; Always-on display.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) - USA/Canada/China, Exynos 2400 (4 nm) - International: 8-core (1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.1GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.2GHz Cortex-A520), 10-core (1x3.2GHz Cortex-X4 & 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.6GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.95GHz Cortex-A520); Adreno 750 (1 GHz) - USA/Canada/China, Xclipse 940 - International.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM; UFS 3.1 - 128GB only, UFS 4.0.
• OS/Software: Android 14, One UI 6.1.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.56", 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm, 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120-degree, 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video.
• Front camera: 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 4000mAh; 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised), 15W wireless (Qi/PMA), 4.5W reverse wireless.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT 5.3; NFC.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); stereo speakers; Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support).

The Galaxy S24 base version is still 128GB - something we hoped Samsung would drop as there are no UFS 4.0 chips for this capacity. This model still has no Ultra Wideband, and the charging is still limited to 25W. None of these is a deal breaker, but they would have sat nicely as small upgrades on the spec sheet.

Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy S24

The eco-friendly retail box is here to stay, of course. The Galaxy S24 bundle contains a 3A USB-C-C cable and a SIM ejection tool.

And that's all.

At least the pre-order campaign for the Galaxy S24 included a 25W fast charger and a clear, transparent case. Even better, Samsung was selling the 256GB model at the price of the 128GB one to those who had pre-ordered.