The $799.99 Galaxy S24 is the smallest and most affordable entry in Samsung’s flagship phone lineup, but it more than earns its place alongside the S24+ ($999.99) and the S24 Ultra ($1,299.99). In addition to a top-end Qualcomm processor and excellent cameras, the Galaxy S24 gets all of Samsung’s cutting-edge AI features and a generous seven-year commitment to software updates.
Design: Samsung Pocketable and Premium
The Samsung Galaxy S24 shares its rounded design language with the slightly larger S24+. Neither bears much resemblance to the squared-off S24 Ultra. I prefer the rounded corners of the S24 and S24+ since they don’t dig into my hands.
Display: Sharp and Bright
The Galaxy S24’s 6.2-inch display is a hair larger than the Galaxy S23‘s 6.1-inch panel, but both share the same 2,340-by-1,080-pixel resolution. For comparison, the Pixel 8’s 6.2-inch screen has a slightly higher resolution of 2,400 by 1,080 pixels. The 6.7-inch S24+ and the 6.8-inch S24 Ultra are sharper still, with 3,120 by 1,440 pixels.
The S24 features the same 120Hz variable refresh rate as the S24+ and the S24 Ultra, as well as the Pixel 8. That means the screen can dip as low as 1Hz to preserve battery life or scale up for smooth gaming performance. All three Galaxy models share a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, which goes beyond the Pixel 8’s 2,400 nits and the iPhone 15’s 2,000 nits.
Performance: Big Power in a Small Package
Samsung gives the S24 the same system on a chip (SoC) that powers the S24+ and S24 Ultra, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy. This version of the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is modified with tweaks for better CPU, GPU, and NPU performance. I’ve benchmarked several 8 Gen 3-based smartphones, and the results are close across the board.
If there’s anything that holds the S24 back compared with its peers, it’s RAM. Samsung caps the phone’s memory at just 8GB, whereas the S24+ and S24 Ultra get 12GB. I would have liked to see all three models at the 12GB mark or higher. For comparison, the Pixel 8 also has 8GB of RAM while the iPhone 15 has 6GB.
Battery Life: Plenty of Pep for the Day
Samsung boosts the capacity of the Galaxy S24’s battery to 4,000mAh, a 100mAh increase over the S23. Wired charging maxes out at 25W, while wireless charging reaches 15W. Reverse wireless charging is also available at up to 7.5W, which can be handy in a pinch. Samsung doesn’t pack a charger with any of the S24 phones, so you need to supply your own.
The Pixel 8 and the iPhone 15 charge at similar rates (30W and 20W, respectively). The Galaxy S24+ and Ultra both can charge at a speedier 45W rate and I would have liked to see parity with the S24 here. However, other manufacturers are pushing the limits of wired charging even further. The OnePlus 12 ($799), for example, charges at speeds up to 80W via a proprietary power brick.