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With the S24 series available to buy, online and in store, as of today, here’s a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review roundup to help you decide whether you want to buy one of the best gaming phones of 2024. Want to get your hands on one following the S24 Ultra’s release? Here’s where to buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in the US and UK.
Following the opening of pre orders on January 17, the early reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, publications who got early access to one of Samsung’s impressive flagships, are indicating that the S24 Ultra is “more premium and mature than other phones”, as put by Forbes, including previous Samsung flagship titles. But, with a bigger price tag than its S23 Ultra predecessor (with an original price range of $1299 for 256GB up to $1659 for 1TB), do the improvements to the S24 series outweigh the flaws that are yet to be resolved? Check out our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra hub for all the information you need on specs and pricing.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra reviews
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is “a phone that transcends the smartphone category” according to TechRadar. Philip Berne’s S24 Ultra review describes the new flagship’s battery life as being one of the best improvements received by Samsung’s latest generation of smartphone: “[S24 Ultra] outlasts the best iPhones and every previous Galaxy phone” as well as improvements to the already impressive Samsung cameras, in that the Samsung S24 Ultra “remains the most versatile camera phone for all types of photographs”. Alongside these enhancements, the S24 Ultra is described by TechRadar as being “one of the best gaming phones ever”, and a great model if you’re looking for a phone capable of running professional softwares that “even the Pro iPhone can’t top”.
That being said, Berne’s outlook on the new and improved AI features is that they “aren’t useful at all” and create a noticeable delay in response time. Even the anticipated language translation features, which are set to translate in real time, both face-to-face and on the phone, don’t receive TechRadar’s approval, with the new AI technologies described as “only slowing down this otherwise lightning-fast phone”, a feature which Forbes was impressed with in its S24 Ultra review. Another change that TechRadar was not pleased with was the change to the frame material, as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra sees a shift to titanium on the frame which, when iPhone saw this change also featured a decrease in the models overall weight, while TechRadar scathingly points out that the S24 is “a single gram lighter, at most”.
In Forbes’ review, Ben Sin points out that the S24 Ultra “at first glance looks very similar to the last two Ultra phones” which agrees with several other reviews’ observations that the upgrades in the S24 Ultra are more on the understated side. Forbes describes the live-translation AI technology as “impressive” in regards to it working both face to face and during phone calls, though does describe the real-time translation as working in “the standard way”. Sin goes on to talk about the improvements to the overall camera experience as “very good, with great focal length versatility and strong video stabilization and image processing” and states that the “large 5000 mAh battery provides excellent battery life” which increases the value of the phone.
What Hi-Fi’s review also outlines the issue of the S24 Ultra’s weight, saying “the titanium doesn’t do much in the way of weight reduction – the S24 Ultra is nigh on the same weight as the S23 Ultra at 233g”, though Hi-Fi’s review is slightly more forgiving, pointing out that “[the titanium’s] matte, almost gritty texture feels great in the hand, adds some grip, and wards off fingerprints” while also enhancing the durability of the new flagship, especially with the new Corning Gorilla Armor Glass which “increases scratch resistance and reduces screen reflectivity by up to 75 per cent”. Hi-Fi also address that “Samsung has outfitted this Ultra device with the very latest and greatest in hardware and software features” not only in regards to the AI improvements, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 5000mAh battery and new camera 5x zoom lens to replace the S23 10x telescope lens. What Hi-Fi’s review all round deems the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra as “a phone that’s tough to criticise” with the main downfall of the new Ultra being its lack of portability and consistently large weight.
Mat Smith at Engadget points out that with a “much faster chip, a brighter display and even longer battery life, the S24 Ultra makes a case for upgrading.” Engadget’s main reason against this? The cost. The S23 Ultra had an MSRP of about $1199, while this year sees the S24 Ultra costing at least $1299, with that price going up to $1659 if you want 1TB of storage. If you held off upgrading to the S24, this may be worth it, or if you’re considering trading in your old phone, but the price is definitely steeper than we and Engadget would like to see.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review wrap-up
Overall it seems the general consensus among the early-access reviewers is that the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a powerful phone that has seen improvements to the battery life, cameras and hardware, while the AI features remain somewhat controversial as to their usefulness and overall effect on the phone’s performance; the design changes seem to have gained approval in regards to the upgraded Gorilla glass screen, flat-edged design and titanium frame, though the overall weight of the phone has not decreased since the S23 which many would have liked to see in a newer, improved flagship.
The biggest negative against the S24 Ultra? It comes at quite a high cost, made better with pre-order and release day deals from Samsung. Time will tell as to the longevity of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the overall opinion from reviews seems to be that the S24 Ultra’s improvements outweigh the few negatives, with the new flagship difficult to fault beyond its weight and higher cost. Still don’t know whether the S24 Ultra is for you? Check out Samsung Galaxy S24 Vs S24 Ultra to see which flagship you’re going to buy when it is available later today.
How much is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra?
Currently on sale via Samsung itself, the S24 Ultra costs $549 for 256GB, $669 for 512GB and $909 for 1TB, costing $1299, $1419 and $1659 respectively, at original price.
What colours does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra come in?
Color variations available for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra include: Titanium Green, Titanium Blue, Titanium Orange, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Black, and Titanium Gray.
