Samsung introduced the new Galaxy S24 phone lineup during its Galaxy Unpacked event on January 17th. The Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus start at $799.99 and $999.99, respectively, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra starts at $1,299.99. All of the phones are available starting on January 31st, 2024
It seems Samsung made mostly minor hardware updates. Along with brighter displays, the new lineup features larger S24 and S24 Plus models, while the S24 Ultra features what should be a more durable titanium frame. It’s the new AI features that captured my attention more, however; each phone offers several AI-powered features focused on communication and online search, as well as video and photo editing. I was particularly impressed by the new video editing capabilities, which convincingly transformed a 60fps video we shot into a 120fps slow-motion video. I was also happy to hear Samsung now matches Google’s impressive support policy, promising customers at least seven major Android upgrades and security updates.
That’s just a very brief overview of the new phones, however. If you’re interested in picking one up for yourself and can’t wait for the hands-on reviews, you’ll probably want to know at least how the phones stack up against one another on paper. To make doing so easier, I’ve summarized the key differences between each, while highlighting some of the new changes.
Design
In terms of design, the standard Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus models look similar to their S23 counterparts and retain the same aluminum frame. Like the S24 Ultra, they continue to offer IP68 water and dust resistance for greater durability. All of the phones are also again available in black, purple, and yellow, but gray now replaces the S23 lineup’s green colorway. The S24 and S24 Plus don’t come with the Ultra’s built-in S Pen stylus, but they do weigh less at 5.89 ounces (167 grams) and 12.25 ounces (196 grams), respectively.
The S24 Ultra is indeed the heaviest in the lineup, weighing 8.22 ounces (232 grams). That’s partly because of its new iPhone 15 Pro-like titanium frame, which adds some extra heft but also should improve durability. The S24 Ultra also gets rid of the curved edges found on its predecessor and replaces them with a flat screen that should make writing with the S Pen easier. It’s also protected with Corning Gorilla Armor, unlike the S24 and S24 Plus, which come with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass. The Corning Gorilla Armor should reduce reflections by up to 75 percent, and Samsung claims it is the most scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass yet.