With its first phones in 2024, Samsung has focused so much on its “Galaxy AI” features that the Galaxy S24 series does not bodily seem much different from the S23. Again, the company’s phones are not different enough to warrant an upgrade from their predecessors, especially knowing that the S23 series, Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5 and Tab S9 will at least get some of these AI features after this year. There is also competition from the Google Pixel 8 series, which offers many of the same new features from a more established AI company.
However, this does not mean that we should completely reject the Galaxy S24 series. Samsung’s AI efforts could be an indicator of future smartphone features. Even compared to the Pixel 8S, Samsung’s Galaxy AI has its advantages, especially with the real-time translation of voice calls and the ability to change the Tone of your writing. In places where Google’s Pixel is not available, Samsung has the opportunity to attract an audience curious about generative AI on phones. The question Is: Has Samsung done a good job integrating these AI tools into its smartphone lineup?
Galaxy S24 and S24+ Models
Samsung’s new AI tools, combined with subtle design changes, help the Galaxy S24 and S24+ create a more compelling argument in favor of upgrading from any pre-S23 phone.
Design and display
Samsung Galaxy S24 + Accessories
The Galaxy S24+ has a 6.2-inch Full HD+ screen based on Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED 2x Technology.
Compared to last year’s S23 series, this year’s flagships are basically the same, except for a few new colors—I got the S24 in “marble gray” and the S24 + in “cobalt purple”.”On the S24 and S24+ side by side, you will notice the lowered LED flash on the back, as well as the cleaner layout of the frame with a new matte finish, but the lack of change is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, as someone who is used to various Chinese smartphones, I find Samsung’s minimalist design refreshing, especially with the uniformly sized individual rear cameras.
In addition to the screen size, screen resolution and battery capacity, the S24 and S24+ have identical specifications. The S24 has a 6.2-inch Full HD+ screen, weighs 167 g and is 7.6 mm thick. The larger S24+ has a 6.7-inch Quad HD+ panel and weighs 29 g more with an additional thickness of 0.1 mm.
It should be noted that both models use the same 2x AMOLED panel with an adaptive refresh rate between 1 Hz and 120 Hz and a maximum brightness of 2,600 Nits. I haven’t had any problems reading things on either screen along the way, even though I haven’t experienced strong sunlight these past unusually cold days here in Hong Kong.
Camera
This is probably the most annoying aspect of the S24 and S24+, because nothing changes here compared to last year’s phones. On the back there is a 50 megapixel main sensor, a 12 MP Ultra-wide shooter and a 10 MP 3x telephoto lens, while on the front there is a 12 MP camera. Samsung notes that these cameras benefit from the new generative AI editing tools that allow you to crop shots, move (or delete) subjects and create slow-motion clips from existing videos.
