Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, priced from $1,299.99, stands out as the sole smartphone in Samsung’s arsenal featuring the coveted S Pen stylus, preserving the legacy of the Galaxy Note series. Boasting a formidable array of features, including a top-of-the-line processor, captivating display, superior cameras, intuitive AI functionalities, and the integrated stylus, it sets a precedent unmatched by any other device on the market. While the Galaxy S24+ offers a slightly smaller form factor and a more accessible price point starting at $999.99, it lacks the S Pen and advanced camera capabilities found in the Ultra model. However, the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s unparalleled blend of cutting-edge technology without compromise solidifies its position as the premier choice, earning it the coveted Editors’ Choice accolade among high-end Android smartphones.

Display: Ultra-Sharp and Fast

The Samsung Galaxy 24 Ultra boasts an unparalleled display that sets a new standard in the smartphone realm. Featuring a stunning 6.8-inch AMOLED screen, it offers a variable 120Hz refresh rate, seamlessly balancing power efficiency and performance. This cutting-edge display dynamically adjusts its refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz, catering to your activities with precision, a hallmark of contemporary flagship devices.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra comes pre-set with a resolution of 2,340 by 1,080 pixels, but you have the flexibility to ramp it up to the full 3,120 by 1,440 count through Settings, a tweak I made for testing purposes. The result? Astonishingly sharp images and seamlessly fluid animations. Positioned at the top of the display, the selfie camera is unobtrusive and easy to overlook. Comparatively, the S24 sports a 6.2-inch screen with 2,340 by 1,080 pixels, while the S24+ boasts a 6.7-inch display with an identical resolution to the Ultra.

In a notable upgrade from last year’s S23 Ultra, Samsung has significantly elevated the maximum brightness across all three S24 models to an impressive 2,600 nits, surpassing both the Pixel 8 Pro’s peak of 2,400 nits and the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 2,000 nits. Coupled with its reflection-resistant glass, this luminous output ensures optimal visibility even in harsh lighting conditions, cementing the S24 Ultra’s prowess.

S Pen Stylus: Write Away

“The S Pen serves as an indispensable component of Samsung’s Galaxy Ultra smartphones, seamlessly nestled within a dedicated slot on the device’s left flank. Activating it involves a simple press of the cap, prompting it to gracefully emerge, ready for use at your fingertips. True to its convenience, the phone ensures the stylus remains powered by charging it while snugly housed in its slot. Moreover, the device promptly alerts users upon stylus removal, ensuring no valuable tool is inadvertently left behind.”

Crafting with the S Pen resembles maneuvering a flattened golf pencil. It may lack supreme comfort, yet it adequately serves for fundamental note-taking, annotations, and sketching tasks. A side button facilitates diverse actions such as capturing pictures or navigating through presentation slides.

Exclusive S Pen-oriented software such as Smart Select (for extracting content from websites), Samsung Notes, and Air Actions enhance functionality. However, for the second consecutive year, Samsung has refrained from introducing novel capabilities to the S Pen, raising some curiosity. Nevertheless, it remains among the rare smartphones in the market bundled with a stylus.

Connectivity, Call Quality, and Speakers

The S24 Ultra boasts comprehensive connectivity options, including 5G (mmWave and C-Band), Wi-Fi 7, NFC, and Bluetooth 5.3. It accommodates both a physical SIM card and an eSIM for versatility. In a test on Verizon’s 5G network in New York City, the S24 Ultra achieved impressive speeds of 810Mbps down and 54.1Mbps up. By comparison, its predecessor, the S23 Ultra, managed 661Mbps down and 25.6Mbps up in the same area.

When connected to a Wi-Fi 6 access point, the S24 Ultra peaked at 505Mbps down and 17.1Mbps up. Notably, upload speeds are contingent on the Internet Service Provider rather than the device. In a similar setup, the RedMagic 9 Pro achieved speeds of 488Mbps down and 16.7Mbps up. Moving the S24 Ultra to the furthest point from the access point within the apartment yielded speeds of 90.1Mbps down and 22.0Mbps up.

The call quality of this phone is exceptional, with the earpiece speaker delivering a robust 89.6dB and the speakerphone reaching 70.2dB, ensuring clear communication. In contrast, the Red Magic 9 Pro struggles with its earpiece at 64.5dB, often making it challenging to hear, while its speakerphone peaks at a lower 66dB. Typically, a threshold above 70dB is preferred for optimal clarity.

Regarding the stereo speakers’ audio quality, the bass frequencies in The Knife’s “Silent Shout” may not be as pronounced. Nevertheless, these speakers impressively max out at 97.0dB without distortion at high volumes, delivering crisp sound overall. However, for an immersive audio experience with all the nuances of your media, Bluetooth headphones are recommended.

SPECIFICATIONS

Operating System: Android 14

CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy

Dimensions: 6.40 by 3.11 by 0.34 Inches

Screen Size: 6.8 inches

Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing): 200MP, 12MP, 10MP, 50MP; 12MP

Battery Life (As Tested): 14 hours, 10 minutes

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