Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Samsung has once again lifted the bar in the luxury smartphone category with the Galaxy S24 Ultra which was released on January 25, 2024. This flagship model packed with awesome capabilities and a sleek appearance, pushes the boundaries of mobile technology while remaining true to Samsung’s hallmark of versatility and performance. The S24 Ultra focuses on providing unrivaled power, photography proficiency, and a streamlined user experience, all packed in a gorgeous titanium-framed chassis. In this review, we’ll look at its different features and determine if it lives up to its ultra-premium billing. It is a wonderful designed gadget that feels as high-end as its price suggests. It weighs 232 grams, relatively weighty but workable, particularly given the massive 6.8-inch display and modern internals. Its dimensions of 162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm make it a huge phone, but the weight distribution and elegant design make it surprisingly comfortable to hold.

Samsung has added a titanium frame for the first time in Galaxy S series, providing increased durability and a more polished, elegant appearance. With Corning Gorilla Glass Armor on both the front and back, this phone is designed to last while remaining stylish. Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, and Titanium Orange are among the vibrant colors offered for the phone.

The IP68 designation ensures water and dust resistance allowing it to withstand immersion in water up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. The inclusion of a stylus with Bluetooth connectivity, as well as an accelerometer and gyro, increases the device’s adaptability and makes it a formidable productivity tool, particularly with Samsung’s One UI 6.1 and the supporting Samsung DeX mode. Samsung’s display technology superiority continues with the S24 Ultra’s 6.8-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X screen which has an amazing 1440 x 3088 pixel resolution and a crisp 501 PPI density. The LTPO technology allows the phone to adapt its refresh rate from 1 Hz to 120 Hz based on the material being viewed, maximizing battery life while still giving smooth images when necessary.

With a peak brightness of 2600 nits, outdoor visibility is never compromised even in direct sunshine. HDR10+ compatibility offers another degree of richness to media consumption with vibrant colors and deep blacks that make movies and games stand out. Samsung has also incorporated an always-on display feature allowing you to view crucial alerts or the time without waking up your phone. Overall, the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s display is nothing short of fantastic.

The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, based on 4nm architecture. The octa-core CPU configuration including a 3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 prime core, five 3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 performance cores, and two power-efficient 2.3 GHz Cortex-A520 cores, and provides fast performance across all tasks. With the Adreno 750 GPU, this smartphone can handle even the most demanding apps and programs making it one of the quickest smartphones on the market.

Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with 12GB of RAM, allowing for flawless multitasking and quick app transitions. Storage options range from 256GB to 1TB, with no microSD card compatibility this time around. While some will be disappointed by the absence of extendable storage, most users will find that the vast internal storage options are sufficient. Benchmark results highlight the phone’s power. With an AnTuTu score of 1,453,497 (v9) and an astounding 1,823,822 (v10), the Galaxy S24 Ultra beats practically every other device available. Its GeekBench score of 7076 in version 6 further solidifies its position at the top of the leaderboard.

It comes with quad-camera system and really redefines the mobile photography. It’s true to say that Samsung has outfitted the gadget with quad camera arrangement. The 200MP primary camera captures exceptional detail because of its f/1.7 aperture, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, and OIS. Even under adverse lighting situations, images are sharp, colorful, and noise-free. The 50MP periscope telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, OIS, and PDAF captures stunning zoomed-in photos without sacrificing detail or clarity.

10MP supplementary telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom is ideal for portraits and close-ups, delivering clear, well-focused images with background blur. And 12MP ultra-wide camera with Super Steady Video capabilities is great for action photos and wide-angle landscape photography. It has a 120-degree field of view, means no detail is overlooked. Camera system takes advantage of powerful software capabilities such as auto-HDR, panorama, and Samsung’s superior AI optimization that fine tunes settings based on the scene. The video recording capabilities are amazing with support for 8K footage at 24/30fps, 4K at 60fps, and slow-motion 1080p at up to 960fps. Samsung has also added gyro-EIS to improve video stabilization.

Front camera with 12MP lens appear less remarkable on paper, but it has Dual Pixel PDAF which ensures sharp selfies and it works well in low-light circumstances. The front camera can capture 4K video at 60fps, making it ideal for those users who use selfie camera to make videos. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra features a large 5000 mAh battery, when combined with the efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU provides exceptional battery life. With the battery timing, you can easily go through an entire day of heavy usage. The variable refresh rate technology also adds to longer battery life by reducing power consumption when a high refresh rate isn’t required.

The S24 Ultra charges quickly thanks to its 45W wired charging feature. It can charge up to 65% in 30 minutes which is a convenient function for customers who are constantly on the move. Wireless charging is enabled at 15W and reverse wireless charging is accessible at 4.5W, allowing you to charge additional items directly from your phone, such as earbuds or smartwatches. This smartphone runs Android 14 out of the box and comes with Samsung’s One UI 6.1 interface, providing a smooth and user-friendly experience. One UI’s design is constantly being refined, and it now provides a clean intuitive interface with several customization choices. One UI 6.1 features greater capabilities, better integration with Samsung’s ecosystem, privacy, and security advancements.

Samsung DeX and Wireless DeX are supported, thus, allowing users to transform their phone into a desktop experience, turning it into a productivity monster. This function is quite useful for business users, particularly when used with the S Pen for note-taking and sketching. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is equipped with meaningful communication technologies such as 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3. It has dual SIM capabilities, with Nano-SIM and eSIM options available, making it ideal for frequent travelers or individuals who require separate lines for personal and work use.

Samsung has also ensured that the phone supports GPS, GLONASS, BDS, and GALILEO for precise navigation throughout the world. USB Type-C 3.2 has rapid data transfer speeds and enables OTG, allowing the phone to connect to external devices such as keyboards and flash drives. Samsung continues to provide high-quality audio experiences with AKG-tuned dual speakers. The lack of a 3.5mm headphone connector can hinder the purchase decision for some, but the high-resolution 32-bit/384kHz audio promises audiophiles to have a great experience. When paired with high-quality wireless earphones or headphones, the Galaxy S24 Ultra can produce excellent sound.

Pros

• Stunning 6.8-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display with 2600 nits of brightness and HDR10+.
• Powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor coupled with 12GB of RAM.
• Excellent quad-camera system, with a 200MP primary sensor and various telephoto options.
• Stunning design with Gorilla Glass Armor and a titanium frame.
• Long battery life with quick 45W cable charging and 15W wireless charging.
• Smooth software experience with Android 14 and One UI 6.1.
• Samsung DeX and Wireless DeX improve productivity.
• IP68 water and dust resistance.

Cons

• At 232 grams, it is heavier than some of its competitors.
• No microSD storage expansion.
• No 3.5mm headphone jack.
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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a standout smartphone that lives up to its top reputation in every way. Whether it’s the stunning display, the versatile and powerful camera system, or the blistering performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU, this smartphone influences on every level.