With the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, the most advanced Android smartphone to date is officially a reality. But whether you actually want to buy it …
For the past two weeks, I have been using the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on a daily basis. With pleasure, because the Android device is a top shelf topper. All the high-end specs you can think of are there, and it is also richly equipped with handy AI tools. Sounds like the perfect phone, right?
Well, not quite. While the S24 Ultra is an easy recommendation, there are some aspects that I have my doubts about. It’s up to you to decide how important those are to you.
Why you’ll want to buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the perfect example of an Android smartphone optimized to perfection. The screen (6.8-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED) has stunning quality and is brighter than ever (2600 nits). The chipset (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), especially when combined with the working memory (12 GB), is extremely fast. And the camera system has gotten even better thanks to the improved telephoto lenses (5x, 50 megapixels).
These are subtle improvements over the previous model, the Galaxy S23 Ultra. However, they do make an Android smartphone that was already excellent even better, especially with the addition of Galaxy AI.
After all, artificial intelligence is what this powerhouse is all about. Helpful features such as Circle to Search (Google Lens on steroids), Live translation (for real-time translations of phone calls) and Generative fill (which automatically fills empty spaces in photos), really make a difference.
Yes, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has gotten more expensive, just a little bit. But for €1449 you really do get an impressive Android smartphone.
Why not
I have to honestly say that I think €1449 is quite a lot of money. People with a Galaxy S23 Ultra probably won’t consider the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra as their next purchase anytime soon, but with the slightly higher price, I personally think we should at least take a critical look.
When you put the two side by side, you don’t see much difference. Except for a few improvements, the phone has remained almost identical and this time adds some Galaxy AI features. These features are certainly interesting, but right now existing solutions (such as Google Lens or Translate) make it even easier.
The problem with all these features, and this is not yet a certainty, is that they could disappear behind a pay wall. The fine print states that Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will offer free access to Galaxy AI at least until 2025. This note is there for a reason.
Since many of the features do not yet support the Dutch language and this support will only be rolled out later this year, I am also concerned. For €1449, I personally expect to be able to use such a suite of AI features without limitations, today, next year and always.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: buy it or leave it?
So the big question is: is my advice to buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or is it better to pass it up?
The answer is pretty simple. If you are looking for the best Android smartphone out there, this is without a doubt your best choice. The camera system, battery, screen and chipset: it all adds up.
Galaxy AI takes this smartphone to the next level, and I really think this package, especially as the features evolve, could change the whole market.
But whether you as a consumer should pay extra for these features, that’s the question….
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Samsung
9
Score
Plus points
Display is insanely good Camera system does the same Battery as good as ever Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip Galaxy AI is the future
Minuses
1449 euros is a lot of money Galaxy AI only free to use for certain time
If you are looking for the best Android smartphone out there, this is without a doubt your best choice. The camera system, battery, screen and chipset: it all adds up. But whether you as a consumer should pay extra for these features, that is the question….