The Samsung Galaxy S series has always had a certain allure, with the Plus models offering a middle ground between the base and Ultra variants. However, these Plus models have traditionally been the least popular. The latest iteration, the Galaxy S24+, brings forward several enhancements aimed at capturing consumer interest. With a brighter and higher-resolution display, a more robust build, and an enlarged battery, Samsung is positioning the Galaxy S24+ as a contender in a highly competitive market.
Despite the improvements, the question remains: is the Galaxy S24+ a viable alternative to the top-of-the-line Galaxy S24 Ultra, with its Snapdragon chipset, titanium frame, and superior camera system? Perhaps more pressing for some consumers is whether Samsung has finally addressed the performance concerns that have long plagued their Exynos chips. The Exynos 2400, powering both the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+, presents a renewed opportunity for Samsung to shift public perception.
Can Samsung deliver on these fronts? The results become clear in this detailed review.
Design
The Galaxy S24+ sports a design that’s familiar yet refined. Its appearance echoes the Galaxy S23+ and S22+, with subtle modifications such as more uniform bezels and entirely flat sides, complemented by an enhanced build quality.
The handset offers a comfortable grip and boasts an inoffensive aesthetic aimed at broad appeal. Even with a display size mirroring the larger Galaxy S24 Ultra, the Galaxy S24+ feels more compact and user-friendly, owing to its lighter weight and contoured edges.
Protection is a priority, with the front and back panels featuring Gorilla Glass Victus 2, similar to previous models, ensuring resilience against everyday wear and tear. The matte finish on the rear helps to ward off unsightly fingerprints and smudges.
Samsung has also stepped up the robustness of the framework by utilizing Armor Aluminum 2 material, claiming it offers increased durability over previous iterations. Whilst not on par with titanium structures, it appears sufficient for everyday usage. The device retains its IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, providing additional peace of mind.
In terms of aesthetics, Samsung provides a variety of color options. The Cobalt Violet variant is particularly striking, exemplifying Samsung’s ability to maintain a pleasing design language that is simple, smart, and adept at handling the rigors of daily use without compromising on style.
Display and Audio
Moving onto the display, the 6.7-inch screen of the Galaxy S24+ boasts significant upgrades, offering an optimal viewing experience. It shares the same QHD+ resolution and a staggering 2,600 nits peak brightness as its Ultra counterpart, solidifying its status as a high-quality display choice. These enhancements assure users that opting for the Plus model does not mean compromising on display quality.
In addition to the striking visuals, the audio experience is also top-notch. The Galaxy S24+ is equipped with high-end features that provide users with an immersive multimedia experience, rivaling that of the more expensive Ultra model. The joint combination of premium display and sound quality makes the Galaxy S24+ a strong competitor in the premium smartphone arena.
To conclude, the Samsung Galaxy S24+ is determined to offer users a high-caliber experience akin to the Ultra model, with carefully considered improvements and a design that caters to a wide audience. Whether it’s through the stunning display, the solid build, or the promise of improved internals, Samsung’s Galaxy S24+ is reshaping the landscape for Plus models.
The Galaxy S24+ boasts a display with a 30% sharper and 50% brighter screen compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy S23+. The display maintains its completely flat design and is equipped with a highly responsive fingerprint sensor. While it doesn’t include the S Pen and Gorilla Glass Armor screen protection that are exclusive to the Ultra range, the S24+ still delivers a top-tier visual experience.
The screen quality is impressive, offering a crisp and luminous viewing experience that remains clear even under bright sunlight. Samsung has made some adjustments to the color output, resulting in more restrained hues than previous models, although this may be subject to change with future software updates.
Compatibility with HDR10 and HDR10+ enhances the streaming experience from platforms such as Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube, with the high peak brightness contributing to vibrant HDR scenes. Gamers can also enjoy an exceptional display performance, with an LTPO screen that dynamically changes the refresh rate to optimize for different types of content, potentially dropping to as low as 1Hz for the Always on Display mode.
Additionally, Samsung has improved the stereo speakers, which now produce louder sound and better-rendered mid frequencies. The bass has seen some enhancement, but it’s suggested there is room for improvement in comparison to competitors like the iPhone.
In terms of camera performance, the Galaxy S24+ might not offer significant hardware upgrades over the previous model, as it retains the same 50MP primary camera with OIS, 12MP ultrawide camera, 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP autofocus selfie camera. However, software and algorithm enhancements have made a noticeable impact.
Shooting speed has been improved, with less lag between shots. This is attributed to Samsung’s new image processing pipeline that allows simultaneous image capture and processing. Photos taken in daylight are excellent, with natural and slightly boosted colors, and the wide dynamic range effectively controls noise.
While the ultrawide camera is competent and shares color tuning with the primary camera, it lacks the developed shadows of the main camera and still does not have autofocus, which is reserved for the Ultra model. Despite these limitations, the telephoto camera continues to perform well, capturing detailed images with a clean dynamic range.
Low-light photography with the primary camera is quite robust, with Night Mode better rendering scenes with complex lighting by capturing multiple frames to improve highlights and shadows. Samsung has taken a less aggressive approach to night shots, preserving the integrity of the night-time atmosphere in images.
However, the telephoto and ultrawide cameras might be less impressive compared to newer alternatives on the market, with some noise in low-light images and occasional color discrepancies between the different sensors. The inability to switch between cameras while recording 4K 60fps video, a feature reserved for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, could also be seen as an artificial restriction on an otherwise capable device.
These points suggest that future models, perhaps the Galaxy S25+, could benefit from hardware updates, including advanced camera sensors and perhaps the addition of Gorilla Glass Armor protection for a comprehensive high-end experience.The Samsung Galaxy S24+ boasts an array of impressive features, particularly when it comes to video recording capabilities. The device’s camera system shines in daylight conditions, allowing users to record 8K videos at 30 frames per second (fps) with the primary camera, and 4K videos at 60fps with the other cameras. The quality of the 4K recordings is notable, with vivid colors and a broad dynamic range. Image stabilization is impressive and surpasses that of competing smartphones, although noise tends to be more apparent in low light conditions, especially when using the telephoto and ultrawide cameras.
A standout feature of the Galaxy S24+ is its top-tier selfie camera. With a 12MP unit featuring dual-pixel autofocus, this front-facing camera delivers clear and detailed photos in daylight. Selfie videos are similarly impressive, with solid stabilization and a good dynamic range. Even in reduced lighting, the selfie camera holds its own, offering a night mode for enhanced results.
In terms of performance, the Galaxy S24+ is powered by the Exynos 2400 chipset, developed in-house by Samsung. Utilizing Samsung’s 4nm technology, this chip aims to deliver power efficiency and low heat generation. From a user experience standpoint, the difference between the Galaxy S24+ and the higher-tier Galaxy S24 Ultra is negligible, with smooth animations and rapid app switching. Benchmark tests reveal that while its performance is strong, it doesn’t quite match the top-of-the-line Snapdragon alternatives.
The phone’s performance in gaming is substantial as well, with tests demonstrating that it can sustain high frame rates. Despite this, there are some issues with frame timing that could impact perceived smoothness during gameplay. Such inconsistencies might be resolved with future software updates from Samsung or game developers.
Regarding power efficiency, the Galaxy S24+ showcases improvements over previous Exynos models. The phone exhibits minimal battery drain in sleep mode, an indicator of the chip’s progress in power management. However, the lack of support for Wi-Fi 7 may be a drawback for some users who value the latest connectivity options.
Out of the box, the Galaxy S24+ runs Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6.1. This skin is known for offering a wide array of features to users, contributing to a user-friendly and full-featured smartphone experience.
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S24+ shines with its video recording prowess, exceptional selfie camera, and promising performance advancements. While there is still room for improvement, particularly in the realm of chip capabilities and frame timing consistency, the device stands out as a competitive offering in the smartphone market.The newest iteration of the Galaxy S series, the Galaxy S24+, has made quite an impression with its highly refined user interface. Users have been particularly taken by the seamless and fluid animations and transitions, which represent the smoothest version of One UI seen in recent iterations.
Among its key highlights are several new features that significantly enhance the user experience. Users now have the flexibility to customize their lock screen clock widget with any font of their choice, enriched with additional widgets for both the lock screen and always-on display (AoD). Transitions when toggling between the lock screen and AoD have been aesthetically improved, and Super HDR has been introduced to amplify the display quality.
This device goes further by integrating numerous AI-powered functionalities. Users can enjoy features like Circle to Search, which allows for quick online searches, and Generative Wallpapers that add a personalized touch to the device. Note-taking is more efficient with Auto Summary in Samsung Notes, and web page summarization in the Samsung Internet browser simplifies content consumption. Real-time language translation during voice calls and messages, voice recording transcriptions and tagging, Generative AI-powered image editing, and Instant Slow-Mo for video capture have been introduced to make the S24+ more versatile and intelligent.
The Galaxy S24+, like its sibling S24 models, has been assured a long support life, with updates to Android, One UI, and security planned for seven years.
Battery performance in the S24+ has seen notable improvements, with a 4,900mAh battery nearly matching the 5,000mAh capacity of the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s powerhouse. A significant upgrade from its predecessor, the Exynos 2400 processor, enhances performance and efficiency; however, it might not quite reach the level of Snapdragon alternatives. With heavy use, the device endures a full day on a single charge and can stretch to a day and a half when used sparingly.
Charging prowess was also put to the test, demonstrating a brisk 45W fast charging capability. This upgrade allows the phone to recharge up to 70% in just 30 minutes, achieving a full charge in under an hour, a slight improvement over the previous model. Notably, customers will need to provide their own charger to utilize the 45W fast charging, as one is not included with the phone.
To complement the commitment to a seven-year update guarantee, Samsung has added sophisticated battery weardown protection strategies. These include Basic mode, Adaptive mode, and Maximum battery protection mode, all designed to extend battery lifespan by regulating the charging habits according to user patterns and battery health considerations.
Concluding thoughts on the Galaxy S24+ emphasize its standing as perhaps the best Plus variant of the Galaxy S line to date. Its vibrant display and high-quality stereo speakers make it an exceptional choice for media consumption. The design’s understated simplicity ensures a seamless user interaction, boosted by excellent battery life alongside diverse and reliable camera functions. Although it hits slightly below its Ultra counterpart in features like Gorilla Glass Armor and Wi-Fi 7 support, the S24+ nevertheless stands out as a top-tier smartphone, offering a balanced package of style, functionality, and technology.
