I am an enormous fan of compact smartphones with highly effective internals and cameras. Nevertheless, it’s extremely uncommon to see such telephones as of late. Cue the Samsung Galaxy S24, which retains the custom alive amongst different equally sized telephones such because the iPhone 15 and the Google Pixel 8. My first tryst with a compact smartphone was once I bought the Sony Xperia Z Compact, and what a beautiful cellphone that was. The Galaxy S24 gives the identical chipset and rear digital camera setup because the Galaxy S24+ however is available in a smaller bundle that can be utilized one-handed.
May the Samsung Galaxy S24 be the very best compact smartphone of 2024? Let’s discover out.
Samsung Galaxy S24 value in India
Earlier than we focus on the cellphone, let’s speak about its pricing. The Galaxy S24’s value in India begins at Rs. 79,999 for the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage variant, whereas in order for you 512GB storage, you may must shell out Rs. 89,999. It’s kind of disappointing that Samsung nonetheless doesn’t supply a better RAM variant. So energy customers should accept 8GB RAM regardless of shelling out near Rs. 90,000.
Galaxy S24 is offered in two storage choices
The cellphone is available in Amber Yellow (the one we’re reviewing), Cobalt Violet, and Onyx Black. If you are going to buy it from Samsung’s on-line retailer, it’s also possible to get it in Sapphire Blue and Jade Inexperienced.
After you have bought the Galaxy S24, you may discover that there is not a lot obtainable within the field. You get the cellphone, a USB Sort-C to Sort-C cable, some paperwork, and the SIM ejector instrument.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Overview: Design
In case you personal a Galaxy 23, then you may idiot your mates into considering that you’ve the most recent Galaxy S24. When it comes to design, there’s hardly any distinction between the 2. They appear and feel the identical, and also you get the identical aluminium glass sandwich. The rear glass panel makes use of Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The cellphone feels fairly strong by way of construct high quality. It weighs 167 grams, and the flat sides make it simple to grip. The general compact type issue additionally makes the Galaxy S24 an incredible system for one-handed use. This time round, the aluminium body has a slight curvature, so it will not poke into your fingers across the edges and rounded corners. The again panel homes three separate rings for the triple cameras, and there is additionally a flash module in a smaller circle positioned subsequent to the cameras.
The Galaxy S24 has a 12-megapixel entrance digital camera
On the entrance, the show options slim uniform bezels throughout and a hole-punch cutout on the prime centre for the entrance digital camera. The show is barely greater than final 12 months’s mannequin, however Samsung has managed to maintain the size just about the identical. The Galaxy S24 can be IP68-certified for mud and water resistance. The panel is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Other than a barely greater panel and a better screen-to-body ratio, the Galaxy S24 as soon as once more appears to be like similar to the Galaxy S23.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Overview: Specs and software program
As for specs, we now have one thing fairly fascinating below the hood this 12 months. Samsung bravely opted for its personal silicon, with the Exynos 2400 SoC, which is paired with its Xclipse 940 GPU. After a number of years of going with Qualcomm silicon we do not assume it’s a good suggestion. However that is higher defined within the efficiency part of this overview. The chipset is paired with as much as 8GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage.
The handset has a twin nano-SIM slot that helps twin 5G standby. It will get a USB Sort-C port on the backside, together with a speaker, microphone, and SIM card slot. Samsung has organized each energy and quantity buttons on the left body of the handset. For communication, the Galaxy S24 comes with dual-band Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.3 with LE, GPS (Glonass, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS) and NFC.
The ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is well-positioned
Samsung continues to make use of an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner on its flagship telephones, and extra corporations ought to do that. The scanner is positioned below the show, is definitely reachable, tremendous quick, and works flawlessly each time.
You get a 4,000mAh battery on the Galaxy S24, which is smaller than the competitors. Nevertheless, it’s barely greater than its predecessor. The cellphone helps 25W wired quick charging, 15W wi-fi, and 4.5W reverse charging.
When it comes to software program, the Galaxy S24 runs Android 14-based OneUI 6.1 out-of-the-box. Samsung has completed a Google and promised seven years of Android OS updates and safety patches. Since AI is the brand new buzzword within the trade, Samsung has additionally included a number of helpful AI options.
Galaxy AI will solely be free until the top of 2025
The South Korean producer is looking it Galaxy AI, and it helps you do issues corresponding to take away objects from photos, create wallpapers, transcribe cellphone calls, reside translate, and extra. Nevertheless, many of the AI options are solely free till the top of 2025, and that is an actual bummer.
We tried the brand new Galaxy AI options, that are the spotlight of the brand new Galaxy S24 lineup, they usually work fairly nicely. A number of the options, such because the AI picture editor, reminded us of the AI on the Google Pixel 8 collection. The AI picture editor can take away, transfer, and resize objects and other people in a photograph. This does require a Samsung account login and an lively web connection.
Creating wallpapers utilizing AI was enjoyable
One other fascinating AI characteristic is Circle to Search with Google, which helps you to merely circle something on the display and seek for it. This characteristic can be obtainable on the most recent Google Pixel telephones. The true-time cellphone translation and the Interpreter mode that offers you a reside translation of conversations in textual content or voice output works solely with the Samsung Telephone app. We tried this characteristic, and it labored rather well. In the mean time, Stay Translate solely works with a choose variety of languages. The Generative AI wallpapers are additionally enjoyable, however you may solely create a restricted variety of wallpapers with the inputs obtainable.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Overview: Efficiency
Coming to the cellphone’s efficiency, you may anticipate the Galaxy S24 to run any job with ease. Sure, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset would’ve carried out higher, however the Exynos 2400 is not any slouch. We ran AnTuTu, Geekbench 6, 3D Mark, and GFXBench benchmarks on the smartphone, and the outcomes have been fascinating.
The Galaxy S24 is not any slouch regardless of having an Exynos SoC
On AnTuTu, the Galaxy S24 scored 1480582 factors, which is not dangerous, however in case you’re all about numbers, then this is not that nice both. For instance, the Xiaomi 14 scored 1973937 factors, the OnePlus 12 managed 1629220, and the Vivo X100 Professional powered its technique to 2020631 factors. The identical was the case once we in contrast Geekbench 6 and 3D Mark scores. In GFXBench, the Galaxy S24 managed 119 fps on Manhattan 3.1 and T-Rex assessments, which is only some factors decrease than the Xiaomi 14’s 121 fps.
Shifting to sport efficiency, we have been capable of play BGMI and Asphalt 9: Legends on the highest settings with none drop in body charge, even after half-hour of gameplay. Nevertheless, throughout longer gaming periods, we did see a small drop within the framer charge because the cellphone began throttling so as to hold the temperatures at bay. Throughout shorter gaming periods, the cellphone solely received heat to the contact. Gaming on the Galaxy S24 is a enjoyable affair because of the wonderful show with 120Hz refresh charge with 240Hz contact sampling charge, the succesful chipset, and good sound.
The cellphone would not warmth up lots when gaming
Speaking about sound, the hybrid stereo audio system on the Galaxy S24 are fairly good. They provide good separation, are clear, and now have some bass. Name high quality can be nice on the handset.
Shifting on to the show, the Samsung Galaxy S24 has a 6.2-inch LTPO AMOLED 2X panel that provides an adaptive 120Hz refresh charge and a pair of,600 nits of peak brightness. It gives 50 p.c increased brightness and has wonderful readability below direct daylight. There’s additionally an Additional brightness mode for while you’re outside.
The panel gives Vivid and Pure color modes, however there’s additionally an Adaptive color tone that adjusts colors and white steadiness primarily based on ambient gentle situations. Show viewing angles, distinction, and hues are wonderful, and it is positively among the finest panels on a compact-sized cellphone. You may love watching movies and enjoying video games on the Galaxy S24.
General, we might say that the Galaxy S24 gives wonderful flagship-level efficiency. We did not face any type of main heating points, slowing down, or lag throughout heavy and common utilization. The 4,000mAh battery additionally held up fairly nicely and lasted nearly 24 hours on most days with some gaming, digital camera use, watching YouTube, texting, GPS, and calling. The cellphone took about an hour and 20 minutes to completely cost utilizing a 20W adapter that we had mendacity round. Samsung ought to actually begin providing quicker charging assist on their flagship telephones because the 25W wired and 15W wi-fi charging speeds fall horribly in need of the competitors.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Overview: Cameras
Samsung has been utilizing good digital camera {hardware} on its Galaxy S collection telephones, they usually ship wonderful images and movies, however with the saturation toggle dialled up a notch. The identical is the case with the Galaxy S24, however not as a lot because it was once. You may get wonderful images and movies with the digital camera system.
There is a 50-megapixel main digital camera on the againÂ
The Galaxy S24 has a triple rear digital camera setup that seems just like final 12 months’s setup. It features a 50-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GN3 main sensor, a 10-megapixel telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide with a 120-degree discipline of view. On the entrance, the cellphone will get a 12-megapixel selfie digital camera. The ultra-wide digital camera nonetheless lacks auto-focus, which is let down as a result of the competitors is now providing the characteristic.
The entrance digital camera on the Galaxy S24 has auto-focusÂ
Earlier than we speak about digital camera efficiency and present you some samples, let’s get the digital camera app out of the way in which. The Galaxy S24’s digital camera app is simple to make use of and gives loads of modes to strive. You get a devoted Evening mode, Professional mode, a Professional video mode, hyper-lapse, gradual movement, and Knowledgeable Uncooked (this must be downloaded).
In daylight, the images taken from the first digital camera are sharp and well-detailed, with good publicity and white steadiness. Generally, the HDR is usually a bit an excessive amount of with a halo exhibiting round objects/topics, however that is very uncommon.
Galaxy S24 daylight samples: High- Important digital camera; Centre – 3x Telephoto; Backside – Extremely-wide (faucet to pictures to develop)
In low gentle, the principle digital camera continues to carry out nicely, however you may discover some grain. Nevertheless, there’s loads of element, good saturation, white steadiness, and dynamic vary. In auto mode, the digital camera app will robotically allow night time mode when the environment are too darkish. You can even use Evening mode within the handbook, the place you may rise up to 25 seconds of publicity time if positioned on a tripod. The resultant photos are sharper and extra detailed.
Galaxy S24 lowlight digital camera samples: High – Important digital camera; Centre – Extremely-wide; Backside – 3x Telephoto (faucet photos to develop)
The ultra-wide digital camera produces superb photos in daylight, however as soon as once more, colors are saturated. Skies, particularly, look bluer than they need to be. Other than that, the whole lot appears to be like just like the principle digital camera. In low gentle, images shot utilizing the ultra-wide digital camera are noisy, with a visual lack of element across the edges. Even with auto night time mode in ultra-wide, the images can nonetheless be noisy.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Portrait pictures: High – 3X zoom; Backside – 2x zoom
Now, let’s speak in regards to the telephoto digital camera. The telephoto digital camera produces superb portrait pictures, and edge detection is superb. 3x zoom pictures in daylight have good element and supply good dynamic vary. Nevertheless, in low-light situations, the 3x telephoto shooter would not carry out that nicely, even with the night time mode enabled. You may discover a number of noise and distortion in photos.
Galaxy S24 gives good edge detection in portraits
The selfie digital camera is nice and works nicely in each daylight and lowlight situations. You can even shoot in 4K at 60 fps. Portrait selfies and night time mode selfies are additionally good, with loads of particulars and a few noise however not over-sharpened.
Coming to video, the Galaxy S24 gives wonderful video efficiency. The dynamic vary, colors, sharpness, publicity, dynamic vary, and stabilisation are wonderful. What’s good is that each one 4 cameras on the cellphone can shoot at 4K decision and produce outcomes which might be colour-matched. The principle rear digital camera also can shoot at 8K 30fps. In low gentle, the principle and ultra-wide cameras ship good outcomes with some noise, however the telephoto just isn’t nice.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Overview: Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S24 is a flagship compact cellphone and has loads of competitors in its value vary. Its fundamental rivals are the Apple iPhone 15 (Overview), the Google Pixel 8 (Overview), the OnePlus 12 (Overview), the Vivo X100, the newly launched Xiaomi 14 (Overview), and the Galaxy S23 (Overview). I’ve talked about the latter as a result of there are no main upgrades with the brand new cellphone. You get a greater show, a barely greater battery, a brand new chipset, and barely improved cameras.
Apple’s iPhone 15 just isn’t as a lot of an all-rounder because the Galaxy S24, because it lacks a telephoto digital camera. Nonetheless, the efficiency and battery life on the iPhone 15 certainly is healthier. The Pixel 8 just isn’t actually nice relating to efficiency, however you get good cameras, a much bigger battery, related compact measurement, Google software program and AI options, and it is usually slightly cheaper.
The OnePlus 12 and the Xiaomi 14 are all less expensive than the Galaxy S24 and supply nearly the identical options minus the AI tips. You may get higher efficiency, bigger screens, and greater batteries, however with extra up to date digital camera {hardware}.
To conclude, is the Galaxy S24 the very best compact smartphone of the 12 months? We might say NO! It is a superb compact cellphone, however there’s not sufficient to warrant an improve from the Galaxy S23 (or perhaps a Galaxy S22). Nevertheless, in case you’re coming from an iPhone and need a compact Android all-rounder with a superb show, succesful and versatile cameras, good battery life, AI options, and lengthy software program assist, then the Galaxy S24 ought to be in your cart. With extra decisions within the compact flagship class with each passing 12 months, it is positively a contender for the very best compact smartphone of 2024.