Score Breakdown
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 200MP main camera with incredible detail
- Best zoom camera still competitive
- Built-in S Pen
- Titanium frame debut
- Excellent display
Cons
- Very expensive
- Aggressive anti-reflective coating missing
- Gets warm under GPU load
- Battery charges slowly at 45W
Full Review
A Year Later, Still Excellent
The S24 Ultra launched with a titanium frame, 200MP camera, and built-in S Pen. Twelve months on, discounts make it significantly more attractive relative to the S25 Ultra. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is only marginally slower than the 8 Elite in real-world use, and the camera hardware is essentially unchanged.
200MP Camera: The Detail King
The 200MP sensor’s binned output at 12MP is excellent, but shooting in full resolution unlocks extraordinary detail. Street photography from 200MP files, cropped deeply, reveals individual faces and text that simply isn’t possible at lower resolutions. Combined with the 50x Space Zoom, the S24 Ultra captures scenes from distances that stagger observers.
S Pen: The Differentiator
No competitor offers an integrated stylus. Samsung’s Galaxy AI now works with S Pen input – circle a topic on the screen and AI instantly searches, translate handwritten notes, or use the S Pen as a remote shutter button. The workflow advantages for note-takers are genuine.
Key Specifications
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
|---|---|
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
| Display | 6.8" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1-120Hz LTPO |
| Camera | 200MP main + 12MP ultrawide + 10MP 3x + 50MP 5x telephoto |
| Battery | 5000mAh, 45W wired, 15W wireless |
| Price | From $1,099 |
Verdict
The Galaxy S24 Ultra introduced titanium to Samsung's flagship range and remains one of the finest Android phones available. It's now available at a discount versus the S25 Ultra while offering nearly identical camera capabilities.