Samsung Galaxy S24+: A solid upgrade with enhanced display and performance
Samsung Galaxy S24+. Picture: Noel Campion.
The Galaxy S24+ represents a notable step from its predecessor, offering a bump in screen size, brightness, RAM, battery and performance screen size. While previous iterations of the Galaxy series often mirrored the standard models in larger forms, the S24+ brings significant enhancements, particularly in display quality, performance, and software support.
The design language of the Galaxy S24+ remains familiar yet refined. Featuring a flat back made of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, this year's model introduces a matte finish, departing from the glossy look of its predecessors.
The camera module retains its distinct rings for each lens, while the matte frame, crafted from a tougher version of aluminium, adds a touch of sophistication while also enhancing grip. You can conveniently unlock the phone using the ultrasonic under-display fingerprint reader, which provides speedy and secure access.
However, I’d prefer it if it was placed slightly higher up the display.
Continuing the Galaxy flagship tradition, the S24+ boasts IP68-rated protection against dust and water, ensuring durability.
The S24+ 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display offers a higher clarity than its predecessor, with a resolution of 3,088 x 1,440 pixels, a 19.5:9 ratio, and 513 PPI. By default, Samsung sets the resolution to 1080p, and I’ve never been convinced there’s a need for more pixels anyway.
The screen features an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, delivering smooth visuals. The display's LPO technology also allows for an extra adaptive refresh rate, adjusting to as low as 24Hz when idle. The S24+ achieves a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, substantially improving over the S23+ peak of 1,750 nits.
Colours are accurately reproduced, supporting HDR 10+ video playback but not Dolby Vision. You can now preview HDR content in the viewfinder, gallery, and supported third-party apps.
The S24+ features stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support, offering louder and higher-quality sound than its predecessor.
Running Samsung's new One UI 6.1 based on Android 14, the S24+ delivers refined software enhancements for a seamless user experience. In this part of the world, the S24+ is powered by an Exynos 2400, and not the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 found in the S24 Ultra. That be as it may, in my experience, the device offers flagship-grade performance. I’ve compared it to the benchmark scores from the S24 Ultra and other Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 devices, and the results are comparable.
Regardless of the chipset variant, users can expect improved gaming and AI processing compared to previous generations. Notably, all storage variants of the S24+ receive a RAM boost to 12GB, up from 8GB in the previous year's model and either 256GB or 512GB of storage.
The S24+ boasts a slightly larger battery capacity of 4900mAh, resulting in improved battery life compared to its predecessor. Supporting 45W charging, the device charges rapidly with the included cable, but you’ll have to bring your own charger. Samsung claims 65% in 30 minutes using a 45W wired, PD3.0 compatible charger. You also get 15W wireless charging and 4.5W of reverse wireless charging.
The camera setup of the S24+ remains consistent with its predecessor, offering versatile lenses for various shooting scenarios. The main camera is 50MP with an aperture of f/1.8 and a focal length of 24mm. The ultrawide camera is 12MP with an aperture of f/2.2 and a focal length of 13mm. Finally, the 10MP telephoto camera has an aperture of f/2.4 and a focal length of 67mm.
While the performance is slightly improved, thanks to new chips and processing, you can expect excellent photo quality with vibrant colours and a wide dynamic range.
Portrait mode now offers three zoom levels, enhancing creative possibilities. The 1x uses the main lens, the 2x is a digital crop from the main lens, and the 3x uses the telephoto lens.
Notably, the S24+ supports auto night mode, delivering balanced results with improved detail and reduced noise in low-light conditions.
The S24+ supports video recording of up to 4K at 60fps across all cameras and 8K at 30fps on the main camera, delivering vibrant and natural footage. The device maintains exposure, dynamic range, and colour accuracy, making it suitable for various videography needs.
The Galaxy S24+ stands out as a solid flagship device, offering significant enhancements in display quality, performance, and software support. While the camera setup remains largely unchanged from the previous year, the device delivers an immersive multimedia experience and reliable day-to-day performance. Overall, the Galaxy S24+ is a worthy successor, catering to users seeking a premium smartphone experience.
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