• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs S23 Ultra

    Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. S23 Ultra: Unveiling Incremental Changes and Significant Upgrades

    Daven Toumar Posted on

    The tech world is buzzing with the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and the burning question on everyone’s mind is whether it’s worth upgrading from its predecessor, the S23 Ultra. In this comprehensive comparison, we will dissect the two devices, exploring their design, build, camera capabilities, display, performance, and additional features. By the end, we aim to provide a thorough analysis to help users make an informed decision about whether or not to make the leap to the latest flagship.

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    Design and Build:

    The visual similarities between the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and its predecessor, the S23 Ultra, are striking. Both devices feature the distinctive triple-ring design, reminiscent of the S22 Ultra from the previous year. The dimensions are nearly identical, with the S24 Ultra being marginally smaller in height but slightly wider.

    The titanium frame on the S24 Ultra replaces the armor aluminum frame on the S23 Ultra, offering enhanced durability. Additionally, the matte finish on the S24 Ultra is a welcome departure from the glossy finish of its predecessor.

    Both smartphones boast an IP68 water and dust resistance rating and are available in default colors, with the S23 Ultra having exclusive options like graphite sky, blue lime, and red. The S24 Ultra introduces a titanium gray color alongside black violet and yellow, with three exclusive colors available directly from samsung.com—titanium blue, orange, and green.

    Build Materials and Display:

    The Galaxy S23 Ultra sports Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both the front and back, while the S24 Ultra adopts Gorilla Glass Victus 2 at the back and Gorilla Armor at the front. The latter’s flat display, in contrast to the curved display on the S23 Ultra, is a practical choice, particularly for S Pen usage and applying screen protectors.

    Gorilla Armor enhances scratch resistance, reducing reflections by up to 75%. However, it is noted that the S24 Ultra’s display appears less vibrant than the S23 Ultra, possibly due to the anti-reflective coating.

    Both devices feature a 6.8-inch display with dynamic AMOLED 2X technology, quad HD+ resolution, and an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz. The S24 Ultra introduces LTPO 4.0 technology, offering more efficient and faster switching between refresh rates. Notably, the S24 Ultra’s peak brightness reaches 2,600 nits, a significant improvement over the S23 Ultra’s 1,750 nits. This enhancement, coupled with reduced reflections, makes the S24 Ultra more suitable for outdoor usage.

    In-Display Fingerprint Sensor:

    Both devices employ the gen two Qualcomm 3D Sonic sensor for the in-display fingerprint sensor. While there is no significant update, the sensor continues to be fast and accurate, making it one of the best in-display fingerprint scanners in the market.

    Camera Hardware and Capabilities:

    The camera hardware remains mostly consistent between the two models, featuring a 12-megapixel selfie camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 200-megapixel primary camera, and a 10-megapixel three-times telephoto zoom camera. However, the S24 Ultra introduces a 50-megapixel five-times zoom camera, a departure from the S23 Ultra’s 10-megapixel 10-times zoom camera.

    In real-world testing, both devices produce similar results, with the S24 Ultra exhibiting slightly better dynamic range in certain situations. The standout improvement is seen in the zoom camera, where the S24 Ultra’s five-times zoom camera offers sharper images compared to the S23 Ultra. Notably, the S24 Ultra excels in low-light zoom, showcasing a marked improvement in image quality at three, five, and ten times zoom.

    The AI features on the S24 Ultra enhance the overall photography experience, offering suggestions for photo editing, background removal, subject manipulation, and more. While the camera improvements are noteworthy, users may not find them compelling enough to warrant an immediate upgrade.

    Performance:

    The S23 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, while the S24 Ultra boasts the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy. The newer chipset, coupled with a 1.9 times larger vapor chamber for improved heat dissipation, results in better gaming performance, particularly in titles that utilize ray tracing. The S24 Ultra’s 12 gigabytes of RAM across all variants also contribute to smoother multitasking and app switching.

    The S Pen, a staple feature of the Ultra series, remains consistent in size and functionality across both devices. It continues to be a valuable tool for tasks such as document signing and image editing.

    Audio Experience:

    Both devices feature stereo speakers, but the S24 Ultra introduces improved speakers with a slit design at the bottom. The speakers on the S24 Ultra are louder and offer enhanced audio quality. A detailed speaker test by Thunder E from Board at Work provides insights into the extent of the improvement.

    Battery Life and Charging:

    With identical 5,000 milliamp-hour batteries, the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra deliver impressive battery life. The S24 Ultra, thanks to its new chipset, exhibits a slight improvement in battery efficiency, translating to around 5% longer endurance in daily usage. Both devices support up to 45 watts of wired charging, 15 watts of wireless charging, and Wireless PowerShare for reverse charging.

    Software and Updates:

    The S24 Ultra ships with Android 14 and One UI 6.1, offering the latest software experience. Samsung commits to providing seven generations of Android OSS updates, aligning it with Google’s Pixel devices. In contrast, the S23 Ultra, currently running Android 14 with One UI 6.0, was promised four generations of Android updates and five years of security updates. This makes the S24 Ultra a more future-proof device with extended software support.

    AI Features:

    The S24 Ultra introduces new AI features, including live translate, interpreter, chat assist, and browsing assist. These features leverage AI to enhance the user experience in tasks such as language translation, conversation tone adjustment, and webpage summarization.

    While these features are initially offered for free, Samsung indicates that a monthly charge may apply after 2025. Some of these features are expected to be extended to the S23 Ultra, but hardware-dependent features may not be fully replicated due to differences in chipsets.

    Pricing and Upgrade Considerations:

    The pricing landscape introduces an interesting dynamic. In the UK, the S24 Ultra starts at the same price as the S23 Ultra, while in the US, there is a price increase. However, Samsung’s aggressive pre-order deals, including double the storage and instant Samsung credit, present a compelling proposition for upgraders.

    Trade-in options for the S23 Ultra, with potential savings of up to $750, further sweeten the deal. When factoring in these promotions, the S24 Ultra becomes an attractive option for current S23 Ultra owners, potentially costing as little as $270 to $400 with trade-in and additional discounts.

    Conclusion:

    In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra represents a nuanced evolution from its predecessor, the S23 Ultra. Incremental changes in design, build, and camera capabilities coexist with significant upgrades in performance, audio experience, and software support. The decision to upgrade hinges on individual priorities and the desire for the latest technology.

    For current S23 Ultra owners, the upgrade decision may be influenced by the attractive pre-order deals and trade-in offers, providing an opportunity to acquire the latest device at a fraction of the cost. On the other hand, users content with their current device may find the incremental improvements insufficient to justify an immediate upgrade.

    Ultimately, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra maintains the Ultra series’ reputation for cutting-edge technology, pushing the boundaries of smartphone capabilities. Whether it’s a worthwhile upgrade depends on the user’s appetite for the latest features and their willingness to seize the limited-time promotions offered by Samsung.

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    Daven Toumar
    I'm a Tech. passionate. I do follow all the brand's new products... discussing them, and analyzing them, Sometimes, I thank, and sometimes I criticize some feature or all the feature. I'm here to give a fully unbiased review, not to sell something to anyone, or for anyone.
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