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Foldable iPhone: latest rumors, news and everything we know so far

This is the phone Samsung’s been working towards

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(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)

Future Mobiles Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra embraces what it means to be Ultra, a phone that transcends the smartphone category. It offers more than any other phone, and somehow manages to improve upon last year’s Ultra in every way. The Galaxy S24 Ultra has better battery life, faster performance, and even better cameras, though you’ll also pay a bit more for the improvements. The new AI features are the only thing that can slow this phone down, except for Samsung’s aging and terrible software, which buries every exciting thing under layers upon layers of settings and menus. When you see the Ultra in action, it’s worth the price, and some features are downright magical, but there’s more room than ever for improvement at the top.

Pros

Cons

Galaxy S24 Ultra: Two-minute Review

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)

If you made a list of everything you’d want on the best phone you can buy, your list would point to one phone: the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Samsung is clearly working from the same list, and the S24 Ultra will please fans and tech enthusiasts alike. In many ways, including some I didn’t expect, the Galaxy S24 Ultra proves itself the best phone you can buy at any price.

Do you want the best battery life? The Galaxy S24 Ultra outlasts the best iPhones and every previous Galaxy phone; it lasts more than a day with intense use.

Do you want the best cameras around? The Galaxy S24 Ultra takes better photos than its predecessor, no matter what the spec sheet says. It remains the most versatile camera phone for all types of photographs. Your artistic friends may prefer the iPhone 15 Pro, but you’ll take better shots of everything if you have a Galaxy S24 Ultra.

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)

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Galaxy S24 Ultra: Price And Value

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)
  • Costs $100 more than last year’s Galaxy S23 Ultra
  • Seven years of OS updates could improve value
  • Trade in deals and launch offers aren’t as good as last year

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is more expensive at launch than last year’s Ultra, and the difference is going to hurt more. The Galaxy S23 Ultra was already packed with features, and there’s nothing so big and new in the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It just got a little bit better in a lot of ways.

The real value could come down the road, thanks to Samsung’s promise to deliver seven years of major Android and security updates. That length of long-term support was unheard of only last year, but now we have seven years of support for the best Android phones, with Apple lagging behind offering only five years of support.

Samsung can promise breathlessly, but until we get to year seven, we won’t know if it will truly deliver. Apple has literally delivered on this long-term promise a dozen times already across a wide range of iPhones. Google and Samsung – not once.

There’s already reason to be skeptical. Buried in Samsung’s latest terms of service is a notice that the current slate of AI features may only remain free for a limited time. Frankly, we have no idea what that means and it’s too early to speculate. But it’s weird, in a way that seems like Samsung is building legal backdoors to weasel out of expectations. Apple doesn’t do that. Only time will tell if Samsung holds up.

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is more expensive at launch than last year’s Ultra, and the difference is going to hurt more. The Galaxy S23 Ultra was already packed with features, and there’s nothing so big and new in the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It just got a little bit better in a lot of ways.

The real value could come down the road, thanks to Samsung’s promise to deliver seven years of major Android and security updates. That length of long-term support was unheard of only last year, but now we have seven years of support for the best Android phones, with Apple lagging behind offering only five years of support.

Samsung can promise breathlessly, but until we get to year seven, we won’t know if it will truly deliver. Apple has literally delivered on this long-term promise a dozen times already across a wide range of iPhones. Google and Samsung – not once.

There’s already reason to be skeptical. Buried in Samsung’s latest terms of service is a notice that the current slate of AI features may only remain free for a limited time. Frankly, we have no idea what that means and it’s too early to speculate. But it’s weird, in a way that seems like Samsung is building legal backdoors to weasel out of expectations. Apple doesn’t do that. Only time will tell if Samsung holds up.

Galaxy S24 Ultra pricing at launch

StorageUS PriceUK PriceAU Price
256GB$1,299.99£1,249AU$2,199
512GB$1,419.99£1,349AU$2,399
1TB$1,659.99“£1,549AU$2,799

*Value Score: 3 / 5

Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: Specs And Benchmarks

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)

In our Future Labs benchmark tests of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, an astonishing thing happened. It beat the best-performing iPhone: the iPhone 15 Pro. In almost every single benchmark test we ran, the Galaxy S24 Ultra scored higher. In multi-core tests, graphics rendering tests, battery rundown tests, and many others, the Galaxy S24 Ultra beat the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Last year’s Galaxy S23 Ultra was not able to top the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max, and it has been quite some time since an Android device scored a resounding win in cross-platform benchmark testing.

That said, I don’t use benchmark scores in my final review score, and I only mention scores out of objective curiosity, not because benchmarks should be a part of a buying decision.

Dimensions:162.3 x 79.0 x 8.6mm
Weight:232g
Screen:6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2,600-nit peak brightness
Resolution:QHD+
Refresh rate:1Hz-120Hz variable
CPU:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
RAM:12GB
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB
OS; Expected Upgrades:Android 14 / One UI 6; 7 years of upgrades
Rear Cameras:200MP f/1.7 wide, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, 50MP f/3.4 periscope (5x), 10MP f/2.4 telephoto (3x)
Front Camera:12MP f/2.2
Battery:5,000mAh
Charging:45W wired, 15W wireless
Colors:Titanium Violet, Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, and Titanium Orange

Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: Design

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)
  • A big ol’ slab of smartphone
  • Titanium hasn’t made it lighter
  • Polished and classy, but unchanged

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

*Design score: 4 / 5

Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: Display

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)
  • Fantastic display in bright light or a very dim room
  • Huge and sharp, among the best you’ll find
  • Lack of Dolby Vision support still stings

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

*Display score: 5 / 5

Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: Software

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)
  • Fantastic display in bright light or a very dim room
  • Huge and sharp, among the best you’ll find
  • Lack of Dolby Vision support still stings

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

*Software score: 3 / 5

Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: Cameras

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)
  • Fantastic display in bright light or a very dim room
  • Huge and sharp, among the best you’ll find
  • Lack of Dolby Vision support still stings

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

*Camera score: 5 / 5

Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: Performance

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)
  • Fantastic display in bright light or a very dim room
  • Huge and sharp, among the best you’ll find
  • Lack of Dolby Vision support still stings

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

*Performance score: 5 / 5

Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: Battery Life

(Image: © Philip Berne / Future)
  • Fantastic display in bright light or a very dim room
  • Huge and sharp, among the best you’ll find
  • Lack of Dolby Vision support still stings

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

*Battery score: 5 / 5

Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: Score Card

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra score card

ValueIt’s more expensive than last year, but if you want the best of the best, and then some, you’ll have to pay a premium. Don’t expect great deals like last year, either.3/5
DesignThe Galaxy S24 Ultra looks exactly like the S23 Ultra, but with so many features packed in, what could Samsung change without losing something? Too bad titanium didn’t help Samsung cut weight.4/5
DisplayA big, bright, and beautiful display that is sharp and responsive. The flat design helps with writing, though the phone is more of a gigantic slab than ever.5/5
SoftwareSamsung’s software has always been bad, but each new feature adds more complexity, and the interface has never been cleaned up properly. Things are a mess, and One UI better improve because nobody will care how great the phone is if it’s unusable.3/5
CamerasThe Galaxy S24 Ultra holds Samsung’s crown as the best camera phone all around, for any occasion. You can find better pictures here and there from competitors, but the Ultra is more reliable and versatile than the iPhone, and it improves on last year’s S23 Ultra in important ways.5/5
PerformanceThis is the first Android in a long time to beat the fastest iPhone, so what will you do with all that power? As long as you’re not waiting for the AI features, you can enjoy it with fast gaming and real-time photo editing.5/5
BatteryBetter battery life than any iPhone or any Galaxy Ultra that’s come before, you won’t find better battery life on a phone worth buying. This phone can last more than a day with no trouble.5/5

How I Tested The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

  • Fantastic display in bright light or a very dim room
  • Huge and sharp, among the best you’ll find
  • Lack of Dolby Vision support still stings

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is indistinguishable from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which doesn’t mean there are no differences, but rather the changes are inconsequential. The speaker grills are different, the microphones moved a bit, but mostly the new phone looks like the old phone. That’s too bad, because while Samsung’s Ultra phone oozes a certain refinement, it isn’t very interesting at a glance.

A deeper inspection is rewarding. The back glass is layers upon layers of metallic paint, which gives the phone an eerie depth, especially in the ghostly, natural grey titanium finish. The violet finish is my favorite, with a great contrast against the polished metal.

Samsung pays great attention to detail when it comes to color, materials and finish. Each color has a subtly hued frame that complements the new Gorilla Glass Armor back. The titanium black is all black, while other color options edge into warmer frame tones.

Apple fans like to point out the symmetry of their phone as a pinnacle of its design. Frankly, Samsung is more smart than symmetrical. I prefer having Power and Volume buttons on the same side. It means I don’t fill my photo gallery with accidental screenshots every time I grab my phone.

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