Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus overview: lastly, the Plus has a motive to exist

Editor’s Notice

• Authentic overview date: February 2024
• Launch worth: $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,699
• Goal worth now: $849.99 / £999 / AU$1,699

Replace: March 2024. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus continues to be within the early days of its launch cycle, however the brand new cellphone did get pleasure from a worth lower as a part of Amazon’s inaugural Spring Sale within the US. Throughout this March occasion, the Galaxy S24 Plus was lowered to $849.99, which represents a big $150 saving. So, in the event you’re within the US and serious about shopping for the Galaxy S24 Plus, it is value buying round for comparable offers (or ready till Amazon re-drops the worth). As for the cellphone’s software program, Samsung’s large One UI 6.1 replace is because of have rolled out by the tip of March. The remainder of this overview stays as beforehand revealed.

Axel Metz

Axel MetzSenior Workers Author

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus: Two-minute overview

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus was rumored to be the final Plus-branded entry in Samsung’s long-running flagship Galaxy S collection, and had a successor – the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus – not been unveiled at Galaxy Unpacked 2024, it could have been straightforward to forgive the corporate for calling time on its awkwardly-positioned middle-child units.

Regardless of providing Galaxy Extremely sizing at a extra accessible worth, Samsung’s Galaxy Plus telephones have seldom, if ever, confirmed higher worth for cash than its all-singing, all-dancing Extremely units. This yr, although, the Galaxy S24 Plus is a way more engaging proposition: its show is objectively higher than the one you may discover on the standard-sized Samsung Galaxy S24, and it doesn’t lose out relating to the myriad AI options that Samsung is touting as the key promoting level of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely.

Particularly, the Galaxy S24 Plus advantages from QHD+ show know-how – a function beforehand reserved for the Galaxy S23 Extremely – and a bespoke Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset (or Samsung’s personal Exynos 2400, relying in your area) that locations AI on the forefront of the cell expertise. The previous improve is much from game-changing – it primarily means the Plus’s 6.7-inch display is sharper and extra detailed than the S24’s FHD+ equal – but it surely’s sufficient to higher differentiate the Plus from its cheaper sibling. The AI options, against this, convey a parity to the Galaxy S24 vary that we haven’t seen, nicely, ever.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus hands on front handheld angled home screen

(Picture credit score: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Galaxy AI is the umbrella time period for Samsung’s suite of AI-powered options, which vary from real-time textual content and name translation to generative photograph enhancing. In fact, I think that solely a handful of those instruments might be genuinely helpful long-term – particularly Circle to Search and Dwell Translate – however I’m glad that Samsung opted to distribute its suite of Galaxy AI options throughout the Galaxy S24 line equally. If nothing else, it offers Galaxy S24 Extremely house owners one much less function to boast about.

On the bodily improve entrance, the Galaxy S24 Plus sports activities marginally narrower bezels and a barely flatter design than its predecessor, although its stronger Armor Aluminum body is probably the most noticeable change. The cellphone’s 4,900mAh battery is a contact bigger, too; nevertheless this doesn’t equate to a lot real-world battery life enchancment over the Galaxy S23 Plus (presumably because of the newer cellphone’s extra demanding software program). Nonetheless, the Galaxy S24 Plus is objectively the battery-life king of the Galaxy S24 line.

For those who’re after the very best digicam cellphone round, the Galaxy S24 Extremely is the best way to go, however the brand new Plus mannequin boasts some respectable, if not groundbreaking, images {hardware} nonetheless. The cellphone retains its predecessor’s 50MP large lens (f/1.8), 12MP ultra-wide lens (f/2.2), 10MP telephoto lens (f/2.4, 3x optical zoom), and 12MP selfie digicam (f/2.2), although the aforementioned addition of Galaxy AI has thrown some neat new AI-powered enhancing capabilities into the combo.

All instructed, then, Samsung’s newest second-tier flagship is an objectively higher cellphone than final yr’s S23 Plus, and it ought to make potential Galaxy S24 Extremely consumers suppose twice about what they actually worth in a smartphone. 

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus overview: Worth and availability

  • Begins at $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,699
  • Obtainable worldwide

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus was introduced at Samsung’s newest Galaxy Unpacked occasion on January 17, 2024. The cellphone is obtainable to order now in a selection of seven Samsung Galaxy S24 colours (extra on these later).

The Galaxy S24 Plus prices $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,699 for the bottom configuration (12GB RAM / 256GB storage), and rises to $1,119.99 / £1,099 / AU$1,899 for the mannequin with 12GB RAM / 512GB storage. 

For comparability, the Galaxy S23 Plus began at $999.99 / £1,049 / $1,649 for the mannequin with 8GB RAM / 256GB storage, so that you’re getting extra RAM on your cash this time round (£999 additionally marks a welcome £50 lower within the UK). As for the cellphone’s worth versus the remainder of the Galaxy S24 line, the usual Galaxy S24 begins at $799.99 / £799 / AU$1,399, whereas the Galaxy S24 Extremely begins at $1,299.99 / £1,249 / AU$2,199.

  • Worth rating: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus overview: Specs

This is a have a look at the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus’ key specs, and the way they examine to its stablemates:

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Samsung Galaxy S24 specs comparability
Header Cell – Column 0 Galaxy S24 Galaxy S24 Plus Galaxy S24 Extremely
Dimensions 147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm 158.5 x 75.9 x 7.7mm 162.3 x 79.0 x 8.6mm
Weight 167g 196g 232g
Body Enhanced Armor Aluminum Enhanced Armor Aluminum Titanium
Show 6.2-inch AMOLED 1Hz to 120Hz 6.7-inch AMOLED 1Hz to 120Hz 6.8-inch AMOLED 1Hz to 120Hz
Decision 2340 x 1080 3088 × 1440 3088 × 1440
Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy / Samsung Exynos 2400 for Galaxy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy / Samsung Exynos 2400 for Galaxy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
RAM 8GB (LPDDR5X) 12GB (LPDDR5X) 12GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage 128GB / 256GB (UFS 4.0) 256GB / 512GB (UFS 4.0) 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 4.0)
Principal digicam 50MP 50MP 200MP
Extremely-wide digicam 12MP 12MP 12MP
Telephoto digicam 10MP, 3X optical zoom 10MP, 3X optical zoom 10MP, 3X and 10X optical zoom
Selfie digicam 12MP 12MP 12MP
Battery measurement 4,000mAh 4,900mAh 5,000mAh
Charging 25W wired, 15W wi-fi 45W wired, 15W wi-fi 45W wired, 15W wi-fi
Colours Onyx Black, Marble Grey, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow Onyx Black, Marble Grey, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow Titanium Black, Titanium Grey, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow
Samsung.com unique colours Sandstone Orange, Sapphire Blue, Jade Inexperienced Sandstone Orange, Sapphire Blue, Jade Inexperienced Sandstone Orange, Sapphire Blue, Jade Inexperienced

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus overview: Design

Samsung Galaxy S24 S24 Plus S24 Ultra hands on back straight

(Picture credit score: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
  • Barely flatter edges and narrower bezels
  • New Armor Aluminum body

For the second yr working, Samsung’s latest Galaxy Plus mannequin locations an emphasis on significant inner upgrades over a dramatic aesthetic redesign; however that’s to not say the Galaxy S24 Plus seems to be an identical to its predecessor.

Measuring 158.5 x 75.9 x 7.7mm and weighing 196g, this yr’s Plus cellphone has barely narrower bezels, barely flatter edges (suppose the iPhone 15 Professional and Galaxy Z Fold 5) and a extra sturdy Armor Aluminum body than the Galaxy S23 Plus. Personally, I’m all for the modifications – the S23 Plus’s mirrored body was a garish fingerprint magnet – though you’d be onerous pressed to differentiate the Galaxy S24 Plus from its predecessor when viewing the 2 telephones at a look. 

The Galaxy S24 Plus continues to be caught with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the entrance, which wouldn’t be an issue if the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s Gorilla Armor wasn’t a lot simpler at decreasing scratches. Annoyingly, my Galaxy S24 Plus overview unit has picked up a good few display blemishes whereas bouncing round in my pocket and work bag, so I’d counsel choosing up a appropriate display protector (if not a full-blown protecting case) in the event you do buy this cellphone.

As for the Samsung Galaxy S24 colours, the Galaxy S24 Plus ships in Onyx Black, Marble Grey, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Sandstone Orange, Sapphire Blue and Jade Inexperienced, with the latter three colours unique to the Samsung retailer. I used to be handed the Cobalt Violet shade for this overview, which reveals off the cellphone’s matte end and rear glass texture fairly properly, although it’s no secret that the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s titanium shade choices are way more premium-looking. 

  • Design rating: 3 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus overview: Show

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus hands on front handheld straight lock screen

(Picture credit score: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
  • QHD+ show for the primary time in a Plus mannequin
  • Enhanced out of doors visibility
  • New 2,600-nit peak brightness

For the primary time, the show on Samsung’s newest Galaxy Plus mannequin is objectively superior to the show utilized by its customary sibling. Particularly, the Galaxy S24 Plus makes use of a 6.65-inch dynamic AMOLED 2X show, with QHD+ know-how that delivers improved sharpness and element in comparison with the display on the smaller Galaxy S24. Beforehand, QHD+ shows have been reserved for Samsung’s Extremely telephones, and though the variations right here aren’t all that noticeable, it’s good to see Samsung giving the Galaxy S24 Plus the very best display doable.

The opposite show upgrades are shared between the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus. Each telephones get a brand new peak brightness of two,600 nits, in addition to improved out of doors visibility due to Samsung’s Imaginative and prescient Booster function. Their refresh charges have additionally been improved – you’ll now get 1-120Hz as a substitute of 48-120Hz.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus

Imaginative and prescient Booster enhances display visibility in high-brightness eventualities (Picture credit score: Future / Axel Metz)

The latter function makes gaming on the Galaxy S24 Plus a pleasure (extra on this later), whereas Imaginative and prescient Booster ensures that the visibility of content material streamed through platforms like YouTube and Netflix isn’t affected by direct daylight; I used to be pleasantly stunned by how straightforward it was to observe a latest episode of Masters of the Air from the (dis)consolation of my native park.

The standard shade, anti-distortion and wide-angle viewing advantages of AMOLED show know-how are current and proper on the Galaxy S24 Plus, too, and all the above options mix to ship the most important, boldest and brightest Galaxy S Plus show but.

  • Show rating: 5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus overview: Cameras

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
The Galaxy S24 Plus’ major viewfinder(Picture credit score: Future / Axel Metz)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
The Galaxy S24 Plus’ selfie digicam(Picture credit score: Future / Axel Metz)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus hands on camera closeup
The Galaxy S24 Plus’ rear digicam array(Picture credit score: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

  • Similar triple-lens setup because the Galaxy S23 Plus
  • As much as 8K video at 30fps
  • AI options are spectacular however doubtlessly problematic

If there’s one large disappointment with the Galaxy S24 Plus, it’s the shortage of modifications within the digicam {hardware} division. The cellphone retains its predecessor’s 50MP large lens (f/1.8), 12MP ultra-wide lens (f/2.2), 10MP telephoto lens (f/2.4, 3x optical zoom), and 12MP selfie digicam (f/2.2). This isn’t essentially a nasty factor – the all-round images capabilities of the Galaxy S24 Plus are objectively spectacular in the event you’re not anticipating the perfect digicam cellphone – however an S23 Extremely-style 200MP major sensor wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Nonetheless, pictures taken with the Galaxy S24 Plus’s 50MP large lens are constantly vibrant, detailed and natural-looking. The cellphone’s new and improved picture processing does away with its predecessor’s tendency to over-sharpen pictures, and though the Galaxy S24 Plus can typically go the opposite manner, with pictures sometimes showing too gentle, the outcomes are way more constant this time round.

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus large lens shot(Picture credit score: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus 3x zoom shot(Picture credit score: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus large lens shot(Picture credit score: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus 3x zoom shot(Picture credit score: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus large lens shot(Picture credit score: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus large lens shot(Picture credit score: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus front-facing digicam shot(Picture credit score: Future)

The Galaxy S24 Plus helps the brand new Extremely HDR picture format, too, which ensures that correct colours are maintained in even probably the most high-contrast scenes. Images shared to Instagram retain this HDR info, so the Galaxy S24 Plus is a good possibility for snap-happy social media followers.

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus large lens shot in Night time mode(Picture credit score: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus large lens shot in Night time mode(Picture credit score: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus large lens shot in Night time mode(Picture credit score: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus large lens shot in Night time mode(Picture credit score: Future)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus 3x zoom shot in Night time mode(Picture credit score: Future)

The cellphone’s potential to handle distinction is much less spectacular in Night time mode, the place I discovered that sure colours have been artificially brightened a bit of an excessive amount of (blue is the most important wrongdoer). That stated, Night time mode itself is (as at all times) a welcome possibility, as is Portrait mode, which has been upgraded to incorporate foreground blur, in addition to the ever present background blur or ‘bokeh’ results, on the Galaxy S24 Plus. 

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
Portrait mode on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus(Picture credit score: Future / Axel Metz)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
Portrait mode on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus(Picture credit score: Future / Axel Metz)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
Portrait mode on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus(Picture credit score: Future / Axel Metz)

New images modes embody Meals mode and Twin Document. The latter is especially neat; it allows you to file movies utilizing any mixture of the Galaxy S24 Plus’s 4 lenses, which is one other boon for content-creating social media customers.

Samsung has turned to AI for the majority of this yr’s camera-related Galaxy upgrades, with a set of recent enhancing instruments readily available that can assist you recompose and remaster pictures. Edit Suggestion, as an illustration, makes use of Galaxy AI to counsel appropriate photograph tweaks, whereas Generative Edit can fill in elements of a picture background with acceptable content material. Immediate Gradual-mo can generate further frames so as to add extra element (or the phantasm of extra element) to movies, whereas Tremendous HDR reveals lifelike previews earlier than the shutter is ever pressed.

Photo editing on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Key Galaxy AI options like Generative Edit (above) can be found throughout the Galaxy S24 vary (Picture credit score: Samsung)

Generative Edit is especially mind-blowing, though it does elevate some awkward questions on authenticity, magnificence requirements, and the worth of images in 2024. Nonetheless, if and when you end up eager to erase some passers-by from a cute photograph of the one that you love canine, you’ll little question be pleased about its inclusion on the Galaxy S24 Plus.

  • Cameras rating: 3 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus overview: Efficiency

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus hands on back table angled

(Picture credit score: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset within the US, Exynos 2400 elsewhere
  • Bigger vapor chamber and ray tracing help
  • Phenomenal audio system

A lot to the chagrin of Samsung followers the world over, Samsung has once more cut up the chipset providing for its newest Galaxy telephones – although the state of affairs isn’t as dangerous because it was for the Galaxy S22 line, the place the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 outperformed the Exynos 2200 by some margin.

Particularly, the chipset powering your Galaxy S24 Plus depends upon the area during which you purchase the cellphone. These within the US get a bespoke model of Qualcomm’s newly launched Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, whereas these in Europe and different areas get Samsung’s new Exynos 2400. As I’m based mostly in London I reviewed the Exynos-equipped model of the Galaxy S24 Plus, and I can safely say that I by no means as soon as felt that my cellphone was outfitted with a second-rate chipset.

For those who’re enthusiastic about benchmarks, my Exynos-equipped Galaxy S24 Plus achieved a single-core Geekbench 6 rating of 2002, a multi-core rating of 6732, and a machine-learning Geekbench ML rating of 423. For comparability, our Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-equipped model of the S24 Plus – which we examined within the US utilizing the identical Geekbench applications – achieved a single-core rating of 2272, a multi-core rating of 7083, and a machine-learning rating of 694 (utilizing Geekbench ML). All exams have been performed with the telephones in Customary mode relatively than Mild mode, which prioritizes battery life and cooling effectivity over processing pace.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus

(Picture credit score: Future / Axel Metz)

So, we’re speaking about minor variations right here. In our opinion, the marginally superior CPU testing scores of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset have little to no influence on real-world Galaxy S24 Plus efficiency, and whereas the Snapdragon’s machine studying rating is considerably greater than that of the Exynos, Galaxy AI’s reliance on cloud-based processing – relatively than on-device processing – renders that numerical superiority equally negligible.

Sooner or later, machine-learning efficiency will undoubtedly turn out to be extra vital, however for now, anybody choosing up an Exynos model of the Galaxy S24 Plus needn’t fear in regards to the barely superior benchmark scores of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. In my time spent with the Exynos 2400-equipped Galaxy S24 Plus, the cellphone was in a position to juggle gaming, heavy-duty video recording, and a number of apps flawlessly. 

Talking of gaming, the Galaxy S24 Plus advantages from a vapor chamber that’s 1.9x bigger than the Galaxy S23 Plus’, which improves warmth dissipation by a tangible margin. All three Galaxy S24 telephones provide ray tracing help, too, and in reality, the Galaxy S24 Plus wouldn’t look misplaced on our checklist of the very best gaming telephones.

I spent a few hours with the cell model of EA Sports activities FC 24 on the Galaxy S24 Plus, and never solely was the expertise as easy as could be hoped for on a smartphone, however I additionally didn’t discover the rising heat of the cellphone till an hour or so into my playtime. Against this, when performing an identical check with the cell model of FIFA 23 on final yr’s Galaxy S23 Plus, that cellphone felt noticeably hotter within the hand after round 30 minutes of gameplay. Relaxation assured, then, that these new gaming-specific options are usually not simply gimmicks.

Oh, and the Galaxy S24 Plus’ twin stereo audio system are fairly darn phenomenal, too.

  • Efficiency rating: 5 / 5

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