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Samsung Galaxy S24 review: great in everything, except the battery


The Samsung Galaxy S24 has been in our pockets in recent weeks and we have extensively tested the flagship. Read here how the smartphone performs and find out whether it is for you.

This is the Samsung Galaxy S24 review

Flat, smooth and packed with artificial intelligence: that’s what Samsung promises with the Galaxy S24. The manufacturer has updated the smartphone in terms of both hardware and software, including a larger battery, new chip and brighter screen. All this for a suggested retail price of 899 eurosfive bucks cheaper than its predecessor.

We have extensively tested the new entry-level of Samsung’s top devices and you can read our experiences in this review. This way you know whether the Galaxy S24 is for you.

Samsung Galaxy S24 review

Design Hardware Screen Software

Cameras Battery and charging Conclusion Buy

Subtle custom design

It is clear at first glance that the Galaxy S24 speaks the same design language as other Samsung devices. This is due to the flat glass back, metal sides and the three separate cameras on the back. Samsung has made minor adjustments, because the sides are now almost completely flat, except for a subtle rounding towards the back.

Combine this with the handy size of the regular S24 and the device fits comfortably in the hand. Unfortunately, the smartphone offers little grip due to the matte back, making it easier to let it slip out of your hands.

Furthermore, the device is again equipped with clear stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, buttons on the right and a SIM card slot. All in all, this is a housing that you would expect from a high-end smartphone.

Hardware performs surprisingly well

It may be a bit of an exaggeration that the Exynos name strikes a chord with Samsung fans. However, processors from Samsung’s own kitchen were not exactly popular in the past. Fortunately, you have little to complain about with the Exynos 2400, because the chip is very smooth.

Playing games, switching between apps and opening large 3D files goes smoothly on the S24, which feels smooth, especially with the 120Hz screen. The Exynos 2400 seems to be a lot less energy efficient than the Snapdragon chips. You can read more about this later in this review.

Furthermore, the Galaxy S24 is available in two variants, both with 8GB of RAM. The cheapest model has 128GB of storage, which in combination with a cloud subscription will be more than sufficient. Want to store more photos, apps or files locally? Then there is also a 256GB version.

Screen you want to look at for hours

A Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ colors, a maximum brightness of 2600 nits and protection by a layer of Gorilla Glass Victus 2. That is not only a mouthful, but they are also the ingredients for a screen of very High Quality. Samsung has outdone itself once again.

Although the Galaxy S24 ‘only’ has a Full HD resolution of 2340 by 1080 pixels, the compact size of 6.2 inches makes it sharp enough. In addition, the screen edges are incredibly thin and symmetrical. The brightness automatically adjusts to show HDR images clearly, but at the same time keeps the menus dim.

Software packed with Galaxy AI

During the launch of the S24, Samsung paid the most attention to Galaxy AI. This name covers several useful artificial intelligence functions that the manufacturer has incorporated into the One UI 6.1 shell of Android 14. In our experience, there are mainly a lot of small functions that you use occasionally, but certainly not all of them.

There are various language functions with AI, including Live Translate that can translate calls and messages between different languages. This works fine and also on WhatsApp, but Dutch is not yet supported. Chat Assist can also help you write messages in a different tone, but these often appear to be written by AI.

In collaboration with Google, the Galaxy S24 also features Circle to Search. This allows you to draw a circle around an object you encounter on your smartphone at any time, after which information will appear. In practice you won’t use the function too often, but it is certainly useful to have. However, do you use swipe gestures instead of a navigation bar? Then activating the Circle to Search mode is quite inconvenient.

OneUI 6.1Circle to SearchResults

Furthermore, the One UI shell is exactly what you have come to expect from Samsung. For example, menus look a lot different than on stock Android and you have exclusive access to the Galaxy Store. In addition, Samsung provides the Galaxy S24 with seven years of software and security updates, so you can use it until 2031.

Cameras take more realistic pictures

The set of cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S24 is identical to those on the predecessor. The new flagship is again equipped with a 50 megapixel main camera, 12 megapixel wide-angle lens and the optical telephoto lens has a resolution of 10 megapixel.

Pictures on the S24 are especially striking because of the natural colors. The smartphone does not take photos too colorful and the contrast is lower than its predecessor. Photos on the S24 also seem to be sharpened less. This applies to the main and wide-angle lens. The zoom camera does smartly sharpen objects, especially if you zoom in further than the optical ‘3x zoom’.

Wide angle lensMain camera3x optical zoom10x digital zoom

The cameras don’t perform particularly well in the dark unless you hold the phone still for long enough. Unfortunately, movement often means a blurry photo and again the flash still cannot be used with the wide-angle lens.

Portrait modeWide angle lens3x optical zoomMain camera

Of course, Samsung also brings AI to the cameras. In this way, artificial intelligence combines the different cameras for the sharpest picture and the best quality. You can also edit photos better with the AI.

Use Samsung’s Gallery app to straighten photos, generate missing parts and remove reflections from windows. All in all, the functions often work well with simple photos and good lighting conditions. However, we don’t think you’ll use them often.

Battery for a (busy) day and charging

Let’s start with the facts with the battery: the battery has grown from 3900 mAh to 4000 mAh, it still charges at 25 Watts and can charge other devices (wirelessly). The increased capacity is of course minimal, which means that in practice you will not see a major improvement compared to its predecessor.

To be honest, the battery life of the Galaxy S24 is quite disappointing. On average, we get a measly five hours of active screen time from the phone. That’s fine if you don’t use the smartphone much, for example on a busy working day. Do you want to play games for an afternoon or do you use the device a lot during the day? Then you probably need to recharge in the evening.

The charging speed of the S24 is again a maximum of 25 Watts. Samsung does this to keep the battery in good condition for as long as possible, but this does mean that it takes about an hour and a half for the smartphone to charge from 0 to 100 percent. You should take this into account a little more before you leave the house.

Wireless charging is again possible at 15 Watts and takes almost two hours. Reverse wireless charging of other devices is even slower, but is especially useful in emergencies.

Conclusion Samsung Galaxy S24 review

With a recommended retail price of 899 euros, the Samsung Galaxy S24 is in a different price range than the S24 Plus and S24 Ultra, but it is equipped with a very bright screen with a high refresh rate, an extensive set of cameras, a smooth chip and the same smart software functions.

In our opinion, the only thing you really need to cut back on is the battery, because it simply won’t hold up to intensive use. Do you not use your smartphone all day long, but do you want a high-end device when you do use it? Then the Galaxy S24 is definitely recommended.

Do you like the design of the S24, but do you want to be sure of an all-day battery? Then take a look at the Galaxy S24 Plus. Do you prefer the best of the best and are you willing to pay extra for it? Then you’ve come to the right place at the S24 Ultra.

Buy Samsung Galaxy S24

Will the Samsung Galaxy S24 be your new smartphone? Then make sure you get it for the best price through the most affordable provider. You can easily find the best deal via our price comparator.

Compare Samsung Galaxy S24 prices

With subscription

€42 p.m

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Loosely new

€813

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Positives


  • Super bright AMOLED screen


  • Exynos 2400 has fast performance


  • Housing is modern and premium


  • Extensive set of cameras

Negatives


  • Battery doesn’t last too long


  • Charging is relatively slow


  • Not all Galaxy AI features are equally useful

By Yaakov Clark

Yaakov Clark, a passionate professional with a wealth of experience in marketing and product management at MSG Corp since 2005. With a keen interest in the Internet of Things (IoT), Yaakov delves into extensive research and lectures on the subject, constantly seeking opportunities to apply its transformative potential. His expertise spans across IoT product development, encompassing hardware, firmware, and software. With over 10 years of experience in the IoT sphere, Yaakov has honed his skills as an organizer, certified bacon specialist, and friendly social media ninja. As a thinker, problem solver, and total food expert, he embraces his identity as a troubleshooter and music enthusiast, all while nurturing his love for the vast realm of the internet.