Samsung Galaxy S24 vs. S24+ vs. S24 Ultra: What's the Difference? (2024)

At its first Unpacked event of 2024, Samsung announced a trio of high-end Galaxy S phones, including the base Galaxy S24 ($799), the premium Galaxy S24+ ($999), and the flagship Galaxy S24 Ultra ($1,299). Considering the substantial price differences, you're probably wondering which Galaxy S24 is right for you.

Here, we walk you through all the differences in specs, features, and performance to help you understand what you'll get for your money.

3 Phones, 3 Sizes

Both the S24 and the S24+ have a rectangular shape with curved corners and rounded edges. The Galaxy S24 is the smallest and lightest in the lineup at 5.79 by 2.78 by 0.30 inches (HWD) and 5.93 ounces. This makes it the easiest to hold and carry around.

The Galaxy S24+ comes in at 6.24 by 3.00 by 0.30 inches and 6.95 ounces. It's the middle child of the lineup and could be the best option for many thanks to its balance of size and specs.

The S24 Ultra (6.40 by 3.11 by 0.34 inches, 8.22 ounces) is the outlier in design. It retains the more squared-off look of previous Ultra models. Its sharp corners and large size make it harder to stuff in your pocket. S Pen compatibility remains exclusive to the Ultra model, however, which has a built-in slot for storing the stylus.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

As is the norm for high-end phones, the S24 family skips the headphone jack and the microSD card slot.

They all get an IP68 rating, which means they can fully withstand dust and water. The two smaller handsets use Samsung's Armor Aluminum frame, while the S24 Ultra gets titanium. Another advantage of the S24 Ultra is that it has the new Gorilla Armor on the front, which Corning claims is the toughest panel it makes. Otherwise, the Ultra has Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the rear, which is what the S24 and S24+ use on the front and back.

All three models come in similar colors. The S24 and S24+ are available in Amber Yellow, Cobalt Violet, Marble Gray, or Onyx Black. Meanwhile, Samsung sells the S24 Ultra in Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, or Titanium Yellow. All have a matte finish. Extra colors for all three models are available if you order from Samsung's website.

Displays: Big, Bigger, Biggest

All three handsets have flat displays with a variable 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. The screens all feel responsive and remain easily visible in direct sunlight.

Left to right: Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra (Credit: Eric Zeman)

As for sizes, the S24 has a 6.2-inch display with FHD+ resolution, the S24+ features a 6.7-inch screen with QHD+ resolution, and the S24 Ultra has a 6.8-inch panel with the same QHD+ resolution as the S24+. A fingerprint sensor sits underneath each display for biometric security.

The one advantage the S24 Ultra has over its kin, however, is the Gorilla Armor panel, which is less reflective than the others and even easier to see in various lighting conditions.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for All

Every S24 model in the US runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy system on a chip (SoC), which has boosted CPU, GPU, and NPU numbers that give the phones a performance advantage over phones like the OnePlus 12, which use the standard version.

The S24 has 8GB of RAM and comes with either 128GB or 256GB of storage. The S24+ and S24 Ultra models get a memory bump to 12GB of RAM. You can configure the S24+ with either 256GB or 512GB of storage, while the S24 Ultra ships with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. All three phones support fast LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, a pleasant surprise.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

We tested all three phones with a series of benchmarks and found the results mostly similar across the family. For example, on Geekbench 6, a suite of tests for basic computing power, the S24 scored 2,260 on the single-core test and 6,893 on the multi-core test. The S24+ scored 2,289 and 7,075, and the S24 Ultra score 2,273 and 7,056.

For gaming performance, we ran the GFXBench Aztec Ruins test. The S24 managed to produce 85 frames per second (fps). On the same test, the S24+ pushed out 83fps and the Ultra reached 66fps.

Each device gets access to Samsung's many new AI features, including everything from Object Eraser to advanced search functions. Some features like phone translation (which translates both sides of a conversation with an automated voice) happen on-device, while others like Circle to Search (which lets you easily search the content on your screen) rely on the cloud. Of course, if you don't want to use cloud-based AI features, you can disable them. All the AI features ran equally well across the three S24 phones.

Advanced Connectivity

All three S24 phones support 5G (both sub-6GHz, C-band, and mmWave), and they work well on all the major US carriers. Our carrier tests showed excellent call quality across the board as well as strong data performance when the phones had access to 5G.

The S24 Ultra offers Wi-Fi 7, NFC, and Bluetooth 5.3. The S24 and S24+ use the older Wi-Fi 6E standard but otherwise offer the same connectivity. Wi-Fi testing showed the S24 Ultra has only a small advantage over the other two models. As in years past, the two higher-end models have ultra-wideband radios for use with accessories, while the vanilla model does not.

Cameras: Familiar, But Different

The S24 and S24+ feature the same rear camera array that includes a 50MP f/1.8 main shooter with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, and a 10MP Ff2.4 telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.

Left to right: Galaxy S24 Ultra, S24+, S24 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

The S24 Ultra has the same 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP telephoto cameras as the others, but opts for a 200MP f/1.7 main camera with OIS and adds a second 50MP f/3.4 telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom. For selfies, all three share the same 12MP f/2.2 front-facing camera with an 80-degree field of view.

As for video capture, all three models record in 8K resolution at up to 30fps and allow you to record with stabilization at lower resolutions and framerates.

In our testing, all three showed the same approximate image quality for normal shots taken in daylight. Images show the oversaturation for which Samsung's cameras are known but tone it down a bit when compared to older Galaxy S phones. That means slightly more natural results, but not as natural as photos from the Google Pixel 8 or Apple iPhone 15.

The Ultra definitely has an advantage with zoom. That extra telephoto camera gives you more reach when zooming in on far-away subjects. If you like to take a lot of zoomed shots, the Ultra may be a better option. Otherwise, there's no real difference between the three. The AI-based camera tricks (Magic Eraser, Nightography) all work equally well.

Minor Battery Differences

The S24, S24+, and the S24 Ultra respectively have 4,000mAh, 4,900mAh, and 5,000mAh batteries. The S24 and S24+ see minor increases over their predecessors (3,900mAh and 4,700mAh), but the Ultra's battery remains unchanged. Samsung says it improved power efficiency across the line, and that bore out (though just barely!) in testing.

The S24 lasted just over 13 hours in our battery rundown test, while the S24+ and S24 Ultra reached 14 hours and 10 minutes. Those are solid numbers for Android phones, but not the overall best we've seen. If battery life is your priority, stay away from the vanilla S24 model.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

The wired charging speed depends on the model. The S24 gets speeds of up to 25W, while the S24+ and S24 Ultra can each charge at 45W. Just keep in mind that you need to supply your own charger because Samsung doesn't include one in the box.

Each S24 device supports wireless charging at up to 15W and can charge other devices wirelessly via the Wireless Power Share feature at 7.5W.

Similar Software

All three phones run Android 14 with Samsung's One UI 6.1 overlay out of the box. Samsung upped its commitment to software upgrades for these phones, promising seven years of OS and security updates. This matches Google's seven-year commitment for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

As expected, Samsung's desktop-like Dex software is on board. Bixby also returns, but Samsung was quick to say that the voice assistant will remain separate from the phone's Galaxy AI software. The AI features, like Circle to Search, Chat Assist, and others all work well no matter which phone you use.

Which Galaxy S24 Is Right for You?

Samsung's Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra are top competitors among Android phones. Consider the below advice:

• If you like taking hand-written notes with a stylus, need a strong telephoto lens, or want the largest screen for watching movies, the S24 Ultra makes the most sense.

• If you want a big phone that balances power, usability, and battery performance, the S24+ is for you.

• If you want all the benefits of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip in as small a package as possible and don't need breakneck charging speeds, the base S24 is just fine.

No matter which Galaxy S24 phone you choose, you're getting an excellent piece of hardware, formidable performance, and solid software from one of the world's top phone makers. You can't go wrong, you can only choose the one best for you.