Samsung Galaxy S24 series review: Is the Galaxy S24 series worth it in 2025?

Why you can trust this Samsung Galaxy S24 series review

At Back Market, we have a single goal — to make tech reliable, sustainable, and affordable. Here, we live and breathe tech, and our Samsung Galaxy S24 series review is built on trusted insights and deep expertise in the latest tech trends. With a background in tech journalism and engineering, our review delves into what matters most — design and build, performance, camera quality, display, and battery life — offering a comprehensive look at how the models in this series perform in everyday use. With a focus on sustainability and affordability, we're here to provide honest, no-nonsense insights into tech that still delivers excellent value.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 review  

Samsung Galaxy S24 specifications

Samsung Galaxy S24 design and build

The Galaxy S24 comes in a compact design with an aluminum frame, flat edges, and a matte finish. At just 5.93 oz, the Galaxy S24 is easy to hold and carry in your pocket. Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Samsung's second-toughest smartphone glass, protects the front and back of the S24, with the Armor Aluminum frame doing the rest. The right edge features the volume and power buttons, with the bottom edge housing a USB-C port and the speaker. With an IP68 rating, the Galaxy S24 is water- and dust-resistant, surviving up to 30 minutes under 1.5-meter-deep water. Three cameras line up on the rear, while a front-facing camera sits in the top center of the screen, with an under-display fingerprint sensor offering biometric security.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 display

The Galaxy S24 features a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a 2340 x 1080-pixel resolution (FHD+). Like its siblings, it offers the 120Hz variable refresh rate as standard, with the screen dipping as low as 1Hz to preserve power and equally scaling up for smooth gaming performance. The S24 has some of the thinnest bezels, and the OLED panel pumps out vivid and dynamic colors with excellent contrast to give HDR content serious oomph. The display can reach a peak brightness of 2600 nits with manual and adaptive brightness modes for easy use outdoors.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 performance

Under the hood, the Galaxy S24 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. This chipset is optimized explicitly for Galaxy devices, meaning better performance and efficiency. The S24 uses Android 14 with One UI 6.1 layered on top. This entry-level model gets 8GB of RAM with 128GB or 256GB of storage. Despite having less RAM than the S24+ and S24 Ultra, the S24 is still pretty fast for the average user. For everyday tasks like messaging, emails, and streaming, you won't experience any lag or stutter, and switching between apps is seamless. The S24 is excellent for gaming, producing a smooth experience with no dropped frames or slowdowns, even at the highest settings.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 camera

The Galaxy S24 camera system features three lenses at the back and one 12MP sensor at the front. The three at the back are a 50MP main camera, a 10MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide camera. The main and telephoto cameras have optical image stabilization (OIS) support, and the rear camera system can shoot up to 8K video while the front can manage 4K video. The S24’s photos look great, unlike the overly saturated tone of previous models. The telephoto and ultrawide lenses perform just as well, and the selfie camera delivers excellent portraits even in low light conditions. Overall, images and videos taken using the Galaxy S24 are crisp, vibrant, and well-detailed, even in challenging lighting scenarios.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 battery and charging

The Galaxy S24 has a 4,000mAh battery that can last a while thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3's efficiency. For streaming HD content with the screen set to maximum brightness, it can last up to 13 hours, just an hour shy of the larger S24+ and S24 Ultra models. Wired charging maxes out at 25W, which is a bummer as its larger siblings have up to 45W fast charging, and wireless charging reaches 15W. Reverse wireless charging is also offered at 4.5W. The phone doesn't come with a charging adapter, but you do get a USB-C cable.  

Samsung Galaxy S24+ review

Samsung Galaxy S24+ specifications

Samsung Galaxy S24+ design and build

The Galaxy S24+ is the middle child of the Galaxy S24 series. It sits between the S24 and S24 Ultra in both size and weight. While the S24 Ultra stands out with its blocky design and large size, the S24+ and S24 feature the same curved shape with more compact dimensions. The S24+ is not the largest in the series, but it's still a big phone, weighing 6.95 oz — larger and heavier than the S24. All the same, the S24+ is easy to grip and carry due to its more comfortable rounded corners. Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covers the front and back surfaces, with Armor Aluminum doing the rest. Three camera lenses line the top left corner at the back, and the IP68 rating means protection against dust and water.  

Samsung Galaxy S24+ display

The Galaxy S24+ features a large 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a 2340 x 1080-pixel resolution. Unlike the S24, the S24+ allows you to bump the resolution to the full 3120 x 1440 pixels (QHD+), meaning you get the same resolution as the S24 Ultra. The display has a 120Hz variable refresh rate, which dynamically adjusts the rate from 1Hz to 120Hz based on your activity, offering a balance between smooth performance and battery efficiency. With a peak brightness of 2600 nits, you should have zero issues viewing the screen outdoors in direct sunlight.  

Samsung Galaxy S24+ performance

Under the hood, the Galaxy S24+ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, the same as the Galaxy S24. Unlike the S24, though, the S24+ ships with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. As far as day-to-day performance is concerned, the S24+ cuts through everything thrown at it. Apps open instantly, multitasking is seamless, and all of One UI 6's animations are fluid. The excellent performance extends to gaming, with the S24+ breezing through resource-intensive games without breaking a sweat (no skipped frames or slowdowns). The Gen 3 processor is also an efficiency monster, but more on that in the battery section.  

Samsung Galaxy S24+ camera

The Galaxy S24 and S24+ share the same camera system in the back. They have a 50MP main camera with OIS, a 12MP ultrawide camera, and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. Up front, you get a 12MP selfie camera that can shoot 4K video. No matter the lighting conditions, the S24+'s camera delivers outstanding shots with crisp details and deep colors, with the quality rivaling even the latest iPhones and Google Pixels. Selfies taken with the 12MP front-facing camera have the same level of detail, sharpness, and color as the rear cameras. The S24+ also brings AI-assisted editing features similar to those on Google Pixel phones, including removing and resizing items in photos within the gallery. It also includes Nightography for low-light shots and AI-powered slow-motion video creation, among other editing tools.  

Samsung Galaxy S24+ battery and charging

Battery life is one of the Galaxy S24+'s strengths. The phone comes with a 4,900mAh battery, which, combined with the improved efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the display's dynamic refresh rate, translates to excellent endurance. Even on the QHD+ screen resolution with the Always-on display enabled, the S24+ still offers excellent battery performance. The S24+'s battery can last up to 14 hours streaming HD content with the screen set to maximum brightness. Regarding charging, you can get up to 45W wired charging speeds and 15W wireless charging speeds. Should you need to juice up another phone or earbuds, the S24+ offers 4.5W reverse wireless charging.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specifications

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra design and build

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the largest model from the S24 series, and it stands apart from its smaller siblings with its squared-off design, built-in S Pen, and longer-range cameras. There is no doubt that the S24 Ultra is a massive phone. It measures a staggering 6.4 in in height and weighs 8.22 oz. Its large size means that if you prefer using your phone one-handed, you're better off with the S24, S24+, or the S24 FE — all smaller, lighter, and more rounded. Corning Gorilla Armor, the toughest smartphone glass, protects the S24 Ultra's display, and it is less reflective, reducing glare by up to 75%. Four camera lenses — three large and one smaller — line up at the back, which is protected using Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 with a matte finish that resists fingerprints. Unlike other phones in the series, the S24 Ultra has a titanium build — an upgrade that brings unique color options exclusive to this model. The phone gets an IP68 rating against dust and water, and an under-display fingerprint sensor offers a reliable choice for biometric security.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra display

The Galaxy S24 Ultra has one of the best screens available right now. It gets a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a variable 120Hz refresh rate. The screen can dynamically change its rate from 1Hz to 120Hz depending on your activity, balancing power and performance. Out of the box, the S24 Ultra is set to FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels), but you can boost this to QHD+ (3120 x 1440 pixels). The display's images are crisp, and the animations are fluid. With a peak brightness of 2600 nits combined with a bright display and reflection-resistant glass, The S24 Ultra's screen remains visible even under the harshest lighting conditions.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra performance

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy powers almost all of the Galaxy S24 models, including the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Explicitly made for Galaxy devices, this chip offers excellent power and efficiency. The base S24 Ultra comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, customizable to up to 1TB. You should encounter no problems using the S24 Ultra for everyday tasks, including browsing, texting, and streaming. The phone barely gets warm even when running resource-intensive games on the highest settings.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra camera

Unlike the rest of the series, the Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with four cameras: a 200MP main camera with OIS, a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x zoom, a 12MP ultrawide camera, and a 50MP telephoto with 5x zoom and OIS. At the front, you get a forward-facing 12MP camera that can shoot 4K video, with the rear system shooting 8K. The S24 Ultra delivers outstanding shots in various environments and lighting conditions, providing clear details and rich saturation images. The image quality rivals that of current flagships from Apple and Google. Selfies are sharp and detailed, too, with only some slight oversaturation. Like Google's Pixel phones, the S24 Ultra uses AI to edit images in the gallery. Nightography is another AI-powered feature offered on this model, and it enhances low-light images by reducing noise and boosting detail, resulting in rich and colorful shots.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra battery and charging

The Galaxy S24 Ultra gets a massive 5,000mAh battery with enough stamina to match the enormous power of the phone. The large battery combined with the Gen 3's excellent efficiency means that the S24 Ultra can last up to 14 hours streaming HD content with the screen at maximum brightness. Regarding charging, it offers 45W wired fast charging and 15W wireless charging. Reverse wireless charging is on board, too, delivering up to 4.5W. The S24 Ultra only offers a USB-C cable; you must purchase the 45W adapter separately.   

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE review

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE specifications

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE design and build

Like the S24 and S24+, the Galaxy S24 FE features rounded edges, an aluminum frame, and glass on both the front and back. Measuring 6.38 in in height and weighing 7.51 oz, the S24 FE is larger than the S24 and S24+ but smaller than the S24 Ultra. Despite its large size, the phone is still sleek and easy to grip and use. Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ protects the front and back, offering scratch resistance and surviving drops from up to 2 meters. Its IP68 rating means it's virtually dustproof and waterproof. Three cameras line the top left corner on the back, and the S24 FE includes an under-display fingerprint sensor for security.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE display

The Galaxy S24 FE has a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with 2340 x 1080-pixel resolution (FHD+). It boasts a variable 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1900 nits. Unlike its bezel-less siblings, the S24 FE has noticeable bezels, with the bottom edge thicker than the others. Blacks are rich, colors are bright and vibrant, and the 120Hz dynamic refresh rate is as smooth as can be on the S24 FE. That said, the S24 FE's display quality is the lowest in the series. Its FHD+ resolution is significantly lower than the QHD+ on the S24+ and S24 Ultra, and its display is not an LTPO panel, meaning the refresh rate cannot go lower than 60Hz. Additionally, Always-on display is available on this model, but it isn't customizable like on the other S24 models. For the most part, however, the S24 FE's display performs brilliantly.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE performance

The Galaxy S24 FE was released a couple months later than the rest of the S24 lineup. Consequently, it is the only model not powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. Instead, it gets the Samsung Exynos 2400e processor. The chip is comparable to the Exynos 2400 chip found in the international versions of the S24 and S24+. The S24 FE ships with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. Despite not being powered by the Gen 3 processor, the S24 FE performs brilliantly. Apps launch instantly, scrolling is silky smooth, and the phone shows no signs of lag or stutter. The phone also easily handles gaming, delivering smooth gameplay at the highest graphics and frame rate settings.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE camera

If you had doubts about the Galaxy S24 FE falling short of Samsung's top-tier lineup, its camera system makes that clear. The Fan Edition boasts a 50MP main camera with OIS, an 8MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. The rear camera system generally takes great shots. However, the colors look a bit exaggerated, and shadows are often washed out. By default, the main camera bins images to 12MP, producing brighter-than-real colors that some may prefer. Shifting to the full 50MP mode keeps similar color tones but captures more detail in distant subjects. The ultrawide camera matches the main shooter in consistency, while the 8MP telephoto captures good detail but can sometimes look hazy. Both the front and rear camera systems shoot sharp 4K video.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE battery and charging

Unlike the camera, the Galaxy S24 FE's battery is impressive. The S24 FE comes equipped with a 4,700mAh battery that offers 25W wired charging, 15W Qi2 wireless charging (at last!), and reverse wireless charging, though Samsung hasn't specified the exact speed. While streaming HD content with the screen at maximum brightness, the S24 FE can last up to 15 hours, an hour longer than the S24+ and S24 Ultra. Like the rest of the series, you only get a USB-C cable for charging and must purchase a compatible adapter for this phone.  

The Galaxy S24 series offers innovative AI features that can do everything from live-translating phone calls and text messages to removing photobombers from the background of your pictures. These AI features, which Samsung included in a suite it's broadly calling Galaxy AI, are designed to get tasks done faster, smarter, and in a more intuitive way across the S24 series. Here are a few of the standouts.  

Circle to Search: This Google-developed tool is a game changer. It allows you to search the contents of your screen to find the details you need. Long-pressing the home button calls up the search tool, and you can circle or tap the object you want to search. The tool then takes a screenshot, browses the web, and returns the results without leaving the app.  

Live translate: After decades of work, Samsung has finally developed a live translation tool that lets you translate text between two languages in real time. This tool works for phone calls and chats and supports several languages, allowing multiple people to converse even if they're not speaking the same language.  

Generative edit: This feature helps you edit your photos. It can intelligently fill in missing or altered parts of a photo's background, including completing corners in a crooked shot or seamlessly blending the scene after removing an object or person.  

AI Zoom: This feature is exclusive to the S24 Ultra, making it possible to get high-quality zoomed-in images using the 5x optical camera. The tool uses the Adaptive Pixel Sensor and ProVisual Engine to reduce shake and noise and eliminate pixelation in zoomed-in shots, even at 100x.  

Nightography: Similar to AI Zoom, Nightography leverages AI to reduce noise in low-light shots, sharpen results, reduce blur and shake, and optimize light for good exposures. Nightography uses a dedicated ISP block for noise reduction and can differentiate between subject movement and hand shake for the best possible results.  

Transcript Assist: The Transcript Assist tool is embedded in the voice recorder and can generate live transcriptions of voice-recorded notes, including sentence and paragraph breaks.  

Chat Assist: Chat Assist ensures you use the proper conversational tone in your messages. Just type your message into any app using the Samsung keyboard, and Chat Assist will adjust the text to ensure you use the right tone of voice.  

Samsung Galaxy S24 series compared

Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S24 vs Galaxy S24+ vs Galaxy S24 Ultra  

The Samsung Galaxy S24 series pros and cons

The Galaxy S24 series has much to offer, including strong performance, long battery life, stunning displays, and smart AI features. With four models, there's something for almost every type of user. In addition, with seven years of security and software updates promised, the Galaxy S24 series is a wise long-term investment. Not everything is perfect, however, as some devices have bezels, color consistency between cameras could be better, and new devices like the iPhone 16 and Galaxy S25 offer strong alternatives. Here's a quick breakdown of the Galaxy S24 series' pros and cons.  

How to buy a budget Samsung Galaxy S24

If you are shopping for a budget Galaxy S24, there are several ways to score a discount. The first is to wait for grand sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, during which your favorite retailer may offer some savings. The second option is to take advantage of bundle deals. Pair your purchase with an adapter or earbuds for a small discount on your device. You can also wait for a newer series to launch to take advantage of the reduced prices of the previous generations.  

The best way to score an affordable Galaxy S24? Shop on Back Market. At Back Market, you can grab a refurbished Galaxy S24 at a discount any day of the year. Our deals are available year-round, and every purchase comes with a 1-year warranty, free standard shipping, and a 30-day return period. If that sounds too good to be true, here's what one satisfied customer had to say about us:  

Quality: excellent 👌 

Customer service: was a dream 

My phone and now my visible plan is such a blessing 🙌 

Back Market is such a wonderful website that truly is a game changer. I got a top notch phone and they helped me and made sure I had all the instructions to set my phone up and very grateful that y'all refurbish old phones and help people like me to buy a phone at an affordable price. THANKYOU BACK MARKET!!!

Michaela S. - Purchased on February 23, 2025 

Why buy refurbished

Buying refurbished devices is a smart move for both your wallet and the planet. At Back Market, we sell Verified Refurbished devices. These devices have been professionally restored to complete working condition by industry experts and sold at 30% to 50% off compared to new ones. Before any device is sold, it undergoes thorough inspection, repair, cleaning, and testing to ensure it's in top working order. Some parts, like batteries and screens, may be replaced to ensure optimal functionality, and all our devices come with at least 80% battery health and 100% charging capacity.  

Choosing refurbished also means choosing sustainability. Buying a refurbished smartphone is great for the planet, as it reduces the need for new manufacturing, which is responsible for at least 80% of a smartphone's total carbon emissions. Additionally, refurbished devices keep e-waste out of landfills and promote a more sustainable, circular economy by reusing valuable materials and extending the lifespan of technology. Here's what people are saying about us on Reddit: 

"I've bought 3 phones and a laptop off Back Market. All great. They have 3 grades - Fair, Good, Excellent, or something like that. My laptop and recent phone were "Fair" and supposed to have light cosmetic damage. I've had a good look but can't see anything wrong with them." 

Trade in your old tech for cash

Did you know there's still life in those old smartphones or laptops cluttering your drawers? Back Market's Trade-in program offers an easy, sustainable way to turn old tech into cash in just three simple steps. Start by telling us about your device's condition to get an instant quote. Ship it to us for free, and once verified, you get paid. Yes, it's really that simple. 

Price and availability

The Galaxy S24 series debuted in January 2024, with only three models available at first — the Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra. The Galaxy S24 FE joined the lineup in October 2024, providing a more affordable alternative to the flagship Galaxy S24. Prices for the series vary depending on the model and storage capacity, with the latter ranging from 128GB to 1TB. The Galaxy S24 FE starts at $499.00, and the Galaxy S24 starts at $699.00 at Samsung, with the Galaxy S24+ and S24 Ultra out of stock. But, you can also get a refurbished Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, or S24 FE from Back Market. Here are some of our top picks:  

Samsung's flagship phones are some of the top performers globally, and the Galaxy S24 series is no exception. With four models — the Galaxy S24 FE, Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra — there is something for everyone in the series. While the latest iPhone 16 and Galaxy S25 series offer stiff competition, the Galaxy S24 series holds its own with impressive performance, a bright display, solid build quality, excellent battery life, and innovative AI features. In addition, with seven years of software and security updates promised, you're getting a future-proof device at an all-time low price. If you're shopping for a new Android phone, the Galaxy S24 series is a good place to start.