Galaxy S23 Ultra • Unlocked vs Galaxy S24 Ultra • Unlocked

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, released in February 2023, and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, launched in January 2024, are both flagship Android smartphones from Samsung. While they share a similar design philosophy and core functionalities, the S24 Ultra introduces a more efficient processor, enhanced display brightness, and a suite of new AI-powered features, alongside a significant update to its software support policy. Both devices run on the Android operating system with Samsung's One UI overlay.

The durability of the Galaxy S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra shows incremental advancements, particularly in materials and software longevity. The S23 Ultra was released in February 2023, with the S24 Ultra following in January 2024, providing the latter with a longer potential software support window.

• OS Support: The Galaxy S23 Ultra receives 4 years of major OS updates and 5 years of security patches, extending support until approximately 2027. The S24 Ultra offers 7 years of full software updates, pushing its support to 2031, making it a more enduring option for long-term software.
• Build Materials: The S23 Ultra uses an Armor Aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The S24 Ultra features a titanium frame for enhanced durability and fingerprint resistance. Its display is protected by Corning Gorilla Armor, designed for superior scratch and crack resistance and reduced reflections.
• Practical Lifespan: Both devices boast an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. While glass remains susceptible to drop damage, the S24 Ultra's flat display and advanced glass technology aim to provide improved impact resistance.

The performance capabilities of the Galaxy S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra are both robust, though the newer model offers a generational leap in processing power.

• Processing Power: The S23 Ultra's processor ensures smooth multitasking and gaming, handling demanding apps effectively. The S24 Ultra features a newer generation processor, providing a substantial generational leap in power, with higher benchmark scores in multi-core and graphics processing.
• Real-world Responsiveness: For everyday use, both devices offer a fluid experience, with many users noting minimal difference in responsiveness for typical tasks. However, for intensive tasks like 4K 60fps video export, the S24 Ultra shows a slight advantage.
• Memory and Storage: Both models offer similar storage options (256GB, 512GB, 1TB). The S23 Ultra typically has 8GB or 12GB of RAM, while the S24 Ultra consistently features 12GB of RAM in its base models, aiding smoother multitasking.

Both the Galaxy S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra feature impressive displays, though the S24 Ultra introduces notable enhancements in brightness and design.

• Display Technology and Size: Both devices utilize a 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, providing vibrant colors and deep blacks. The S24 Ultra's display is flat, a change from the S23 Ultra's curved edges, which can improve S Pen usability and screen protector application.
• Brightness and Clarity: The S23 Ultra offers a peak brightness of 1,750 nits. The S24 Ultra significantly boosts this to 2,600 nits, enhancing outdoor visibility. The S24 Ultra also features Gorilla Glass Armor, designed to reduce reflections by up to 75%, further improving outdoor legibility.
• Viewing Experience: Both phones deliver exceptional detail and strong contrast with an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz) for smooth visuals and power efficiency.

The camera systems on both the Galaxy S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra are highly capable, with the S24 Ultra introducing refinements, particularly in telephoto capabilities and image processing.

• Rear Camera System: Both phones feature a 200MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide. The S23 Ultra includes a 10MP 10x optical telephoto and a 10MP 3x optical telephoto. The S24 Ultra replaces the 10x telephoto with a 50MP 5x optical telephoto, retaining the 10MP 3x, and aiming for better low-light performance and stabilization.
• Photography Performance: The S24 Ultra generally offers improved image exposure, more accurate contrast, and greater detail in bright areas. It also tends to produce cleaner images with less noise, especially when cropping or using digital zoom beyond 5x. The S24 Ultra's 50MP 5x telephoto is designed to achieve comparable or better quality at 10x zoom through computational photography.
• Video and Audio: Both devices support 8K video recording at 30fps. The S24 Ultra's new 5x telephoto lens also enables 8K recording at 5x zoom. Both phones offer Dolby Atmos audio support.