Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ hands-on: Eager to impress

Samsung wants the Galaxy S series to be all things to all people. That's why it includes an Ultra model for the spec fanatics and the more reasonable options for those who want a world-class premium phone without a very expensive price tag. So how well do the new kids on the block, the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+, live up to these expectations?

Quite well is the short and sweet verdict we came to after going hands-on with the two devices ahead of the Unpacked event today. Our detailed hands-on video explains in more detail everything you get with these devices, and why we feel you should be giving these devices a chance to impress you.

From the slim, symmetrical bezels to the flat display, these flagship handsets have a familiar design with the flat display panels that we've come to expect on these models. No Titanium here like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the use of stronger Armor Aluminum promises enhanced durability amid an elevated look and feel.

These design changes, however cosmetic as they may seem, have paved the way for a 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch display on the Galaxy S24 and S24+ respectively. The peak brightness of 2,600 nits is best-in-class with the adaptive 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate further making these some of the nicest display panels we've seen on these models.

If there's one concern that some customers will have about the handsets, it's the chipset. Samsung has brought back the Exynos chipset for the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+. Only limited markets (US, Canada, China) will get them with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy. Everyone else will get the Exynos 2400-powered variants.

Our hands-on was with the Exynos units and the limited time that we had wasn't enough to provide an accurate representation of its performance, particularly compared to the Qualcomm chipset. However, everything felt snappy, the device betrayed no hint of lag even under heavy use, or significant thermal throttling for that matter. These are all promising signs, but we await our review units to conduct in-depth tests.

The camera hardware seems unchanged with the 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide, 10-megapixel 3x zoom, and a 12-megapixel selfie camera. Improvements have been made under the hood and to the camera software for improved photography and videography. We do feel that the difference in camera capabilities is much more significant between these models and the Galaxy S24 Ultra than we've seen in earlier iterations.

Android 14 and Samsung's latest One UI 6.1 are onboard with amazing new AI features, such as the ability to live translate two-way calls, automatically summarize in Samsung Notes, intelligently transcript audios, and more. We'll have more detailed coverage on all of the new AI features in the near future, but going by what we've seen so far, it's pretty impressive stuff.

What's also impressive is the fact that Samsung is now committing to provide 7 years of Android OS upgrades with the Galaxy S24 series, including 7 years of security updates. That's a monumental step forward in ensuring that customers continue to receive the latest features and improvements for as long as possible.

The Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ have a lot going for them. They're equipped with the latest chipsets, amazingly bright displays, great cameras, and more, all packaged in a modern design with enhanced durability. The Exynos 2400 may remain a point of concern but we remain cautiously optimistic of its capabilities. Keep an open mind and give these devices a chance to impress you, because it feels as if they just might!

You can pre-order the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ starting today. They'll be released on January 31. Prices start at $799.