Here's a hot take on the Galaxy S24 Ultra: It's not for everyone. In fact, it's not for the vast majority of people, and most prospective Samsung flagship buyers are probably better off picking the Galaxy S24+ instead.
It is my opinion, but I have just cause to believe in it. I'm not making a controversial statement just because I own the Galaxy S24+. I could have easily bought the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but I chose the S24+ for several reasons.
The fact of the matter is that the Galaxy S24+ and S24 Ultra are much more alike than the S23+ and S23 Ultra were last year. And unless you are a mobile content creator or really nostalgic for the Note series and long for an S Pen, chances are the Galaxy S24+ is a better phone for you than the S24 Ultra.
The Galaxy S24+ is closer to the Ultra than you might think
Here are some arguments you might usually hear in favor of the Galaxy S24 Ultra and how they can be argued against from the perspective of a Galaxy S24+ user who is happy he made the right choice.
Depending on your location, you might prefer the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip over the Plus model's Exynos 2400 SoC. But in reality, Samsung's in-house Exynos solution is no slouch this time around. It's shaping up to be a great chip with incredible battery life performance.
Besides, if you worry about multitasking, don't. The Galaxy S24+ starts at 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage, just like the Ultra.
Maybe you think you want a 200MP sensor and everything else that comes with the Galaxy S24 Ultra's camera setup. And you might, if you're a content creator. But here's another hot take: If you use your phone to capture photos on auto mode 99 out of 100 times and you don't often use advanced zoom capabilities, you may never know the difference between photos captured with the S24+ and the S24 Ultra.
If you care about selfies, both phones use the same front-facing sensor. And if you're looking for battery life gains, well, Samsung's new Plus model also boasts incredible battery life, on par with the Ultra. There's only a 100mAh battery capacity difference between the two flagship models. And they both charge at a 45W rate wired and 15W wirelessly.
You really have to love the S Pen to spend on the Ultra… Personally, I'm over it
How about the fact that Samsung's Ultra models usually have crisper displays? Surprise! That's no longer the case. This year, it's actually the other way around! The Galaxy S24+ was upgraded to a resolution of 3120 x 1440, just like the Ultra. And because it has a 6.7-inch panel instead of a 6.8-inch one, it is technically crisper with a higher pixel density of around 513ppi versus 505. All the while using the same type of LTPO panel with up to 2,600 nits of brightness.
Is the S24 Ultra's titanium frame worth the extra money, then? At the risk of getting some pushback, I'd say it might be overhyped. There it is; I said it. The truth is that both phones are incredibly strong, and, in fact, the S series, in general, has been surprisingly durable at least since the Galaxy S22 models went on sale. I used my S22+ without a case for almost two years, and aside from a handful of dents in the Armor Aluminum frame, nothing ever broke or cracked.
Perhaps the biggest advantage you might get from using the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the Gorilla Armor screen protection, which not only scratches at a higher level than Glass Victus 2 in Mohs' Hardness Test but has amazing anti-reflective properties. You could, however, consider an anti-reflective screen protector for the S24+, which costs you a lot less than the difference between the S24+ and the S24 Ultra.
As for the S Pen, well, I'll give you that. If you really love writing with the S Pen often, go for the Galaxy S24 Ultra because it is the best Note phone with a different name. But if you're among the many Ultra users who think they'll use the S Pen for some accurate photo editing now and then, think again. The idea sounds solid, but if you're not an avid S Pen user, you'll often forget the accessory exists and often end up editing photos using your fingertips. Only to then feel kind of silly that you forgot the S Pen even exists.
But aside from the S Pen, maybe the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a phone for hardcore enthusiasts who want the best on principle alone, and mobile content creators. Those who really want to show off the latest mobile hardware and use some advanced camera features most people don't even touch. If you are among them, you probably already know this and you don't need me to tell you about the Galaxy S24+.
However, if you're unsure if the Galaxy S24 Ultra is worth the extra cash, then it probably isn't. Grab the Galaxy S24+ instead, and you'll get a fantastic phone for a lower price.
