Updated December 25: article originally posted December 23.
Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 range will set the standard for flagship smartphones in 2024. As the launch approaches, three key decisions reveal the future of the Samsung Galaxy.
Those three critical decisions are around the core specifications, the chipset choice, and the launch window… how the handset runs daily, the ultimate performance, and when you can get your hands on one.
First, the core specifications of the handsets. Several networks around the world have listed model numbers and options, so unless there is a last-minute exclusive in Samsung’s own store, these are your choices:
“The Galaxy S24 will come with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage; the Galaxy S24+ will come with 12 GB of RAM, and either 256 GB or 512 GB of storage; and the Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with 12 GB of RAM and either 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB of storage.”
The Galaxy S24 Ultra has been spotted on various benchmarking websites over the last few months, and a 16 GB model was listed. With only 12 GB of RAM listed worldwide, the community wonders how much of a performance impact this lower level of RAM will have.
If you want to talk about performance, the elephant in the room is Samsung’s decision around the chipset across the Galaxy S24 range. Unlike the Galaxy S23 family, where every handset sold was equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, the Galaxy S24 family will feature a mix of the customised “Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 For Galaxy” from Qualcomm and the latest Exynos 2400 from Samsung.
Traditionally, Exynos-based Galaxy handsets have seen lower performance and battery life. Not by a considerable margin, but one that is noticeable, especially by consumers looking for premium experiences. To help offset this, every top-of-the-range Galaxy S24 Ultra handset will come with a Snapdragon chip, but the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ will come with a mix of Snapdragon and Exynos. The model you get will depend on the territory you are in—and we are waiting to see the distribution decision Samsung has made.
Finally, there’s the launch date. While Samsung has yet to announce details on the next “Galaxy Unpacked” launch events, January 17th has long been considered by the community as the launch date of the Galaxy S24 family. Several sources have reiterated this date during December. This week’s latest came from noted tipster Evan Blass, citing marketing material that carried a launch time of 3 am KT on January 18th, which would be January 17th at 10 am PT and 1 pm ET.
As Forbes’ Janhoi McGregor points out, the material has the telling phrase “Galaxy AI is coming,” which is probably the most significant sign that Samsung will be part of a trend pushing AI as the smartphone frontier everyone will explore in 2024.
Update: Sunday December 24. The earlier-than-usual launch of the next Galaxy S handsets has a knock-on effect on the final smartphone in the S23 family. The Galaxy S23 Fan Edition was announced in early October, yet Samsung is already offering significant discounts on the handset.
Mihai Matei reports on the latest offer. Those buying through Samsung’s website will get a straight $100 off the ticket price, taking the 128 GB model to $529 or the 256 GB model to $589. Samsung is also offering a trade-in discount of up to $300, depending on the Samsung model you wish to hand back (and Samsung will also consider several phones from rivals, including Google Pixels and Apple iPhones).
The Galaxy S23 FE is a good all-round smartphone. It’s not pushing for ultimate performance—it uses the Exynos 2200 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which is the same mix as the Galaxy S22—but it looks to deliver as much of the Galaxy S feature set to its lowest price point. The branding is key here, and carrying the same S23 moniker as the regular S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra allows it a significant advantage in retail environments.
An advantage that will be dulled when Samsung moves on to the S24 brand. Even though it’s not yet three months old, it makes perfect sense to get the discounts in now and get as many consumers into the Galaxy ecosystem as possible.
Update: Monday December 25. One of the perennial areas a smartphone is judged on is the camera. New hardware and software will be closely examined when the handsets are released. Samsung is bringing its ‘A game’ to the camera, with the Galaxy S24 Ultra taking the lead.
Writing for SamMobile, Adrian Farooqui picks out leaked images of the new camera modules before they are assembled into the premium handset, and the hardware matches nicely with what we already know about the four-lens main camera, specifically that it will come with a 200-megapixel primary, a 12-megapixel ultrawide, a 10-megapixel telephoto, and a 50-megapixel telephoto.
Last year, the Galaxy S23 Ultra picked up a very high DXOMark score of 140, although some areas that could be improved were highlighted. These include zoom results that fell slightly short of the opposition with comparatively high noise, white balance in low light, and lower contrast when subjects are backlit. Expect these areas to be examined closely when the S24 Ultra is reviewed.
