Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: preview, expectations

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: preview, expectations،

Introducing the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Samsung's new S Pen beast is about to be revealed – the Unpacked event will officially take place on January 17. It's exactly 11 months after the announcement of the Galaxy S23 series – it seems Samsung has become too eager to launch its flagships before the end of the typical 12-month cycle.

So, what are we waiting for? New processor – of course –, some design changes – definitely –, a titanium frame to keep up with the times – probably. A supposed shake-up of the camera modules will see the zoom cameras tweaked a bit, but we should still end up with 4 cameras on the back, like before (and going against early rumors that Samsung was removing one of the zoom cameras).

And we could see the Galaxy S24 Ultra go completely flat. Samsung has reduced the edge curve over the past few years. If you're still a fan of it, it looks like the Galaxy S23 Ultra might be your last chance to get a phone with an Edge display for a while. The good news is that we expect Samsung to continue selling the S23 Ultra as a “low-cost model” over the next year.

But back to current times, Samsung is once again expected to launch a trio of Galaxy S24 devices. And of course you can expect a Galaxy S24 review and review of the Galaxy S24 Plus as soon as we put them through a whole series of tests!

Titanium frame
A flat screen to replace the curved Edge design
Higher peak brightness at 2,600 nits
Snapdragon 8 generation 3

Contents:

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specifications

At the cutting edge of technology

As always, we are waiting for the Galaxy S24 Ultra have the latest cutting-edge technology that Samsung can integrate into a mass-produced smartphone. We will update the complete Galaxy S24 Ultra specifications as they become available. Here are the highlights of what we expect:

Specifications	iPhone 15 Pro Max
Height and weight	162.3 × 79 × 8.6mm 233 grams
Display	6.8″ AMOLED Dynamic 120 Hz 2,600 nits
Processor	Snapdragon 8 generation 3
Software	Android 14, a single user interface
Cameras	200MP main 12MP ultra 10MP 3X Telephoto Lens 50MP 5X Periscope 12MP front
Battery size	5000mAh
Charging Speeds	45 W per cable 15W wireless
Prices	12/256 GB for $1,200 12/512 GB for $1,300 16/1TB for $1,500

Design and colors of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

The rise of titanium

Based on leaks, image credit – PhoneArena

There are more and more rumors circulating that Samsung is close to removing the curved screen altogether. The Soft Edge design has become less and less important over the years, as it seems that consumers simply prefer a flat screen. And Samsung is supposed to offer a completely flat screen on the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

However, it looks like the rounded frames will be back, so they'll still look a lot like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. But this time we will have a titanium frame. This won't make a huge difference in weight, but should make the phone a little more durable – although durability wasn't really a complaint before.

Based on leaks, image credit – PhoneArena

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra screen

As before, we expect a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display – Samsung's best-in-class screen technology that has been impressive for years now. Apparently, we'll get more headroom with a peak brightness of 2,600 nits – this only matters when watching HDR content and in very bright conditions. But hey, it's there.

Of course, there's no reason to believe that it won't be an LTPO panel with a variation between 1 Hz and 120 Hz: Samsung has been doing this for a while now with the Ultra models. Overall, we expect very few surprises here other than the completely flat screen.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra camera

Four eyes!

Based on leaks, image credit – PhoneArena

Previous rumors suggested that Samsung might get rid of one of its zoom cameras and use full AI zoom and SuperRes for those zoomed-in shots. Today we are led to believe that this is only partially true. We will still have two zoom cameras, but they will be 3x and 5x, instead of the 3x and 10x we had in the past. The sensor under the 5x lens will supposedly be a big 50 MP sensor, so we'll have to wait and see what Samsung is planning there.

As for the main camera, it will still be the same 200 MP sensor, and no changes are expected with the 3x camera and the ultra-wide. Of course, there will likely be new tweaks to how the phone processes posted images. Again… not much to say on the subject at the moment.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra performance and benchmarks

Another year, another Snapdragon

Apparently, and hopefully, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will be available with a brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 generation 3 Designed for Galaxy people everywhere – instead of having an Exynos variant like in years past. The “Made for Galaxy” moniker appeared with last year's Galaxy S23 series and it basically means that the processor has been slightly tuned, slightly overclocked to work specifically with the Galaxies' software and cooling solutions. So, it's always nice.

Will it be an artist? We're pretty optimistic – there's no reason not to. THE Galaxy S23 Ultra was (and is) a tremendous workaholic.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra OS / Android version

Naturally, the S24 Ultra will launch with Android 14, most likely with Samsung's One UI 6 revamping the operating system to an unrecognizable level. That's not to say it's bad: One UI has grown and evolved over the years to be not only feature-rich, but also user-friendly. As long as the user spends time with the phone, there are plenty of things to do with it!

Like split-screen scenes, which you can save and recall at any time, by floating your windows, taking long screenshots, or writing down your screenshots with the S Pen.

Ah yes, the S Pen suite comes with even more features, like controlling the phone with air gestures from the pen, using it as a mouse cursor on hover, and of course, writing and drawing.

Samsung is currently committed to 4 years of Android updates and 5 years of security patches. This means that the Galaxy S24 Ultra will have:

early 2024, launch with Android 14
end of 2024, gets Android 15
end of 2025, gets Android 16
end of 2026, gets Android 17
end of 2027, gets Android 18
early 2028, no more Android updates?
early 2029, no more security patches

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra battery

No changes expected

Apparently, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will come with the same 5,000 mAh battery as before. So far, the flagship Ultra has had decent battery life – certainly not bad, certainly not record-breaking, but reliable for a full day.

It won't push the charging speed limits either, with wired charging expected at 45W and wireless charging at 15W.

Audio and haptic quality of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Samsung's stereo speakers have been pretty good so far. Maybe a little medium and a little harder at maximum volume. The Z Fold phones sound great, showing that the Ultra flagships still have some work to do there. But spatial constraints probably play a role. We will see if the Galaxy S24 Ultra manages to improve in this area.

But we don't expect anything different in terms of haptics. Mainly because they're already great on the S23 series: clicky, solid and responsive.

Expectations of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Currently, our expectations regarding the Galaxy S24 Ultra are that it will be a very, very good phone with powerful hardware, a good camera and a reliable battery. We don't expect any revolutionary new features or improvements, although we are curious about what Samsung could do with AI. That is to say, we do not think that Galaxy S23 Ultra owners will rush to upgrade it, but it will definitely be a killer phone for newcomers.

But we'll see. Of course, we need Samsung to reveal the thing and then get their hands on it!