Samsung officially revealed the highly-anticipated Galaxy S24 series during the Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event on January 17. Among the trio of models, the Galaxy S24 Ultra takes center stage, boasting top-tier specifications and features. In this comprehensive analysis, we have juxtaposed the Galaxy S24 Ultra with its predecessor, last year’s flagship, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, to discern the significant upgrades Samsung has incorporated into its latest addition to the S-series smartphones.
The detailed comparison encompasses various facets such as design, display, cameras, performance, and more. Let’s delve into the intricacies of this differences.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Design Differences
Let’s begin by comparing the design of the Galaxy S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra. While both devices share nearly identical dimensions, this year, Samsung opted for a titanium frame and a flat screen on the S24 Ultra. In contrast, the S23 Ultra from the previous year featured an armor aluminum frame and a slightly curved display. Despite their similarities in size, both devices have almost the same weight, with the S23 Ultra weighing 234 grams and the S24 Ultra weighing 233 grams.
In terms of protection, Samsung has equipped the latest S24 Ultra with Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 3 on both the front and back, providing enhanced drop and scratch resistance. The older S23 Ultra, on the other hand, had Gorilla Glass Victus 2 applied on both sides. Regarding water and dust resistance, both smartphones maintain an IP68 rating.
Overall, both phones exhibit solid design and build quality, and the S24 Ultra adheres to its longstanding Note design language. However, with its titanium frame, the S24 Ultra is expected to offer increased resistance against hard drops, enhancing its durability.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Display Differences
Comparing the displays of the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra, both smartphones boast a 6.8-inch screen with QHD+ resolution. They feature LTPO AMOLED panels with support for variable refresh rates ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz.
A notable change is Samsung’s decision to transition from a curved display to a flat one on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. This alteration caters to those who prefer flat screens with symmetrical bezels, making the S24 Ultra an appealing choice.
Moreover, the display on the S24 Ultra has seen a significant boost in brightness. With a massive peak brightness of 2,600 nits and the ability to sustain high brightness at 1,500 nits, the S24 Ultra surpasses its predecessor. In comparison, the S23 Ultra from the previous year could only reach up to 1,750 nits and offered up to 1,200 nits under high-brightness mode.
Given that the display on the S23 Ultra was already vivid and bright, Samsung, as an industry leader, has once again established a new benchmark for smartphone displays with the S24 Ultra.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Cameras Differences
Let’s delve into the camera comparison between the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra. In terms of hardware, both smartphones are equipped with powerful image sensors to deliver exceptional imagery. Samsung has not only retained the impressive 200MP sensor but has also introduced an upgraded version of it on the S24 Ultra. Additionally, the company has made a notable change by replacing the 10x periscope telephoto lens (10MP) found in the S23 Ultra with a 5x periscope telephoto lens (50MP) on the S24 Ultra.
While this adjustment might be perceived as a downgrade by some, Samsung argues that a 5x zoom lens is more suitable for smartphone photography. The S24 Ultra now utilizes a larger 50MP periscope lens, replacing the previous 10MP variant, aiming to capture detailed and sharp images. Furthermore, both devices retain a 3x telephoto lens (10MP) and a 12MP ultrawide lens.
On the front side, a 12MP sensor is employed for selfies, and both smartphones support digital zoom up to 100x. In summary, both devices boast impressive camera setups, although some users may express disappointment over the absence of a 10x periscope lens on the S24 Ultra.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Performance Differences
Similar to the previous year, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is exclusively equipped with a Qualcomm chip, with no Exynos variant. This time, it features the Galaxy-exclusive Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, offering a slightly faster clock speed than the standard 8 Gen 3. The peak frequency of the Cortex-X4 prime core has been boosted to 3.4GHz from 3.3GHz, while the Adreno 750 GPU now runs at 1,000 MHz (1GHz), a notable increase from the 719MHz on the S23 Ultra.
In comparison, the previous-gen S23 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, which is also a capable SoC. However, when pitted against the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it falls behind in terms of performance and efficiency, as highlighted in the table above.
For effective heat dissipation, Samsung has implemented a large vapor chamber on the S24 Ultra, measuring 1.9 times larger than that on the S23 Ultra, ensuring optimized cooling performance. Whether it’s gaming or everyday tasks, the S24 Ultra is positioned to deliver the best performance available on any Android smartphone.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Battery, Software & More
Battery and Charging
In the battery department, both the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra are equipped with a 5000 mAh battery pack, capable of charging from 0% to 65% in just 30 minutes. They both support 45W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.
Software Updates
Samsung has made significant strides in software updates this year with its new Galaxy S24 lineup. The company has committed to providing 7 years of Android OS upgrades for the S24 series.
This commitment means that the Galaxy S24 Ultra will receive Android updates until Android 21. In contrast, under the previous update policy governing the S23 Ultra, it would only receive four OS updates, concluding with Android 17. However, it’s essential to note that S23 Ultra users will still receive five years of security updates.
Connectivity
Regarding connectivity, the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra share similar features. Apart from Wi-Fi 7 support on the S24 Ultra, both devices offer NFC, 5G (SA/ NSA), Bluetooth 5.3, and Ultra-wideband (UWB).
While there were earlier rumors about the Galaxy S24 Ultra featuring Emergency SOS via Satellite, Samsung has chosen not to include this feature in this year’s model as well.
Galaxy S24 Ultra vs S23 Ultra: Key Specs
Here is a quick overview of the full specifications sheet, highlighting the differences between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra flagship smartphones:
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Pricing Differences
Here is the pricing comparison between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra:
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (8GB+256GB): Starting at $1199
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (12GB+256GB): Starting at $1299.99
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Final Verdict
Considering all the aspects discussed in this comparison, it appears that the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers a modest upgrade over the S23 Ultra. While it introduces features like a titanium frame, a significantly brighter display, seven years of OS updates, and improved performance, the Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a strong contender in all these areas. Even in 2024, it stands out as one of the top Android phones. If you are already using the Galaxy S23 Ultra, you might consider skipping the upgrade this year. However, if you come across substantial discounts on the S23 Ultra, it could still be a worthwhile purchase.
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