Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: Ultimate Android Flagship (2025)

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra raises the bar for Android flagships with a bolder design and high-end specs. It features a large 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (QHD+ 1440×3120, 120Hz) and a sturdy titanium-alloy frame with Gorilla Glass Armor on both sides. Inside is the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 “for Galaxy” processor paired with 12GB RAM, ensuring blazing-fast performance. The rear camera array – a 200MP main sensor plus 12MP ultrawide, a 50MP 5× telephoto and a 10MP 3× telephoto – covers virtually every shooting scenario. In this review we’ll dive into the S24 Ultra’s specs and performance (processor, battery, display, build), share real-world user insights (camera quality, software, battery life), compare it against other flagships (iPhone 15 Pro Max, Pixel 8 Pro, OnePlus 12), and sum up its pros and cons.

Design and Build Quality

The Galaxy S24 Ultra sports a new blocky, flat-front design, a departure from previous curved edges. Its unibody frame is made of grade-2 titanium and both sides use Samsung’s latest Gorilla Glass Armor, giving it exceptional rigidity and scratch resistance. The corners are square but beveled, and bezels are minimal around the screen, which has a centered punch-hole camera. On the downside, at 232 grams it’s very heavy (TechRadar even calls it “big and heavy”), and one-handed use is challenging. However, build quality is top-notch and the flat display is noticeably less reflective than before. The phone is IP68-rated for water/dust resistance. Samsung also continues the S-Pen tradition: the Ultra has an integrated stylus (with Bluetooth) that’s useful for notes and remote camera control (the new stylus features are a key differentiator for productivity users). In short, the S24 Ultra feels extremely premium, though its large footprint and weight may be impractical for some.

Display

The S24 Ultra’s display is one of its highlights. It is a 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED 2X panel with a sharp 3120×1440 resolution (~505 ppi) and an adaptive refresh rate from 1 to 120Hz. It supports HDR10+ and reaches an astonishing peak brightness (Samsung claims up to 2600 nits). In our tests the phone hit about 1,353 nits on HDR content, making it very easy to read outdoors in bright sun. Thanks to the new Gorilla Glass Armor and a DX anti-reflective coating, there’s less glare than on prior models. Reviewers note that the screen is “plenty bright” and color-accurate by default. Colors and contrast are excellent, and an Always-On display is available. One minor issue is a faint graininess at the lowest brightness levels, but this is hard to notice. Overall the panel is outstanding – super sharp and fluid – delivering rich visuals for apps, videos, and games.

Performance and Software

The S24 Ultra runs Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6.1, and Samsung promises seven years of OS and security updates (up from 4 years on the S23). Under the hood is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (for Galaxy) chipset, clocked slightly higher than the standard version. In benchmarks the S24 Ultra shoots to the top, beating rivals and even last year’s Ultra by a wide margin. In everyday use it feels instant – apps load quickly, multitasking is smooth, and 3D games run flawlessly. However, under extreme continuous loads it can get warm. GSMArena’s testing showed some thermal throttling (about a 53% GPU drop in a prolonged stress test), but in normal use you won’t hit that limit.

Samsung has also added new “Galaxy AI” features (like on-device chat and live translation) though opinions vary on their usefulness. The One UI interface is full-featured (Samsung DeX for desktop-like use, Knox security, etc.), but can feel busy – some critics call its menus “terrible” due to the number of layers. On balance, the software is very capable and Google’s Android 14 underpinnings are stable. The S-Pen adds extra utility for note-taking, drawing, and Bluetooth-remote camera shutter.

Camera System

Samsung’s S-series Ultra has long been known for versatile cameras, and the S24 Ultra steps this up even more. The rear system includes a 200MP wide sensor (f/1.7, pixel-binned output), a 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2, AF), a 50MP telephoto (f/3.4, 5× optical), and a 10MP telephoto (f/2.4, 3× optical). This covers zooms from 0.6× up to 5× natively, plus up to 100× digital zoom. Daylight photos from the main camera are very detailed with rich but natural colors – Samsung has dialed down the over-saturation of old Ultra cameras. Skies stay blue (not blown out), and foliage looks true-to-life. For example, our sample shots had wide dynamic range and accurate exposure balance.

The new 5× telephoto is a big upgrade. It delivers excellent 5× zoom images with fine detail and very little noise (even indoors). This is a huge jump from the old S23’s 10× cam being repurposed for 5× – now you really get clear 5× shots. The 3× telephoto still works for moderate zoom, but its small sensor limits it. When pushing to 10× or beyond, the Ultra relies on digital zoom: even at 10× the S24’s images aren’t as sharp as they could be, though slightly better than the S23’s 10× outcome. In low light, the main camera shines – it captures bright, low-noise images with balanced shadows and highlights. Samsung’s Night Mode can further improve very dark scenes. The ultrawide is decent (it even has autofocus, rare in flagships) but its small sensor means it’s not quite as punchy as the main cam.

Video recording is equally robust. The S24 Ultra can shoot 8K30 or 4K60 from the main camera (and also 8K30 from the 5× tele). It offers Pro Video modes (24fps, HDR10+) and a choice of codecs. In practice, all rear cameras produce well-exposed, stable clips with consistent colors. Walk-and-talk stability is outstanding – electronic and gyro stabilization remove almost all shake. In bright light video detail is very good; even 5× zoom video is smooth. Low-light video holds up well on the main cam, though ultrawide and tele lose sharpness as light drops. The front 12MP selfie camera also shoots sharp 4K video and has a wide field of view. Overall, the S24 Ultra is one of the best camera phones available, especially for those who want multiple zoom lengths and creative flexibility.

Specs Comparison (S24 Ultra vs. Flagship Rivals)

Table: Key specs of Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra versus other 2024 flagship phones. Data from official sources and reviews.

Comparison with iPhone 15 Pro Max

The S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max are both top-of-line phablets, but they take different approaches. The iPhone uses Apple’s A17 Pro chip and iOS; despite a smaller 4441mAh battery, it lasted longer in real-world tests (about 16:01h vs. 13:49h on the S24 Ultra) thanks to efficiency optimizations. However, the S24 Ultra charges much faster (45W vs 20W) and supports reverse wireless charging (share power to other devices). In terms of display, both have 6.7″‑6.8″ OLED panels at 120Hz, though Samsung’s is slightly larger and higher-resolution.

On cameras, the S24 Ultra has an advantage in versatility: it has four rear cameras (including two telephotos) vs. three on the iPhone. The Galaxy’s 200MP main and 5× periscope capture more detail at long zooms, whereas the iPhone’s 48MP sensor (outputting 24MP) and dual telephoto (2×,5×) excel at true-to-life color and low-light thanks to Apple’s processing. In side-by-side tests, reviewers preferred the S24’s more natural color and detail, though the iPhone still takes excellent photos. The iPhone offers FaceID, Dolby Vision video playback, and seamless integration with Apple services, while the S24 Ultra brings Samsung DeX (desktop mode), S Pen input, and a more open ecosystem. Both are premium: Apple’s phone is slightly lighter (221g vs 232g) and less customizable, whereas the S24 Ultra is larger, has multi-tasking Android benefits, and unique features like handwriting recognition and AI tools.

Comparison with Google Pixel 8 Pro

Against Google’s Pixel 8 Pro, the Samsung focuses on hardware power and features. TechRadar notes that “the Galaxy S24 Ultra is substantially more powerful” than the Pixel 8 Pro. The Pixel 8 Pro’s Tensor G3 chip is competent but lags behind in raw speed. On the other hand, Google’s strengths are its clean Android experience, longer-term software support (also 7 years), and excellent computational photography for typical users. The Pixel starts at a lower price (~$999) compared to the S24 Ultra’s $1299, which makes it attractive for buyers on a budget. In our comparison, the Pixel’s stock Android UI felt smoother and its call-screening AI useful, but the S24 Ultra had better benchmark scores and more RAM by default.

Camera-wise, the Pixel 8 Pro is strong at standard shots (it uses 50MP main + 48MP ultra + 48MP 5× tele), but the S24 Ultra generally wins at zoom and in very low light due to its larger sensor and multi-lens setup. The Galaxy also has higher-res ultrawide and main sensors. Battery life is another gap: GSMArena found the Pixel’s endurance to be the worst among its tests, whereas the S24 Ultra was in the top tier. In short, choose the Pixel if you value stock Android and updates, but opt for the S24 Ultra if you want the fastest performance, more zoom options, and the S Pen.

Comparison with OnePlus 12

The OnePlus 12 is Samsung’s most similar competitor hardware-wise, since both use Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. OnePlus offers some trade-offs: it has a bigger 5400mAh battery (vs. 5000mAh on S24 Ultra) and ultra-fast 100W charging (which can fill the phone in 26 minutes). This means the OnePlus can outlast and recharge faster than the S24 Ultra. It’s also slightly lighter and narrower (220g vs. 232g), making it easier to hold. On the flip side, the OnePlus 12 is cheaper ($800 vs. ~$1300) and has a very good 6.82″ AMOLED display and triple camera system (50MP main, 64MP periscope 3×, 48MP ultrawide).

However, the S24 Ultra has advantages in build and features. Samsung uses a tougher titanium frame with Gorilla Armor glass, whereas the OnePlus uses an aluminum frame. The S24 Ultra includes its iconic S Pen stylus, which the OnePlus lacks. In cameras, Samsung’s 200MP main and extra zoom lens generally outperform the OnePlus’s 50MP main and single telephoto in versatility. OnePlus’s software (OxygenOS 15) is clean and snappy, but Samsung’s One UI has more enterprise and multitasking features (like DeX). In summary, the OnePlus 12 is a great value (big battery, fast charging, solid camera) but the S24 Ultra is more feature-packed (S Pen, more cameras, titanium build) albeit at a higher cost.

Pros and Cons

• Pros: Massive 120Hz AMOLED display with QHD+ resolution and new Gorilla Armor (extremely bright and crisp). Premium titanium build and IP68 water resistance. Ultra-versatile camera array (200MP main sensor + wide/ultra/tele lenses) that delivers excellent photo and video quality. Top-tier performance from the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. Included S Pen stylus for notes and remote control. Good battery life that comfortably lasts a full day. Unusually long software support (7 years of Android updates).
• Cons: Very large and heavy (232g), which may be unwieldy. Very expensive (starting around $1,299 for 256GB). Charging speed is only 45W (slower than many rivals) and requires Samsung’s 45W adapter and cable for max rate. Software can feel bloated – many features are buried in menus (some reviewers call One UI “terrible” in its complexity). The screen, while bright, shows a slight grain at lowest brightness. Zoom shots at 10× and above still rely on digital processing, so they aren’t best-in-class (though the new 5× lens greatly helps).

Conclusion and Verdict

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is a cutting-edge flagship that packs almost every top-shelf feature into one device. Its performance, screen, and cameras are among the best you can buy in 2024. The addition of a titanium frame and improved camera processing makes it a worthy successor to the S23 Ultra. For power users who want the ultimate Android phone with S Pen input and maximum zoom capability, the S24 Ultra is hard to beat.

However, the Ultra is not for everyone. It’s a heavy, pocket-challenging handset that commands flagship pricing. If you prefer smaller or cheaper phones, or you live in the Apple ecosystem, the iPhone 15 Pro Max (with its efficient battery and iOS features) might be more appealing. If software updates and a cleaner interface matter most, the Pixel 8 Pro is a strong alternative at a lower price. Even the OnePlus 12 offers similar speed with a bigger battery at almost half the cost.

Final Verdict: The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is Samsung’s most feature-rich phone yet. We recommend it for tech enthusiasts, content creators, and professionals who will fully use its S Pen, multi-lens camera, and premium build. For those users, it is worth the upgrade. If you want an Android phone with the best display and camera flexibility, and don’t mind the size or cost, the S24 Ultra is a clear choice.