Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus Review
The Plus model of Samsung’s smartphones has always served to fill that sweet spot between the base handset and the premium Ultra model. Given the role it needs to play, it can be neither too premium or too entry-level, so how do you mix things up to help the Plus model stand out?
Samsung’s answer to this with the Galaxy S24 Plus is AI, and in our review we’ll take you through the impact that artificial intelligence has had on the S24 Plus, as well as its design, performance, and more.
Experience the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus for yourself, with a diverse range of styles and storage sizes to choose from.
Release date
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus was released on 31st January 2024.
Specs
• Dimensions: 75.9 x 158.5 x 7.7mm
• Weight: 196g
• Display: 6.7” AMOLED; 2600 nit peak brightness
• Resolution: 3120 x 1440
• Refresh rate: Dynamic 1-120Hz
• CPU: Exynos 2400
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 256GB / 512GB
• OS: Android 14
• Rear cameras: 50MP wide; 12MP ultra-wide; 10MP telephoto
• Front camera: 12MP
• Battery: 4900 mAh
• Charging: 45W Super-Fast Charging; Fast wireless charging; Wireless Powershare
• Material: Armoured Aluminium frame; Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• Water and dust resistance: IP68
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6e; Bluetooth 5.3; 5G
Design
Much like its other two sibling handsets – the base S24 and S24 Ultra - the Galaxy S24 Plus possess a design language that is sharper and less sleek than previous Galaxy phones. This primarily comes from how flat the device is, with no curved edges to speak of. Whilst some will prefer the rounded look of preceding handsets, we found ourselves appreciating how much the Galaxy S24 Plus’ sharp appearance helps it visually stand out.
Where the Galaxy S24 Plus and S24 Ultra deviate in design is the materials they’re made from. The S24 Ultra marked a shift from aluminium to titanium on the premium models, whereas the S24 Plus sticks with the Enhanced Armour Aluminium that has protected Galaxy phones for several years. Given how effective this aluminium shell is against bumps and scratches – supported by Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and IP68 for even greater protection - you can carry the S24 Plus around with confidence.
In terms of weight, the Galaxy S24 Plus also sits firmly in the middle between the base S24 and S24 Ultra at 196g. Slightly less bulky than the Ultra model, the S24 Plus is the more suitable option as a travelling companion, particularly if you don’t need the very best specs available.
Display
Quite impressively, Samsung kept the S24 Plus and S24 Ultra closely aligned in the display department, rather than creating a wider gap. For those wanting a mid-range phone instead of a premium handset this is great news, giving you a fantastic viewing experience at a more budget-friendly price.
The display in question on the S24 Plus is a 6.7” AMOLED screen, equipped with an adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 3120x1440. Words fail to do this display justice; it is a stunner. The high pixel count ensures that every detail pops, whether you’re playing a game or watching a film. It’s important to remember that this is an OLED panel, too, so you’re getting fantastic colour levels and contrasts that rival some of the best displays we’ve reviewed.
Another area of the S24 Plus’ display that shares parity with the S24 Ultra is in brightness. Both share a nit count of 2600, and the higher the nit count, the greater the luminosity of the display. This has a two-fold effect: vastly improved vibrancy of colours, and better visibility when viewing the screen in heavily lit areas such as outdoors.
Performance
Instead of including a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip like you’d find on the S24 Ultra, Samsung opted for their own proprietary chipset on the Galaxy S24 Plus in the UK: the Exynos 2400. Whilst this processor doesn’t quite match up to the speeds made possible by the Snapdragon chip, it more than pulled its weight in a series of demanding tasks, such as games, swapping between apps and general browsing.
Performance on the S24 Plus is supported by a sizeable amount of RAM; 12GB to be precise. This is significant, as it gives the Exynos 2400 a tangible boost by taking some of the workload off its silicone shoulders and freeing up processing power for other tasks.
As a mid-range phone, we found ourselves pretty impressed by the performance capabilities of the Galaxy S24 Plus. It won’t push 4K mobile gaming or intense productivity tasks, nor is it designed to, but if you want a phone that can handle 1080p HD games with processing power to spare, the Galaxy S24 Plus certainly excels.
Software & features
The star of the show throughout the S24 series is artificial intelligence, and it features prominently on the Galaxy S24 Ultra to provide enhanced productivity and ease-of-use.
As a personal assistant in your pocket, the S24 Ultra includes AI-powered features like Note Assist and Transcript Assist. Whether you want a breakdown of an article or to take minutes in a meeting, these features utilise Galaxy AI to take these jobs off your hands. There’s also Live Translate for easy conversations with anyone speaking a different language, transforming the S24 Plus into your own virtual translator.
We were particularly impressed by Circle to Search; draw your finger around a subject and the on-board Galaxy AI will present a search result for it. It taps into the core appeal of AI as a means of making tasks easier to perform, and to see it working so intuitively is a joy.
AI also finds its way into the S24 Plus’ operating system, Android 14. This iteration of Google’s OS introduced AI-generated wallpapers, unlocking a vast range of possibilities for creating custom backgrounds to suit your tastes. Like with many of the Galaxy S24 Plus’ AI features, it feels tailor-made for the smartphone experience and never impedes day-to-day use.
Cameras
There’s a rich dynasty of Samsung phone cameras to choose from, so how does the Galaxy S24 Plus fair among this pantheon? With Galaxy AI and a trio of powerful rear cameras, it’s incredibly easy to take stunning photos.
The cameras in question include a 50MP wide lens, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 10MP telephoto camera, and a final 12MP wide selfie lens. These cameras on their own are superb and can capture scenes with incredible detail, but the inclusion of AI takes mobile photography to another level. The AI-powered 30x Space Zoom secured our attention, providing the ability to take long-distance shots without the loss in detail that can occur at those ranges. These images can then be edited with Photo Assist to remove any background or foreground detail that isn’t needed, all aided by Galaxy AI.
Compared to the S23 Plus, the addition of Galaxy AI makes a monumental difference to the photos you can produce. For that reason, the Galaxy S24 Plus should be strongly considered if you want those super-intelligent tools at your disposal.
Battery
To power all of these AI features, Samsung included a 4900mAh battery in the Galaxy S24 Plus; a move which deserves praise for two reasons. Firstly, the capacity here is sizeable for a mid-range device, and is only 100mAh less than the battery on the Ultra model. Secondly, the S24 Plus represents a continual growth in capacity stretching back to the S22 Plus’ 4500mAh and the S23 Plus’ 4700mAh, so if you have one of these older handsets, you can expect to see a difference in battery life.
On the recharging front, the S24 Plus also supports 45W Super-Fast Charging with a cable and fast wireless charging when connected to a charge pad.
Summary
There’s a lot to love about Samsung’s offering with the Galaxy S24 Plus, from its powerful AI tools, improved battery life and exquisite AMOLED display. If a mid-range phone with premium quality throughout is what you’re after, the S24 Plus is a top recommendation indeed.
Picking up the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus, like with any new handset, can mean moving large amounts of data across from your old device. Check out our step-by-step guide for expert advice on completing this process with ease.