Samsung Galaxy S24 Series First Impressions: The New Kings of Android?

While generative AI takes centre stage with the Galaxy S24 series, there are several hardware updates that could make these some of the most exciting smartphones of the year, particularly the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Importantly, as always, there is a Galaxy to suit every size preference, so read on for our first impressions of the Galaxy S24 line.

The design of each of these three phones is largely similar to that of their predecessors from the last two years. However, this doesn't mean there are no improvements. In fact, aesthetically speaking, these devices are wonderful.

The use of titanium isn't the only thing that adds visual pizzazz to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Samsung has introduced some flamboyance as well, with dual-tone finishes. Unlike the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the use of titanium doesn't make the Galaxy S24 Ultra feel noticeably lighter than its predecessor. Now, I didn’t have an S23 Ultra on hand to make a direct comparison, but then again the iPhone 14 Pro Max was abnormally hefty so perhaps Apple was making a correction while Samsung focused more on aesthetics.

The screen also receives an upgrade, now featuring something called Gorilla Glass Armor, which is the result of Samsung's new collaboration with Corning for the Galaxy S24 series.

The screen, as always, is gorgeous to behold—with 2600 nits of brightness and a 120Hz peak refresh rate. It is claimed to be 40 percent brighter than its predecessor under direct sunlight, and I am sure it will be among the best.

The cameras have modest updates, which I will share more about in the full review of this phone. What I can tell you now is that the telephoto camera has a bigger sensor, which can take in more light. Presumably, it will attempt to challenge the newly established supremacy of the Vivo X100 Pro.

The user interfaces of all three phones felt fluid. Now, while this is to be expected from top-tier flagships, the Galaxy S24 models all feel extra smooth. Samsung is not world-renowned for UI fluidity, but for the first time in 13 years of covering the Galaxy S series, this phone didn’t just feel fast—it felt as fast as a Pixel. Samsung clearly has put in some work on the user experience, which is laudable.

Of course the big news here is the Galaxy AI suite of apps—offering features like Generative Fill, Live Translator, Interpreter, Notes, Chat AI, Keyboard AI, and Transcriber. These features run on the device and even work in Hindi, which will be amazing for Indian customers.

There are a raft of hardware updates too, like the new processors which are the brains behind the brawn of these S24 devices. They get bigger batteries and also refined security features as part of Samsung’s Knox framework.

The standard Galaxy S24 remains my favourite from a design perspective due to its more compact size. In contrast, the S24+ finds itself in no-man's land. It neither has the titanium body of the Ultra nor the manageable form that appeals to people who don’t like big phones. Both these models have matte finishes on their back panels, which makes them easy to use on a daily basis. All in all, these are looking like significant enough updates to the Galaxy S series.

Right now, it is not clear which variants are coming to India—whether it is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-based ones, Exynos 2400-based ones, or a combination of both, as has been rumoured. The latest leaks suggest the Ultra will be based on Qualcomm’s silicon, while the Galaxy S24 and S24+ in India will be based on the Exynos chip that Samsung manufactures itself.

Disclaimer: Samsung paid for the writer’s travel and stay in San Jose for Galaxy Unpacked 2024