Galaxy S24 Ultra: What to Expect
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is set to make its debut in early 2024, likely in late January or early February, with a market release expected two or three weeks later. Alongside the Galaxy S24 Plus and Galaxy S24, the Ultra version is the most intriguing device in Samsung’s upcoming flagship series.
While we don’t anticipate any major changes in hardware or functionality, Samsung has found its groove with the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S23 Ultra, so we can expect key improvements in all essential areas. Here’s everything we know so far:
Latest Galaxy S24 Ultra News
Galaxy S24 Ultra Release Date
The Samsung Galaxy S24 series is expected to be unveiled in late January or early February 2024, based on the majority of prior Galaxy flagship launches. We don’t anticipate Samsung to veer from this path and announce the premium flagship earlier or later than this period. The Galaxy S24 Ultra should hit the market two or three weeks after its announcement, either in late February or early March 2024.
| Device Family | Announcement | Market Release |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S24 | February, 2024* | February/March, 2024* |
| Galaxy S23 | February 1, 2023 | February 17, 2023 |
| Galaxy S22 | February 7, 2022 | February 25, 2023 |
| Galaxy S21 | January 14, 2021 | January 29, 2021 |
| Galaxy S20 | February 11, 2020 | March 6, 2020 |
* – probable dates
Galaxy S24 Ultra Price
The starting price for the Galaxy S24 Ultra is expected to be $1,199 for the 256GB version, $1,299 for the 512GB one, and $1,619 for the range-topping and super-premium 1TB version of the flagship. These prices are the same as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and we anticipate that they will remain set in stone.
| Phone Model | 256GB of Storage | 512GB of Storage | 1TB of Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S24 Ultra | $1199* | $1299* | $1619* |
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | $1199 | $1299 | $1619 |
* – anticipated prices
Galaxy S24 Ultra Camera
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is expected to feature a quad-camera setup, similar to its predecessor. The main camera will be accompanied by an ultra-wide and two telephoto lenses, including a periscope lens, providing the ultimate versatility in the Android flagship space.
Furthermore, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is rumored to feature the 200MP camera sensor that debuted with the Galaxy S23 Ultra. This sensor has a lot of untapped potential, and with Samsung’s hardware, software, and image processing improvements, it has the potential to become a super-performer.
With an f/1.7 aperture, OIS, 85-degree field of view, and Quad PD autofocus, the custom 200MP 1/1.13″ ISOCELL HP2 sensor has a lot to offer, and we are certain Samsung will rely on it for multiple upcoming flagship generations.
Galaxy S24 Ultra Storage
A proper flagship should have plenty of storage, even in the base version. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is expected to start at 256GB of internal storage, just like the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and also offer 512GB of storage, as well as a range-topping version with a whopping 1TB of storage. While the latter is quite expensive, it can definitely fit all the photos and videos you’ll take with the phone.
Galaxy S24 Ultra storage capacity:
- 256GB
- 512GB
- 1TB
Galaxy S24 Ultra Design
While there are no major design refresh rumors for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, we can expect some slight alterations and touch-ups. The Galaxy S24 Ultra will most likely carry a lot of resemblance with the previous Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra, featuring a super-premium Armor Aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 flagship with an S Pen on deck and a mostly flat design.
The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display is unlikely to grow in size or shrink to a smaller footprint, and we don’t anticipate any changes in the overall size of the phone.
In 2023, Samsung head-hunted the Chief Design Officer of Mercedes-Benz China, Hubert H. Lee, who will be head of Mobile Experience at Samsung. While he could theoretically introduce design changes to the flagship, we don’t expect a totally revamped design, as Samsung has definitely found its groove as far as its most advanced flagships look and feel like.
Galaxy S24 Ultra Display
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is expected to come with a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display, similar to its predecessors. However, we can expect an upgrade with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, as the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra used the same general display panel.
While Samsung Display’s best OLED panels are used by Apple in its latest iPhones, they are not used on the Galaxy S Ultra, which is counter-intuitive. Hopefully, we will see a much more capable Galaxy S24 Ultra display, outfitted with a 3080 x 1440-pixel panel with a rather decent 500ppi sharpness, 1-120Hz screen refresh rate for a buttery smooth visual experience and efficiency in select scenarios, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and the class-leading contrast, vibrancy, and overall color rendition that Samsung’s flagship phone displays are usually known for.
Galaxy S24 Ultra Display
Although Samsung has introduced phones with an under-display selfie camera, we don’t expect to see it on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The image quality is not comparable to regular selfie cameras yet. Therefore, we expect a punch-hole to grace the front of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, facilitating a front-facing camera. Another important element that will be attributed to the display is the under-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, which has been a staple of Samsung flagships for years and is now finally super-fast and accurate.
Galaxy S24 Ultra Battery
Is there a possibility for a larger battery on the Galaxy S24 Ultra in comparison with the 5,000mAh unit that’s found on the Galaxy S23 Ultra? Sure thing, though it’s a bit unlikely if the design is kept the same and the phone doesn’t grow in thickness. Of course, Samsung could resort to a battery cell with denser chemistry, but the manufacturer is probably already pushing it as far as possible. For all intents and purposes, we’d assume that the Galaxy S24 Ultra will also arrive with a 5,000mAh battery. Hopefully, the charging will get improved past the 45W fast charging solution that has been used by Samsung on a few flagship generations.
Galaxy S24 Ultra Features and Software
We expect that the Galaxy S24 Ultra will come with One UI 6 or One UI 6.x based on Android 14, which will get released in late summer 2023.
Galaxy S24 Ultra Hardware and Specs
Reports about the potential Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor that will be making the rounds in the next Galaxy flagship are already starting to accumulate. It appears that Samsung and Qualcomm will maintain their exclusive partnership for the upcoming Galaxy top flagship as well. Fortunately, there might not be an Exynos version of that one, which spells good news for all Exynos-naysayers out there. The chipset that will be exclusively powering the Galaxy S24 Ultra will be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. However, we expect Samsung to once again get the VIP treatment and score an exclusive and slightly overclocked version of that chipset, which will most likely have a slightly better performance than the “vanilla” version.
The jury is still out about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s configuration, with some reports claiming that a new layout could be adopted, one consisting of a single prime core, five performance cores, and two efficiency ones, which might improve performance in comparison with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Other reports claim that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will have a common core layout, with a single prime, four performance, and three efficiency cores.
On the topic of RAM and storage, we are likely getting two versions as well, with either 8 or 12GB of RAM depending on the storage version. The starting 256GB version of the phone will likely arrive with 8GB of memory, while the 512GB and 1TB versions might come with at least 12GB of RAM for all the multi-tasking needs one might have.
Should I Wait for Galaxy S24 Ultra?
- You should wait for Galaxy S24 Ultra if you have kept yourself from upgrading to the Galaxy S22 Ultra/Galaxy S23 Ultra and are rocking an aging Galaxy flagship. Think Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S10 Plus, or older. The Galaxy S24 Ultra will be a significant upgrade over these devices.
- You should not wait for Galaxy S24 Ultra if you already have a Galaxy S22 Ultra/Galaxy S23 Ultra or any other recent flagship device. The Galaxy S24 Ultra will not be a significant upgrade over these devices.
Is the Galaxy S24 Ultra Worth the Wait?
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year, and for good reason. Samsung has been known to push the boundaries of what’s possible with their flagship devices, and the S24 Ultra is expected to be no different. But is it worth the wait? Let’s take a closer look.
What We Know So Far
While Samsung has been tight-lipped about the specifics of the S24 Ultra, there are a few things we do know. For starters, it’s expected to have a massive 6.9-inch display, making it one of the largest smartphones on the market. It’s also rumored to have a powerful new processor, improved camera technology, and 5G connectivity.
Why You Should Wait
If you’re due for an upgrade and are in the market for a new smartphone, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is definitely worth considering. With its cutting-edge technology and impressive specs, it’s sure to be a top contender in the smartphone market.
Additionally, if you’re currently using an older Samsung device, such as the Galaxy S10 or S20, upgrading to the S24 Ultra will almost certainly give you a vast improvement in your overall phone experience.
When You Shouldn’t Wait
On the other hand, if you’ve just scored a flagship smartphone in the last two years and have no qualms about it, you may not need to upgrade just yet. As flagship smartphones have peaked long ago and the overall new tech adoption has somewhat slowed down, upgrading every two years is no longer necessary. Thus, if you have a fairly recent phone that does the job for you just fine, it’s somewhat unlikely that the Galaxy S24 Ultra will be the second coming of the Christ.
Conclusion
Overall, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is shaping up to be an impressive device that’s definitely worth considering if you’re in the market for a new smartphone. However, if you’re currently using a fairly recent flagship device, you may not need to upgrade just yet. As always, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons and make an informed decision based on your individual needs and preferences.