Samsung recently released its latest Galaxy S24 series flagship smartphones that offer better performance and camera optics. We got an opportunity to try out the Galaxy S24 base model, and here are our thoughts about the device.
Design
The Galaxy S24 features a design that is similar to that of its predecessor models. The dimensions of the S24 are 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm, and the device weighs 167g. The smartphone comes in Cobalt Violet, Onyx Black, Marble Gray, and Amber Yellow. We received the latter color option for review.
Samsung also upgraded the display with a slightly larger 6.2-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display. The screen panel offers a resolution of 1080 x 2340, and the refresh rate is 120 Hz. The display features 2600 nits of peak brightness, which should help during outdoor usage. The inclusion of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the main display means the screen is resistant to accidental catches and bumps. There is also a punch-hole camera on the top side of the front screen and an under-display fingerprint scanner on the bottom side of the panel.
The Galaxy S24 features a newly designed aluminum frame that resembles the latest iPhone 15 series. Samsung claims that the Armor Aluminum 2 is resistant to accidental drops and scratches. The volume rocker and the power button are located on the right side, along with the USB-C port and the SIM slot on the bottom. There are microphone holes on the top and bottom sides, too.
The rear side of the S24 features a glass panel, which is also protected with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Samsung has introduced an island-less design to mount the three cameras on the rear side.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S24 features different chipsets, based on where they are sold. Our review sample is based on the UAE editions, featuring the 10-core Exynos 2400 SoC. This Samsung chipset is manufactured using the 4nm process and consists of one Cortex X4 core, clocked at 3210 MHz speeds, two Cortex A720 cores, clocked at 2900 MHz speeds, another three Cortex A720 cores that are clocked at 2600 MHz speeds, and four Cortex A520 cores, clocked at 1950 MHz speeds. The chipset is also focused on gaming, thanks to the integrated Xclipse 940 GPU, which is based on AMD’s RDNA3 GPU architecture. Samsung claims that the chipset is also designed to handle ray-tracing games on smartphones.
The S24 also houses 8GB of RAM to support the SoC and handle multitasking and gaming. Samsung offers the S24 in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, and the device uses UFS 4.0 flash memory, except for the 128GB model which uses UFS 3.1 flash memory. The smartphone runs on the latest Android 14 OS, with the inclusion of Samsung’s One UI 6.1 optimizations. During our usage, the S24 performed excellently throughout for both gaming and casual usage. The addition of the 120 Hz display is a bonus for smooth animations and gaming.
We ran some benchmarks that include the Antutu v10, 3DMark tests such as Wildlife, Slingshot, Solar Bay, along with Geekbench 6 CPU and GPU tests. Take a look at the scores below.
Benchmarks
The smartphone also comes with a 4000 mAh battery that has support for 25W fast wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and a modest 4.5W reverse wireless charging. We ran the PC Mark Work 3.0 battery test, which runs the test from 100% battery capacity until the battery percentage reaches 20% capacity. The Galaxy S24 lasted for 12 hours and 41 minutes, with another 20% battery capacity still available. Other features include AKG-tuned stereo speakers, WiFI 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and support for Display Port 1.2 via OTG.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S24 features a total of three cameras on its rear side. The main camera houses a 50MP 1/1.56″ sensor with f/1.8 as its aperture. The second camera consists of a 10MP camera that is used for telephoto shots, along with a f/2.4 lens. The third camera features a 12MP camera with f/2.2 lens for ultrawide shots. Users will benefit from the OIS and will be able to capture 8K videos up to 30fps, 4K videos up to 60fps, and 1080p videos up to 120fps. The front camera comes with a 12MP sensor with support for 4K videos up to 60fps. We took some sample shots of different focal lengths, in both day and night. Take a look at the image samples below.
Day-Time Samples
Night-Time Samples
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S24 is a good choice for those looking to upgrade their existing Samsung S-series devices. The device has a thickness of 7.6mm and weighs only 167g. Samsung also introduced a newly designed aluminum frame, which is more resistant to drops and scratches. The 6.2-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display is capable of showcasing 1080 x 2340 resolution, 2600 nits of peak brightness, and 120Hz refresh rate.
The S24 runs on the latest Exynos 2400 SoC, a 10-core chip processor, along with the integrated Xclipse 940 GPU, which is based on AMD’s RDNA 3 gaming architecture. The smartphone also runs on the latest Android 14 OS with One UI 6.1, and the performance is excellent. There are three cameras on the rear side, with the main camera featuring a 50MP sensor, with support for 8K 30fps and 4K 60fps recording. The 4000 mAh battery is capable of lasting throughout the day, and the device has support for 25W fast wired charging and 15W fast wireless charging.
