Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: A Detailed Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, released in 2024, is considered one of the best phones of the year. As the successor to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, it boasts exceptional performance, a versatile camera system, excellent battery life, and a rich Android experience. However, the question remains: is upgrading from the S23 Ultra worthwhile, and what are the key differences?

Design and Size: Subtle but Significant Changes

Both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the S23 Ultra maintain a similar overall design language. However, a notable distinction lies in the materials used. The S24 Ultra adopts a premium titanium frame, replacing the aluminum of its predecessor. This contributes to a more robust feel. Furthermore, the S24 Ultra features a completely flat display, unlike the S23 Ultra’s subtly curved screen. This makes the S24 Ultra appear more modern and utilitarian.

• Galaxy S24 Ultra: Titanium frame, flat display, sharper corners.
• Galaxy S23 Ultra: Aluminum frame, slightly curved display, more rounded sides.

While both phones feel excellent in hand, the brushed titanium finish of the S24 Ultra offers slightly improved grip. However, most users will likely use a protective case, minimizing the practical difference. Both phones retain the integrated S Pen and IP68 water and dust resistance rating.

The S24 Ultra color options include Titanium Yellow, Titanium Violet, Titanium Black, and Titanium Gray, with additional exclusive colors (Titanium Orange, Titanium Green, and Titanium Blue) available through Samsung.com. The S23 Ultra offers Lavender, Cream, Phantom Black, and Green, plus exclusive colors from Samsung.com.

Display Differences: Brighter and Better

Both phones share a 6.8-inch LTPO 3.0 AMOLED display with a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate. This ensures smooth, vibrant visuals. However, the S24 Ultra significantly outperforms its predecessor in peak brightness, reaching 2,600 nits. The S23 Ultra’s peak brightness is 1,750 nits.

• Galaxy S24 Ultra: 6.8-inch LTPO 3.0 AMOLED, 2,600 nits peak brightness.
• Galaxy S23 Ultra: 6.8-inch LTPO 3.0 AMOLED, 1,750 nits peak brightness.

This enhanced brightness on the S24 Ultra makes it considerably easier to read in direct sunlight. The improved Gorilla Glass Armor on the S24 Ultra also minimizes reflections for enhanced legibility outdoors.

Both models retain the in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and face unlock functionality.

Performance and Software: A Generational Leap

The Galaxy S24 Ultra utilizes the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy processor, a slightly enhanced version compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy found in the S23 Ultra. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 features a faster Cortex-X4 prime core (3.3GHz), improved high-performance cores, and an enhanced Adreno 750 GPU, offering notable gains in graphics performance, especially in ray-traced games.

• Galaxy S24 Ultra: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy.
• Galaxy S23 Ultra: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.

Benchmark tests show a clear performance advantage for the S24 Ultra. However, in everyday usage, the difference may be less noticeable, as both phones are incredibly responsive. The S24 Ultra offers 12GB of RAM across all storage configurations (256GB, 512GB, and 1TB), while the S23 Ultra offers 8GB or 12GB RAM depending on the storage option.

Both phones run One UI 7, but the S24 Ultra’s long-term software support is significantly better. Samsung guarantees seven years of OS updates for the S24 Ultra versus only four years for the S23 Ultra.

Camera: Significant Improvements

The camera systems of the two phones show significant differences. While both feature a quad-camera array, the S24 Ultra replaces the S23 Ultra’s 10X periscope telephoto lens with a 5X telephoto lens with a higher resolution sensor. Despite this change, both phones still offer 100X Space Zoom functionality.

• Galaxy S24 Ultra: 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3X telephoto, 50MP 5X periscope.
• Galaxy S23 Ultra: 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3X telephoto, 10MP 10X periscope.

The S24 Ultra’s main camera improvements come from enhanced software, leveraging AI for improved low-light performance ("Nightography"). Features like Magic Eraser, Generative Edits, and improved remastering capabilities are also incorporated. The S24 Ultra tends towards more natural image processing compared to the S23 Ultra’s potentially over-processed results.

Blind testing reveals that the S24 Ultra generally produces higher-quality images due to its improved image processing. While this results in less vivid and dynamic images in some scenarios, it produces more refined photographs.

Audio Quality and Haptics: Maintaining High Standards

The Galaxy S24 Ultra, like its predecessor, utilizes a dual-speaker setup. While a direct comparison hasn’t been fully performed, expectations are high given the S23 Ultra’s excellent audio quality. Haptic feedback remains equally impressive on both models, providing accurate and satisfying vibrations.

Battery Life and Charging: No Major Changes

The S24 Ultra maintains the same 5,000mAh battery capacity as the S23 Ultra. While battery life tests show minor variations depending on the usage scenario (better in video playback, slightly worse in web browsing on the S24 Ultra), the overall differences are negligible.

• Galaxy S24 Ultra: 5,000mAh battery, 45W wired, 15W wireless charging.
• Galaxy S23 Ultra: 5,000mAh battery, 45W wired, 15W wireless charging.

Charging speeds remain consistent at 45W wired and 15W wireless, with reverse wireless charging also supported. Neither phone includes a charger in the box.

Specs Comparison Table: A Detailed Overview

Summary: A Refined Masterpiece

The Galaxy S24 Ultra builds upon the already impressive foundation of the S23 Ultra, making incremental but meaningful improvements across the board. The upgraded processor, brighter display, and AI-enhanced camera system elevate the overall user experience. While the core design and functionality remain similar, the enhancements solidify Samsung’s position at the top of the Android flagship market. The long-term software support makes the S24 Ultra a worthwhile upgrade, especially for users who value longevity and sustained performance. Ultimately, the S24 Ultra refines nearly every aspect of its predecessor to create a truly superior experience.