Given Samsung’s commitment to support its 2024 Galaxy S lineup with software updates, the decision between this year’s flagship and last year’s top-tier handset is more relevant than ever. This is leading many to consider the more affordable Galaxy S23. While the S23 will likely meet their needs, is it worth splurging a bit for the Galaxy S24?
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Over the past few generations, Samsung has made subtle changes to its base Galaxy S24 and Plus variant, but this year brings some more significant updates.
The S24 features slight yet notable design changes, a slightly larger and brighter display, updated camera processing, and improved battery life. How do these enhancements translate to real-world usage, and do they provide a significant advantage over the S23? Let’s delve deeper into the details below.
You can compare the complete specifications or continue reading our detailed analysis below.
Size comparison
Comparing dimensions and weight, both devices are nearly identical, with the S24 being slightly taller but slimmer. This difference is largely due to its 0.1-inch larger display.
Despite the increase in screen size, Samsung managed to reduce bezels, resulting in a nearly identical footprint with a larger display. The 0.1-inch difference is minimal and may not have a significant impact.
Design-wise, the S24 boasts a flat side frame, in contrast to the slightly rounded frame on the S23. Personal preference will determine whether you prefer the change, but it’s worth noting that the S24 comes with an upgraded Aluminum Armor 2 frame, which is said to be more durable.
Display comparison
Aside from the slight difference in display size (6.2″ vs. 6.1″ in favor of the S24), the S24’s display offers an incremental upgrade over its predecessor. The new panel reaches around 1,400 nits in our tests, with peak brightness exceeding 2,000 nits during HDR playback. In comparison, the Galaxy S23 achieves 1,200 nits and 1,700 nits, respectively.
To the untrained eye, these differences may not be very noticeable, but the extra 200 nits could be beneficial on a bright, sunny day outdoors.
Key features like HDR10+ support and 120Hz refresh rate remain, with the latter receiving enhancements. The new LTPO panel supports more refined refresh rate control, potentially leading to improved energy efficiency. The video playback performance may reflect this, but we’ll dive into that in more detail later.
Battery life
While the battery upgrade is modest, from 3,900 to 4,000 mAh, the Galaxy S23 boasts a higher Active Use Score due to extended video playback time. However, there is a significant decrease in the call time score.
While the overall score favors the Galaxy S24, some users may prefer the Galaxy S23 if they prioritize long phone conversations. On the other hand, multimedia enthusiasts may lean towards the S24 for its superior performance in that regard.
Charging speed
Unfortunately, there’s no improvement in charging speed, with the vanilla Galaxy S24 still supporting 25W fast charging via the Power Delivery standard. Both devices charge at a relatively slow pace compared to some competitors, requiring approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes for a full charge.
Speakers test
Surprisingly, there’s a noticeable change in the speaker setup this year. While the S24 is louder, it lacks bass compared to the Galaxy S23, which offers a fuller, warmer sound quality thanks to its bass.
Performance
Whether you opt for the Exynos 2400-powered version or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 variant, you can expect a significant performance boost compared to the Galaxy S23.
In both single-core and multi-core scenarios, the Exynos 2400 outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 by around 14% and 26%, respectively.
In combined workloads, the Galaxy S24 maintains a performance lead over the Galaxy S23, boasting a 16% increase according to AnTuTu 10 benchmarks.
The memory options remain consistent – starting at 8GB/128GB for the base configuration and expanding up to 8GB/512GB. The Galaxy S24 offers an additional 12GB/256GB option.
Camera comparison
While the Galaxy S24 and S23 share similar camera hardware, the newer model promises enhanced processing capabilities due to improvements in the image signal processor (ISP). There are noticeable differences in camera output, but determining the superior approach can be subjective.
For example, the Galaxy S23 tends to produce brighter exposure, vibrant colors, and artificial sharpness, resulting in cleaner-looking photos. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 opts for a more natural, warm aesthetic, with noticeably less noise in telephoto shots.
Samsung Galaxy S24 daylight samples: 0.6x • 1x • 3x
Samsung Galaxy S23 daylight samples: 0.6x • 1x • 3x
The differences extend to low-light photography as well. The Galaxy S23 can sometimes oversaturate images with added sharpness, leading to visible noise in some areas. On the contrary, the Galaxy S24 maintains a more natural approach, although the images may appear slightly soft.
Samsung Galaxy S24 low-light samples: 0.6x • 1x • 3x
Samsung Galaxy S23 low-light samples: 0.6x • 1x • 3x
Video recording quality
Similar distinctions can be observed in video processing. The main camera on the S24 produces slightly softer footage with a narrower dynamic range but richer colors compared to the S23.
The ultrawide camera processing on the S24 is notably better.
While the telephoto cameras deliver almost identical video quality, the S24’s footage exhibits a touch more contrast.
Samsung Galaxy S24 video samples: 0.6x • 1x • 3x
Samsung Galaxy S23 video samples: 0.6x • 1x • 3x
Verdict
The decision between the Galaxy S23 and S24 is a close one. The upgrades, while noticeable, may not justify the €200 price difference. The Galaxy S24 appeals to users favoring a more natural camera style, extended
