The Galaxy S24 Plus and S24 incorporate some of Apple and Google’s best innovations, propelling them into the AI era. The flat-edge design is unmistakably iPhone, while the AI technology is predominantly Google. The software, for better or worse, is entirely Samsung. However, neither phone offers the best of all worlds. And, while it’s tempting to label them better Google phones than the Pixel, I don’t think that’s entirely accurate.
The gap between standard models and the Ultra is bigger than previously, but the benefits of upgrading to the Ultra do not seem more enticing. Yes, you get a larger, better screen, more zoom, and a S Pen, like you always do. However, much of the Ultra’s strengths stem from capabilities shared with lower-cost devices.
This includes all the highly advertised Galaxy AI functions, such as generative photo editing, live language translation during phone calls, and automatic recording summaries. They’re occasionally excellent and sometimes odd, as are most AI systems. But, overall, they do more good than harm, and it’s wonderful to know that my phone can interpret a call with someone who speaks Spanish if necessary. For all of Samsung’s software peculiarities, that is something the Pixel 8 Pro — or any other phone, for that matter — cannot currently do.
GALAXY S24 VS THE GALAXY S24 PLUS: SPECS COMPARISON
The Galaxy S24’s amazing screen, high-performance hardware, and Ultra-rivaling AI features make it an excellent pick for fans of tiny phones. The Galaxy S24 Plus has a crisper display, longer battery life, and more RAM than its smaller sibling, but you’ll only see the differences if you look closely.
It’s no secret that the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best Samsung phone money can buy. Still, if you don’t want to spend a small fortune on what is, too much phone for most people, the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus are well worth considering instead. But which of the two phones is better? Our comprehensive verdict on both handsets can be found in our Samsung Galaxy S24 and Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus reviews. Still, this guide directly compares the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus’ specifications, features, and performance.
For more head-to-head Samsung content, check out our Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus versus Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comparison, as well as our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra comparison.
CAMERA
The Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus cameras are similar (as are their camera gimmicks). Both devices keep their predecessors’ 50MP wide lens (f/1.8), 12MP ultra-wide lens (f/2.2), 10MP telephoto lens (f/2.4, 3x optical zoom), and 12MP selfie camera (f/2.2).
That is not necessarily a negative; the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus produce consistently bright, detailed, and natural-looking photographs, while the camera-focused Galaxy S24 Ultra provides far more photographic options.
Both phones have the same AI-powered photography capabilities, allowing you to re-compose and remaster photographs. Generative Edit uses generative AI to fill in areas of an image’s backdrop. Edit Suggestion leverages Galaxy AI to recommend appropriate photo edits. Super HDR provides lifelike previews before the shutter is even pressed, while Instant Slow-mo can generate extra frames to enhance detail in films. In other words, the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus are tied to camera performance.
DESIGN AND DISPLAY
Despite the latter’s greater size, the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus are similar phones, at least in appearance. The Galaxy S24 measures 147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm and weighs 167g, while the Galaxy S24 Plus is 158.5 x 75.9 x 7.7mm and weighs 196g. The former features a 6.2-inch AMOLED display, and the latter has a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED display.
Both phones have somewhat thinner bezels, slightly flatter corners, and more durable Armor Aluminum frames than their predecessors. However, the design changes aren’t as striking as those found on the titanium-clad Galaxy S24 Ultra. For the most part, both are classic-looking Samsung phones, and your preference for one over the other will most likely be determined by whether you favor small or large-screen handsets.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus colors are Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Sandstone Orange, Sapphire Blue, and Jade Green. The final three hues are exclusive to the Samsung shop.
The sharpness of the Galaxy S24 Plus’s 6.7-inch display distinguishes it from its smaller counterpart. In terms of sharpness and detail, the larger phone’s WQHD+ screen is comparable to the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s. In contrast, the Galaxy S24 has an FHD+ screen that is still brilliantly vibrant and bright, but the Galaxy S24 Plus is objectively superior in this aspect.
Both phones, however, have the same 2,600-nit peak brightness and enhanced outdoor visibility thanks to Samsung’s Vision Booster function. Their refresh rates are also the same, with 1-120Hz (rather than 48-120Hz for the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus).
HOW’S THE PERFORMANCE?
The performance specifications of the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus are comparable but not identical. Both smartphones use either Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset or Samsung’s own Exynos 2400 chipset, and the chipset you get depends on where you reside.
In previous years, this chipset difference resulted in some countries receiving better Samsung phones than others, however in the case of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Exynos 2400, we believe the performance variations are minor.
App-based multitasking and heavy-duty video recording will not be an issue on either the Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Plus, however the latter does come with 12GB RAM as standard (rather than 8GB RAM), thus the Galaxy S24 Plus is somewhat more capable of the two phones when comparing basic models. In layman’s terms, the more RAM a phone has, the better it performs in resource-intensive applications.
In terms of gaming, both the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus enable ray tracing, thus neither phone would be out of place on our list of the top gaming phones. Again, the Galaxy S24 Plus’s superior 12GB RAM capacity should result in somewhat better gaming performance for that smartphone. Both phones use the same software, Android 14 with the latest version of Samsung’s One UI on top. As a result, both phones have the same Galaxy AI functions, including real-time text and call translation and generative photo editing.
In terms of how long each device is supported, Samsung has pledged to seven years of OS updates and seven years of security patches for all Galaxy S24 phones, so that’s a plus as well.
GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S24 FOR:
- The more compact form factor.
- The lesser price.
GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S24 PLUS FOR:
- QHD display resolution and a larger screen size.
- All storage configurations feature 12GB of RAM.
- 45W rapid charging.
- Ultra-wideband (UWB) support
