The regular Samsung Galaxy S24, of all the S24 series, likely received the fewest generational upgrades over its direct predecessor, making determining whether an upgrade is warranted more difficult to determine. The decision becomes even tougher if you’re torn between this latest Galaxy S and last year’s standard Galaxy S23, which has received a year’s worth of improvements and price cuts, making it a contender.
Samsung’s standard-variant flagships (not Plus or Ultra variants) attempt to provide small performance in a market saturated with super-sized high-end phones. Since the firm separated the line into different sizes in 2016, the Galaxy S has delivered on this promise.
As with prior generations, non-Plus/Ultra Galaxy S phones often adopt more limited networking, storage, and charging speeds, which is true here. But if you’re staring at your S23 and wondering what, if anything, you’re losing out on, or if you want to spend your money on one of these two capable Galaxy S phones, read on for an in-depth comparison.
GALAXY S24 VS THE GALAXY S23: SPECS COMPARISON
The big boost between generations here is Galaxy AI, but the S24 also follows in its predecessor’s footsteps by packing a lot of power into a small package. More compact than the S24 with comparable ergonomics, but the previous year’s performance and a smaller battery may diminish its value in the eyes of some. With Samsung extending its software support guarantee for the 2024 Galaxy S series, the debate over whether to buy this year’s flagship or last year’s top-tier handset is more pertinent than ever. That is why many people may be considering the cheaper Galaxy S23.
There’s little that distinguishes the S24 from its predecessor since both versions offer a comparable design, user experience, camera, and battery life. There are obvious areas where the newer model stands out, such as Samsung’s newer generation CPU and substantially longer-lasting software promise, but beyond that, the distinctions are based on taste rather than prowess.
Perhaps the S23’s slightly smaller size and more comfortable ergonomics appeal to you, or the S24’s entire suite of new AI functions piques your interest. When it comes to money, the Galaxy S23 has had plenty of time to reduce in price, making it a notable bargain in early 2024. However, you get more for the S24’s higher asking price, not only because of the increased performance due to the newer chip but also because of Samsung’s enhanced update promise. You’re getting a superb compact flagship regardless but for different reasons.
CAMERA
The Galaxy S24 retains the same camera system as the Galaxy S23, with a main 50MP sensor, 10MP telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide. This is the same setup as the previous Samsung Galaxy S22.
Both handsets’ main lenses are versatile and perform well in a variety of lighting circumstances, with our Mobile Editor, Lewis Painter, commenting that the S23 “uses the 50MP sensor and f/1.8 aperture to squeeze every little bit of light and detail from low-light environments.” The biggest difference between the two cameras is not the hardware, but the presence of Galaxy AI, which is only available on the S24.
Galaxy AI contains a variety of functions that use AI to improve the user experience of your phone, including photo editing. For example, you can effortlessly eliminate distractions or items from a photo, and Galaxy AI will generate an appropriate fill.
DESIGN AND DISPLAY
Just like Apple rounded the straight sides of the iPhone 14 (and the 13 before it) for the iPhone 15 series, Samsung did the same with the S24, but in the other direction.
Aesthetically, the transition to a matte surface from the S23’s polished and rounded edges is beneficial for minimizing fingerprints, but in a side-by-side comparison, the S23 has superior ergonomics. While this may be a poor trade-off for some, the S24 does have a more durable Armor Aluminum frame, which its creator claims is 10% stronger than the S23’s. In addition, there are seven Samsung Galaxy S24 colors to choose from, compared to six for the S23.
Beyond the ergonomics and polish of the frames, the designs of both Galaxy S phones are comparable. The gadgets have a frosted glass rear with a triple vertically aligned “floating camera” system, as well as IP68-certified dust and water protection. While both remain powerful, compact flagships, there is still the issue of display size to address.
The S23 is a modest phone by modern standards, with a 6.1-inch display, although the S24 has a slightly larger screen at 6.2 inches. The difference in total size is barely evident, and few other high-end phones come close to the Galaxy S’s pocketable dimensions.
Screen technology stays substantially unaltered, with a Full HD+ resolution “Dynamic AMOLED 2x” panel and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. However, whereas the S23’s screen has a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the S24’s can get as low as 1Hz, making it more power efficient. In terms of brightness, the S23’s High Brightness option produces 1,200 nits, while the S24’s full-panel brightness reaches 1,500 nits. Peak brightness increases from 1,750 nits on the S23 to a stunning 2,600 nits on the S24, making the newer model’s panel more energy-efficient and easier to see, especially in brighter outside lighting.
HOW’S THE PERFORMANCE?
The S24 chipset difference may have subtle implications for image processing, but the regional divide of Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered Galaxy S24 in markets such as the United States versus Samsung Exynos 2400-powered phones in the United Kingdom and Europe introduces discrepancies that make a direct comparison with the S23’s sole Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset a little more complicated.
If you’re in the United States, upgrading from the S23’s 8 Gen 2 to the S24’s 8 Gen 3 will result in overall improvements. The Exynos has worse graphical performance but higher power efficiency in specific tasks than its Snapdragon cousin.
It also outperforms the 8 Gen 2 in artificial testing, with a Geekbench 6 multicore score of 6,607 to the S23’s score of 5,437.
Both phones begin with 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage, which progresses to quicker and more power-efficient UFS 4.0 storage in 256GB and 512GB capacities. However, that top specification applies to the S24 series and, specifically, Australia.
While both phones offer a similar-looking user experience in Samsung’s One UI interface, the S24 is one year newer, operating on the most recent major Android release (at the time of writing), Android 14.
What truly distinguishes the S23 and S24 is the newer Galaxy S’s amazing update promise: it outperforms the S23’s already impressive four years of operating system and five years of security upgrades, promising a whopping seven generations of both. From a value aspect, the S24 provides far greater assistance than its predecessor.
GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S24 FOR:
- The screen is slightly brighter, and you may regulate the refresh rate more precisely.
- The screen is somewhat larger and has reduced bezels.
- The longer the video playback time.
- Louder speakers.
- The more realistic camera rendition.
- The fastest chipset.
- The Galaxy AI comes with several functions out of the box.
GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S24 FOR:
- Longer call times.
- Better-tuned speakers.
- The camera produces clearer and more vivid images.
- The pricing is substantially lower.
