Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. S23 Ultra

S24 Ultra gets a titanium build and a slew of AI features

By
Molly McLaughlin
Molly McLaughlin
Molly McLaughlin
Senior Editor & Content Strategist
    Molly K. McLaughlin has been a technology editor and writer for over a dozen years. She runs product reviews for Lifewire, overseeing the process from hands-on testing to publishing.
    lifewire's editorial guidelines
    Published on January 26, 2024

    We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

    Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra is the company's latest flagship smartphone and has a lot to offer. The most prominent updates are related to Artificial intelligence (AI), which is unsurprising since AI seems to be seeping into everything. (Software, search, writing, etc.)

    It also has a few camera upgrades and the promise of seven years of software and security updates, which is a big deal for sustainability and consumer costs since it will likely cause people to upgrade their smartphones less frequently, even if it's not every seven years.

    So who should buy this? If you're ready for an upgrade, it's a great choice. But it's not a must-buy unless you're super into the new AI features.

    Features: S24 Ultra Gets Some Design Upgrades

    Like the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, the S24 Ultra features a titanium build. It also has Corning's new Gorilla Armor cover material, offering extra protection against wear and tear and a rich display even in bright sunlight.

    Most other specs are the same or similar, including the S Pen, which did not receive an update.

    Features

    Galaxy S24 Ultra

    • 6.8-inch display

    • 6.40 x 3.11 x 0.34 in, 8.22oz

    • Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

    • Android 14, One UI 6.1 (shipped)

    • 7 years of OS and security updates

    • 12GB RAM

    • 256GB, 512GB, 1TB storage options

    • $1300 starting price at release

    • Released January 2024

    Galaxy S23 Ultra

    • 6.8-inch display

    • 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in, 8.25oz

    • Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

    • Android 13, One UI 6 (shipped)

    • 4 years of OS and security updates

    • 8GB or 12GB RAM

    • 256GB, 512GB, 1TB storage options

    • $1200 starting price at release

    • Released February 2023

    S24 Ultra Snapshot: What's New

    Samsung announced Galaxy AI will be incorporated into the S24 series of smartphones, including messaging, notes, web browsing, and photo editing.

    Galaxy AI

    • Circle to Search with Google
    • Live Translate: Translates text messages, phone calls and more
    • Chat & Note Assist. Helps when drafting messages and notes by adapting to your writing style and tone
    • Transcript Assist. Transcribe and format recordings from the voice recorder app
    • Browsing Assist. When using Samsung Internet, Galaxy AI can summarize and translate search page results and web pages
    • Generative Edit. AI-powered photo editing
    • Instant Slow-mo for video. Long press and hold the screen to review footage frame by frame

    Cameras: S24 Ultra Gets AI Assistance

    The S24 Ultra's camera gets boosted with features like Magic Eraser and Generative Edits. The phone will even suggest photo edits; making them happen is much easier with AI.

    Galaxy S24 Ultra Cameras

    • 200MP Wide

    • 12MP Ultra Wide

    • 10MP telephoto with 3x Zoom

    • 50MP telephoto with 5x Zoom

    • 12MP Front

    Galaxy S23 Ultra Cameras

    • 200MP Wide

    • 12MP Ultra Wide

    • 10MP telephoto with 3x zoom

    • 10MP telephoto with 10x zoom

    • 12MP Front

    Final Thoughts: Is Artificial Intelligence Enough?

    The Galaxy S24 isn't enough of a dramatic update to upgrade from an S23 unless you want to get your hands on these AI features now. It's worth considering if you have an older phone running out of software updates, though you would also do well with an S23 Ultra, especially if you can get a deal through your wireless carrier. If you love the S Pen, it remains unchanged, so you won't miss out if you buy an S23 Ultra.

    Was this page helpful?