For those who crave a smartphone that’s easy to operate with one hand and slips effortlessly into even the shallowest of pockets, the smallest model in Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S series has always been a favorite.
Personally, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with these petite Galaxy handsets over the years.
I’ve been rocking the Galaxy S20 since its launch, and while I absolutely adore its compact nature and the way it nestles perfectly in my palm, my larger-than-average hands often lead to frustrating typos and inadvertent taps when typing on the smaller screen.
It’s one of the most annoying aspects of using an otherwise fantastic little phone.
But despite these minor annoyances, I’ve stubbornly clung to my trusty S20 for the past four years. That’s because, quite frankly, the new Galaxy releases haven’t exactly blown my mind with groundbreaking features or improvements compelling enough to make me ditch my tried-and-true compact companion.
This year, however, the Samsung Galaxy S24 might just change all that. After spending a couple of weeks with the S24, I can confidently say that it packs a couple of nifty tricks up its sleek sleeve—tricks that make a convincing case for finally upgrading from my beloved S20.
Stick around until the end, and you might find yourself seriously considering making the switch to the vanilla Galaxy S24 as well.
Samsung Galaxy S24: Availability
At the time of this review, the Galaxy S24 is available in the 8/256GB variant, retailing at KES 117,995. Samsung offers the S24 in four standard color options: Marble Gray, Onyx Black, Cobalt Violet, and Amber Yellow.
The device can be purchased directly from Samsung outlets as well as through partner retail stores.
Design: Compact and Premium
Design-wise, Samsung has played it relatively safe with the Galaxy S24, sticking closely to the familiar language established by its recent flagship predecessors and the A series of devices. But don’t let that fool you into thinking there’s nothing new here.
While the overall aesthetic borrows heavily from the Galaxy S23 and S22 before it, the S24 introduces some subtle yet significant refinements that elevate the experience.
The most noticeable difference is the satin-like matte finish on the rear panel. This finish is much more fingerprint-resistant than the glossy panels of previous models, which is a welcome change. However, I found the matte surface to be quite slippery, causing the phone to slip out of my hands a couple of times during testing.
I highly recommend using a case to improve grip, which is really a shame as the device feels really good in the hand.
Departing from the rounded edges of the S23, the Galaxy S24 opts for a completely flat aluminum frame that imparts a distinctly iPhone-esque vibe.
Despite the sharper angles, the device remains an absolute delight to clutch, with gentle curves that make the boxy S24 Ultra seem positively antiquated in comparison. The matte finish extends to the edges, too, repelling unsightly smudges and fingerprints with ease.
Also Read: Samsung Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55 officially launched with Knox Vault security
I rarely talk about haptic motors in my reviews, but the ones on the Samsung Galaxy S24 are among the best I’ve tested. Toggles and sliders have a satisfying, mechanical-feeling clunk, while subtle vibrations make typing an excellent experience.
Like previous generations, the Galaxy S24 has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, ensuring your phone is well-protected from the elements, whether you’re an adventurer or simply clumsy.
It’s worth noting that users with larger hands may find their fingers frequently resting on the phone’s camera lenses, leading to smudges and potential image quality issues.
The color options are Amber Yellow, Cobalt Violet, Marble Gray, and Onyx Black. While these four choices are readily available, Samsung also offers three exclusive hues from its website: Jade Green, Sandstone Orange, and Sapphire Blue.
For this review, I tested the Marble Gray variant, which appears slightly muted under indoor lighting but brighter in other environments.
Display: Very Bright and Sharp
The Samsung Galaxy S24 flaunts a 6.2-inch completely flat display, and while the bezels are a tad slimmer, and the camera cut-out slightly smaller than before, you get just 0.1 extra inches of screen real estate within the same body size as its predecessor.
Compared to my trusty old S20, the S24’s display does feel a smidge bigger, but we’re not talking worlds apart here. The S24’s screen is roomy enough for a delightful content-viewing experience, but it can feel a bit cramped when it comes to gaming.
The real star of the show, however, is the display’s upgraded LTPO panel, which can dynamically switch its refresh rate from a sluggish 1Hz all the way up to a buttery-smooth 120Hz.
This nifty trick means that scrolling and gaming look silky-smooth, but you’ll still enjoy stellar battery life when viewing static images, as the panel cleverly drops its refresh rate.
Now, the S24 rocks a lower-res FHD+ panel compared to its bigger S-series siblings, which boast crisp QHD+ displays. While my S20 also has a QHD+ screen, putting it side-by-side with the S24, I couldn’t spot a difference – and that’s likely why Samsung ditched the higher-res panels on their smaller Galaxy S devices.
The S24’s display always looks sharp as a tack, with a pixel density that’s just right for a screen this size. That said, I would’ve loved to see the lovely anti-glare coating from the S24 Ultra make its way to the smaller phones – maybe next year, eh?
Samsung claims the S24’s display can crank up the brightness to a blinding 2600 nits in certain scenarios, and let me tell you, it had no trouble keeping up with Nairobi’s scorching sun during the day. HDR content looks absolutely stunning on streaming apps like Netflix, too.
Samsung’s One UI software gives you some basic control over the display’s color profile, letting you choose between Natural and Vivid modes, with options to tweak the warmth of the Vivid setting. There’s even an advanced tab for white balance adjustments, but I never felt the need to tinker – the default look is simply fantastic.
Speakers
The Galaxy S24 packs dual stereo speakers, and despite being crammed into a smaller body, they sound pretty darn good.
Sure, they’re not tuned by any fancy music wizards like JBL and the like, but they’ve got more bass oomph than some competing phones (though a little extra grunt wouldn’t hurt).
The mids and highs, on the other hand, are crisp and pleasant. Of course, they’re no match for earbuds or a Bluetooth speaker, but they’re more than good enough for casual use around the house.
Specs & Performance
The Galaxy S24 and S24+ are powered by the Samsung Exynos 2400 processor in most regions, including Kenya. However, some countries, like the United States and a few other markets, receive the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 variant.
For this review, I’ve been testing the Exynos variant with the base configuration of 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. While the Exynos 2400 is slightly less capable than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, as evident from the benchmark scores below, the performance gap is narrower than expected.
In day-to-day usage, the difference is barely noticeable. I’m not that much of a mobile gamer but I could comfortably play Call of Duty at 60fps with maxed-out graphics. The phone did get a bit toasty during prolonged gaming sessions so the larger models might be a better choice for avid gamers.
Notably, the phone also gets surprisingly warm when used as a portable hotspot, an issue I haven’t encountered with other devices. While this could be specific to my review unit, it’s worth mentioning.
Apart from the heating concerns, the performance is impressive. The Galaxy S24 feels consistently fast and responsive, making it a delight to use.
However, the 128GB base storage capacity is disappointing for a 2024 flagship, especially when mid-rangers like the recently announced OPPO Reno11F 5G offer 256GB as standard at half the price.
If you require more storage, the maximum capacity is 256GB for this model. You’ll need to opt for the S24+ for 512GB or the Ultra variant for 1TB. Additionally, the base 128GB variant features slower UFS 3.1 speeds compared to the UFS 4.0 on the 256GB variant.
It’s a shame that preferring a smaller phone means compromising on top-tier specs, especially when it comes to storage capacity.
Cameras
While the Galaxy S24 retains the same camera hardware as its predecessor, featuring a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP 3x telephoto, and a 12MP selfie camera, Samsung has focused on enhancing the image processing capabilities, resulting in notable improvements in photo and video quality.
One of the most evident upgrades is the natural, true-to-life color reproduction and reduced sharpening, providing a more pleasing and realistic image output compared to the oversaturated and overly processed look of previous models.
The standout performer is the 50MP main camera, particularly in low-light conditions. Its large 1/1.56-inch sensor excels at gathering light, resulting in detailed shots with minimal motion blur, outperforming the supporting lenses in this regard.
The 3x optical zoom telephoto lens proves to be a versatile addition, capable of excellent results and well-suited for portraits and macro shots thanks to its impressively close focusing capabilities.
While the ultra-wide camera performs decently in daylight conditions, it struggles in low-light scenarios, although enabling the night mode can help mitigate this weakness. Its lack of autofocus is a limitation, restricting its usefulness for close-up shots while excelling at capturing landscapes, architecture, and group photos.
On the other hand, the selfie camera does have autofocus capabilities. This ensures consistently sharp self-portraits, regardless of the distance from the lens.
Video recording capabilities are impressive, with the ability to shoot at up to 8K 30fps, although the limited storage capacity may prompt users to opt for the more practical 4K 60fps option across all cameras. Optical image stabilization and strong audio quality with wind noise suppression contribute to great video clips.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the S24’s camera system is the introduction of AI-powered editing tools. These allow for removing unwanted objects, reflections, and straightening images without cropping by leveraging generative AI to fill the edges.
These AI capabilities extend to video, enabling on-the-fly slow-motion conversion with a long press during playback, regardless of the original frame rate.
While impressive when working optimally, these AI effects can also introduce unusual artifacts. However, this technology is still in its infancy, and continued advancements seem inevitable, making the S24’s camera system an exciting prospect for the future.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S24 packs a 4000mAh battery, a 100mAh increase over its predecessor, the S23. During my testing, the phone consistently lasted through a full day of casual usage, ending the day with around 15% battery remaining. The lower-resolution LTPO display contributes significantly to this impressive battery life.
However, as with any smartphone, heavy usage patterns such as extended gaming sessions or frequent photo-taking will inevitably lead to shorter battery life. Even on my most demanding days, the Galaxy S24 managed to power through until late evening, at which point a quick recharge was all that was needed.
Staying true to Samsung’s flagship tradition, the S24 does not include a charger in the box, providing only a USB-C cable. The charging speeds, while not groundbreaking, are decent.
A 50% charge from a fully depleted state takes just under half an hour, which is acceptable, although it may feel sluggish compared to the blistering 100W+ charging speeds offered by some Chinese manufacturers.
The Galaxy S24 also supports wireless charging, albeit at a slower pace than wired charging. While not the fastest option, the convenience of simply placing the phone on a charging pad while working at a desk is a welcome feature.
Overall, the Galaxy S24 delivers reliable all-day battery life for casual users, with charging speeds that are adequate, if not exceptional, by today’s standards. Samsung’s decision to prioritize battery life over ultra-fast charging speeds may resonate with users who value consistent performance throughout the day.
Galaxy AI & Software
During the launch of the Galaxy S24 lineup, Samsung heavily promoted its new Galaxy AI features, which are undoubtedly impressive and seem to work well. However, many of these features may not be immediately relevant or frequently used in most users’ daily lives.
While the live translation capability is certainly cool, it’s only truly beneficial when traveling or engaging with foreign languages. Similarly, the ability to use AI to format notes is neat, but unless those notes are being shared or presented, most users may not find this feature particularly compelling in their day-to-day usage.
Also Read: 5 AI features that make the Galaxy S24 phones worth the upgrade
One feature that I found myself using frequently, however, is Circle to Search with Google. Although it made its debut with the S24 series, it has already made its way to Pixel devices, and it’s likely to be adopted by other Android handsets in the near future.
Regardless of its availability on other devices, the Circle to Search feature on the S24 is an extremely convenient way to find more information about anything you encounter on the internet. Simply long-press the home button (or swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold) and circle the content you want to search for on the web.
7 Years of Major OS Updates
Additionally, Samsung continues to offer one of the longest software support periods in the industry, promising an astonishing 7 years of security patches and 7 generational OS upgrades for the S24 phones.
The S24 launches with Android 14 and OneUI 6.1 out of the box, 7 years of major OS updates means this phone will get Android 21, which is pretty cool.
This level of support is currently matched only by Google’s Pixel 8 series. If you plan on holding onto your next smartphone for an extended period, the Galaxy S24 is an excellent choice from a longevity perspective.
Take Away
The Samsung Galaxy S24 may not be the most exciting generational update, as it bears a striking resemblance to its predecessor, the S23.
If you own any of the Galaxy S23 devices or even the Galaxy S22, I wouldn’t advise you to upgrade to the Galaxy S24. The improvements on the S24 are incremental, and most, if not all, of the AI features that made their debut with the Galaxy S24 have already found their way to the Galaxy S23 series.
However, for those using an older Samsung device, such as the S21 or earlier models, or for those considering a switch to Samsung’s ecosystem, the Galaxy S24 presents several compelling enhancements that make it a worthwhile upgrade.
In fact, these enhancements were significant enough to persuade me to upgrade from my aging S20 model. The matte finish on the S24 not only looks more premium but also feels better in the hand compared to the glossy finish of the S23 series.
Additionally, the display has undergone a noticeable improvement, and the Exynos 2400 processor also holds its own against Qualcomm’s best offerings.
Furthermore, the S24 boasts a range of AI features. While some of these features are undeniably useful and others are simply fun to experiment with, their overall impact may not be significant enough to be a deciding factor when choosing a smartphone.
If you prefer a smaller form factor, the S24 is sure to satisfy with its ample power, impressive photography capabilities, and premium design.
The Review
Samsung Galaxy S24
The Samsung S24's hardware upgrades are minor, yet the device retains its status as one of the best compact flagships available. It's an excellent smartphone, but the incremental update makes it hard to get overly excited. Samsung has refined an already winning formula rather than introducing major innovations. Nonetheless, the S24 remains a compelling choice for those seeking a powerful, premium experience in a pocketable form factor.
