Small smartphones have become rare in the Android world. One of the few exceptions is the S series without any additional features, which is still very compact compared to other mobile devices and is about the same size as the iPhone. Nobody has to do without technology here: The Samsung Galaxy S24, as the successor to the Galaxy S23 (test report), offers top technology from the Korean company – even if it can’t quite keep up with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (test report). Not only is the format smaller, the price with an RRP in the high three-digit range also makes it an interesting alternative among high-end smartphones.
At first glance, the changes to the 2024 generation are minimal. Samsung, on the other hand, attaches great importance to the software and incorporates numerous AI functions into the handy smartphone. Our test shows how well the S24 performs.
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Small but powerful has always been the case for the small model in the S series from Samsung. This also applies to the Galaxy S24: the processor and features are top, the camera is outstanding and the radiantly bright display doesn’t shy away from sunshine. The Galaxy S24 is suitable for anyone who wants to use top technology in the most compact format possible and places great value on a strong camera and AI functions. Prices starting at 770 euros for 128 GB make the S24 just affordable, even if we would definitely recommend the version with 256 GB for 820 euros.
What’s new with the Galaxy S24?
The display is slightly larger thanks to even narrower edges. In addition to the extensive AI functions, which we will discuss later, the most important innovation is the new octa-core processor. Instead of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 like in the Galaxy S24 Ultra (test report), the in-house Exynos 2400 is used. The battery capacity has also increased slightly to 4000 mAh.
How big is the Samsung Galaxy S24?
At first glance you hardly notice any difference to the predecessor Galaxy S23 (test report). The design is the same, dimensions (147 × 70.6 × 7.6 mm) and weight (167 g) are almost identical to its predecessor. This makes it one of the smallest, modern top smartphones with Android that you can get and is about the same size as the iPhone 15. One-handed operation is possible and it also fits well in smaller handbags, making it a suitable option for women power.
Thanks to an even thinner bezel, the display has grown diagonally by 0.25 cm to 6.2 inches (15.75 cm). The display is absolutely top and offers great image quality. The OLED display is also bright enough to be readable even in sunshine. Samsung is talking about up to 2600 nits with automatic brightness adjustment. The resolution is again 2340 × 1080 pixels with an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hertz.
How good is the camera?
The camera setup corresponds to the predecessor with a main camera of 50 megapixels as well as a wide-angle lens with 12 megapixels and a telephoto lens with 10 megapixels. There are no big surprises. The Galaxy S24 takes beautiful, sharp photos with a consistent dynamic range and pronounced image details, both during the day and in the evening. The night mode proves to be a great help, especially in darkness and with some ambient light – provided you have a steady hand. Optical image stabilization ensures that video recordings of up to 8K at 30 FPS or 4K at 60 FPS appear very stable.
Samsung Galaxy S24 – Originalaufnahmen
Samsung Galaxy S24 – Originalaufnahmen
How good is the Exynos 2400?
The Samsung Exynos 2400 is an amazingly good processor. It is slightly inferior to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 from the Galaxy S24 Ultra (test report), but in terms of performance it beats the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 from its predecessor. We achieved a strong 17,000 points in PCmark Work 3.0, and a whopping 4,200 points in 3Dmark’s Wild Life Extreme. In everyday life or when gaming it means: There is always enough power available, stuttering is a foreign word. However, the device becomes noticeably warm under high load, even if you don’t burn your fingers.
How much does the Samsung Galaxy S24 cost?
Surprisingly, the S24’s RRP is 849 euros, which is lower than its predecessor. You can now get the 128 GB version for just 770 euros. The surcharge for 256 GB is low at 820 euros. It’s also worth looking out for tariff bundles.
What do the AI functions offer?
The focus of the entire S24 series is the new AI features that Samsung calls Galaxy AI. One of the most exciting features is live translation for telephone calls in several languages. This is integrated on the device, so it also works offline. However, the translation takes time, which can lead to overlaps with new statements. In some cases it worked well, in other cases a lot of nonsense came out. So there is potential for fine-tuning.
A similar feature that Pixel customers recognize is search by image. To do this, press the home button and circle a specific object on the display with your finger – for example on a photo or a website. The smartphone then searches for the object and explains what it is. This works surprisingly well.
What is less successful is the summarization of texts and the text formatting, which rarely finds the real core of the main text, as well as the inconsistent spelling check. We describe further experiences with Galaxy AI in the Galaxy S24 Ultra test report.
How long are updates available?
Samsung is taking the cake when it comes to updates: the entire S24 series can expect patches and Android updates for 7 years in the future. This puts Samsung on a par with Google. The 5-year software guarantee on the predecessor was already good, but the longer period should now be enough for the software to match the lifespan of the hardware.
Samsung Galaxy S24 – photo gallery
Samsung Galaxy S24 – photo gallery
How long does the battery last?
According to our usual benchmark Battery Test from PCmark, the S24 lasts around 12 hours. That’s around two hours behind its predecessor – but it’s still a decent value for a compact device with a 4000 mAh Li-ion battery. You should be able to use the device for over a day, maybe even two, as long as you don’t play games all the time, navigate a lot or constantly use the display outdoors. The Exynos doesn’t seem to run quite as efficiently as the Snapdragon here, but it has made great strides compared to previous Samsung chips.
For reasons of sustainability, Samsung does not include a power adapter. Since only a maximum of 25 watts is supported anyway, a corresponding charger from an older smartphone is suitable. A complete charging process takes just over an hour. The S24 supports wireless charging up to 15 watts.
Alternatives
Technical Equipment
As a premium device, the S24 offers top features – with Wi-Fi 6E, USB-C 3.2, 8 GB RAM and up to 256 GB storage. Attention: The small version with 128 GB “only” offers UFS 3.2, UFS 4.0 is only available at 256 GB. We recommend the larger version straight away, as space could be tight with all the bloatware that Samsung includes.
Conclusion
The Galaxy S24 doesn’t have much new to offer apart from the AI features. The new Exynos 2400 delivers surprisingly well, the display is as good and bright as usual. Little has changed on the camera – perhaps the only point where the competition is temporarily ahead. The slow charging can also be annoying if you are used to stronger power supplies from Xiaomi and Co. The Koreans still deliver a harmonious overall package and are currently the best compact Android smartphone ever. Anyone who despairs of the poor battery life of the Galaxy S22 can access and upgrade without hesitation.