If I hadn’t compared the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, I’d think they were the same thing

There’s no denying that everyone kept an eye on the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S24 series. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, extensive use of AI, longer support—all of this has filled every fan of the brand with optimism. 

The Galaxy S24 Ultra, the most powerful of the series, is very similar to the Galaxy S23 Ultra but also brings a little something new. So, are we dealing with a revolution or revolution? And is there any point in spending a second time on almost the same thing? 

Let’s find out by pitting the two models against each other and comparing their key features and specifications. 

Differences between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Galaxy S24 Ultra

Design & Build

The S23 Ultra features a large and heavy design with glass on both sides, aluminium edges, and squared-off corners, giving it a serious, computer-like appearance. It utilises Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for durability, with top-tier haptics providing excellent vibration feedback. 

Despite being challenging to use with one hand, it exudes a premium feel and includes standard Ultra design elements such as volume and power buttons, a USB-C port, a dual SIM tray, a mic, a speaker grille, and an integrated S Pen.

On the other hand, the S24 Ultra maintains a similar design to the S23 Ultra but adds a matte coating to the glass back to reduce fingerprint smudges and maintain a premium look and feel. 

The addition of a titanium frame enhances long-term durability, although the weight difference compared to the S23 Ultra is minimal. It also features Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for scratch and drop protection, but with an upgraded Gorilla Armor exclusive to this model. 

Both phones include an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, an integrated S Pen stylus, and exceptional haptic feedback, making them suitable for various interactions. 

Overall, these phones offer premium designs, durability enhancements, and satisfying user experiences, with the S24 Ultra introducing subtle improvements over its predecessor. 

Screen & Speakers

The S23 Ultra boasts a stunning, slightly curved 6.8-inch AMOLED screen with a WQHD+ resolution of 3088 x 1440, providing exceptional clarity. Its versatility allows users to adjust resolution settings to conserve battery life, with the recommended setting typically being 1080p. 

The screen maintains uniform colour even at peak brightness of 1750 nits, ensuring visibility even in direct sunlight. Equipped with LTPO technology, the refresh rate also dynamically adjusts between 1 and 120Hz, optimising battery efficiency. 

Additionally, the touch sampling rate increases to 240Hz in gaming mode, enhancing responsiveness. 

Conversely, the S24 Ultra finally features a departure from curved screens, opting for a visually appealing flat display. 

However, with a peak brightness of 2600 nits (compared to 1750 nits in the 23 Ultra) and reduced reflectivity, the display remains more visible even in bright sunlight. The slim bezels and smaller camera cut-out also contribute to a nearly all-screen front, enhancing the overall aesthetic. 

Both phones feature dual stereo speakers that deliver exceptional audio quality, making them suitable for multimedia consumption. However, as always, for the best audio experience, you’ll want to connect earbuds or headphones to both of these phones. 

In conclusion, while both devices offer exceptional display performance, the S24 Ultra represents a significant advancement with its flat display design, higher peak brightness, and improved aesthetics. 

Performance

The S23 Ultra is powered by a custom version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, specifically optimised for the S23 series, ensuring seamless performance. With 12GB of RAM (there’s also an 8GB option), the phone operates flawlessly, achieving a high multi-core Geekbench 5 score of 4996. Storage options include 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB variants, catering to diverse user needs. 

In contrast, the S24 Ultra features the ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy’, an overclocked version of Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip designed exclusively for Samsung devices. It also delivers exceptional performance alongside 12GB of RAM, while the storage options range from 256GB to 1TB as well. 

However, the S24 Ultra dramatically outperformed the S23 Ultra, scoring as high as 7141 points in the Geekbench 5 multi-core test. Both phones also offer future-proof connectivity with 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC for mobile payments. 

They both excel in various tasks, including web browsing, messaging, email, photography, and gaming, with effective cooling systems to manage prolonged usage but there is no denying that the S24 has a better and more powerful chipset. 

Cameras

The S23 Ultra boasts a 200Mp main lens, offering versatility with pixel-binning options for different resolutions. Despite the high megapixel count, it may not always translate into noticeably better photos. 

The phone also includes other lenses, including 12Mp ultrawide, 10Mp 3x optical telephoto, and 10Mp 10x optical zoom, though features like ‘space zoom’ are more gimmicky. 

On the other hand, the S24 Ultra brings a significant change by replacing the 10Mp 10x telephoto lens with a 50Mp 5x optical zoom, which proves more practical in real-world scenarios. 

The 200Mp main camera is the same, but now utilises pixel binning for 12.5Mp stills, offering excellent detail and dynamic range, albeit with saturated colours. 

While the same 12Mp selfie camera on both phones produces sharp shots, it struggles in low light. However, video capabilities are impressive, with up to 8K recording on either phone as well. 

Overall, they both offer advanced camera capabilities, but the S24 Ultra presents notable improvements and practicality in its camera setup compared to its predecessor. 

Battery & Charging

The S23 Ultra boasts a capacious 5000mAh cell and can get you a solid day and a half of use out of a single charge. It charges relatively slowly though, reaching only 21% after 15 minutes and 43% in 30 minutes with its 45W charging support. 

Conversely, the S24 Ultra also has a 5000mAh battery but features exceptional battery life at the same time, lasting nearly three days on lighter usage and more than a full day even under heavy usage. 

While it supports up to 45W charging, similar to the S23 Ultra, its speed remains faster, reaching 30% in 15 minutes and 63% after half an hour. 

Both models also support wireless and reverse charging, but none of them support the newer Qi 2 standard. 

Software & Apps

The phones run on OneUI 6.1 over Android 14, providing extensive customisation options despite its busy interface. Although pre-installed apps may feel bloated, they can be uninstalled, and the software operates smoothly from there. 

The inclusion of the S Pen stylus on both phones proves useful for various tasks, while Samsung DeX offers a glimpse into the future of mobile computing by transforming the phone into a desktop mode when connected to a compatible monitor. 

The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s initial bargaining chip was AI features that enhance the user experience with subtle yet impactful improvements. However, they are now also present on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. 

Notable features like Circle to Search, Live Translate, and Transcript Assist improve everyday tasks, while enhanced photo editing capabilities and video slow-motion playback add versatility to multimedia editing. Although not groundbreaking individually, these features collectively enhance day-to-day usage. 

Samsung’s commitment to Android updates sets a high standard, offering four years of Android updates and five years of security patches for the S23 Ultra. The newer model boasts even more longevity, as the S24 Ultra will be supported with seven major OS updates and seven years of software updates. 

Price & Availability 

The Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at $1,199.99/£1,249 for the base model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Higher configurations with 12GB of RAM and larger storage options reach up to $1,619/£1,599. 

Samsung is no longer selling the Galaxy S23 Ultra on its website, but you can get it in the US from Best Buy, Target, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. In the UK, you can also buy it from Amazon, O2, Vodafone, EE, Three, and John Lewis.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with a hefty price tag as well, starting at $1,299.99/£1,249 for the base 256GB model. Higher storage configurations, such as 512GB and 1TB, are also available at higher prices. 

It can be purchased directly from Samsung US or Samsung UK. You can also get it through various third-party retailers, such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Target in the US, or Amazon, O2, and John Lewis in the UK.

Verdict 

The Galaxy S24 Ultra represents a significant upgrade over its predecessor, mostly offering improved hardware. 

Although the software features from the S24 Ultra are available on the S23 Ultra, using them on a much more powerful device makes a difference. 

The S24 Ultra boasts top-of-the-line hardware, including powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performance, a versatile camera system with a new 5x optical zoom, and a stunning flat display. The excellent battery life also adds to its appeal, plus it charges faster. 

The changes may not be that big, but they make a difference, especially as for nearly the same price, you get a more powerful phone that will be supported for much longer. 

So, if you are considering buying one of these models, go for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. On the other hand, if you already own the Galaxy S23 Ultra and are thinking of switching, I’d advise you to wait at least for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. 

Specs 

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: 

• 6.8-inch, 120Hz, WQHD+, AMOLED display 
• Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy 
• 8/12GB RAM 
• 256/512GB/1TB storage 
• 5000mAh battery 
• 45W wired charging 
• 15W wireless charging 
• 200Mp f/1.7 main camera 
• 12Mp f/2.2 ultrawide camera 
• 10Mp f/2.4 3x optical telephoto camera 
• 10Mp f/4.9 10x optical telephoto camera 
• 12Mp f/2.2 front facing camera 
• 5G 
• Wi-Fi 6E 
• Bluetooth 5.3 
• IP68 
• Gorilla Glass Victus 2 
• 78.1 X 163.4 X 8.9mm 
• 234g 
• Android 14 with One UI 6.1 

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: 

• 6.8-inch, 120Hz, WQHD+, LTPO AMOLED display  
• Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy 
• 12GB RAM  
• 256/512GB/1TB storage  
• 5000mAh battery  
• 45W wired charging  
• 15W wireless charging  
• 200Mp f/1.7 main camera  
• 12Mp f/2.2 120˚  ultrawide camera  
• 50Mp f/3.4 5x optical telephoto camera  
• 10Mp f/2.4 3x optical telephoto camera  
• 12Mp f/2.2 front facing camera  
• 5G  
• Wi-Fi 7  
• Bluetooth 5.3  
• IP68  
• Gorilla Glass Armor (front), Gorilla Glass (back), titanium frame  
• S Pen (integrated)  
• 162.3 x 79 x 8.6mm  
• 233g  
• Android 14 with One UI 6.1 and Galaxy AI  
• Seven years of software updates