Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

On January 17th, 2024, Samsung released the Samsung Galaxy S24, the Galaxy S24 Plus, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra. In this article, we dive deep into the Galaxy S24 Ultra, looking at the price, specs, changes, new features, and what hasn’t changed from the S23 Ultra. 

We’ve also got detailed walkthroughs on both the base Galaxy Samsung S24 and the Galaxy Samsung S24 Plus if you’d like to look at the other variants of the S24 series. Already convinced you need the S24 Ultra? We've got the best Galaxy S24 Ultra deals across carriers all in one up-to-date list.

Galaxy S24 Ultra Release Date

When did the Galaxy S24 Ultra come out? This phone was released on January 17th, at 10 A.M. PT in San Jose, California during the Galaxy Unpacked event, and was in stores on January 31, 2024. 

During the same launch, Samsung also revealed the S24, the S24 Plus, and a few new devices.

Galaxy S24 Ultra Price

The Galaxy S24 Ultra costs $1,299, more than the Samsung Galaxy S24 ($799) and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus ($999), and $100 more than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra cost last year when it was launched ($1,199). 

While that’s the recommended retail price, you may find that many carriers and vendors give you a better deal through promotions or trade-in deals. 

When it comes to finding the best Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra deals available now, our free, unbiased Phone Deal Finder above is a must-try. Also, be sure to check out our Phone Deal roundups where we keep running lists of the latest phone offers at top wireless carriers:

AT&T Phone Deals | T-Mobile Phone Deals | Verizon Phone Deals | UScellular Phone Deals | Spectrum Mobile Phone Deals | Xfinity Mobile Phone Deals | Cox Mobile Phone Deals | Optimum Mobile Phone Deals

Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G

Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy S24 Ultra supports 5G, along with WiFi 6E, wireless charging, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC capabilities. This is true for the Galaxy S24 and the Galaxy S24 Plus smartphones, too. It just goes to show that with Samsung flagship devices, you can and should expect advanced connectivity features, with upgrades on last year’s model where applicable. 

Galaxy S24 Ultra Specs

Here's a quick look at the main Galaxy S24 Ultra specs you’ll want to see.

• Price: $1,299
• Display: 6.8 inches
• Resolution: 1440 x 3088 pixels, QHD
• Refresh rate: 1Hz - 120Hz
• Front camera: 12 MP
• Rear cameras: 200MP Wide, 50MP Periscopic Telephoto, 10MP Telephoto, 12MP Ultrawide
• Hardware: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
• RAM: 12GB RAM
• Storage: 256GB, not expandable
• Battery: 5000 mAh
• Charging: Fast charging, Qi wireless charging, reverse wireless charging
• OS: Android 14, One UI 6.1
• Material: Titanium frame
• Colors: Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Black, or Titanium Gray. (Exclusive to Samsung store: Titanium Green, Titanium Blue, Titanium Orange)

For more detail on each spec, read on. 

Galaxy S24 Ultra: Galaxy AI

Let’s get one thing straight: although there are some changes and modifications between the S24 Ultra and the S23 Ultra, there’s only one big new feature: Galaxy AI. Galaxy AI is Samsung’s new software addition, which gives users several nifty abilities. Examples include instantaneous language translations during live phone calls, AI-generated wallpapers, AI-powered Samsung note organization, and overall better image processing. You’ll also get the ability to “circle to search,” where you can circle a part of an image and run an AI-powered Google search on it. 

While the S24 Series earns bragging rights as the first Samsung with Galaxy AI, we expect more and more AI functionality to trickle down to other Samsung phones over time.

This doesn’t come as a big surprise, since long-time Samsung fans will know that Samsung has been talking about AI in phones for a while, but it’s great to see some of that talk come to fruition in the new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. 

Galaxy S24 Ultra OS: Longer Lifespan

Surprising no one, the OS for S24 Galaxy Ultra is Android 14 as expected. The real update is that Samsung will now support software updates on the S24 Ultra for seven years, three years longer than what Samsung committed to supporting with the S23 line. Pitched as an environmentally friendly move, this move has been greeted with excitement from fans. If you’re paying over a thousand dollars for a phone, it makes sense that you’d like to make sure it can receive software updates for as long as possible. 

Galaxy S24 Ultra Screen: Unchanged

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra keeps the 6.8-inch screen that we had in last year’s model, too.

Galaxy S24 Ultra Design: A Titanium Upgrade

There are two major changes to report here. First, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has moved to a titanium frame, an upgrade from the S23 Ultra’s aluminum alloy. The design is also subtly different, with a shift back to an almost-flat screen. The phone has a 0.3-0.4mm curve on the bezels, which gives it a small amount of curvature, but much less than the S23 Ultra’s curved screen. 

Users can also choose from new color options. In a nod to the new titanium frame, the color options are named Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, and Titanium Yellow. If you order your new Galaxy S24 Ultra, you’ll also get the choice of three exclusive colors for the S24 Ultra: Titanium Green, Titanium Blue, or Titanium Orange.

Galaxy S24 Ultra Camera: Minor Improvements

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a new 200-megapixel main sensor combined with a higher-resolution 50 MP telephoto lens to provide a 5x magnification level. The second 3x zoom camera has 10 megapixels, and the ultra wide-angle camera has 12 megapixels. 

Interestingly, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the only S24-series phone model with any material improvements to the cameras. The S24 and the S24 Plus remain mostly unchanged from their S23 counterparts.

Galaxy S24 Ultra Chipset: An Upgrade

Just one upgrade to report here. Last year, the S23 Ultra had a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. The S24 Ultra has the upgraded Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip this year. 

It’s worth noting that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset was designed specifically for use with AI performance, perhaps signaling how important Samsung perceives the new Galaxy AI feature to be.

Galaxy S24 Ultra Battery Life: Unchanged, Still Great

Last year’s Galaxy S23 Ultra featured a powerful 5,000mAh battery. This year’s S24 Ultra has a battery capacity of 5,000mAh. While this is not an improvement, it’s still a solid battery capacity compared to rivals like the Pixel 8 Pro (5050mAh) and the iPhone 15 Pro Max (4441 mAh).

Galaxy S24 Ultra Vs Galaxy S23 Ultra

In sum, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has some pretty significant changes, upgrades, and new features that make it a better phone than the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The only question is whether it’s the right one for you. While we can’t answer that for you, we can provide a quick comparison of all the changes, as well as what’s stayed the same, to help you decide if it’s time for an upgrade.

S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Differences

Between the S23 Ultra and the S24 Ultra, here are the main improvements:

• Inclusion of Galaxy AI, which percolates through the whole phone user experience to make it smarter
• Better front camera and rear camera
• Better chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 versus last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
• Brighter screen: 2,600 nits vs 1,750 nits
• More premium material: titanium instead of aluminum alloy
• Updated OS: One UI 6.1
• New colors: Choose between Marble Gray, Onyx Black, Amber Yellow, or Cobalt Violet. If you order from Samsung, you can get one in Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, or Sandstone Orange.

S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Similarities

What about what the two models have in common? Samsung didn’t change everything about the S23 Ultra when it released the S24 Ultra.

• Same screen size: 6.8 inches
• Same battery capacity: 5000 mAh
• Same RAM: 12 GB
• Same sharp display: QHD+
• Same dynamic refresh rates: a smooth 1 Hz to 120 Hz
• A similar retail price 
• 256GB base storage

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Trade-in Options

Don’t let the S24 Ultra retail price give you too much sticker shock. Most top wireless carriers offer trade-in deals that help bring down the cost of the S24 and other phones like it, especially if your trade-in device is recent and in good condition. 

No Galaxy? No problem. Apple iPhones and Google Pixels can also be traded in for a Galaxy S24 Ultra. See the charts below for an idea of what your current trade-in is worth, then use our Phone Deal Finder to find the Samsung deals you qualify for right now. 

The Bottom Line

Should you get the S24 Ultra? There’s no doubt it’s Samsung’s latest and greatest device. With all the changes and improvements from the S23 Ultra, there’s a real case to be made for an upgrade. 

With better cameras, smarter software features, and a more advanced processing chip, the S24 Ultra is Samsung’s premium flagship phone. For the Android lover who won’t settle for anything less than the best, the S24 Ultra is a great option.

If you’re searching for a new Galaxy phone, but you want to get the best deal possible, our free, unbiased Phone Deal Finder can help. Just answer a few questions, like your current phone model and what carriers you’d consider. With that info, we search through thousands of phone deals in seconds to find the best deals for you.