All About the Galaxy S24: Release Date, Rumors, Specs, & Price

Although the Samsung Galaxy S23 was released not too long ago, fans of the popular smartphone were looking forward to the release of the Galaxy S24 from the get-go. Luckily, we didn't have to wait long. The S24 launched on January 17th, 2024, so we were able to confirm all the rumored timing, specs, and key features of this great phone.

If you’re looking for a new Galaxy S24 series phone, but you want to get the best deal possible, check out our guide for the best Galaxy S24 deals. We keep it up to date so you'll never miss a deal.

When Does the Galaxy S24 Come Out?

As we now know, the Galaxy S24 launched on Jan. 17, 2024. This shouldn't have been much of a surprise looking at the previous launch dates for earlier Galaxy S series phones:

• Galaxy S21: Jan. 29, 2021
• Galaxy S22: Feb. 25, 2022
• Galaxy S23: Feb. 1, 2023

The release of the Galaxy S24 was just a touch earlier than most, giving us even less time to wait between launches.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Features

Many Samsung fans were particularly interested in what features the Galaxy S24 phone could have.

In terms of models, the Galaxy S24 followed previous iterations and had three models including the Galaxy S24, the Galaxy S24 Plus, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Some Samsung fans hypothesized that Samsung could scrap the hypothetical Galaxy S24 Plus altogether. Historically, Samsung has had difficulty finding an audience for the Plus models, as smartphone enthusiasts who want all the bells and whistles often jump straight to the Ultra model, while budget-minded shoppers stick with the standard device. However, Samsung proved these naysayers wrong, releasing the classic three-model lineup.

The big change between the S23 series and the S24 series was the inclusion of Galaxy AI, Samsung’s new software addition. This feature allows users to instantly translate live calls, generate wallpapers with AI, organize their Samsung notes, and process images better. Google fans were excited to see Galaxy AI supports Google's “circle to search” feature, where you can circle a part of an image and run an AI-powered Google search on it.

What about other features and design elements? Here are some predictions and Samsung Galaxy S24 rumors we considered -- as well as how right those rumors turned out to be.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Design

In terms of the design for the Galaxy S24, the new Samsung phone looks fairly similar to the Galaxy S23. Some leakers said that the Galaxy S24’s frame would be made of titanium alloy, much like the iPhone 15, which would give the phone exceptional durability and longevity. This was only true of the S24 Ultra, however.

Similar leaks also correctly claimed that the S24 Ultra phone would only weigh approximately 233 grams. That’s one gram lighter than the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but Samsung pulled off this feat!

Samsung Galaxy S24 Screen

What about the screen? As anticipated, the new Galaxy S24 has a better screen compared to its earlier models. Some leaks and rumors suggested that the new Galaxy S24s would be a hair bigger than the previous generation, and those rumors were mostly correct. The screens for the S24 and the S24 Plus are each 0.1 inches larger than their predecessors. The S24 Ultra has the same screen size as the S23 Ultra. The maximum brightness also increased for all models, up to 2,600 nits.

The leakers did correctly predict that the screens would receive an update -- the S24 Plus enjoys a QHD+ screen, as opposed to last year's FHD+ screen, and all the S24-series phones have upgraded to an LTPO AMOLED screen resolution. Last year's S23 phones had only AMOLED.

Overall, the S24 screen panels are thinner, more powerful, and more efficient compared to earlier panels, with excellent resolution and color contrast to boot.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Cameras

Many mobile users love Samsung phones for their quality camera suites and setups. The Galaxy S24 release did not disappoint, with telephoto lenses, excellent optical lenses, and ultra-wide lenses — as well as an excellent selfie camera.

Some rumors suggested that the Galaxy S24 would have a 10x main camera, or that it might be upgraded into a folded lens, which would deliver a hypothetically lossless zoom at any zoom level between 5x and 10x. Ultimately, the Galaxy S24 base model got the same camera hardware setup as the S23.

Still, other rumors indicated that the Galaxy S24 Ultra would have a 50-megapixel 3x telephoto camera and a 10-megapixel 10x periscope camera. Samsung was indeed looking into camera upgrades to compete with other phones, like the Google Pixel line. The S24 Ultra has a200MP Wide, 50MP Periscopic Telephoto, 10MP Telephoto, and 12MP Ultrawide camera.

Tech Specs for the Galaxy S24

Things got even trickier when trying to predict the expected tech specifications for the future Galaxy S24. Still, there were a few rumors swirling around regarding this phone’s potential capabilities. Let's see if they hit the mark.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Chipset

All Galaxy S23 devices and models launched with the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. This broke from earlier Samsung tradition, which previously blended both Qualcomm Snapdragon and Samsung Exynos chipsets.

As expected, all S24 phones got the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, most likely because Samsung wants to compete with the Apple iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro. This improvement helped the Samsung flagship phones have a better refresh rate, better processing power, and even better camera sensors.

Though it was also rumored that Exynos 2400 chip variants might be integrated instead to save on costs, this only happened in certain markets. Here in the States, all S24 phones have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipsets.

Samsung Galaxy S24 RAM

As far as RAM is concerned, most models started with approximately 8 or 12 gigabytes of RAM. The Ultra version of the Galaxy S24 got 12 gigabytes of RAM, making it among the most powerful mobile phones on the market upon its release.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Storage Capacity

What about storage? Samsung has never skimped in terms of storage space, and the Galaxy S24 was no different. The Ultra model had the option of up to one terabyte of storage out of the box. For comparison, the S23 Ultra also came with one terabyte of storage upon release.

Like last year, Samsung offered a free storage upgrade promotion to double storage on all models.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Battery Life

Battery capabilities were also impressive. The Galaxy S24 received an upgrade to a 4000mAh cell, resulting in a longer battery life. The Galaxy S24 Ultra got  a 5000mAh cell for even better battery life and longevity.

Of course, those big batteries will require a good charging setup to recharge quickly. Rumors indicated that the S24 Ultra might have a stacked battery, plus a fast charging capability of 65W. This rumor did not prove true, however. The S24 Ultra has a fast charging capacity of 45W only. This is still impressive compared to the base Galaxy S24 model, which has 25W charging speeds instead.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Operating System

Though some rumors indicated the phones might run on Android 15, all models run on Android 14. However, Samsung did commit to providing the S24 models with seven years of Android upgrades, updates, and protection from vulnerabilities. This is an increase from last year, where Samsung only guaranteed four years of OS updates for the S23 series.

How Much Does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Cost?

With such an impressive prospective lineup for the Samsung Galaxy S24, it was only natural for fans to wonder what the release price might be.

We looked at historical data to make some predictions. The Galaxy S21, S22, and S23 all released at $799, $999, and $1,199, respectively. There’s a clear pattern! The pricing strategy for Samsung Galaxy phones hadn't changed in several years, so we bet the Galaxy S24 would probably be the same or, at the least, very similar.

In the end, the S24 and S24 Plus sold for the expected price, while the S24 Ultra retailed for $1,299, a bump from last year's price.

The Bottom Line

If you’ve got your heart set on a Samsung Galaxy S24, you can find and compare the best Samsung Galaxy deals using our Phone Deal Finder below. It’s free, unbiased, and shows you the best phone deals you qualify for based on your personal needs.

‍