Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra one year later: We want the Galaxy S25 Ultra more than ever
It is one way or the other been a yr since Samsung introduced the Galaxy S24 Extremely, a telephone we touted as the perfect premium Android expertise all through 2024. Samsung launched the telephone with a newly minted flat show, a singular anti-glare layer on the display screen, a stronger titanium body, and a stronger software program replace assure than ever.
At launch, it was clear what Samsung would want to do to make the Galaxy S25 Extremely a greater telephone. However whereas 2024’s finest premium telephone launched sturdy, nagging points crept up all year long.
The flowery new show was discovered to endure from some unusual high quality and configuration points, and a few construct high quality points with the glass have crept up after just a few months of use. Samsung’s Android 15 replace was delayed a number of occasions, and whereas we’re already on One UI 7 beta 3, the ultimate model is not anticipated till no less than someday in late January on the earliest.
One UI 7 has additionally been the supply of a lot criticism and, humorous sufficient, reward because of some main UI design modifications. However whereas One UI 7’s new design does not appear to be everybody’s cup of tea, Samsung is delivering some main enhancements for the S24 Extremely that can in the end please followers ultimately, particularly because the newer Galaxy S25 collection approaches.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely: Show and design
Ever for the reason that Galaxy S24 Extremely’s launch, customers have been complaining in regards to the show. Whether or not it was the graininess of the pixels or the everlasting smudges which have began showing on some folks’s telephone shows, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely’s show has been a little bit of a disappointment.
Complaints have revolved round just a few issues, a few of which could be thought of main given the excessive value of the Galaxy S24 Extremely. All Galaxy S24 Extremely models are affected by mura, which implies that every pixel is not reaching the identical brightness degree as adjoining pixels. This does not simply occur at excessive brightness, and it exposes a high quality downgrade we did not count on to see in a Samsung flagship.
We have additionally seen a number of situations of individuals getting everlasting “smudges” on their screens. Primarily based on a number of examples, it looks like it is the results of the oleophobic layer rubbing off prematurely. There isn’t any method to repair this if it occurs exterior of changing the outer glass totally, so it is best to place a display screen protector on it as quickly as you unbox it to forestall this subject.
Samsung may need fastened the boring display screen subject a couple of month after launch however the firm continues to be seeing complaints of diminished show brightness and coloration banding throughout social media. A number of the brightness points should do with thermal administration, because the telephone tones down the brightness after a couple of minutes to maintain it from getting sizzling.
Nevertheless, the largest subject is that Samsung artificially reduces the utmost brightness through the use of PWM dimming. This dimming technique helps improve coloration accuracy on OLEDs at low brightness however Samsung is utilizing it in any respect brightness ranges for an unknown purpose. Utilizing PWM dimming at excessive brightness reduces the perceived brightness degree of the show, one thing Samsung might repair it it provided a correct PWM-free dimming mode as rivals just like the OnePlus 13 do.
The Galaxy S24 Extremely’s show has been the middle of person complaints in regards to the telephone, starting from show high quality to early put on and tear on the glass.
We have additionally seen a number of stories of customers on Reddit getting micro scratches on their shows regardless of claiming to watch out with their telephones. Smartphone glass has advanced quite a bit through the years, however there appears to be one thing totally different in regards to the glass used on the S24 Extremely. My unit additionally has just a few micro scratches regardless of it not being my most important telephone all year long.
Each time I’ve used the Galaxy S24 Extremely over the previous yr, I’ve had points utilizing the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. Whereas some of us want ultrasonic sensors, folks like myself discover them to be much less dependable than optical sensors, particularly when a display screen protector is utilized. Fortunately, the upcoming One UI 7 replace addresses issues of fingerprint sensor pace and accuracy and, to date in my testing, has made it considerably extra dependable.
When you love the sq. corners of the Galaxy S24 Extremely, you may need to maintain on to the telephone for so long as doable as Samsung is claimed to be rounding them off with future telephones.
However whereas the show may not be the perfect factor on the earth, Samsung’s design and construct high quality of the S24 Extremely’s remaining {hardware} has shone by. The titanium body has obtained loads of reward and holds up effectively with use, though just a few customers have discovered that sure instances can scratch the body. It is unusual, for certain, however one thing to look out for if you happen to’re nonetheless rocking a pristine Galaxy S24 Extremely.
Whereas Samsung has been utilizing very sq. corners on the Galaxy S Extremely line for the reason that Galaxy S22, rumor has it that the Galaxy S25 Extremely will get rid of these for extra rounded corners. Regardless of rounding out the corners, Samsung is reportedly making the perimeters of the telephone fully flat throughout.
This design would match that of the Galaxy S24 which obtained the flat remedy final yr. Personally, I hate the flat facet rail design and would quite see Samsung maintain the curved sides from the Galaxy S24 Extremely, that are a lot nicer to carry and make it simpler to select the telephone up from a desk or different flat floor.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely: Software program and updates
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely arrived with the primary seven-year replace promise Samsung has ever made for its telephones. Whereas that sounds good on paper, Samsung shall be roughly 4 months late in delivering its Android 15 replace by the point One UI 7 lastly makes its public debut.
Android 15 actually is not the largest replace on the earth however One UI 7 seems to be well worth the wait. I attempted out the second One UI 7 beta again in December and was usually impressed with what I noticed. Samsung lastly ditched the age-old paginated app drawer for a vertical app drawer by default, though you’ll be able to swap again to the outdated type if you happen to want that.
The corporate can also be utilizing a brand new design for its multitasking interface that appears nearly an identical to an iPhone. Some folks may not be pleased with the change for that reason, nevertheless it’s much more sensible than the terrible outdated side-by-side design. This design makes it simpler to rapidly multitask as you’ll be able to “peak” on the subsequent few apps whereas scrolling by the tiles whereas the earlier design solely confirmed one app’s tile at a time.
Samsung can also be borrowing Apple’s cut up notification pane design, making it in order that the telephone’s notification pane solely seems when swiping down on the left facet of the standing bar, whereas swiping down on the suitable facet brings up a full-screen fast toggles pane. This design is polarizing because it’s opposite to plain Android design, however some of us want the bigger fast toggles pane to be the default.
No matter your desire, practically the whole lot could be personalized out of the field to fit your preferences. The one exception, for now, is the multitasking interface, which normally requires Samsung Good Lock to alter. Fortunately, Samsung is claimed to be giving Good Lock a complete overhaul when One UI 7 formally launches later this month, so you need to be capable of change it if you happen to’re not a fan of the brand new design (or like one of many many options Samsung has at all times provided).
Samsung’s actual energy has lengthy been providing one thing for everybody, and the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s software program expertise completely embodies that mantra.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely: Efficiency and battery life
As we anticipated when Samsung introduced it final yr, ray-tracing on telephones hasn’t caught on but. Diablo Immortal launched its massive ray-tracing replace, however we’ve not seen an enormous push for utilizing this know-how on telephones, presumably because of battery life and efficiency constraints that telephones uniquely face when in comparison with consoles or PCs that push the identical tech.
Total, although, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely nonetheless delivers stellar real-world efficiency. Newer telephones just like the OnePlus 13 considerably outpace it when it comes to efficiency and thermal limits, however that is totally anticipated from a brand new technology. For its half, the Galaxy S24 Extremely by no means feels sluggish, however Samsung tends to throttle brightness fairly a bit when the telephone begins to get heat.
This retains efficiency excessive and prevents the telephone from overheating, nevertheless it’s annoying to should cope with low brightness on the worst time: within the vibrant solar. Exterior of this case, nonetheless, the S24 Extremely performs admirably and will please even the pickiest of customers, even a yr later.
Total efficiency continues to be unbelievable even a yr later, however the telephone’s show dims too rapidly when the telephone will get sizzling.
One downside that solely feels worse with time, nonetheless, is the dreadfully gradual charging pace. Samsung, Google, and Apple’s telephones all nonetheless cost extremely slowly, even with a “quick” 45W charger. Telephones just like the OnePlus 12 can totally cost in about half-hour with the charger included within the field, however Samsung telephones nonetheless take effectively over an hour.
Some folks have gotten by this by having a fantastic wi-fi charger on their desk or of their automobile, nevertheless it does not change the right quick charging that almost all Android manufacturers provide. At least, battery life continues to be nice a yr later and extra software-side tweaks in One UI 7 ought to additional assist maintain battery life nice over the seven-year lifespan of the telephone.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely: Digital camera
Once I printed the Galaxy S24 Extremely digital camera evaluation final yr, I marveled on the enhancements Samsung had made. The corporate had gone from mediocre to the perfect in most conditions, barring only one massive space: movement seize.
Whereas the Galaxy S24 Extremely provided up some choices to assist scale back blurry shifting topics — normally youngsters or pets that will not maintain nonetheless — its efficiency was nonetheless worse than the competitors. As of a yr later, this hasn’t modified a bit. If something, Samsung seems worse than ever as a result of even OnePlus has fastened the identical downside that plagued its telephones for a very long time.
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Exterior of blurry shifting topics, the Galaxy S24 Extremely nonetheless suffers from an extremely irritating gradual shutter pace downside. Once you press the shutter button to take an image on a Galaxy S24 Extremely, there is a really annoying lag that takes place within the digital camera viewfinder. I do not see this on any different telephone available on the market and it is one thing Samsung wants to deal with on the S25 Extremely.
Samsung nonetheless does a superb job of portrait images, however I have been much less impressed with the telephone’s digital camera this yr than I used to be final yr. Low-light pictures aren’t pretty much as good because the Pixel 9 Professional or OnePlus 13, and even daytime portrait pictures aren’t as vibrant or stunning as I count on. Whereas images from some newer Android telephones is likely to be higher, the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s video recording high quality continues to be top-notch amongst Android telephones.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely: Is it nonetheless value shopping for?
With the Galaxy S25 Extremely on the cusp of being formally introduced, you are most likely questioning if it is nonetheless value shopping for the Galaxy S24 Extremely. Whereas I am unable to totally reply that query till the Galaxy S25 Extremely is definitely introduced, we all know for certain you can get a Galaxy S24 Extremely deal that can prevent a whole lot versus ready every week or so to preorder a Galaxy S25 Extremely.
The primary query is how choosy you may be about any potential show points you are sure to run into with the S24 Extremely. The show has garnered the biggest variety of complaints I’ve seen in regards to the telephone over the past yr, and whereas a few of them are from energy customers who nitpick the smallest particulars, loads of issues have been observed by of us who aren’t tech-savvy, too. There isn’t any assure that Samsung will repair any of those with the S25 Extremely, nevertheless it’ll doubtless deal with no less than just a few.
You will additionally want to think about the digital camera, which can be the largest purpose to decide on one thing else. When you primarily take photos of your youngsters or pets, you need to think about a OnePlus 13 or a Pixel 9 Professional. Each take much better photos of shifting topics, with the Pixel taking a slight edge on this class. If this specific images class is not massive in your record, the S24 Extremely might be a fantastic decide.
Lastly, chances are you’ll need to think about grabbing a OnePlus 13 over both a Galaxy S24 Extremely or a possible Galaxy S25 Extremely for battery life and charging pace. Samsung telephones, together with iPhones and Pixels, have lengthy been among the many slowest-charging smartphones available on the market. That is by no means been more true in 2025 when telephones just like the OnePlus 13 take 20 minutes to top-up the battery whereas an S24 Extremely may take an hour and a half.
