Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: THE all-round smartphone that does it all!

5 months ago I switched smartphones, replacing my S22 Ultra with a newer version, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, the smartphone that promised to redefine industry standards. Indeed, I've been a fan of this version from the start, for its highly versatile capabilities, as well as its integrated stylus, inherited from the old Galaxy Note range. For professional use, it's really top-notch! For the past 5 months, this top-of-the-range smartphone has accompanied me everywhere, whether for professional tasks, photography, leisure, etc. Samsung has pulled out all the stops to make this phone a real beast of a competitor. After a few months of intensive use, here's my review of this smartphone, which even includes AI!

Unpacking the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

As has become increasingly fashionable since chargers are no longer compulsory, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra arrives in an extra-flat box.

As soon as you open the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra box, you know you're in for something special. The packaging is neat, with a minimalist yet elegant design.

Inside, we find the phone itself, a USB-C charging cable, and the famous S Pen, as practical as ever for creative or professional users.

The design of the Galaxy S24 Ultra is breathtaking. The titanium frame and Corning Gorilla Glass back give it a rugged yet sophisticated look.

The phone is available in a range of colors: Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Blue, Titanium Green and Titanium Orange. Something for everyone! For my part, I opted for the Titanium Green, which is quite a change from the usual smartphones.

In terms of dimensions, the Galaxy S24 Ultra measures 162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm and weighs 233 grams. Yes, it's a pretty big and heavy device, but it's still surprisingly comfortable to hold thanks to its slightly rounded edges.

Ergonomics have been well thought out, with volume and power buttons easily accessible on the right-hand side.

The periphery is uncluttered, with almost everything centralized on the bottom edge: stylus location, speaker, Usb-C port, micro sim slot:

As with previous versions, there's no micro SD expansion slot, just two micro Sim slots. So you'll need to opt for a good storage capacity from the outset to avoid getting cramped too quickly.

One of the great new features of the Galaxy S24 Ultra is its 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 3088 x 1440 pixels. This display is capable of reaching a maximum brightness of 1280 nits, making it perfectly legible even in bright sunlight. The screen is virtually glare-free, making it ideal for outdoor use.

The S Pen is integrated into the phone, as in previous Ultra models. It's as responsive and precise as ever, perfect for taking notes, drawing or even controlling certain phone functions remotely thanks to its Bluetooth capabilities.

On the rear, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a real monster when it comes to photography. It has four sensors: a 200 MP main one, a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle one, and two telephoto lenses (one 10 MP with 3x optical zoom and one 50 MP with 5x optical zoom).

As for resistance, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is IP68-certified, which means it is dust-resistant and can be immersed in water up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. So you can take it anywhere without fearing for its survival.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra performance

Let's delve into the impressive performance of this Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Whether it's the screen, the camera, the battery life or the raw power, this smartphone has something to dazzle even the most demanding users.

The power

Let's start with the power of this smartphone. Under the hood, the Galaxy S24 Ultra packs the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, coupled with 12GB of RAM. Suffice to say, this phone is a true power monster. Whether you're a casual user or an inveterate gamer, this smartphone will meet all your expectations without flinching!

Applications open instantly, multitasking is fluid and the most demanding games run smoothly at high refresh rates. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is also optimized for low power consumption, helping to extend battery life despite top-level performance.

In terms of storage, you can choose between 256 GB, 512 GB or even 1 TB, allowing you to store all your photos, videos and applications without worrying about available space. Personally, I opted for the 512GB version, as applications are increasingly demanding, as are photos and videos, which are becoming heavier as their quality increases. At the same time, when this model was launched, Samsung doubled the memory free of charge, so it would have been a shame not to take advantage ;-)

The screen

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is equipped with a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 3088 x 1440 pixels. This screen is simply spectacular. It offers vivid, precise colors, deep blacks and impressive brightness of up to 1280 nits. This means you can use your phone in direct sunlight without having to squint to see the screen.

The screen also supports an adaptive refresh rate of 120 Hz, making the user experience incredibly fluid, whether you're browsing the web, playing games or watching videos. Samsung's AMOLED technology is known for its excellent contrast levels, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra is no exception. Colors are vibrant, and the “Vivid” mode lets you take full advantage of this chromatic richness, while the “Natural” mode offers a softer, more realistic color palette.

The camera

The Galaxy S24 Ultra has established itself as a true benchmark in photography. It is equipped with four rear sensors: a 200 MP main sensor, a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, and two telephoto sensors (one 10 MP with 3x optical zoom and one 50 MP with 5x optical zoom). This combination makes it possible to capture images with exceptional sharpness and precision.

The main 200 MP sensor is equipped with pixel binning technology, which combines multiple pixels to create a single, larger one, improving photo quality in low light.

Images are detailed, with vibrant colors and excellent noise management. The ultra-wide-angle camera is perfect for landscapes or group shots, while the telephoto lenses let you zoom in without losing quality.

In fact, the zoom is impressive, although of course digital zoom degrades quality to a high level.

See that red boat in the middle of the water?

How about now?

And pushing the digital zoom:

The Galaxy S24 Ultra's night mode is equally impressive. It captures clear, detailed images even in low-light conditions.

The 12 MP front camera is no slouch either, offering sharp, well-exposed selfies, even indoors or at night.

Battery life

As for autonomy, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is equipped with a 5000 mAh battery. This means you can get through a full day of intensive use without having to worry about finding an outlet to recharge. Whether you're gaming, watching videos, surfing the web or making calls, the battery holds up.

However, it's important to note that battery life can vary according to usage. The most intensive users could find themselves running out of battery at the end of the day, especially if they make heavy use of power-hungry functions such as the camera or augmented reality applications. When I'm in the salon, for example, with the camera in very intensive use, it's best to have a backup battery. Fortunately, the Galaxy S24 Ultra supports fast charging, although it's not the fastest on the market. It will take you around an hour to recharge your phone to 70%, which is still very practical for users in a hurry.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: in use

I have to say that using the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on a daily basis is a real pleasure! This phone is designed to deliver a smooth, enjoyable user experience, whether for the most basic tasks or the most demanding applications.

As soon as you switch on the screen, you're greeted by a clean, intuitive interface. Samsung One UI, in its latest version, is sleeker and more responsive than ever. Navigation is simplified, with easily accessible icons and menus. Personalization is also a strong point: you can adjust the phone's appearance and functionality to suit your personal preferences.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is also a champion of multitasking. Thanks to its 12 GB of RAM, you can switch from one application to another without any latency. Opening multiple windows, playing games while replying to messages, or watching a video while surfing the web all happen without a hitch. Reactivity is spot on, no matter how intense your use.

Speaking of games, even though I personally play very few of them, graphics performance is also up to scratch. The latest and most resource-hungry games run smoothly, offering fluid, detailed graphics. Playing Xbox games via Xbox Game Pass, for example, is a real pleasure. The screen's 120 Hz refresh rate makes every movement more realistic and immersive.

Artificial intelligence functions

But where the Galaxy S24 Ultra really stands out is in its artificial intelligence (AI)-based features. Samsung has integrated several AI tools to make using the phone even more intuitive and convenient. Admittedly, the term AI is used everywhere these days, it's the new buzzword for selling. But here it's not just a marketing ploy.

One of the most impressive features is AI's ability to optimize photos. The camera uses AI to detect scenes and automatically adjust settings to get the best possible shot. Whether you're taking a landscape shot, a portrait or a low-light scene, AI optimizes settings for optimum image quality. What's more, pixel binning technology enhances the sharpness and clarity of photos by grouping pixels.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra also incorporates a real-time translation function during calls, even if it still has room for improvement. This feature instantly translates conversations in different languages, which can be very useful for travelers or professionals working internationally.

Another practical application of AI is the transcription of voice recordings. The Dictaphone application can transcribe and summarize long meetings, which is a major asset for professionals. In my job, for example, I can conduct an oral interview, which I record: the S24 is then able to provide me with a written transcript, and even a summary, translated into French if necessary, thus increasing my productivity.

In a similar vein, the Galaxy S24 Ultra's web browser can summarize long articles, an ideal feature for those times when you don't have time to read the whole thing.

The “Surround Search” function, developed by Google, is also a remarkable feature in terms of user interaction. This feature makes it easy to search for information directly from your smartphone screen. Simply draw a circle around text, an image or any other visual element on your screen to launch a contextual search. Whether you're reading an article, watching a video, or consulting a document, “Surround Search” offers an intuitive and quick way to obtain additional information without leaving the current application. This seamless integration dramatically improves the efficiency and accessibility of searches, making the Galaxy S24 Ultra an even more powerful tool for users who want to optimize their everyday productivity and knowledge.

AI is also used to enhance the phone's security. The ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is fast and accurate, and works even if your finger is wet or the screen is slightly dirty. AI helps to accurately identify the fingerprint and quickly unlock the phone.

AI also plays a role in optimizing battery life. The phone analyzes your usage habits and adjusts settings to save energy where possible. For example, it can reduce screen brightness or disable certain applications in the background when you're not using them.

The DeX function

Although it's not often mentioned, it's important to note that the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra includes the DeX function, a real revolution for users looking for productivity. DeX turns your smartphone into a desktop computer by connecting it to a monitor, TV or PC via an HDMI cable or even a wireless connection. Once activated, DeX offers a computer-like user interface, with resizable windows, a desktop and a taskbar. This feature is ideal for professionals who want to work on documents, presentations or spreadsheets directly from their phone, while enjoying a full desktop experience. It's a feature I personally use when I'm on the move: a simple TV at the hotel is transformed into a workstation, without the need to carry a laptop with you. In fact, even on the train, equipped with Xreal glasses, for example, it's possible to work comfortably on a high-performance workstation. But I'll come back to this subject in more detail in a future article ;-)

Compatibility with Android apps and Microsoft Office software means we can maintain high productivity without having to carry around a laptop. With DeX, the Galaxy S24 Ultra becomes a powerful and versatile work tool, perfect for travel and flexible working environments. It's a function that appeared many models ago, but is not given much prominence by the manufacturer, and even most of the tests relating to this device. And yet, in my opinion, it's a very practical feature for professional use!

Overall, the user experience with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is exceptional, thanks to its smooth performance and numerous AI-based features. Whether it's enhancing your photos, translating calls, transcribing meetings or optimizing battery life, Samsung's AI makes every interaction with your phone smarter and more intuitive. This smartphone is truly designed to adapt to your daily life and meet all your needs.

Practical accessories

Samsung naturally offers a wide range of accessories for its smartphone. However, I'd like to take this opportunity to mention Casetify, whose accessories I've been using for several years. In particular, the manufacturer offers solid, stylish cases with well thought-out functions. This model, for example, provides foolproof protection, while letting you enjoy the rear color of your smartphone:

The border around the cameras perfectly protects the lenses, which could easily be damaged without protection, as the lenses protrude strongly from the case.

This frame can also be used as a stand when unfolded, which is handy for viewing videos, for example:

Let's not forget the possibility of attaching a strap:

Or a magnetic ring to take advantage of Magsafes accessories designed for iPhone ;-)

In short, you're spoilt for choice when it comes to protecting your smartphone and adapting it to your needs :)

Conclusion

This Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a real technological gem. It combines top-level performance, exceptional build quality and artificial intelligence features that make the user experience even more fluid and intuitive.

The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display offers spectacular display quality with vivid colors and deep blacks, while the 120 Hz refresh rate guarantees unrivalled fluidity. The Galaxy S24 Ultra's photographic capabilities are equally remarkable, with a 200 MP main sensor, a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle, and two telephoto lenses for capturing sharp, detailed images in all conditions.

As for autonomy, although the 5000 mAh battery easily lasts a full day, some intensive users might wish for a little more longevity. Fortunately, fast recharging is available, although not the fastest on the market.

The AI built into the Galaxy S24 Ultra greatly enhances the user experience, whether it's optimizing photos, transcribing meetings, or saving battery power. These features make the phone even more intuitive and convenient to use on a daily basis.

In short, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a smartphone that excels in all areas. Whether you're a professional looking for a high-performance tool, or a technology enthusiast in search of the latest gadget, this phone has something to seduce you. It represents a substantial investment, but it's one you won't regret. The Galaxy S24 Ultra redefines what we can expect from a high-end smartphone in 2024, and it's ready to take on any challenge you throw at it. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra starts today at less than €1050 depending on configuration.