Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs S24 Ultra: What’s the difference?

Samsung’s flagship smartphones for 2024 pack a few surprises, with the Plus model in the Galaxy S24 series gaining some long-lost flagship features. The higher-end S24 Ultra, meanwhile, has seen fewer changes and even a small price increase. With the spec gap narrowing to such a dramatic degree then, is it still worth paying top dollar for Samsung’s top-end phone this generation? Find out in our Galaxy S24 Plus vs S24 Ultra comparison.

Based on the spec sheet alone, it’s hard to justify why the Galaxy S24 Ultra costs $300 more than the S24 Plus. Both Samsung flagships sport nearly the same display size, resolution, processing hardware, and battery capacities. But the devil’s in the details and there are certainly a few major differences that swing the pendulum in the S24 Ultra’s favor.

Starting with the display, the S24 Ultra offers a 0.1-inch larger canvas than the Plus. This is a diagonal inch, so the difference in area is larger than you’d think. Furthermore, the S24 Ultra’s signature boxy design offers slightly more screen real estate vs the S24 Plus. Having said that, the Plus model has received an upgrade this year in the form of a QHD+ resolution LTPO display that matches the Ultra. Both phones can also reach an eye-searing 2,600 nits of peak brightness.

In terms of processing, all models of the S24 Ultra will house the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. However, Samsung will only include that chip in North American models of the S24 Plus. The rest of the world will get the South Korean company’s in-house Exynos 2400 instead. It’s a bewildering decision and could have an impact on performance and battery life for international S24 Plus buyers.

Photography and videography is where the two phones really start to pull apart from each other. The Ultra nets you a 200MP primary sensor instead of 50MP on the S24 Plus. Likewise, the larger phone packs an extra 50MP telephoto lens that offers optical zoom up to 5x. The increased resolution over the Plus model’s 10MP 3x lens should help it deliver excellent long-range shots.

Elsewhere, the S24 Ultra scores only minor wins over its less-expensive sibling like support for Wi-Fi 7 over Wi-Fi 6E and a Titanium frame instead of Aluminum. The highest-end smartphone does get better front and rear protection in the front of Gorilla Glass Armor. Samsung says the latter reduces screen glare and delivers significantly more scratch and impact resistance. Still, you’d be hard pressed to notice these differences day-to-day.

However, the S24 Ultra has a trick up its sleeve in the form of Samsung’s S Pen, which you won’t find on any other phone. It’s the perfect note-taking and annotation tool, especially with the rectangular display on the Ultra.

The Galaxy S24 Plus and Ultra don’t share the same silhouette, which is rare for modern flagship phones. Some may prefer the curved corners of the S24 Plus as it feels more natural to hold, especially without a case. On the other hand, the S24 Ultra feels much more maximalist in how it doesn’t waste any real estate. It’s also the more iconic design of the two and won’t get confused for a cheaper smartphone at a glance.

That said, the S24 Ultra’s larger body and included S Pen come at the expense of weight. At 233g, it’s not far off from some foldables like the OnePlus Open. The only other mainstream smartphone in its weight class is the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The S24 Plus weighs 36 grams less, landing at a more reasonable 197g.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra houses a versatile camera array that outclasses the S24 Plus. But even setting aside the additional zoom lens, the S24 Ultra’s headlining 200MP primary shooter is higher resolution than the 50MP sensor found in Samsung’s S24 Plus. It’s also physically larger and can let in much more light. This translates to much better low-light performance. While you can opt to capture full resolution images on both phones, you’ll see more detail resolved in the Ultra’s 200MP shots.

Samsung decided to replace the 10x optical zoom sensor on last year’s S23 Ultra with a new 50MP 5x shooter on the S24 Ultra this year. The company argued that the higher resolution makes up for the shorter focal length. Regardless, the Ultra still delivers longer zoom and higher resolution than the smaller S24 phones.

AI has become a big focus for smartphone makers in 2024 and that holds true for Samsung as well. The company has stated that the S24 Ultra combines raw hardware with AI to deliver better zoom and noise reduction for night-time shots. Apart from that, however, it hasn’t artificially locked features so you’ll get all of the generative AI powered editing tools on the S24 Plus as well. We like this strategy, especially since Google reserved some AI features for the Pixel 8 Pro.

We’re currently testing the S24 series’ cameras, so stay tuned for comparison shots and our full review of both smartphones.

Samsung has given the S24 Plus a larger battery this generation, landing it just shy of the S24 Ultra’s capacity. There’s only a 100mAh or 2% difference between the two smartphones.

In the real world, you can expect the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 5,000mAh battery to last two days of light to moderate use. The same can be said for the S24 Plus’ 4,900mAh cell as well, especially given that it has a slightly smaller display to match.

Both S24 phones feature identical charging speeds on paper, with support for Samsung’s Super Fast Charging 2.0. However, the S24 Ultra could draw the maximum 45W charging power for slightly longer if it packs a better cooling system than the Plus model. Regardless of which phone you get, expect sub-one hour wired charging times. Likewise, a full charge using fast wireless charging will take between one to two hours on either phone.

Samsung hiked the Ultra model’s price by a whopping $100 this generation, while leaving the S24 Plus unchanged at $999. For many buyers, $1,299 may seem like a high bar but it’s the only way to get the excellent S Pen and Samsung’s most versatile smartphone camera array. With that in mind, value shoppers will prefer the Galaxy S24 Plus as it delivers most of the specs at a 30% lower starting price.

On the subject of a good deal, Samsung will double the storage of both phones if you pre-order them until January 31. This deal translates to a $120 reduction if you were eyeing the 512GB model of either phone or even the 1TB variant that’s exclusive to the Ultra. You’ll also get another $100 in store credit if you pre-order via Samsung’s website.

Based on everything we’ve seen so far, the S24 Plus is the more reasonable choice for most smartphone buyers. It packs the majority of features you’d get from the more-expensive flagship without breaching the all-important $1,000 benchmark.

Samsung also bestowed the S24 Plus with a few spec bumps this year that puts it within striking distance of the Ultra model. The higher resolution display and larger battery were key selling points for the largest smartphone in prior years, but it has now trickled down a notch. Having said that, buyers outside the US may have to contend with Samsung’s Exynos 2400 chip. The S24 Ultra, meanwhile, will ship with the same SoC worldwide.

Moreover, the S Pen, enhanced zoom capability, and unique form factor remain reason enough to purchase the Ultra instead. Creatives and power users will surely appreciate the little extras on the S24 Ultra as well. So with that in mind, which smartphone would you rather buy?