Design, screen, performance, photo, autonomy… Is the Samsung Galaxy S24 a major development compared to the Galaxy S23? This is what we will discover in this comparison.
Samsung has launched its new generation of high-end smartphones with the Galaxy S24 series, which succeeds the Galaxy S23 series devices. This time, the manufacturer is betting on artificial intelligence to try to stand out from the crowd. Like every year, the question arises of the differences between the old and new models. Is it worth investing in a Galaxy S24 when you already own a Galaxy S23? For a new smartphone, is it more relevant to buy a cheaper Galaxy S23 or a full price Galaxy S24? Our first handling of the Galaxy S24 and our complete test of the Galaxy S23 are good starting points to answer these questions, and our comparison allows us to see even more clearly.
The technical data sheets for the S24 and S23
Let’s start with the technical specifications of the Galaxy S24 and S23 before going into more depth in the rest of this article.
| Galaxy S24 | Galaxy S23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2400 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| Screen | 6.2 inches AMOLED FHD+ 1-120Hz LTPO 2600 nits maximum | 6.1 inches AMOLED FHD+ 48-120Hz LTPO 1750 nits maximum |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR5X | 8GB LPDDR5X |
| Battery | 4000mAh 25W wired fast charging 15W fast wireless charging | 3900mAh 25W wired fast charging 15W fast wireless charging |
| Photo | 50 MP main sensor 12 MP ultra wide angle 10 MP telephoto lens (3X optical zoom) | 50 MP main sensor 12 MP ultra wide angle 10 MP telephoto lens (3X optical zoom) |
| selfie | 12MP f/2.2 | 12MP f/2.2 |
| Biometrics | Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner under the screen | Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner under the screen |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Storage | 128, 256 GB | 128, 256 GB |
| BONE | Android 14 + One UI 6.1 | Android 13 (upgrade to One UI 6.1 and Android 14 available) |
| Dimensions | 147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm 167g | 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6mm 168g |
| MicroSD | No | No |
Design: the Galaxy S24 is less compact
While the competition is focusing on ever larger devices, the base model of the Galaxy S range remains an interesting compact premium option. The Galaxy S24 maintains controlled dimensions, but has still grown slightly. It measures 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm compared to 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm for its predecessor. Still made of an aluminum chassis and a glass back panel, its weight has barely changed. It weighs 167 grams, while the Galaxy S23 weighs 168 grams.
If the Galaxy S24 Ultra is entitled to Corning’s new Gorilla Glass Armor technology to protect its screen, the standard Galaxy S24 remains faithful to the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 which already preserves the Galaxy S23. The water and dust resistance certification is also identical (IP68) and the ultrasonic fingerprint reader is positioned under the screen in both cases. The connectivity is also similar, with the integration of a USB Type-C 3.2 port.
The design of the Galaxy S24 is very close to that of the Galaxy S23. We note slightly flatter and thinner slices on the most recent model. The corners of the Galaxy S24 remain rounded, but with more pronounced angles than on the Galaxy S23. The borders around the screen are slightly thinner. The integration of the three photo sensors on the back does not change, but Samsung has lowered the position of the LED Flash on the Galaxy S24. This is now between the first and second optics, whereas it was next to the first module on the Galaxy S23. The front camera is still housed in a central punch in the screen.
The Galaxy S24 is available in black, silver, cream and indigo colors. The Galaxy S23 is available in black, cream, lavender and green. The S23 was already one of the good performers on the market with its repairability index of 8.2/10, Samsung managed to do even better with its Galaxy S24, which has a score of 8.5/10.
Screen: a brighter display
If the Galaxy S24 has gained height, it is to be able to offer a larger screen. Its diagonal reaches 6.2 inches, when the Galaxy S23 panel is 6.1 inches. For the rest, we do not see any major change. Samsung still entrusts the display to its Dynamic AMOLED 2X LTPO technology. The refresh rate is variable between 1 and 120 Hz for the Galaxy S24, a significant difference with the Galaxy S23 which cannot go below 48 Hz.
The definition is 1080 x 2340 pixels on both models: the resolution of the Galaxy S23 is therefore slightly higher than that of the Galaxy S24 since the display surface is smaller. Samsung, on the other hand, announces higher maximum brightness on the Galaxy S24, 2,600 nits. For its part, the Galaxy S23 is capped at 1,750 nits. This improvement serves in particular to mark the effects of HDR10+, supported by both devices. The evolution is ultimately timid in terms of the screen.
Performance: the Galaxy S24 switches back to the Exynos
Historically, Samsung smartphones launched in Europe are equipped with in-house Exynos chips. An exception was granted to the Galaxy S23 series, which benefits from a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC from Qualcomm. For its new generation of mobiles, the South Korean manufacturer has decided to split the pear in two: the Galaxy S24 and S24+ are equipped with a Exynos 2400, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra benefits from a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The first benchmarks seem to indicate that the Exynos 2400 is closer to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 than old Samsung chips could be against their competitors at Qualcomm . In any case, the Exynos 2400 of the Galaxy S24, engraved in 4nm, outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 of the Galaxy S23, similarly in 4nm.
Samsung is not changing its strategy when it comes to memory options, with 8 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 128 GB (UFS 3.1) or 256 GB (UFS 4.0) of storage depending on the configuration chosen. In terms of connectivity, the Galaxy S24 is limited to WiFi 6E by its Exynos 2400 SoC, like the Galaxy S23. Disappointing when we know that the Galaxy S24 Ultra benefits from compatibility with the new Wi-Fi 7 standard, which will be useful in a few years. Bluetooth 5.3 is included on both the S24 and the S23.
Autonomy: battery capacity increases
Samsung incorporates a battery with a slightly larger capacity, 4000mAh, on the Galaxy S24. An increase of 100 mAh compared to the 3,900 mAh of the Galaxy S23’s battery. Does this increase really translate into an improvement in autonomy? Yes, according to Samsung, which announces a higher endurance of 4 hours for the Galaxy S24 compared to the Galaxy S23 for standard use. Here is the detail of what the brand communicates on this subject:
Autonomy in internet use (4G)
- Galaxy S24: Up to 25 hours
- Galaxy S23: Up to 8 p.m.
Autonomy in internet use (WiFi)
- Galaxy S24: Up to 25 hours
- Galaxy S23: Up to 8 p.m.
Battery life in video playback
- Galaxy S24: Up to 29 hours
- Galaxy S23: Up to 10 p.m.
Battery life in audio playback
- Galaxy S24: Up to 78 hours
- Galaxy S23: Up to 71 hours
The wired charging power is 25W on both terminals. Samsung continues to be ungenerous when it comes to charging speed. The same goes for induction charging, limited to 15 W on both models.
Camera: few new features
Samsung has not changed the optics of its photo sensors. If we read the characteristics provided by the manufacturer, we might even believe that the photo configuration has not changed an inch. On the Galaxy S24 as on the Galaxy S23, we have:
- A 50 MP wide-angle main sensor, f/1.8 aperture and 23 mm focal length
- A 12 MP ultra-wide-angle module, f/2.2 aperture and 13 mm focal length
- A telephoto lens with up to 3x optical zoom from 10 MP, f/2.4 aperture and 69 mm focal length
- A 12 MP front camera, f/2.2 aperture and 25 mm focal length
The Galaxy S24, however, manages to do well with an increased sensor size and photosites capable of capturing more light. Samsung also indicates that it has collaborated with the publishers of the largest social networks so that their applications integrate the photo and video functionalities of the S24. The camera integrated into Instagram, TikTok or even Snapchat is particularly concerned.
Software: what if the biggest difference was there?
As we have seen, the hardware differences between the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S23 are minor. One of the most important advances is undoubtedly in the software aspect. Already, Samsung is aligning itself with Google’s Pixels and now promises 7 years of Android updates and security patches, compared to 5 so far. In theory, the Galaxy S24 will therefore benefit from software support for three years (the two years extension plus the twelve months separating the release of one and the other) after the end of that of the Galaxy S23, unless this The latter has the right to an extension.
The big area that Samsung has focused on in the Galaxy S24 series is Galaxy AI, a new experience based on artificial intelligence. This promises to save time and provide daily comfort through numerous small, very useful features:
- Translating a web page in the Samsung browser
- The bulleted summary of a news article in the Samsung browser
- The ability to rephrase messages (in a polite manner for example) with the Samsung keyboard
- Real-time conversation translation with the native Phone app
- “Circle to search”, a function that allows you to circle an element on the screen to launch a search with Google Lens
- Transcription of meetings
To find out more about this, we invite you to read our article dedicated to Galaxy AI. Note that Samsung plans to roll out these AI-based features on the Galaxy S23 and other recent premium models in the coming months, so the exclusivity will be short-lived for the S24.
Value for money: Samsung reviews its prices
Aware that the Galaxy S24 is only a poorly improved Galaxy S23 (especially if an update brings AI functions to the S23), Samsung has activated the price lever to make its new model attractive. The Galaxy S24 starts at 899 euros for 128 GB of storage and sells for 969 euros for the version with 256 GB of internal memory. When it was released, the Galaxy S23 cost, for the same storage options, 959 and 1,019 euros respectively. This price drop is good news, but in one year, the price of the Galaxy S23 has also fallen and it is now possible to purchase it on sale for a much lower sum. If you manage to find it for a few hundred euros less, the Galaxy S23 offers more attractive value for money, unless perhaps you plan to keep your mobile for many years.