Samsung Galaxy S24 vs. S24 Plus: don’t make a mistake

For 2024, Samsung has launched the impressive Galaxy S24 lineup, which includes the base model S24, S24 Plus, and the top-tier S24 Ultra. Though the S24 Ultra is the best of the bunch, it’s also very expensive. You may be considering picking up the regular S24 or the larger S24 Plus, but how do you pick between the two?

There are a few advantages the S24 Plus has over the S24 besides size, though that’s the most obvious difference. Here’s a breakdown of the two to help you make your decision.

Galaxy S24 vs. S24 Plus: specs

Galaxy S24 vs. S24 Plus: design and display

Both the S24 and S24 Plus have a new, refreshed design compared to their predecessors. The new design features flat edges and a matte glass back, similar to the iPhone 15. The flat sides make it more comfortable to hold over longer periods.

The Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus look identical, even down to the color options. Speaking of colors, you can get the S24 and S24 Plus in these standard colors: Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Marble Gray, and Onyx Black. There are also three Samsung.com exclusive colors: Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, and Sandstone Orange.

The biggest difference between the S24 and S24 Plus, though, is the size of the flat display. The base Galaxy S24 features a 6.2-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 1080 x 2340 pixel resolution and 416 pixels per inch (ppi), while the S24 Plus has a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with 1440 x 3120 resolution and 513 ppi.

Other than that, the displays are similar. They both use LTPO panels with a dynamic refresh rate between 1Hz to 120Hz. Samsung has also bumped up the peak brightness across all models, including the S24 Ultra, to 2,600 nits.

As you can see, the only real differences between the two displays are the size and pixel resolution/density. But other than that, both displays can reach 2,600 nits peak brightness and can lower the refresh rate all the way down to 1Hz (so they use less power when you’re not using the device). Everything looks sharp and crisp with vivid colors on the screens. As for the S24 Plus, while the default setting is for FHD+, like the S24, you can bump that up to QHD+ at any time from the Settings app. Though the difference is minor, it does make things look even sharper, which is particularly helpful for smaller fonts and text.

Galaxy S24 vs. S24 Plus: performance and software

Samsung equipped both the S24 and S24 Plus with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip. The cooling system on the S24 lineup has also been redesigned and optimized for better heat dissipation.

There are some minor differences between the configurations for the S24 and S24 Plus. The base model S24 only has 8GB RAM, with 128GB or 256GB storage options. The S24 Plus, however, has 12GB RAM. It also starts at 256GB and goes up to 512GB storage. Neither one offers expandable storage.

The Galaxy S24 lineup has Android 14 with One UI 6.1 layered on top. Samsung has launched a whole slate of new AI-powered features via Galaxy AI with the S24 line. These new AI tools include real-time translation on phone calls and voice and text messages, intelligently summarized and formatted notes, generative photo-editing tools, Circle to Search, and more.

There is plenty to like about the software on the S24 series. For example, the new Quick Settings panel has been redesigned with more intuitive controls that make more sense. For example, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles at the top are more prominent, and the brightness slider now also includes shortcuts for Eye Comfort Shield and Dark Mode. Samsung also changed the default setting for the always-on display to show the wallpaper, though you can turn that off if you prefer.

The AI features are also useful, especially Circle to Search and the photo-editing tools. However, not all of them are winners. The Chat Assist feature on the Samsung Keyboard is pretty laughable. It changes the tone/style of your typed-out messages to be more professional or casual, and the results are absolutely ridiculous. Who says “I will be going to the store to procure a few items for the evening meal. Is there anything you require?” instead of “I’m going to the store to pick up a few things for dinner, do you need anything?”

Aside from the RAM and storage capacity difference, the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus are the same in terms of processor and software features. All AI tools are available on both devices, so you aren’t missing out on something if you go with the base model over the Plus.

In our testing of the S24 and S24 Plus, we never ran into issues with the performance of either device. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip is even faster than its predecessor, so no matter what you throw at these phones, they’ll handle it without breaking a sweat. Apps will open immediately without any lag or stutter, multitasking is smooth (even with the base S24’s 8GB RAM), and you can game on these phones without them getting hot.

Of course, remember that only the U.S. models of these phones will have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy processor. For other countries, Samsung uses the Exynos 2400 chipset, which isn’t the best and offers slightly worse performance than the Qualcomm counterparts.

Samsung will also offer seven years of major software upgrades on the S24 lineup, including the S24 and S24 Plus. This is a move to align it with Google’s Pixel series. With a seven-year road map, the S24 and S24 Plus should last up to Android 21.

Galaxy S24 vs. S24 Plus: cameras

On the camera front, the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus are pretty much identical. Both have a 50-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and 85-degree field of view with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12MP ultrawide camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 120-degree field of view, and a 10MP telephoto camera with an f/2.4 aperture, a 36-degree field of view, and 3x optical zoom range. The front-facing selfie camera is 12MP, with an f/2.2 aperture and an 80-degree field of view.

One of the flaws of Samsung devices, in general, has been the oversaturation of colors from the resulting photographs. Thankfully, Samsung seems to have improved the algorithms behind color representation in photos, so images should be more true to life than before.

When we tested the devices for our S24 and S24 Plus reviews, the results were very good as long as there was no movement. Colors will pop, but not be overly saturated like on Samsung’s previous phones, so images will be more realistic than artificial-looking. However, if there is any kind of movement in the scene, it will trip up the autofocus, and you’ll end up with a blurry image that is less than ideal.

For close-up shots with the S24 and S24 Plus, the 3x optical zoom is pretty standard and gets you good results. Technically, the phones can go up to 30x zoom, but that’s digital, and it gets worse the more you zoom in. At most, the 10x zoom will still look pretty good, but anything past that, and you’ll end up with a messy photo. The selfie camera is just decent and will get the job done, but don’t expect anything super-amazing with it.

Galaxy S24 vs. S24 Plus: battery and charging

The Galaxy S24 Plus has a 4,900mAh battery, whereas the regular Galaxy S24 has a 4,000mAh cell. That’s due to the size of the devices; the larger S24 Plus has more room for a larger battery cell inside, while the S24 does not. For comparison purposes, the S24 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery, so the S24 Plus is very close to it.

During our testing with the phones, we found both are quite good at holding their own in battery life. The smaller S24, despite only having a 4,000mAh battery, can last more than a single day on a full charge thanks to the efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. It would end up with about 20% to 30% battery left after the first day with moderate to heavy usage, with the remaining charge getting you through a partial day.

On the other hand, the S24 Plus is definitely a two-day phone, even if you turn on the QHD+ resolution and have the always-on display enabled. After a full day of use, it would still have about 50% battery remaining, which can easily get you through another day. Of course, if you turn off the QHD+ resolution and AOD, you can squeeze out even more battery life from the S24 Plus. If you want the most battery life from a single charge, then the S24 Plus is the way to go.

For charging, the Galaxy S24 Plus is also better, as it offers 45-watt, wired fast charging speeds. The Galaxy S24, on the other hand, only has up to 25W charging speeds.

Unfortunately, Samsung decided not to adopt the Qi2 magnetic wireless charging standard for the S24 line, so wireless charging for both the S24 and S24 Plus is still capped at 15W. They both also have 4.5W reverse wireless charging.

Galaxy S24 vs. S24 Plus: verdict

When it comes down to it, the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus are almost identical. They have the same overall design, cameras, and software features.

As you try to decide between the two, it really comes down to this: Do you prefer smaller phones, or do you want a larger display and more battery life? And, of course, don’t forget to factor in the cost — a larger phone also has a bigger price tag.

Aside from these factors, though, the S24 and S24 Plus will offer the same overall experience. In other words, you can’t go wrong either way — it just depends on what you’re looking for.