Samsung revealed its highly anticipated Galaxy S24 series at the Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event on January 17. Among the three models, the Galaxy S24 Ultra stands out, boasting top-tier specs and features. Today, we compare the Galaxy S24 Ultra with Samsung’s flagship from last year, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, to highlight the significant upgrades Samsung has incorporated.
We thoroughly compared the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra across design, display, cameras, performance, and more. Let’s dive into the comparison.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Design
Let’s compare the design of the Galaxy S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra. In terms of dimensions, both devices are almost identical. However, this year, Samsung opted for a titanium frame and flat screen on the S24 Ultra, while last year’s S23 Ultra featured an aluminum frame and a slightly curved display. The weight of both devices is the same; S23 Ultra weighs 234 gm and S24 Ultra weighs 233 gm.
Regarding protection, Samsung utilizes Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 3 on the latest S24 Ultra for superior drop and scratch resistance on both front and back. The older S23 Ultra had Gorilla Glass Victus 2 applied on both sides. Both smartphones boast IP68 water and dust resistance.
Overall, in terms of design and build quality, both phones are solid, and the S24 Ultra maintains its long-held Note design language. The S24 Ultra, with its titanium frame, likely offers stronger resistance against hard drops, making it more durable.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Display
Comparing the displays of the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra, both have a 6.8-inch screen with QHD+ resolution. They feature an LTPO AMOLED panel supporting variable refresh rates from 1Hz to 120Hz.
However, Samsung has abandoned the curved display for a flat one on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Those who prefer flat screens with symmetrical bezels will appreciate the S24 Ultra.
Aside from that, the display has significantly improved this year. The S24 Ultra boasts a peak brightness of 2,600 nits and maintains high brightness at 1,500 nits. In contrast, last year’s S23 Ultra reached only 1,750 nits and offered up to 1,200 nits under high-brightness mode.
The display was already vibrant and bright on the S23 Ultra, and Samsung, as a leader in the industry, has once again set a new standard for smartphone displays.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Cameras
Let’s compare the cameras of the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra. Both smartphones feature powerful image sensors for great imagery. Samsung upgraded the 200MP sensor for the S24 Ultra and replaced the 10x periscope telephoto lens (10MP) with a 5x periscope telephoto lens (50MP).
While some may view this as a downgrade, Samsung argues that a 5x zoom lens is more suitable for smartphone photography. Additionally, the S24 Ultra now boasts a larger 50MP periscope lens for detailed and sharp images. There’s also a separate 3x telephoto lens (10MP) and a 12MP ultrawide lens, matching the setup of the S23 Ultra.
On the front side, there’s a 12MP selfie sensor, and both smartphones support digital zoom up to 100x. In summary, both devices boast excellent cameras, though some may miss the absence of a 10x periscope lens on the S24 Ultra.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Performance
Similar to last year, the Galaxy S24 Ultra exclusively features a Qualcomm chip, with no Exynos variant. It’s equipped with a Galaxy-exclusive Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, offering slightly faster clock speeds compared to the standard 8Gen3. The peak frequency of the Cortex-X4 prime core has been increased to 3.4GHz from 3.3GHz. Additionally, the Adreno 750 GPU runs at 1,000 MHz (1GHz), up from 719MHz on the S23 Ultra.
| Devices | Single-core score (GB 6) | Multi-core score (GB 6) |
|---|---|---|
| S23 Ultra (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy) |
1894 | 5021 |
| S24 Ultra (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy) |
2297 | 7104 |
The S23 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, offering commendable performance. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 surpasses it in both performance and efficiency, as illustrated in the table.
For dissipating heat, Samsung employs a large vapor chamber (1.9x larger than on the S23 Ultra) for optimized cooling performance. Whether gaming or handling daily tasks, the S24 Ultra offers top-notch performance on any Android smartphone.
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Software, Battery & More
Battery and Charging
In the battery department, the S23 Ultra and S22 Ultra feature a 5000 mAh battery pack, charging from 0% to 65% in just 30 minutes. Both support 45W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.
Software Updates
Regarding software updates, Samsung shines this year with its new Galaxy S24 lineup. Samsung commits to seven years of Android OS upgrades for the S24 series.
For the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Android updates extend to Android 21, while the S23 Ultra’s policy limits it to Android 17. S23 Ultra users, however, receive five years of security updates.
Connectivity
Regarding connectivity, both the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra stand equally, with Wi-Fi 7 being the only distinction for the latter. NFC, 5G (SA/ NSA), Bluetooth 5.3, and Ultra-wideband (UWB) are available on both devices.
Although earlier rumors hinted at Emergency SOS via Satellite for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung has omitted this feature for the current release.
Galaxy S24 Ultra vs S23 Ultra: Key Specifications
Here is the specs comparison between Galaxy S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra. Take a quick look at the full specifications sheet to find the difference between the two flagships:
| Specifications | S23 Ultra | S24 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in | 6.38 x 3.11 x 0.33 in |
| Weight | 234 gm; Aluminum frame | 233 gm; Titanium frame |
| Display | 6.8-inches QHD+ LTPO AMOLED curved panel, 1Hz – 120Hz refresh rate, 1750 nits peak brightness, 1200 nits HBM, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | 6.8-inches QHD+ LTPO AMOLED flat panel, 1Hz – 120Hz refresh rate, 2600 nits peak brightness, 1500 nits HBM, Gorilla Glass Victus 3 |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Rear Cameras | 200MP primary shooter 10MP periscope telephoto lens (10x optical) 10MP telephoto lens (3x optical) 12MP ultrawide Up to 100x space zoom |
200MP primary shooter 50MP periscope telephoto lens (5x optical) 10MP telephoto lens (3x optical) 12MP ultrawide Up to 100x space zoom |
| Selfie Camera | 12MP | 12MP |
| Battery and Charging | 5,000 mAh 45W wired charging 65% in 30 minutes 15W wireless charging |
5,000 mAh 45W wired charging 65% in 30 minutes 15W wireless charging |
| Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, USB 3.2 Type-C, NFC, UWB | 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, USB 3.2 Type-C, NFC, UWB |
| Water and Dust Protection | IP68 | IP68 |
| RAM/Storage variants | UFS 4.0, LPDDR5X 8/256GB, 12/256GB, 12/512GB, and 12/1TB |
UFS 4.0, LPDDR5X 12/256GB, 12/512GB, and 12/1TB |
| Colors | Green, Phantom Black, Lavender, Cream, Lime, Sky Blue, Graphite, Red | Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow |
Galaxy S23 Ultra vs S24 Ultra: Pricing
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (8GB+256GB): $1199
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (12GB+256GB): $1299.99
Pritam Chopra is a seasoned IT professional and a passionate blogger hailing from the dynamic realm of technology. With an insatiable curiosity for all things tech-related, Pritam has dedicated himself to exploring and unraveling the intricacies of the digital world.
