Samsung placed a lot of emphasis on its Galaxy AI capabilities, such as Circle to Search and language translation, when it unveiled the Galaxy S24 Ultra in January. After using the Galaxy S24 Ultra as my primary phone for three months after its release, I’ve discovered that certain of its physical features—like the antireflective display—are genuinely useful. However, several software tools, such as some of the AI functions, have fallen short of expectations. Nevertheless, this phone has a lot of hidden capabilities that are beyond my first expectations when I saw the specifications on paper.
Samsung Galaxy S24 makes you fall in love
The S22 Ultra was my previous Samsung Galaxy phone, and it has performed admirably over the last two years. I thus hoped that, like the S22 Ultra, Samsung would win me over with the S24 Ultra’s array of new AI features and the promise of seven years of software upgrades.
Galaxy S24 Ultra Display: The Magic of Antireflection.
With the Samsung S24 in your palms, there is absolutely no need to shade your screen trying to watch videos in the glare of sunlight. Even with AI capabilities and a 200-megapixel camera, the screen is the one thing I use every single day. I believe Samsung downplayed the importance of the S24 Ultra’s antiglare display, particularly considering that the firm only produced a video three months after launch that included further information about the Corning Gorilla Armor design.
When compared to other flagship phones, the display significantly reduces glare and reflections outside. On a sunny San Francisco day last year, I compared it to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Pixel 8 Pro, and even the S23 Ultra, and the S24 Ultra handily outperformed them all. I don’t need to shade the screen in order to take pictures or view YouTube videos.
Scratch Resistant
The business claims that the Gorilla Armor layer is also more scratch-resistant than previous Gorilla Glass screens. After being loaned by many other CNET editors for three months, the phone is still in good condition and has no visible blemishes.
READ MORE: Does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Need a Screen Protector?
In contrast, a few weeks after I started using my S22 Ultra, a deep scratch appeared on the screen. Another surprising benefit of switching from the curved S22 Ultra to this display was that it was flatter. Because I can write up to the edges if necessary, I find that using the S Pen to take brief notes when the display is off works better.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Quick Share
I frequently transfer data across devices, particularly when I wish to share a picture I shot with friends or with my work computer. With Android implementing Quick Share (formerly known as Nearby Share), we’re getting close to having a universal AirDrop, something I’ve always desired. However, the S24 Ultra goes one step further by offering the ability to share full-resolution pictures with friends or another device by either copying a URL or scanning a QR code when you want to share an image. I frequently use this to move files between the S24 Ultra and iOS or to my Mac, which is my business PC.
Circle To Search AI feature
Without a doubt, Circle to Search is the finest AI function on the S24 Ultra in my opinion. Whether it’s circling something from the camera app or looking for something on a webpage, I use it constantly. The rotating canvas option that fills in the image’s boundaries and the shadow and reflection remover are two more AI features from the Samsung tools that I often use.
The Cameras
For the first time in a long time, the camera hasn’t played a major role in my Galaxy experience. This phone still has excellent zoom capabilities, and it’s enjoyable to be able to choose between ultrawide and 100x. However, I seldom use 100x magnification since it makes my photographs resemble watercolor paintings. My usual maximum is 30x.
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But compared to previous Galaxy phones or even other Android phones like the Xiaomi Ultra 14, which pushes the limits with a 1-inch type sensor size, the camera doesn’t feel as thrilling. This is partly because Samsung chose to pixel-bin the 50-megapixel image in order to achieve 10x hybrid zoom, replacing the 10x optical camera with a new 5x one. It takes away flexibility and makes me utilize 10x digital zoom more than I would want, especially while recording at 10x, as when I’m at a concert. I always prefer optical zoom over digital or hybrid zoom.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Updates
Since its January 2024 introduction, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has received the following updates:
Camera adjustments, such as improving indoor portraits and producing incredibly smooth video.
display update that allows you to use a slider to change the vivid level.
upgrades and fixes for security.
The OneUI 6.1.1 update, which includes capabilities like AI text message answers from the Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra, has not yet been installed on my Galaxy S24 Ultra as of this writing.