Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Review: Samsung, Thank You for Prioritizing Battery Life – CNET

What impresses me the most about the Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus isn’t the new Galaxy AI features, brighter screens or solid cameras. It’s the battery life. I’ve been reviewing phones for seven years, and I’ve learned that if a company wants people to be eager about buying a new phone, either make the battery last longer or lower the price. That’s it.

This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung’s most popular products.

After a week of testing, I can say the larger batteries in the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus have no trouble plowing through a long day of use on a single charge. The S24 Plus in particular made it two days.

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Samsung Galaxy S24 (left) and S24 Plus.

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus’s SIM card tray, USB-C port and speaker.

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Samsung Galaxy S24 in marble gray and the S24 Plus in onyx black.

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The Galaxy S24 Plus’ camera array.

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Galaxy S24 portrait mode.

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Galaxy S24 Plus main camera.

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Galaxy S24 main camera.

","width":"4000","height":"3000"},{"id":"8e71a7f5-ecfb-4dc5-80ad-577cfc798f82","filename":"20240125-075210.jpg","dateCreated":{"date":"2024/01/31"},"alt":"Photos from the Galaxy S24","credits":"Patrick Holland/CNET","caption":"

Galaxy S24 Plus 3x telephoto camera.

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Galaxy S24 Plus main camera.

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Pixel 8 main camera.

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iPhone 15 main camera.

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The S24 series has AI-powered editing tools.

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Notice the corners on the table. Can you tell which corner had the coffee cup on it originally?

","width":"4000","height":"3000"},{"id":"ac9ae476-4215-40ab-8c6e-d189fe4523a2","filename":"20240123-185130.jpg","dateCreated":{"date":"2024/01/31"},"alt":"Photos from the Galaxy S24","credits":"Patrick Holland/CNET","caption":"

Can you tell the edges of the photo were generated by AI?

","width":"4000","height":"3000"},{"id":"ea986094-47bb-4c88-874f-d18bbd62b261","filename":"20240127-093404.jpg","dateCreated":{"date":"2024/01/31"},"alt":"A pastry case","credits":"Patrick Holland/CNET","caption":"

The original photo.

","width":"4000","height":"3000"},{"id":"7ef0b1dd-0365-418e-a152-41f638549de8","filename":"20240130-170001.jpg","dateCreated":{"date":"2024/01/31"},"alt":"A pastry case","credits":"Patrick Holland/CNET","caption":"

After the reflections were reduced.

","width":"4000","height":"3000"},{"id":"300bf7b9-348a-4899-a339-4dae48429c5e","filename":"samsung-galaxy-s24-s24-plus-5735.jpg","dateCreated":{"date":"2024/01/25"},"alt":"Samsung Galaxy S24","credits":"James Martin/CNET","caption":"

Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus

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9.0

Samsung Galaxy S24

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Samsung Galaxy S24 (left) and S24 Plus.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus’s SIM card tray, USB-C port and speaker.

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Samsung Galaxy S24 in marble gray and the S24 Plus in onyx black.

The Galaxy S24 Plus’ camera array.

Galaxy S24 portrait mode.

Galaxy S24 Plus main camera.

Galaxy S24 main camera.

Galaxy S24 Plus 3x telephoto camera.

Galaxy S24 Plus main camera.

Pixel 8 main camera.

iPhone 15 main camera.

The S24 series has AI-powered editing tools.

Notice the corners on the table. Can you tell which corner had the coffee cup on it originally?

Can you tell the edges of the photo were generated by AI?

The original photo.

After the reflections were reduced.

Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus

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Like

Larger, brighter, higher resolution screen
Longer battery life
Longer software support
Incredible performance

Don’t like

Camera performance doesn’t match price
AI features feel experimental
The Pixel 8 Pro exists

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus’s SIM card tray, USB-C port and speaker.

James Martin/CNET

Both phones kept the squared-off aluminum design with rounded corners from last year’s S23 and S23 Plus. The S24 and S24 Plus are taller, but you’d have to be Ant-Man or Rick Moranis to notice. The miniscule height addition accommodates new slightly larger displays (0.1 inches bigger): 6.2-inch screen on the S24 and 6.7-inch one on the S24 Plus. Compare that to the 6.8-inch screen on the S24 Ultra.

Like the S24 Ultra, both screens reach a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. I found the displays were easy to view whether taking a photo outdoors under direct sunlight or in a bar with friends checking the score of the Warriors/Lakers game with increasing disappointment. I haven’t used the OnePlus 12 or its 4,500-nit display, but the screens on these phones are plenty bright.

The S24 Plus’ screen has a higher resolution and can max out at QuadHD, the same resolution as the Ultra. In fact, since the S24 Plus has a smaller display than the Ultra, the Plus actually has a higher pixel density. You can’t see the difference, but it’s still a point in the Plus’ favor.

Whether it was watching Barbie and Escape From New York (a pairing that makes more sense than you think) or just touching up a photo that I took of the San Francisco Chronicle building, the Plus’ new screen makes everything look sharp with great clarity and color accuracy. I really noticed this while reading articles; text popped with contrast, even at dimmer brightness levels.