This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
Smartphones have slowly become a pretty integral part of our lives. With so many passwords, documents, pictures, even banking details on our phones, switching is a bit of a chore. Manufacturers have mostly made it easy to switch, don't get me wrong, but it's still a bit of a chore. Especially for a phone reviewer.
Which is why I always have a "main" phone on me with all of that stuff. Whenever I am reviewing a new unit, it will have the "essential" stuff on it, like social media, email, Slack, but not the whole kit 'n' caboodle.
And it just so happens that my "main" phone for the past 18-ish months has been the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. I haven't been tempted or felt the need to switch to something newer, despite the many devices that have been through my hands. Have I gotten lazy or is the Galaxy S24 Ultra still a perfectly good flagship? And, if you are looking to buy one at a bargain now, maybe this bit of info is something you'd like to hear!
I do prefer the old design
While the new Galaxy S25 Ultra certainly looks cool with its sharp corners and flat sides, there's something about the "old" design that gets me. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is an evolution of the footprint of the old Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. And, as a previous Galaxy Note fan, I still can't let that go.
The external upgrades the Galaxy S24 Ultra introduced also feel great. So, the rounded frame is still there, but it now has a matte-ish titanium finish, so it's not as slippery as before. The screen doesn't have an Edge curve, but the glass does arch into the edges of the phone ever so slightly for a "best of both worlds" look and feel.
I also prefer the back of the old S24 Ultra more to the new S25 Ultra. I've been very vocal about disliking the "floating lens" design of the Galaxy S25 cameras. And when it was revealed by teardowns that these big rings are just for show and the lenses underneath them are just as big as the ones on the S24 series before them — that was it for me. No lint-collectors in my pocket!
The back of the S24 Ultra still looks like a great balance between bulk and utilitarian high-tech to me.
The screen is still popping!
The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the first time we got to experience Samsung's new Gorilla Armor glass for the screen. It's an ultra-tough glass with a very potent anti-reflective coating on top. You'd think that only helps with outdoor visibility, but it has in fact made the screen colors and brightness pop out more in any scenario.
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And I am saying "Samsung's", because that's a Samsung-exclusive glass — I've asked Corning representers about using it in other phones, and they shut me down pretty quickly. As far as I could surmise, it's a product of partnership — it’s basically a Gorilla Glass Victus but with a Samsung-made anti-glare coating on top.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs S24 Ultra, notice the reduced reflection and visibility behind it (Image credit - PhoneArena)
My theory is backed up by the fact that Samsung used the same -70% screen glare coating on the Galaxy Tab S10 series, even though they are not Gorilla Glass-equipped.
Also, it's not just about the anti-reflectivity. I've found the Gorilla Armor glass to probably the most scratch-resistant glass I've had on a phone. You know how you always get mysterious mini scratches on the glass two months in? From just keeping your phone in your pocket and on a table, and babying it as much as you can? Yeah, in a year and a half, the Galaxy S24 Ultra I've been using has none of those, miraculously.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs S24 Ultra - can't catch a scratch (Image credit - PhoneArena)
This has been in my pocket, or laptop bag, or backpack, I have dropped it a couple of times, too. Aside from some minor spotting on the coating itself, which I can't even capture in a photo, the glass itself is absolutely pristine.
Performance: are we past the point of diminishing returns?
There is a very big difference between the processors that we get in flagship phones and the processors we get in the so-called midrangers. The performance gap between a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 was absolutely massive. And you can rest assured that the new Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 still can't even get close enough to even eat the dust of last year's 8 Gen 3 that's in the S24 Ultra.
What I am saying is that these processors are made to be super-powerful, and it's going to take more than a year to make the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy feel outdated. In fact, it's still overqualified and over-specced for anything the Google Play Store can throw at it.
Hence why I barely have felt the need to upgrade from this phone in terms of performance or software needs. Yes, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is also overkill, so why replace one beast with another?
The camera does show its age
OK, "showing its age" is a bit harsh. It's just that this year's Galaxy S25 Ultradid make great improvements in how the image pipeline treats fine details and oversharpening. For pixel-peepers, the new model's photos do look more realistic, softer yet clear, more pleasing on the eye.
That is, if you are taking your time A/B-ing the same samples between both phones. Fact is, when the Galaxy S24 Ultra came out last year, it topped the score on our camera benchmark test. Sure, this year's model scored a couple of points extra, but that does not immediately make the old one bad, does it?
I've learned to predict and rely on the Galaxy S24 Ultra's camera. Even the 100x super zoom, which I used to meme on — I've used on a couple of occasions for an actual task. No, not spying on my neighbor — more like reading a signpost that's far away, or identifying an object.
Multimedia and extras
One point we rarely talk about is the speakers. I am pretty satisfied with the stereo speakers of the S24 Ultra. It has a surprising amount of detail in the bass. Volume is slightly on the weak-ish side and has a little bit of that midrange hump that’s inherent with the small acoustic spaces. But, in general, surprisingly full and pleasing speakers — I can binge YouTube while washing the dishes or even play a tune just fine on those.
I've also learned to use the S Pen over the years — as mentioned, previous Galaxy Note fan. I like scribbling directly over my calendar or taking notes by hand. It's a different type of creative process, rather than just typing them out on a keyboard. People who carry around small notepads to take cryptic scribbles with arrows and squiggly lines all around them get it. The Samsung S Pen has been perfected long ago and has had a perfect feel and response for years now.
I wish I could praise DeX here, too, but I haven't used it nearly as much lately. Ever since Apple gave the iPad Pro a bit more capabilities with external monitors and multi-tasking, that's what I've been using for my digital nomad needs.
Now, One UI 7 is an acquired taste for me. Here’s hoping Samsung corrects course with One UI 8.
So, is the Galaxy S24 Ultra still worth it in 2025?
I'd say it's still a very solid phone. I will be swapping away from it very soon, simply because I need to step out of my comfort zone and explore other phones and operating systems out there. Got to keep the knowledge in the old noggin fresh, and gain new perspectives on what phones offer and what challenges users face.
But, if you are looking for a solid phone, and you want to pay "old flagship" money for it — yeah, go for it!
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Preslav, a member of the PhoneArena team since 2014, is a mobile technology enthusiast with a penchant for integrating tech into his hobbies and work. Whether it's writing articles on an iPad Pro, recording band rehearsals with multiple phones, or exploring the potential of mobile gaming through services like GeForce Now and Steam Link, Preslav's approach is hands-on and innovative. His balanced perspective allows him to appreciate both Android and iOS ecosystems, focusing on performance, camera quality, and user experience over brand loyalty.
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