Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 15: Samsung ups the ante with AI power
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Intro
The Galaxy S24 is Samsung's entry-level, compact flagship phone, and it has entered the market challenging its competitors. One of these competitors is, of course, Apple's iPhone 15, which was released in September last year. So, we are here to pit these two against each other and figure out what they are all about.
The differences between the two phones have mostly remained the same throughout the last few years: three vs two cameras, Android vs iOS, Apple's Bionic chipsets vs Qualcomm's Snapdragon... But this time around Samsung has made two crucial changes that bring it more into the spotlight: a more intense focus on artificial intelligence and a massive widening of the software support window!
For the first time in a while, it genuinely feels like the old experimental Samsung that we know and love has come back, and the contrast its S24 series creates with the more safe and familiar iPhone 15 is once again clearly visible. Let's see how that contrast looks when observed from up close!
Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 15 differences:
| Galaxy S24 | iPhone 15 |
|---|---|
| Punch-hole cut-out | A larger cutout for the Dynamic Island |
| A much smoother display with a 1-120Hz variable refresh rate | Regular 60Hz fixed display refresh rate |
| 2600 nits peak brightness | 2000 nits peak brightness |
| Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in US/Exynos 2400 in RoW (4nm) | A16 Bionic (4nm) |
| Comes with a 3X-zoom telephoto camera | Does not have a telephoto camera |
| Shoots 12MP images by default | Shoots 24MP images by default |
| 4,000 mAh battery capacity | 3,349 mAh battery capacity |
Table of Contents:
Heads-up: Samsung is giving a special offer to early customers by making each storage upgrade practically free! This means you can buy the 256 GB model for the price of a 128GB one, 512 GB at the price of the 256 GB, and even 1 TB at the price of 512 GB!
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Design and Size
More similar than before
The Galaxy S24 and the iPhone 15 are somewhat similar to each other when it comes to size and weight, offering buyers a smaller flagship phone for a decent price. But the similarities don't end there this time around, as Samsung has made a significant shift (by today's standards) in the design of its non-Ultra phones, shaping them into more of a flat block of metal and glass, instead of a smooth pebble.
But don't worry, the S24 is not simply flat sides, a flat display, and a flat back. The edges have a slight angle to them to make the phone more comfortable to hold. Although, we still felt like the S24 dug in into our hands a bit more than expected when we got to hold it during our hands-on experience with the phone.
Protection-wise, both phones come with an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, which is the best you will get in a mainstream flagship phones at the moment. One thing that the iPhone 15 is known for is its slightly more durable glass dubbed "Ceramic Shield." The Galaxy S24 does come with the new Gorilla Glass Victus 2, but unlike the Gorilla Glass Armor on the S24 Ultra, the Victus 2 is not said to offer that big of a jump in durability, so we venture to guess that the iPhone's protection is still slightly ahead in this case.
Now let's take a look at the available colors.
- Cobalt Violet
- Amber Yellow
- Marble Gray
- Onyx Black
- Black
- Green
- Yellow
- Pink
- Blue
Display Differences
The iPhone 15 has a display that is arguably one of the best on the market when it comes to image quality. That being said, there is one major downside that clearly places it behind when comparing it to Galaxy S24 (or S23 for that matter), and that is its 60Hz refresh rate. In contrast, the Galaxy S24 not only continues to rock a 120Hz smooth display like its predecessor, but now also supports a 1-120Hz variable refresh rate, which makes its display even more power-efficient.
Additionally, even though Apple upgraded the peak brightness with its latest iPhones, including the iPhone 15, which goes to 2000 nits, Samsung has equipped the S24 with an even brighter display that can reach 2600 nits. This is one of those numbers that manufacturers try to "bend the truth" with, as the number given usually does not correspond to the overall brightness level of the screen, but our own tests show that the S24 is, indeed, way brighter than the iPhone 15.
Other than the refresh rate and brightness, both phones have similarly sized OLED screens which come with stellar contrast levels, color reproduction and accuracy, as well as HDR performance.
Our measurements of the Galaxy S24's screen show us that it can reach both higher and lower levels of brightness, which means you'll have an easier time seeing what's being displayed when it is bright, and it will be easier on your eyes in very dark conditions.
Performance and Software
Samsung steps up with the software support!
The Galaxy S24 comes in two variations regarding its processor — just like its predecessors did in 2022 and before that — and those are the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) for North America or the Exynos 2400 (4nm) for the rest of the world. Now, keep in mind that history has shown the Snapdragon variants to be more capable and reliable, while the Exynos models usually come with some issues attached to them such as lower power efficiency and/or performance.
On the iPhone's side we have Apple's A16 Bionic, which is the same chipset that came with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max last year. Just because it is one year older and not the latest from Apple does not mean it is incapable though, as it still manages to be one of the top performers even a year later.
Truth of the matter is, leaving the Exynos chipset aside, both the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the A16 Bionic are complete powerhouses and are plenty good for anything that can be thrown at them, so real-world experience should feel equally pleasant with either of the two phones.
One benefit with the S24, is the fact that its base storage starts at 256GB, while the iPhone 15 starts at 128GB. The S24 also has a bit more RAM than the iPhone 15, although given how differently both phones utilize this hardware it is not really relevant in this case.
Now, on the topic of software support, Apple had that as a major benefit for its phones for a long time. However, after Google announced that it will be supporting its flagship phones for 7 years straight from now on, Samsung seems to have taken that to heart, and now it will also support its flagships with 7 years of Android updates and security patches, starting with the S24.
As you can see from the results we got during our performance tests, the S24 and iPhone 15 perform fairly at the same level as far as processing power goes. That being said, the Exynos 2400 that's inside our S24 unit beat iPhone 15's A16 Bionic by a significant margin.
Camera
iPhone still missing a telephoto camera, unlike the Galaxy
Galaxy S24 cameras in a nutshell:
- 200MP main (wide)
- 12MP ultra-wide
- 10MP 3X telephoto
- 12MP front
iPhone 15 cameras in a nutshell:
- 50MP main (wide)
- 12MP ultra-wide
- 10.5MP front
Like its predecessors, the Galaxy S24 comes with three cameras embedded in its back panel. That includes the main (wide), an ultra-wide, and a dedicated 3X telephoto camera. The iPhone 15, on the other hand, does not have a telephoto and only comes with a 2X sensor crop as far as zooming is concerned.
The Galaxy S24 also comes with new perks thanks to Samsung's new focus on artificial intelligence. Samsung says that AI has made its new flagship lineup more capable in low-light conditions thanks to advanced noise algorithms that result in a clearer image while taking photos and recording video. Colors are also more true to life with the S24's cameras, as Samsung has added a dedicated color tuning solution.
Main Camera
The first thing you will notice is that the Galaxy S24's main camera has a wider field of view, so it captures more in a single shot compared to the iPhone 15. However, probably because of the 24MP default, the iPhone's photos look sharper compared to the 12MP photos from the S24.
The Galaxy's photo is darker and more saturated, whereas the one from the iPhone shows more detail in the darker areas of the image and has more neutral, natural colors.
During night time, the Galaxy S24 is the one to achieve better results, offering much more detail both in the shadows and in the highlights. Now, for the dark areas it is fairly obvious, such as the trash bins at the bottom right for example. To compare how the two phones have exposed for the highlights, you can look at the lamp at the far left that's illuminating the blue sign below it.
Zoom Quality
Now, suffice it to say, one cannot expect much from the iPhone 15 here, as it simply does not have a dedicated telephoto camera. The Galaxy S24, on the other hand, does, and it shows in this comparison here. The text is perfectly readable and the photo has plenty of sharpness and detail to it, unlike the iPhone's, which seems to mess up some of the words, making them look weird.
Ultra-wide
The ultra-wide camera on the S24 appears to handle situations requiring HDR better than that on the iPhone, as there is clearly more detail visible in the tree here, as well as some of the architecture.
In low light, however, the iPhone takes much sharper photos, with a more realistic exposure. The Galaxy S24's image is soft in this case, and it has failed to capture the lighting inside the bar.
Selfies
In this case, the iPhone is the one to have a wider field of view, so it's front camera captures a bit more than that of the S24. The Galaxy has taken a surprisingly less saturated and contrasted photo here, whereas the iPhone 15's photo pops a bit more.
We also notice that the S24's selfie camera is sharper, especially if you take a look at the eyes and hair.
Video Quality
And above you can check out the video quality on both phones.
Audio Quality and Haptics
Flagship-quality audio, but iPhone might be better
The audio quality that Apple manages to muster from its mobile devices, including the iPhone 15, has been impressive for years. There's a good amount of base coming out of this little phone, giving off a sound that feels well balanced.
The Galaxy S24, on the other hand, sounds a bit disappointing for a 2024 flagship. Its speakers have trouble covering the low frequencies more than the competition, and that's including other flagships besides the iPhone 15, like the Pixel 8 for example. To top it all off, the S24 does not get as loud as its rivals either.
Battery Life and Charging
The Galaxy might have longer battery life
The Galaxy S24 comes with a 4,000 mAh battery capacity, and the iPhone 15's battery is 3,349 mAh. Samsung said that battery life has improved, so we expect to see visible changes when we put it through our battery tests. Given that the Galaxy S23 beat the iPhone 15 in our browsing and video streaming battery tests by a small margin, we assume that gap will only become bigger. The question is whether it will close the approximately 2 hour difference in our 3D Gaming test, which the iPhone 15 won.
As for charging, both phones are advertised to charge up to about 50% in 30 minutes, with the exact wired charging speeds being left unspecified. We do know, however, that the wireless charging speeds for both phones max out at 15W. The only difference between the S24 and iPhone 15 in terms of charging is that the former is capable of reverse wireless charging, while the latter of reverse wired charging (both are 4.5W).
PhoneArena Battery Test Results:
Here, the S24 managed to last longer than its Apple competitor in two out of three of our battery life tests, losing the 3D gaming one. But that is not that surprising, given how much more graphically powerful the S24's chipset is compared to the iPhone's.
Specs Comparison
Here is a quick overview of the specs for both phones, but don't forget we have a more detailed iPhone 15 vs Galaxy S24 specs page where you can see all of the information you need.
| Galaxy S24 | iPhone 15 | |
|---|---|---|
| Size, weight | 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm, 168 g | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm, 171.0 g |
| Screen | 6.2" OLED 1-120Hz 2600 nits peak brightness | 6.1" OLED 60Hz 2000 nits peak brightness |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in US/Exynos 2400 in RoW (4nm) | A16 Bionic (4 nm) |
| RAM, Storage | 8/256GB 8/512GB UFS 4.0 LPDDR 5X | 6/128 GB 6/256 GB 6/512 GB UFS 3.1 LPDDR5 |
| Cameras | 50MP main 12MP ultra-wide 10MP 3X zoom 12MP front | 48MP main 12MP ultra 12MP front |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh | 3,349 mAh |
| Charging | USB-C 25W wired 15W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless | USB-C unspecified 15 W wireless 4.5W reverse via USB-C cable |
The spec sheet reveals something very simple that favours the Galaxy S24, and it is the fact that Samsung offers buyers slightly more for their money, at least on paper. You get a dedicated 3X telephoto camera, more base storage, and a smooth 120Hz display with variably refresh rate, which are all perks the iPhone 15 does not have.
Summary
At the end of the day, the Galaxy S24 offers more for the money. You get a dedicated telephoto camera, better graphical performance, and smoother 120Hz display. The iPhone 15, on the other hand, produces sharper photos and is still an absolute beast when it comes to video recording.
But things really boil down to the services and unique features the two phones come with. Are you more keen to try out the S24's AI features and make use of that telephoto camera? Or are you a fan of Apple's approach to software and the (in)famous Apple ecosystem? These are the main couple of questions you have to ask yourself before deciding which one to go with.
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