Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: 100-Day Long-Term Review

Introduction

• Presenter: Trackday English
• Primary Phone: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
• Duration of Use: Over 100 days
• Shock to Apple Fanboy trolls.

Build Quality

• Comparison with iPhone 15 Pro Max:
  • Materials: Higher grade titanium in iPhone (more costly) vs. Samsung
  • Real-life impact: iPhone is a fingerprint magnet, S24 is not
  • Durability: S24 Ultra remains dent-free despite multiple drops, minor scuff marks on iPhone
  • Weight: iPhone is lighter (due to titanium), S24 Ultra is heavy
  • Ergonomics: S24 Ultra uncomfortable to hold, flat bottom digs into palms

S Pen

• Usage: Limited use for quick notes
• Changes: No significant updates from S23 Ultra
• Issue: S Pen smells burnt due to proximity to internal components

Display

• Quality: Top-notch OLED, very bright and non-reflective
• Touch Response: Excellent
• Haptic Feedback: Soft, less impactful
• Controversy: Grainy display at low brightness not observed in two tested units
• Fingerprint Magnet: Slight
• Scratch Resistance: Good but not impervious (Gorilla Glass vs. Ceramic Shield on iPhone)

Audio

• Speakers: Loud, rich, detailed
• Codec Support: Limited; doesn’t support open-source hi-res codecs (LHDC, LDAC)

Performance

• Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
• Experience: Smooth, fast, no stutter, good for gaming
• Gaming: Flat display is advantageous, runs games like GTA: San Andreas and Genshin Impact well
• Heat Management: Doesn’t heat up excessively

Software

• Experience: Excellent with One UI 6.1 on Android 14
• Updates: Security updates and 7-year support promise
• Specific Features:
  • Samsung Wallet: Deep integration, NFC payments
  • Circle to Search Feature: Works well
  • Goodlock: Customization (e.g., 7x7 app drawer grid)
  • AI Features: Useful for language translation

Battery Life

• Screen On Time: 6-8 hours depending on usage
• Charger: Not included, uses 65W GaN charger for fast charging (45W supported)

Camera

• Overall Quality: Good, but needs fixes (delayed updates)
• Primary Camera: Detailed, natural colors
• Telephoto Shots: AI enhancement, artificial detail beyond 5x
• Ultra-Wide Camera: Sharp and detailed
• Low-Light Performance: Good but not best-in-class
• Selfie Camera: Best among lenses, HDR issues
• Video Recording: Improved, but iPhone 15 Pro Max preferred for professional use

Conclusion

• Overall Rating:
  • Gaming Phone: No
  • Best Camera Phone: No
  • Best Battery Life: No
  • Best Charging Speed: No
  • Best Display: No
  • Best Android Flagship: Yes
• Culture: S24 Ultra is becoming the reliable “it just works” Android phone.

Community Engagement: Encourages viewer comments.