The Galaxy S24 Ultra costs $500 more than the entry-level S24 and $300 more than the S24+, but what do you get for the extra money to justify purchasing it? Learn all the reasons why the S24 Ultra is better than the S24.

1. Bigger Screen With S Pen Support

The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s key advantage over the regular S24 is its 6.8-inch QHD+ display. This is significantly bigger than the S24’s 6.2-inch FHD+ panel. Samsung claims both panels support a 1-120Hz dynamic refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, so there’s no difference in panel quality besides the resolution.

The S24 Ultra’s display supports the S Pen, letting you use the Bluetooth stylus to doodle on the screen or quickly take notes. There’s no way to use the S Pen on the Galaxy S24’s 6.2-inch AMOLED screen, and it’s the same story with the S24+’s 6.7-inch QHD+ panel. If you’re a creator, this could be a dealbreaker.

Lastly, the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s display uses Corning’s Gorilla Glass Armor for protection, which, according to Samsung’s press release, reduces reflection by up to 75% for a better viewing experience. The Galaxy S24 and S24+ use the older-generation Gorilla Glass Victus.

2. Beefier Internals

On paper, the entire Galaxy S24 series uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 “for Galaxy” chip in the US. However, some internal differences make the S24 Ultra a better buy than the S24.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 1.9x larger vapor chamber than last year’s model (our Galaxy S23 Ultra review), which allows for better heat dissipation. However, the S24 and S24+ don’t receive any such improvements. Samsung has also equipped the S24 Ultra with 12GB of RAM, while the S24 ships only with 8GB. Given the Galaxy AI features, the additional RAM should help with multitasking.

Lastly, while the Galaxy S24 is available in 128GB and 256GB storage variants, you can get the S24 Ultra with up to 1TB storage. Plus, the base variant of the S24 Ultra comes with 256GB of storage space. So if you don’t want to worry about running out of room for your data, the S24 Ultra is the better choice.

3. Premium Build Quality

Samsung used a titanium frame for the Galaxy S24 Ultra to give it a more premium in-hand feel. On the Galaxy S24 (and S24+), the company has stuck with “Armor Aluminum.” Titanium is stronger than aluminum and should better avoid scuffs and dings in daily use. If you prefer to use your phone without a case, the titanium edges of the S24 Ultra will feel a lot better.

Samsung’s sustainability efforts are also better with the S24 Ultra, as it uses more recycled components than its smaller siblings. Samsung claims the S24 Ultra uses 40 percent recycled steel in the speakers, with the battery using a minimum of 50 percent cobalt. On the Galaxy S24, the company has used recycled steel and TPU.

4. Superior Camera System

If you want a phone with the best camera system, the Galaxy S24 Ultra should be your preferred choice over the S24. Samsung’s Ultra flagship for 2024 features a 200MP primary camera, a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide, a 10MP 3x telephoto, and a 5x 50MP periscope shooter.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra uses these lenses to provide an optical zoom range of 3x and 5x, and up to 100x digital zoom. Very few phones on the market can match this level of flexibility. Here’s hoping Samsung has also fixed the shutter lag, which ranks high in our list of the worst things about Galaxy phones.

The Galaxy S24 (and S24+) use a 50MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10MP 3x telephoto. While the smaller Galaxy phones can also take great pictures, the S24 Ultra is in a league of its own.

5. Better Battery Life

Despite featuring a bigger 6.8-inch QHD display, you can expect the Galaxy S24 Ultra to last longer than the S24. That’s because the S24 Ultra ships with a beefy 5,000mAh battery, compared to the S24’s 4,000mAh unit.

While the S24’s battery life should be good enough for most people, the S24 Ultra will stand out for its endurance. Even better, the phone can charge up at speeds of up to 45W, with Samsung claiming that a 0 to 65 percent top-up takes only 30 minutes.

The S24 is limited to 25W speeds and can charge up to 50 percent in 30 minutes. Although you can check out some tips and tricks to charge your Android phone faster, they won’t significantly reduce the charging time.

Buying the Galaxy S24 Ultra over the S24 makes much more sense if you have the money. You get a bigger display, better battery life, a cutting-edge camera system, more storage, and better build quality. Essentially, the phone is better than its cheaper siblings in all key areas.