OPINION: Samsung is about to launch its new foldable vary on July 10 at an occasion in Paris, providing an alternative choice to the model’s extra conventional S24 collection that arrived earlier within the yr. I’ve spent the final six months with the S24 Extremely – however how properly has it held up?
Samsung is usually first to market with the massive flagship telephones of the brand new yr – and the identical occurred earlier in 2024. Prime of its pile this time was the Galaxy S24 Extremely, a tool our reviewer labelled top-of-the-line Android telephones in the marketplace.
Often, when large telephones from large manufacturers add new options, they’re shortly copied by rivals however even six months after launching the S24 Extremely, there’s nonetheless nothing fairly just like the show on this telephone.
I’ve examined all one of the best telephones launched this yr within the UK, and the Gorilla Glass Armour on the entrance of Samsung’s flagship telephone continues to be the actual deal for a few causes.
Firstly, the anti-reflective high quality stays genuinely spectacular. Not solely does it imply that brilliant direct lights on the display aren’t as disruptive, it additionally signifies that the show doesn’t should be all that brilliant to be seen, even when the ambient mild ranges round you enhance.
When the show is off and in standby mode, there’s a noticeable distinction in floor color in comparison with some other telephone I’ve reviewed. The place most will probably be reflecting mild from any mild sources and ceilings to make them seem a bit gray, the S24 Extremely is far darker, and brilliant mild reflections don’t unfold as far throughout the floor. It’s actually spectacular.
Add that to the truth that this can be a pin-sharp Quad HD panel with nice, vibrant colors, distinction and actually excessive peak brightness, and it’s simply one of the best show on any smartphone so far.
The opposite benefit of the glass floor of the show is its sturdiness. Now, I’ve been utilizing this telephone ‘bare’. No display protector, no case, and I’ve dropped it as soon as.
it, even intently inspecting the glass underneath mild – there’s little or no in the best way of scratching or marking. That drop did go away me with the tiniest little scuff mark close to the curve of the glass, however it’s virtually inconceivable to see more often than not. I’ve been actually impressed with the way it has held up with on a regular basis use, and that’s with out me making an attempt too exhausting to be protecting or cautious with it.
As nice as some features are nevertheless, there are nonetheless parts that I don’t like.
Though it appears incredible, these angled, sharp corners are the worst. Add that to the truth that this is without doubt one of the widest telephones accessible, and one of many heaviest. The grip fatigue can get actual with that one-handed stretching and making an attempt to stability a heavy machine. It’s so unwieldy.
After all, I might add a case to melt these edges however that might enhance the dimensions additional, making it bigger, wider and thicker – it simply doesn’t want that.
Galaxy AI just isn’t as helpful as I’d hoped
If there’s one large buzzword in tech this yr it’s AI, and you may thank Samsung for a few of that.
It baked a set of clever options into its telephone software program and labelled it Galaxy AI. As helpful as a whole lot of it could possibly be, I principally ignore it.
Writing, to me, is my very own private expression, it comes from me, and so at hand any of that course of, whether or not it’s checking tone, summarising, condensing, or any of that stuff over to one thing else, simply seems like chopping off a part of my course of that I really get enjoyment from, and crucially stops it from being my phrases.
The one main optimistic about Samsung’s software program is that when safety patches and updates roll out, Samsung is fast to ship them to telephones. With this telephone, you’re going to maintain getting these for 7-8 years down the street – if the telephone continues to be alive and properly at that time.
The cameras are nonetheless strong
Now, whereas Samsung cameras aren’t excellent, as a system – the make-up of lenses on the S24 Extremely does make it top-of-the-line digital camera telephones for many circumstances.
Aggressive HDR takes care of contrasting mild circumstances and evens out the highlights and shadows, whereas the color saturation ensures photos have a little bit ‘pop’. It must be stated, the colors are tamer than they’ve been in earlier years.
Samsung does are likely to over-egg them barely although, particularly in skies and greenery. Even overcast cloudy skies look blue, after they don’t in actual life. At night time, there’s a inexperienced tint to all the things that makes all the things inexperienced look a little bit hyperreal.
The necessary factor is that you could load up the digital camera, swap between focal lengths simply and know that while you push that shutter button to seize, the pictures will probably be constant throughout the array of sensors and lenses.
With that stated, Samsung must tone down the processing of element, particularly when you get to the zoom digital camera. To make photos appear sharp, the S24 Extremely appears to color in particulars, including distinction and shedding some texture, to the purpose the place a lot of element simply doesn’t look pure in any respect, particularly in objects like timber, branches and bushes.
Is it nonetheless the one to beat?
Ultimately, once I take a look at your complete expertise of the Galaxy S24 Extremely, I’m nonetheless of the opinion that if you’d like one of the best stability of all the things – from show to software program help, construct, sturdiness, cameras and efficiency – that is the telephone that does all of it.
Positive, you would possibly discover a telephone that does a part of the digital camera expertise higher, or has cleaner software program, and even higher efficiency – however you gained’t discover one which does all of it fairly as properly.