Samsung's Galaxy S24 lineup has been under scrutiny for seemingly rehashing last year's hardware and slapping on some AI wizardry. Especially the regular S24 models, which, apart from their pricier Ultra sibling, rock the same camera setup as their predecessors. As someone who's spent some quality time with the S23 in the past, I can't entirely dismiss these claims. However, there are a few key distinctions that deserve our attention. Let’s check those out. What’s the Galaxy AI fuss about? Galaxy AI took center stage at the first Unpacked event of the year. In fact, Samsung barely touched upon the hardware specs, opting to flaunt the capabilities stemming from its cosy partnership with Google instead. Galaxy AI is powered by Google Cloud, unless you've toggled the "process data only on device" setting under 'advanced intelligence.' In that case, these AI features run locally on the Exynos 2400 (more on the chip later). Now, let's talk about the actual features. Samsung's Galaxy AI offerings are far more comprehensive than what I experienced on the Google Pixel 8 I reviewed recently, spanning across apps like Samsung Keyboard, Notes, Recorder, and Internet. The Samsung Keyboard has received some nifty AI upgrades that have proven to be fantastic additions. A sparkly AI button now sits right within the top bar of the keyboard, revealing two handy options. First, you can tweak the written text's tone to anything from professional to polite. While Microsoft SwiftKey had a similar implementation, this is the first time we're seeing these features baked into a phone's keyboard. The second is an option that allows you to check spelling and grammar, which works well - although I didn't find myself utilising it often, given the existing spell check functionality on Samsung Keyboard which works just fine. Meanwhile, on Samsung’s Phone app, you get "Live Translate” - a nifty feature that converts your voice into an AI-generated voice speaking a different language and does the same for the recipient's voice, facilitating seamless cross-lingual conversations. The Gallery app also gains some of that generative AI magic with Samsung's take on Magic Editor, dubbed Generative Edit in One UI. The feature basically makes photoshopping easy as pie for novice users. You can mark objects within your photo to move them around or delete them entirely - and gen AI kicks in to fill any gaps that may arise. It’s a bit wonky with complex backgrounds but I’d rather have a distorted photo than a photo starring someone I dislike, so it’s a win. Is Samsung's Exynos 2400 any good? When it was revealed that the Galaxy S24/S24+ would not get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 of the Ultra and be powered by the Exynos 2400, techies on Twitter had a bit of a meltdown. But how does this chip actually perform in the real world? The processor supposedly goes toe-to-toe with last year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in benchmarks but falls behind the S23 Ultra's latest Snapdragon. I noticed that while my favourite mobile gaming title Wreckfest ran smoothly, Fortnite struggled a bit more than I'd expected. Surprisingly though, the phone didn't get too hot - but to be fair, Delhi's winters aren't exactly a thermal torture test. We'll have to see how it handles the scorching summer. What's the battery life like? For the most part, I stuck to using just the regular S24 during my week with these phones. Compact phones are my type and that's where I stuck my SIM in. The 4,000mAh battery managed to last me through a day, but just barely - I had to juice it up before bedtime. Keeping it topped up wasn't exactly a zippy experience either, with the 25W charging taking around 1 hour 20 minutes to refill the tank from empty. The S24+ and its 45W charging fared better, taking just under an hour. Perhaps the more conservative charging speed will help the battery retain its capacity in the long-run, considering these phones will receive an industry-leading 7 years of software support. How's the camera performance? If I had to sum up the camera system in one line, I'd say: flagship performance, but leaving you wanting just a bit more. These sensors will get the job done with excellent quality. But the main camera can't quite match up to the large 1-inch sensors some rivals are packing these days. Still, this is one seriously versatile camera system that can nail some stunning shots in pretty much any lighting scenario. All stills are captured in Ultra HDR by default too. If you are not familiar with this awesome technology, I have an explainer for it, but in short, it works by embedding an HDR gain map into photos to make bright spots like the sun pop. The results look fabulous on the S24's gorgeous display. Android videography has been a longtime weakness, but the S24 series bucks the trend with well-balanced, highly detailed video capture. How are the phones different from the Galaxy S23? While the Galaxy S23 models had slightly curved edges, Samsung has gone for a flatter side profile with the S24 series. But the way the metal frame blends into the glass front and back has been refined to actually make the phones more hand-friendly than their predecessors. I'll admit, I was surprised when I picked one up. The frame itself has a matte, textured finish that gives it a more metallic vibe compared to last year's glossy chrome look which was an absolute fingerprint magnet. Around the back, the matte glass back also stays safe against fingerprints, especially on the regular S24's gold colourway. Where Samsung has really flexed is with the bezels on the front display. They are possibly the slimmest you'll find on any smartphone out there. The tradeoff? I did run into some accidental touches when stretching my thumb across to the other end of the display. But it's a small price I am willing to pay for that premium all-screen experience. Verdict Okay, let's address the elephant in the room – the pricing on the Galaxy S24 and S24+. At a staggering Rs 79,999 and Rs 99,999 respectively, Samsung has basically priced most Android competition out of the picture by going ultra-premium. That leaves Apple's non-Pro iPhones as the main rival, and interestingly, they're now around Rs 9,000 cheaper after recent price adjustments. But like iPhones, Samsung justifies these prices through the overall experience – top hardware, robust software through One UI (now with Galaxy AI smarts), and a thriving ecosystem of apps and services. If you want the best Android has to offer and money isn't an object, the S24 series makes a compelling case, even if it'll make your wallet whimper. Just keep in mind that the Rs 65K Galaxy S23 model is also getting most of these generative AI features if that’s what you’re going for.
