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Samsung Galaxy S24+
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While the Galaxy S24+ looks almost identical to the S23+, there are some meaningful upgrades this year, and they become even more impressive when compared to 2022’s Galaxy S22+. Whether those improvements are enough to warrant an upgrade remains to be seen.
Pros- Brighter, higher resolution screen
- Seven years of OS updates
- Fancy AI featuers
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Samsung Galaxy S22+
Aging well
$757 $1000 Save $243
The Galaxy S22+ was the easiest model in the S22 family to recommend, and it’s not hard to see why. It was significantly cheaper than the Ultra while retaining a beautiful screen and a large battery. However, you have to wonder if it’s time to upgrade two years in.
Pros- Frequent discounts
- Nicer rear design
Cons- Shorter software support
- Poor battery life
The Galaxy S24+, one of the latest and greatest Android phones, has seen some of the more significant upgrades this year compared to the other two phones in the S24 range. The battery is larger, the screen is brighter and sharper, and it can dynamically adjust its refresh rate between 1 and 120Hz, just like the Ultra.
Are those upgrades, combined with fancy new AI software, enough to warrant an upgrade from the Galaxy S22+?
Price, availability, and specs
The Galaxy S24+ is the new kid on the block, costing $1,000 from Samsung and most retailers and carriers worldwide. That price gets you 256GB of UFS 4.0 and 12GB of RAM. If you’re willing to pay extra, you can bump the storage to 512GB.
The S22+ can be harder to find new, but it was the same $1,000 when it launched, but it’s usually discounted now. The S22+ starts with 128GB of UFS 3.1 and 8GB of RAM. You can also get a 256GB model. The S22+ was available worldwide from all retailers, just like the S24+, but is seeing limited availability now.
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Samsung Galaxy S24+ Samsung Galaxy S22+ SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (US), Exynos 2400 (International) Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (US), Exynos 2200 (International) RAM 12GB 8GB Storage 256GB or 512GB 128, 256GB Battery 4,900mAh 4,500mAh Operating System Android 14 and One UI 6.1 Android 13 and One UI 5.1 Front camera 12MP, f/2.2 10MP f/2.2 (26mm) Rear camera 50MP, f/1.8 OIS main; 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide; 10MP, f/2.4 telephoto (3× zoom) 50MP f/1.8 main, 10MP f/2.4 telephoto (70mm), 12MP f/2.2 (120˚) Connectivity NFC, UWB UWB, NFC Dimensions 158.5 × 76.2 × 7.6mm 157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6mm Colors Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, and Sandstone Orange Pink Gold, Green, Phantom Black, Phantom White Display type AMOLED, 1-120Hz OLED, 120Hz Weight 196g 195g Charge speed 45W wired, 15W wireless 45W wired, 15W wireless IP Rating IP68 IP68 Display dimensions 6.7″ 6.6″ Display resolution 3120 × 1440 1080 x 2340 SIM support Nano-SIM and eSIM Dual SIM (Nano SIM and eSIM) Cellular connectivity 4G LTE, 5G (sub-6 and mmWave) 5G, mmWave, LTE Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 6e, Wi-Fi Direct Wi-Fi 6e Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.2
Design
The design differences between the S22+ and the S24+ are larger than when we compare the Ultra models. The S22+ retained the integrated camera bump design from the S21 series, while the S24+ ditches that design for individual lenses. Which you prefer is down to personal preference, but most of the users I’ve spoken to prefer the S22+’s camera design. The sides of the S24+ have been flattened as opposed to the rounded edges of the S22+.
Aside from that, the two phones’ designs are incredibly similar. Both have symmetrical bezels, although the bezels on the S24+ are small enough to gain an extra 0.1 inch of display in the same frame size.
Display
The display is one of the biggest upgrades you’ll see in the S24+. The S22+ has a 6.6-inch 1080p AMOLED display that can reach 1,750 nits and can vary its refresh rate between 48 and 120Hz. The S24+ sees a big leap here, with a 6.7-inch display in a frame almost the same size, a bump up to 1440p, a max brightness of 2,600 nits, and a new dynamic refresh rate of 1 and 120Hz.
The new display is noticeably sharper, providing you set it to 1440p in settings, but the real difference you’ll notice immediately is the brightness. It doesn’t matter how bright the sun is, this display can punch through, so you can see it. The 1 to 120Hz refresh isn’t something you’ll notice when in use, but you will see its benefit when it comes to charging the phone, with the dynamic refresh improving efficiency.
Software
The Galaxy S24+ ships with Android 14 and One UI 6.1, which brings many changes and features, both with AI and without. One UI 6.0 was already a well-received update, and 6.1 only improves on that. The Galaxy S22+ launched with Android 12 and One UI 4.1, and it now runs Android 14 with One UI 6.0. There’s an update to 6.1 due in the coming months, but the AI features will be missing.
The Galaxy S24 series is promised seven years of updates, so the phone will be up-to-date until it gets Android 21 in 2031. The Galaxy S22 series was promised four Android updates with a fifth year of security patches. The S22 has used two of those Android upgrades already, so it will see its final update in 2027 on Android 17.
Performance
The Galaxy S24+ uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the US and the Exynos 2400 internationally. We only have experience with the Snapdragon model, but early reports suggest that the Exynos 2400 offers a similar performance, which is nice to see. The S22+ used the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the US, with the Exynos 2200 in the rest of the world, and the difference between the two couldn’t have been more noticeable.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was a fine chip, while the Exynos 2200 was a dumpster fire. I used that chip with the Galaxy S22 Ultra for a year, and it would constantly overheat and throttle.
Comparing the Snapdragon versions of both of these phones, we see some definite improvements with the S24+. More raw power is nice, but the 8 Gen 1 is still more than powerful enough for most people. The differences you’ll notice are the efficiency improvements and general processing. AI has been slapped onto every part of this chip, but the upgrades are useful. Photo processing is almost instant, and the battery life gains are noticeable.
We can’t directly compare the Exynos variants yet, but it does look like the 2400 is mostly comparable to the 8 Gen 3 this year, so it seems Samsung has finally put some effort in.
Battery life
Battery life has seen a significant upgrade this year. The Galaxy S22+ had a 4,500mAh battery, while the S24+ saw an upgrade to a 4,900mAh cell, only 100mAh less than the S24 Ultra. The difference in battery life between these two is easily illustrated when you consult our reviews for both phones. The title of our S22+ review said to “enjoy it while it lasts.” The phone would mostly last through the day, but it could easily be killed before bed. Meanwhile, our S24+ review offers a different story. We couldn’t kill the S24+ in a day, only coming close once after an abnormally intense day.
Both phones have the same charging specs, reaching 45W over USB-C if you have the right PPS charger and 15W wirelessly. They also offer reverse wireless charging.
Camera
The cameras are almost identical between these phones, with a 50MP primary lens, 10MP 3X telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide. The selfie shooters are different, with the S24+ upgrading to a 12MP sensor over the 10MP camera the S22+ currently has.
Both phones take good photos and trade blows with their respective Pixel or iPhone. Despite the different hardware, you will see an improvement with the S24+ thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Exynos 2400. Post-processing has improved in this generation.
Which one is right for you?
If you don’t own either of these phones, then choose the S24+. Sure, the S22+ can often be discounted, but the differences between these phones are enough to warrant selecting the new one, especially if you can trade in towards it. The S24+ has significantly better battery life and will be usable for longer thanks to the extended software support. Those improvements make the phone feel like the first legitimate upgrade we’ve seen in this line for several years now.
Samsung Galaxy S24+
Editor’s choice
Great phone with great features
The Galaxy S24+ is a significant upgrade over the S22+. Two years of upgrades add up to significantly better battery life, double the base storage, and seven whole years of software support.
If you already own the S22+ and you’re happy with it, there’s no point in upgrading yet. The S22+ is still a competent smartphone that’s more than powerful enough to do what you ask of it, and it still has two Android upgrades left.
Samsung Galaxy S22+
Still relevant
The specs are still good
$757 $1000 Save $243
The Galaxy S24+ might be a big upgrade, but you shouldn’t switch if you’re still happy with the S22+. The S22+ is more than powerful enough for most people, with battery life being the only letdown.
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