It is someway been a yr since Samsung introduced the Galaxy S24 Extremely, a cellphone we touted as the perfect premium Android expertise all through 2024. Samsung launched the cellphone with a newly minted flat show, a singular anti-glare layer on the display screen, a stronger titanium body, and a stronger software program replace assure than ever.
At launch, it was clear what Samsung would wish to do to make the Galaxy S25 Extremely a greater cellphone. However whereas 2024’s greatest premium cellphone launched robust, nagging points crept up all year long.
The flowery new show was discovered to undergo from some unusual high quality and configuration points, and a few construct high quality points with the glass have crept up after just a few months of use. Samsung’s Android 15 replace was delayed a number of instances, and whereas we’re already on One UI 7 beta 3, the ultimate model is not anticipated till at the very least someday in late January on the earliest.
One UI 7 has additionally been the supply of a lot criticism and, humorous sufficient, reward resulting from some main UI design modifications. However whereas One UI 7’s new design would not appear to be everybody’s cup of tea, Samsung is delivering some main enhancements for the S24 Extremely that may in the end please followers in the long run, particularly because the newer Galaxy S25 sequence approaches.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely: Show and design
Ever because the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s launch, customers have been complaining in regards to the show. Whether or not it was the graininess of the pixels or the everlasting smudges which have began showing on some folks’s cellphone shows, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely’s show has been a little bit of a disappointment.
Complaints have revolved round just a few issues, a few of which might be thought of main given the excessive worth of the Galaxy S24 Extremely. All Galaxy S24 Extremely models are affected by mura, which implies that every pixel is not reaching the identical brightness stage as adjoining pixels. This does not simply occur at excessive brightness, and it exposes a top quality downgrade we did not anticipate to see in a Samsung flagship.
We have additionally seen a number of situations of individuals getting everlasting “smudges” on their screens. Based mostly on a number of examples, it looks as if it is the results of the oleophobic layer rubbing off prematurely. There is not any option to repair this if it occurs exterior of changing the outer glass fully, so it is best to put a display screen protector on it as quickly as you unbox it to forestall this challenge.
Samsung might need fastened the uninteresting display screen challenge a few month after launch however the firm remains to be seeing complaints of diminished show brightness and shade banding throughout social media. Among the brightness points must do with thermal administration, because the cellphone tones down the brightness after a couple of minutes to maintain it from getting sizzling.
Nonetheless, the most important challenge is that Samsung artificially reduces the utmost brightness by utilizing PWM dimming. This dimming methodology helps enhance shade accuracy on OLEDs at low brightness however Samsung is utilizing it in any respect brightness ranges for an unknown motive. Utilizing PWM dimming at excessive brightness reduces the perceived brightness stage of the show, one thing Samsung may repair it it supplied a correct PWM-free dimming mode as rivals just like the OnePlus 13 do.
The Galaxy S24 Extremely’s show has been the middle of consumer complaints in regards to the cellphone, starting from show high quality to early put on and tear on the glass.
We have additionally seen a number of reviews of customers on Reddit getting micro scratches on their shows regardless of claiming to watch out with their telephones. Smartphone glass has developed so much over time, however there appears to be one thing completely different in regards to the glass used on the S24 Extremely. My unit additionally has just a few micro scratches regardless of it not being my foremost cellphone all year long.
Each time I’ve used the Galaxy S24 Extremely over the previous yr, I’ve had points utilizing the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. Whereas some people desire ultrasonic sensors, folks like myself discover them to be much less dependable than optical sensors, particularly when a display screen protector is utilized. Fortunately, the upcoming One UI 7 replace addresses considerations of fingerprint sensor pace and accuracy and, up to now in my testing, has made it considerably extra dependable.
If you happen to love the sq. corners of the Galaxy S24 Extremely, you would possibly wish to maintain on to the cellphone for so long as attainable as Samsung is alleged to be rounding them off with future telephones.
However whereas the show may not be the perfect factor on the earth, Samsung’s design and construct high quality of the S24 Extremely’s remaining {hardware} has shone by way of. The titanium body has obtained loads of reward and holds up properly with use, though just a few customers have discovered that sure circumstances can scratch the body. It is unusual, for certain, however one thing to look out for for those who’re nonetheless rocking a pristine Galaxy S24 Extremely.
Whereas Samsung has been utilizing very sq. corners on the Galaxy S Extremely line because the Galaxy S22, rumor has it that the Galaxy S25 Extremely will dispose of these for extra rounded corners. Regardless of rounding out the corners, Samsung is reportedly making the perimeters of the cellphone fully flat throughout.
This design would match that of the Galaxy S24 which obtained the flat therapy final yr. Personally, I hate the flat facet rail design and would reasonably see Samsung hold the curved sides from the Galaxy S24 Extremely, that are a lot nicer to carry and make it simpler to choose the cellphone up from a desk or different flat floor.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely: Software program and updates
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely arrived with the primary seven-year replace promise Samsung has ever made for its telephones. Whereas that sounds good on paper, Samsung will probably be roughly 4 months late in delivering its Android 15 replace by the point One UI 7 lastly makes its public debut.
Android 15 definitely is not the most important replace on the earth however One UI 7 seems to be well worth the wait. I attempted out the second One UI 7 beta again in December and was typically impressed with what I noticed. Samsung lastly ditched the age-old paginated app drawer for a vertical app drawer by default, though you’ll be able to change again to the previous fashion for those who desire that.
The corporate can also be utilizing a brand new design for its multitasking interface that appears virtually equivalent to an iPhone. Some folks may not be pleased with the change for that reason, but it surely’s way more sensible than the terrible previous side-by-side design. This design makes it simpler to rapidly multitask as you’ll be able to “peak” on the subsequent few apps whereas scrolling by way of the tiles whereas the earlier design solely confirmed one app’s tile at a time.
Samsung can also be borrowing Apple’s cut up notification pane design, making it in order that the cellphone’s notification pane solely seems when swiping down on the left facet of the standing bar, whereas swiping down on the best facet brings up a full-screen fast toggles pane. This design is polarizing because it’s opposite to straightforward Android design, however some people desire the bigger fast toggles pane to be the default.
No matter your desire, practically every thing might be personalized out of the field to fit your preferences. The one exception, for now, is the multitasking interface, which normally requires Samsung Good Lock to vary. Fortunately, Samsung is alleged to be giving Good Lock a complete overhaul when One UI 7 formally launches later this month, so it is best to be capable to change it for those who’re not a fan of the brand new design (or like one of many many alternate options Samsung has at all times supplied).
Samsung’s actual power has lengthy been providing one thing for everybody, and the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s software program expertise completely embodies that mantra.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely: Efficiency and battery life
As we anticipated when Samsung introduced it final yr, ray-tracing on telephones hasn’t caught on but. Diablo Immortal launched its massive ray-tracing replace, however we’ve not seen an enormous push for utilizing this know-how on telephones, presumably resulting from battery life and efficiency constraints that telephones uniquely face when in comparison with consoles or PCs that push the identical tech.
General, although, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely nonetheless delivers stellar real-world efficiency. Newer telephones just like the OnePlus 13 considerably outpace it when it comes to efficiency and thermal limits, however that is totally anticipated from a brand new era. For its half, the Galaxy S24 Extremely by no means feels sluggish, however Samsung tends to throttle brightness fairly a bit when the cellphone begins to get heat.
This retains efficiency excessive and prevents the cellphone from overheating, but it surely’s annoying to must take care of low brightness on the worst time: within the shiny solar. Exterior of this case, nonetheless, the S24 Extremely performs admirably and will please even the pickiest of customers, even a yr later.
General efficiency remains to be unbelievable even a yr later, however the cellphone’s show dims too rapidly when the cellphone will get sizzling.
One drawback that solely feels worse with time, nonetheless, is the dreadfully gradual charging pace. Samsung, Google, and Apple’s telephones all nonetheless cost extremely slowly, even with a “quick” 45W charger. Telephones just like the OnePlus 12 can totally cost in about half-hour with the charger included within the field, however Samsung telephones nonetheless take properly over an hour.
Some folks have gotten by way of this by having a nice wi-fi charger on their desk or of their automobile, but it surely would not substitute the right quick charging that the majority Android manufacturers supply. In any case, battery life remains to be nice a yr later and extra software-side tweaks in One UI 7 ought to additional assist hold battery life nice over the seven-year lifespan of the cellphone.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely: Digicam
After I revealed the Galaxy S24 Extremely digital camera assessment final yr, I marveled on the enhancements Samsung had made. The corporate had gone from mediocre to the perfect in most conditions, barring only one massive space: movement seize.
Whereas the Galaxy S24 Extremely supplied up some choices to assist scale back blurry shifting topics — normally children or pets that will not maintain nonetheless — its efficiency was nonetheless worse than the competitors. As of a yr later, this hasn’t modified a bit. If something, Samsung seems worse than ever as a result of even OnePlus has fastened the identical drawback that plagued its telephones for a very long time.
Picture 1 of 3
Exterior of blurry shifting topics, the Galaxy S24 Extremely nonetheless suffers from an extremely irritating gradual shutter pace drawback. If you press the shutter button to take an image on a Galaxy S24 Extremely, there is a actually annoying lag that takes place within the digital camera viewfinder. I do not see this on any different cellphone available on the market and it is one thing Samsung wants to deal with on the S25 Extremely.
Samsung nonetheless does a superb job of portrait pictures, however I have been much less impressed with the cellphone’s digital camera this yr than I used to be final yr. Low-light pictures aren’t nearly as good because the Pixel 9 Professional or OnePlus 13, and even daytime portrait pictures aren’t as vibrant or lovely as I anticipate. Whereas pictures from some newer Android telephones is likely to be higher, the Galaxy S24 Extremely’s video recording high quality remains to be top-notch amongst Android telephones.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely: Is it nonetheless price shopping for?
With the Galaxy S25 Extremely on the cusp of being formally introduced, you are in all probability questioning if it is nonetheless price shopping for the Galaxy S24 Extremely. Whereas I can not totally reply that query till the Galaxy S25 Extremely is definitely introduced, we all know for certain that you could get a Galaxy S24 Extremely deal that may prevent a whole bunch versus ready per week or so to preorder a Galaxy S25 Extremely.
The primary query is how choosy you may be about any potential show points you are certain to run into with the S24 Extremely. The show has garnered the biggest variety of complaints I’ve seen in regards to the cellphone during the last yr, and whereas a few of them are from energy customers who nitpick the smallest particulars, loads of issues have been observed by people who aren’t tech-savvy, too. There is not any assure that Samsung will repair any of those with the S25 Extremely, but it surely’ll possible handle at the very least just a few.
You may additionally want to think about the digital camera, which can be the greatest motive to decide on one thing else. If you happen to primarily take photos of your children or pets, it is best to think about a OnePlus 13 or a Pixel 9 Professional. Each take much better photos of shifting topics, with the Pixel taking a slight edge on this class. If this explicit pictures class is not massive in your listing, the S24 Extremely may very well be a terrific choose.
Lastly, chances are you’ll wish to think about grabbing a OnePlus 13 over both a Galaxy S24 Extremely or a possible Galaxy S25 Extremely for battery life and charging pace. Samsung telephones, together with iPhones and Pixels, have lengthy been among the many slowest-charging smartphones available on the market. That is by no means been more true in 2025 when telephones just like the OnePlus 13 take 20 minutes to top-up the battery whereas an S24 Extremely would possibly take an hour and a half.