Quick Verdict
The base Galaxy S24 is the rare small phone that doesn't ask you to compromise: a flat 6.2-inch 2,600-nit 120Hz screen, flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (or Exynos 2400 abroad), a meaningfully bigger battery than the S23, Galaxy AI, and an industry-leading seven years of updates — all for a launch price $50 lower than its predecessor. Reviewers near-universally call it 'the best small/compact Android flagship.' The catches are real but minor: charging is still stuck at 25W (no improvement, no UWB), the camera is competent rather than class-leading, and the Exynos variant runs hot and less efficiently. Buy this if you want a genuinely pocketable flagship that will be supported into the 2030s and is a superb used buy near $400; skip it if you need fast charging or the best camera, where rivals and the Ultra pull ahead.
Pros reviewers agree on
Strengths consistently called out across sources
- It is the best small/compact Android flagship — full flagship performance in a genuinely pocketable 6.2-inch body.
- The flat 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X at 120Hz with 2,600-nit peak is excellent and a big jump over the S23's 1,750 nits.
- Battery life improved markedly over the S23 (17:46h video, ~9:46h browsing) despite a still-small 4,000mAh cell.
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy delivers flagship performance and stays fast years later, with seven years of updates keeping it current.
- It launched cheaper than the S23 ($799/128GB) and is an outstanding value on the used market in 2026 (~$400).
Cons reviewers agree on
Weaknesses flagged across multiple sources
- Charging is still capped at 25W wired with no UWB — unchanged from the S23 and slow by 2026 standards.
- The camera is good but not class-leading; the telephoto and fine detail trail the best, and it's largely unchanged from the S23.
- The Exynos 2400 variant runs hot, drains faster and has had 5G freezing and global-vs-US quality complaints.
What reviewers disagree on
Points where expert verdicts diverge — weigh based on your priorities
- S24 vs S24+/Ultra — some say the small S24 is the one to buy for size and value; others (9to5Google) argue the S24+ is the only one worth buying.
- Exynos vs Snapdragon efficiency — one large endurance test found the Snapdragon S24 outlasting a 22%-bigger Pixel 8 battery, while the Exynos S24 ran hot and died first.
- Worth it vs the S25 — some reviewers say the S24 is practically identical to the S25 and the smarter buy; others note the S25's small refinements and price cuts.
How This Review Was Created
14Publications
9YouTube Reviews
5Reddit Threads
28Total Sources
High ConfidenceLaunch reviews January 2024 through long-term revisits May 2026
This is a synthesis of expert reviews and user discussions; we may not have physically tested the product. See methodology.
Detailed Breakdown
A compact, flat-sided 6.2-inch body with rounded corners and an aluminium frame — easy to use one-handed and still feels sturdy years later.
- It's easy to use one-handed and still feels sturdy in everyday use.— YouTube — best value compact phone in 2026
- Even after two years the Galaxy S24 still looks premium and modern with a solid build and no major wear.— YouTube — Is there a problem with the S24, 4-month review
- Two years old, it still feels like a flagship to hold and use.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 in 2026
- The compact 6.2-inch size hits the 'Goldilocks zone' that small-phone buyers want, unlike the larger S24+ and Ultra.— SlashGear
A 6.2-inch FHD+ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X at 120Hz, jumping to a 2,600-nit peak (up from the S23's 1,750). Small but excellent.
- 6.2-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2,600 nits peak at 1080x2340 (416ppi) with always-on display.— GSMArena
- Peak brightness is 2,600 nits, up from 1,750 on the S23 — a big real-world improvement.— GSMArena
- It gets jaw-droppingly bright at 2,600 nits max, excellent for outdoor use.— YouTube — Should you buy the Galaxy S24 in 2026
- Coming from a Pixel 6, the S24's screen is a dramatic upgrade and the speaker is far louder.— Reddit — r/GooglePixel
A 50MP main, 10MP 3x telephoto and 12MP ultrawide (identical to the S24+). Competent and consistent, but not the line's strength.
- Triple camera: 50MP main, 10MP 3x optical telephoto, 12MP ultrawide and a 12MP selfie, with strong portrait shots.— YouTube — iPhone 16 vs Pixel 9 vs Galaxy S24 camera test
- The main camera captures fantastic detail and accurate colours; pro mode produces shots that look from a much more expensive camera.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 worth buying in 2026
- Run through DXOMARK's full camera suite for photo, video and zoom quality (Exynos variant).— DXOMARK
- A Samsung owner notes the camera is the one clear downside versus a Pixel.— Reddit — r/GooglePixel
- Featured among the best camera smartphones of 2024 for its hardware-plus-software point-and-shoot results.— Phandroid
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy in the US; Exynos 2400 elsewhere. Flagship-fast in daily use, with sustained gaming that warms up and an Exynos variant that runs notably hotter.
- The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 8GB RAM handles gaming, video and photo editing with ease and will hold up for 3–4 more years.— YouTube — Should you buy the Galaxy S24 in 2026
- In a 1-hour BGMI session at 120fps the phone fluctuated to ~105fps and 41–42°C, stabilising at 110–118fps and ~42°C in performance mode.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 battery drain test
- A 15-minute CPU-throttle stress loop peaked around 45°C — typical for the compact chassis.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 battery drain test
- After a security update, 3DMark stability jumped from 51.7% to 70.2% and the loop low score improved sharply.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 post-update benchmarks
- The Exynos 2400 variant has random heating, freezes under 5G and during 4K recording, and shows global-vs-US quality differences.— YouTube — Galaxy S24: what went wrong
A 4,000mAh cell (up from the S23's 3,900) with markedly better endurance — but charging is still capped at an unchanged 25W.
- Battery grew from 3,900mAh to 4,000mAh; video playback hit 17:46h (~4h more than the S23 and beating the Pixel 8), browsing 9:46h, gaming 7:34h.— GSMArena
- Charging remains 25W wired / 15W wireless / 4.5W reverse with no UWB — unchanged from the S23.— GSMArena
- In a multi-phone endurance test the Snapdragon S24 outlasted a Pixel 8 that has a 22%-bigger battery — Tensor G3 is clearly less efficient than the Exynos 2400.— YouTube — S24 Exynos vs Snapdragon vs Pixel 8 battery
- After a year of charging, gaming and streaming the battery still measured 100% health at 302 cycles (Samsung's hidden diagnostics).— YouTube — best value compact phone in 2026
- The Exynos S24 ran hotter (43°C even on Wi-Fi) and was the first to die in the multi-phone drain test.— YouTube — S24 Exynos vs Snapdragon vs Pixel 8 battery
Galaxy AI plus Samsung's seven-year update pledge — the standout long-term selling point on a small phone.
- The S24 series brought Galaxy AI plus seven years of OS and security updates, matching Google's Pixel commitment.— Wired
- Seven years of support means roughly five years of updates still remain when buying it used in 2026.— YouTube — best value compact phone in 2026
- In 2026 it still receives security updates and runs the latest One UI 8 / Android 16 with ~5 more years of Android updates.— YouTube — Is there a problem with the S24
- The 7-year update promise (Android plus security, not just bug fixes) was a primary reason to buy the S24.— YouTube — S24 long-term review (GPS issues)
- Galaxy's One UI can basically do anything Pixel OS can and more, with broad customisation.— Reddit — r/Samsung
Launched at $799 (128GB) — $50 cheaper than the S23 — and now an exceptional sub-$400 used buy. The recurring criticism is the 256GB upcharge.
- 'The best small Android smartphone gets cheaper but not better' — $799 for 128GB, $50 less than its predecessor.— Notebookcheck
- It's safe to assume the S24 is still worth buying in 2026, much as an iPhone 15 is worth owning after the iPhone 17.— BGR
- After serious testing, USA Today's Reviewed recommends the Samsung Galaxy S24 to most people.— Reviewed (USA Today)
- At around $400 used in 2026 it's an excellent device that still feels like a flagship — just expect some battery degradation.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 in 2026
- At $800 the fingerprint sensor, GPS and Bluetooth modules should be better, and the 256GB-over-128GB upcharge is 'theft.'— YouTube — S24 long-term review (GPS issues)
- The S24 is practically identical to the S25, making it the smarter, cheaper buy for most.— YouTube — Should you buy the Galaxy S24 in 2026
Long-term Verdict
What creators say after 30, 100, or 365 days of real-world use — the post-honeymoon reality that launch-day reviews can't cover.
Revisits at 4 months, 5 months, 1 year and 2 years are consistent: the compact S24 ages into one of the best small-phone value buys. Build, display and performance hold up and the seven-year update pledge keeps it current — the long-term gripes are 25W charging, a so-so fingerprint/GPS module and the Exynos variant's quirks.
- After a year of charging, gaming and streaming the battery still read 100% health at 302 cycles, with ~5 years of software updates remaining — a standout value compact phone in 2026.— YouTube — best value compact phone in 2026
- Two years on it still looks premium and modern with a solid build, running the latest One UI 8 / Android 16 with ~5 more years of updates.— YouTube — Is there a problem with the S24, 4 months
- About two years old it still feels like a flagship, and at ~$400 used it's an excellent device — just expect some battery degradation.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 in 2026
- At one year the S24 (practically identical to the S25) is still a top-performing flagship that will hold up well for the next 3–4 years; battery health was still 100% and 91–100% is the safe used range.— YouTube — Should you buy the Galaxy S24 in 2026
- Five months in, the 7-year OS-plus-security promise and One UI's iPhone-Dynamic-Island-like lock screen are highlights; 4K30 lens switching works smoothly.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 worth buying in 2026
- The 7-year update promise (Android updates, not just bug fixes) was the main reason to buy — but at $800 the fingerprint sensor, GPS and Bluetooth module should be better, and the 256GB upcharge feels like 'theft.'— YouTube — S24 long-term review (GPS issues)
- Long-term Exynos pain points: chipset performance disparities, random heating, freezing under 5G, global-vs-US photo differences and assorted software bugs left a bitter taste.— YouTube — Galaxy S24: what went wrong
Real-World Tests
Battery drain runs, durability tests, camera shootouts, and gaming benchmarks — the numbers that only video testers capture.
Hands-on testers ran the S24 through hour-long gaming and media battery drains, a multi-phone endurance race against the Pixel 8 and Xperia, a camera shootout and post-update benchmark runs. Numbers below are from measured tests, not spec sheets.
- 1-hour BGMI at 120fps: fps fluctuated to ~105 at 41–42°C, stabilising to a healthier 110–118fps and ~42°C in performance mode; ~5°C rise and battery to 76% over the hour.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 battery drain test
- Hour-long media drains were efficient for the small cell: ~13% per hour of YouTube, ~12% per hour of Spotify with screen off, holding ~36–38°C.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 battery drain test
- A 15-minute CPU-throttle stress loop climbed to ~45°C with a 9% battery drop — typical for the compact chassis.— YouTube — Galaxy S24 battery drain test
- Multi-phone endurance race: S24 Exynos died at 4h50m, Pixel 8 at 5h25m, S24 Snapdragon at 5h44m, Xperia 5 V at 7h17m — the Snapdragon S24 outlasting a 22%-bigger Pixel 8 battery shows Tensor G3 is less efficient than the Exynos 2400.— YouTube — S24 Exynos vs Snapdragon vs Pixel 8 battery
- In the same test the Exynos S24 ran hot — ~43°C even on Wi-Fi — and was the first phone in the pack to die.— YouTube — S24 Exynos vs Snapdragon vs Pixel 8 battery
- Camera shootout vs iPhone 16 and Pixel 9: the S24's 50MP main, 10MP 3x and 12MP ultrawide hold up with strong detail and likeable portraits, though it's not the class leader.— YouTube — iPhone 16 vs Pixel 9 vs Galaxy S24 camera test
- Post-security-update benchmarks improved markedly: 3DMark stability rose from 51.7% to 70.2% and the loop low score jumped sharply (Geekbench 6 ~1,924 single / ~6,161 multi).— YouTube — Galaxy S24 post-update benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions about Samsung Galaxy S24
Update History
- May 19, 2026— Review refreshed with latest sources
- May 19, 2026— Added Real-World Tests section (7 points)
- May 19, 2026— Added Long-term Verdict section (7 points)
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This synthesis review was compiled from 28 independent sources. TechTalkTown did not receive products or compensation from Samsung.