Head to head
Samsung Galaxy S24 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra leads 12 to 1 on the 13 rankable specs, but Samsung Galaxy S24 costs $500 less.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
Swap
Compare a different phone
Google Pixel 8a$499OnePlus 12$799iPhone 16$799Google Pixel 9$799Samsung Galaxy S25$799iPhone 17$799ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra$899iPhone 16 Plus$899OnePlus 13$899iPhone 16 Pro$999Google Pixel 9 Pro$999Samsung Galaxy S24+$999Samsung Galaxy S25+$999iPhone 17 Pro$999iPhone Air$999Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6$1,099Google Pixel 9 Pro XL$1,099iPhone 16 Pro Max$1,199iPhone 17 Pro Max$1,199Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$1,299Xiaomi 14 Ultra$1,399OnePlus Open$1,699Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold$1,799Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6$1,899Swap
Compare a different phone
Google Pixel 8a$499OnePlus 12$799iPhone 16$799Google Pixel 9$799Samsung Galaxy S25$799iPhone 17$799ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra$899iPhone 16 Plus$899OnePlus 13$899iPhone 16 Pro$999Google Pixel 9 Pro$999Samsung Galaxy S24+$999Samsung Galaxy S25+$999iPhone 17 Pro$999iPhone Air$999Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6$1,099Google Pixel 9 Pro XL$1,099iPhone 16 Pro Max$1,199iPhone 17 Pro Max$1,199Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$1,299Xiaomi 14 Ultra$1,399OnePlus Open$1,699Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold$1,799Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6$1,899Generational Upgrade Analysis
Samsung sibling models compared across generations.
Our recommendation: Compare the spec differences below to see if the price premium justifies the newer model's additions.
Buying for
Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 1 to 12
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
- Leads 12 of 13 rankable overall specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 takes 1.
- Size: 6.9 inches vs 6.2 inches
- RAM: 12 GB vs 8 GB
- Samsung Galaxy S24 is $500 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · NoClear:Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra · Yes (built-in S Pen with Bluetooth LE)
- Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra · No
- Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra · No
- Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra · No
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Weight
Galaxy S24
167 g
Galaxy S25 Ultra
219 g (7.72 oz)
Size
Galaxy S24
6.2 inches
Galaxy S25 Ultra
6.9 inches
Chipset≠
Galaxy S24
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm)
RAM
Galaxy S24
8 GB
Galaxy S25 Ultra
12 GB (16 GB option)
Max optical zoom
Galaxy S24
3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom)
Galaxy S25 Ultra
5x optical zoom (10x optical quality, 100x Space Zoom)
Capacity
Galaxy S24
4,000 mAh
Galaxy S25 Ultra
5,000 mAh
True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Galaxy S24: What to watch for
- Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Galaxy S25 Ultra: What to watch for
- Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Body
6 differences| Dimensions | 147.0 × 70.6 × 7.6 mm | 162.8 × 77.6 × 8.2 mm |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 167 g (wins this row: lower) | 219 g (7.72 oz) |
| Build | Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front/back, Armor Aluminum 2 frame | Titanium frame with Gorilla Armor 2 front and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back |
| Water / dust rating | IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min) | IP68 (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) |
| Colors | Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow | Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Whitesilver |
| Stylus | No | Yes (built-in S Pen with Bluetooth LE) (wins this row: has it) |
Display
leads 3-0| Type | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.2 inches | 6.9 inches (wins this row: higher) |
| Resolution | 1080 × 2340 (FHD+) | 3120 × 1440 (QHD+) (wins this row: higher) |
| Pixel density | ~416 ppi | 505 ppi (wins this row: higher) |
| Refresh rate | 1–120 Hz LTPO | 120 Hz (1–120Hz LTPO) |
| Peak brightness | 2,600 nits peak | 2,600 nits peak |
| HDR | HDR10+ | HDR10+, HLG |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Corning Gorilla Armor 2 (anti-reflective) |
| Always-on display | Yes | Yes |
Platform
5 differences| Operating system | Android 14, One UI 6.1 | Android 15 (One UI 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Software support | 7 major OS updates + 7 years security patches | 7 generations of OS upgrades & 7 years security updates |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm) |
| CPU | 8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520) | 8-core Oryon CPU (2× 4.47 GHz Prime + 6× 3.53 GHz Performance) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 | Adreno 830 |
Memory
leads 2-0| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB (16 GB option) (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 128 GB UFS 3.1 | 256 GB (wins this row: higher) |
| Storage options | 128 GB / 256 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB (UFS 4.0) |
| microSD | No | No |
Rear camera
leads 4-0| Main | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24 mm, 1/1.56", Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS | 200 MP (f/1.7, 24mm, 1/1.3", multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS) (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120° | 50 MP (f/1.9, 120° FOV, Dual Pixel PDAF, macro) (wins this row: higher) |
| Telephoto | 10 MP, f/2.4, 67 mm, 3x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS | 50 MP 5x periscope (f/3.4, 115mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS) + 50 MP 3x (f/2.4, 67mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS) (wins this row: higher) |
| Max optical zoom | 3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom) | 5x optical zoom (10x optical quality, 100x Space Zoom) (wins this row: higher) |
| Stabilization | OIS on main and telephoto lenses | OIS on main and both telephoto cameras |
| Video | 8K 30 fps, 4K 60 fps, 1080p 240 fps | 8K at 30 fps, 4K at 30/60/120 fps, HDR10+, 10-bit LOG video |
Front camera
2 differences| Selfie camera | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26 mm, Dual Pixel PDAF | 12 MP (f/2.2, 26mm, Dual Pixel PDAF) |
|---|---|---|
| Selfie video | 4K 60 fps | 4K at 30/60 fps |
Battery & charging
leads 2-0| Capacity | 4,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Wired chargingNot on the official sheet | 25 W fast wired (50% in 30 min) | 45W fast wired charging (up to 65% in 30 min) (wins this row: higher) |
| Wireless charging | 15 W Fast Wireless | 15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 |
| Reverse wireless | 4.5 W Wireless PowerShare | 4.5W Wireless PowerShare |
| Charger in box | No | No |
Audio
0 differences| Speakers | Stereo speakers tuned by AKG | Stereo speakers tuned by AKG |
|---|---|---|
| Headphone jack | No | No |
Connectivity
6 differences| Cellular | 5G (sub-6 + mmWave) | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be tri-band) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Pay) |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 | USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DisplayPort video out) |
| SIM | Dual nano-SIM + eSIM | Dual eSIM / Nano-SIM + eSIM |
Features
3 differences| Biometrics | Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint + Face unlock | Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor + 2D Face unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Extra controls | Power and Volume keys | S Pen air gestures |
| Standout features | Circle to Search, Live Translate, Note Assist, Samsung DeX | Built-in S Pen, Galaxy AI 2.0 (Now Brief, Live Translate, Sketch to Image), Anti-reflective Gorilla Armor 2, Samsung DeX |
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
Samsung Galaxy S24
Compact Android powerhouse with 6.2-inch 120Hz LTPO display, 3x telephoto, and Galaxy AI suite.
- Extremely lightweight and compact 167g pocket-friendly design
- Dedicated 3x optical telephoto camera on a base model
- Bright 2,600 nit 1-120Hz LTPO display
What you give up
- Charging capped at 25W wired
- Base model starts with 128GB UFS 3.1 storage
Pick this one if
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Flagship titanium smartphone with Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, built-in S Pen, 200MP quad camera with 50MP ultrawide and 50MP 5x telephoto, and Galaxy AI.
- Top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite 3nm custom Galaxy performance
- Upgraded 50MP ultra-wide and dual 50MP telephoto sensors with 200MP main
- Corning Gorilla Armor 2 anti-reflective display and built-in S Pen stylus
What you give up
- Premium $1,299 starting price
- Wired charging remains at 45W
Best for each use
Photos
For photos, buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Battery & updates
For battery & updates, buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Games & video
For games & video, buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: Samsung Galaxy S24 ↗ · Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy S24 or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
Samsung Galaxy S24 costs $500 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the Samsung Galaxy S24 or Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
Samsung Galaxy S24 has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Which is better for photos, the Samsung Galaxy S24 or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
For photos, buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Leads 4 of 4 rankable photos specs. Max optical zoom: 5x optical zoom vs 3x optical
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 48 specs tracked here, 35 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.