UP
Our takeEditorialSamsung's 2024 base flagship at $399.99 outright on Verizon — Galaxy AI, 2600-nit OLED, and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, paired with a battery that was small even at launch.
Blue, Graphite, Gray, Mint, Yellow
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S24
7.5/10 UpPhone score
Samsung's 2024 base flagship — small footprint, Galaxy AI on board, now refurb-priced to compete.
Screen
6.2"
Chip
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SM8650-AC (4 nm)
Camera
50 MP
The verdict, & two little voices
Should you actually get the Samsung Galaxy S24?
The editor weighs in — flanked by the optimist on her shoulder and the cynic on the other.
“Flagship hardware at $399.99 outright — Galaxy AI, IP68, and a 2600-nit panel that still keeps up.”
“4000 mAh on a flagship in 2026 means the charger lives in your bag — small battery, slow 25W charging.”
Our take
Samsung's 2024 base flagship — small footprint, Galaxy AI on board, now refurb-priced to compete.
The Galaxy S24 was Samsung's 2024 base flagship and the generation that introduced Galaxy AI: Circle to Search, live translation, generative photo edits, the works. Two years later, the S26 has taken the top of the small-flagship slot, the AI feature set has expanded a lot more, and the S24 has slid into the price tier where mid-range phones live — $399.99 outright on Verizon, or $19.44 a month on installments. That's a real price for a real flagship: 6.2-inch OLED at 120 Hz, 2600-nit peak brightness, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, IP68, the triple rear camera with a 3x telephoto. The catch is the 4000 mAh battery, which was small for a flagship even in 2024 and is small for an everyday phone in 2026.
What we love
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is one generation behind today's leader and still genuinely fast
- 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED at 120 Hz, 2600 nits peak — bright enough for direct sunlight
- Galaxy AI features run on-device: Circle to Search, live translation, photo edits
- Triple rear camera with 50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, 10 MP 3x telephoto
- IP68 rating handles rain, sinks, and pool splashes
- 167 grams is light for a flagship — easier in a pocket than the Plus and Ultra siblings
- 8 GB RAM is the floor for comfortable Android in 2026
- $399.99 outright on Verizon — flagship hardware at mid-range pricing
- Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the back; aluminum frame
- Four years of Samsung software updates remaining (S24 line supported through 2030)
What we don't
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is one generation behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in the S26 line
- 4000 mAh battery was small for a flagship at launch and is small in 2026; expect to charge by evening on heavy use
- 25W wired charging is slow for a 2024 flagship — most rivals shipped 45W or higher
- 2340 x 1080 resolution is full HD, not the QHD panel on the Plus and Ultra
- 3x telephoto is the floor for a flagship telephoto in 2026; rivals push 5x and beyond
- 128 GB base storage fills quickly if you shoot 4K video or hoard apps
- 8 GB RAM is the floor for AI workloads — newer flagships ship 12 GB or more
- Only carried by Verizon at this price
Full specifications
Display
Size6.2"
TypeDynamic AMOLED
Resolution2340 x 1080 px
PPI416
Performance
ChipSnapdragon 8 Gen 3 SM8650-AC (4 nm)
RAM8 GB
Storage128 GB
OSAndroid 15
Camera
Rear camera50 MP
Rear camera 212 MP
Front camera10 MP
VideoYes
Battery
Wireless charging15 W wireless
Design
Dimensions162.0 x 77.3 x 8.0 mm
Weight213
ColorsBlue, Graphite, Gray, Mint, Yellow
Form factorSlate
Connectivity
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3
NFCYes
USBUSB 3.2 (5 Gbps)
SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Samsung Galaxy S24 on individual carriers
All 7 plans with Samsung Galaxy S24
Carrier: Any ▾Lines: 1 ▾Sort: Lowest ▾
CarrierPlanDataTermMonthly
Frequently asked questions about the Samsung Galaxy S24
What kind of display does the Samsung Galaxy S24 have?
A 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED panel at 2340 x 1080, 120 Hz adaptive, with 2600 nits peak brightness. That last number is the headline — 2600 nits puts the S24 in the same bright-outdoor-sun tier as Apple's Pro line and the Ultra above it. The 120 Hz adaptive refresh delivers the smooth-scrolling feel of the flagship tier; full HD instead of QHD is a step below the Plus and Ultra panels but barely noticeable at 6.2 inches. Display is one of the dimensions where the S24 holds up best two years on.
What kind of camera does the Samsung Galaxy S24 have?
A three-camera system: 50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, 10 MP 3x telephoto. The main sensor is good in daylight and respectable in low light thanks to pixel-binning down to a clean 12 MP. The ultrawide is fine for group shots and landscapes; the 3x telephoto is solid at native focal length but runs out of detail past 5x. In 2024 this was a balanced flagship setup; in 2026 the iPhone 17 Pro Max ships an 8x optical and the Pixel 10 Pro pushes computational photography further. Still very capable for everyday shooting; not the leader anymore.
What is the battery life of the Samsung Galaxy S24?
4000 mAh on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The chip is efficient enough that the smaller battery still makes it through a full day of normal use, but heavy days (long video, navigation, gaming, AI features running) push the charger out by evening. This is the dimension where the S24 most shows its age relative to the S26, which moved to a larger cell in the same chassis. Charging tops up at 25W wired — slow for a 2024 flagship, painfully slow next to the 45W and 65W speeds shipping in 2026.
What processor does the Samsung Galaxy S24 use?
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 was the leading Android chip in early 2024 and remains comfortably fast in 2026. Apps open quickly, scrolling stays smooth at 120 Hz, casual gaming holds frame, Galaxy AI features run on-device without network round-trips. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in the current S26 is one generation ahead with better sustained performance under long gaming sessions, but for everyday work the gap is paper-thin. 8 GB RAM is the floor for comfortable Android in 2026 — fine for most things, tight if you push AI workloads hard.
How much storage does the Samsung Galaxy S24 have?
128 GB on board, with no microSD slot. That's the floor — comfortable for messaging and casual photos, tight if you record 4K video or hoard apps. UFS 4.0 storage means file copies and app loads stay snappy. Anyone planning to shoot 4K regularly should look for a 256 GB unit before checkout.
What kind of speakers does the Samsung Galaxy S24 have?
Stereo speakers with one bottom-firing driver and one earpiece tweeter — the standard flagship setup. Loud enough for a podcast in a kitchen, clear on calls, slightly thin in the low end. Not a reason to buy or skip on this dimension.
Does the Samsung Galaxy S24 support fingerprint or face unlock?
Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint reader plus 2D face unlock. The fingerprint sensor is fast, accurate, and works through screen protectors — among the better implementations on Android. Face unlock is the camera-only kind; secure enough for opening the phone, not for banking apps. Most people end up using the fingerprint reader as the daily method.
Is the Samsung Galaxy S24 water-resistant?
IP68. Rated for 1.5 meters of fresh water for 30 minutes — handles rain, kitchen sinks, and pool splashes. Saltwater and prolonged dives still aren't part of the rating. Standard for a flagship in this tier.
