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Our takeEditorialA 2024 Samsung flagship at refurb pricing on Verizon — the chip, the camera kit, and the panel are all still 2026-flagship adjacent. The catch is buying refurbished, on Verizon, two generations back.
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S24+ Certified
8.0/10 UpPhone score
A Verizon-certified Galaxy S24+ on the refurb shelf at $650 is the smart way to land on Samsung's flagship without flagship money.
Screen
6.7"
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+ Certified?
The editor weighs in — flanked by the optimist on her shoulder and the cynic on the other.
“$650 for a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phone with a real 3x telephoto and a Verizon warranty path is fair money.”
“$650 also buys a new Pixel 9a with a fresh battery — refurbished flagship math doesn't always win.”
Our take
A Verizon-certified Galaxy S24+ on the refurb shelf at $650 is the smart way to land on Samsung's flagship without flagship money.
The Galaxy S24+ launched in early 2024 as Samsung's bigger-screen Galaxy S — a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy silicon, a triple-camera setup with a real 3x telephoto, and the Galaxy AI suite that defined the generation. As a Verizon-certified refurbished unit at $649.99, this S24+ slots into the resale market two generations behind Samsung's current flagship (the Galaxy S26 Ultra), at roughly half the launch MSRP. Verizon's certification means battery health and full-cosmetic inspection through Verizon's refurbishment program, with the carrier's standard warranty. The phone itself is the same hardware that won 2024's flagship-Android conversation — at this price the question is how much the two-year-old chip and battery cycle history matter against a brand-new mid-tier phone.
What we love
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy is still a flagship-tier chip in 2026 — handles every workload, just one tier behind the latest
- 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X at 1440 x 3120 with 120 Hz and 2600-nit peak brightness — a top-shelf panel that hasn't aged
- Triple rear camera with a real 3x optical telephoto — the upgrade most refurb-shoppers feel after coming from a single or dual lens
- 12 GB RAM is a comfortable amount for Android 15 and the on-device Galaxy AI features
- IP68 rating, 4900 mAh battery, 45W wired charging — the full flagship feature set
- Verizon-certified refurb with a real warranty path — not the eBay-roulette version of buying refurbished
What we don't
- Verizon-only availability locks the buyer to Verizon's network and Verizon-band hardware
- Storage tier isn't specified in the listing — confirm at purchase whether the unit is 256 GB or 512 GB
- Two generations behind Samsung's current flagship, so the Galaxy S26 Ultra ships better cameras, brighter display, and longer software support
- Refurbished battery cycle history isn't always disclosed — Verizon-certified means tested, not new
- The S24+ ships seven years of Samsung software updates from 2024, which is generous, but a new phone resets that clock
- $649.99 against a brand-new Galaxy A55 or Pixel 9a at similar money is a real flagship-versus-mid-tier choice
Full specifications
Display
Size6.7"
Resolution1440 x 3120 px
PPI513
Performance
ChipSnapdragon 8 Gen 3 SM8650-AC (4 nm)
OSAndroid 15
Camera
Rear camera50 MP
Rear camera 210 MP
Front camera12 MP
Battery
Wireless charging15W wireless
Frequently asked questions about the Samsung Galaxy S24+ Certified
What kind of display does the Samsung Galaxy S24+ Certified have?
A 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X at 1440 x 3120, running up to 120 Hz with 2600 nits peak brightness outdoors. This is the panel Samsung built to compete with the iPhone Pro displays in 2024 — sharp, bright, and wide-gamut, with Samsung's reliable color accuracy in the Natural color profile. In 2026 this display still reads as flagship-tier; the Galaxy S26 Ultra hits 3000 nits and the iPhone 17 Pro hits 3000 too, so the S24+ is one tier behind on peak brightness and identical on everything else. Resolution is high enough at this size that pixels are invisible to anyone not looking with a magnifier.
What kind of camera does the Samsung Galaxy S24+ Certified have?
A real 2024 flagship triple kit: 50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, 10 MP 3x telephoto. The 3x optical telephoto is the spec that separates this from the base Galaxy S24 — actual reach without crop-from-main fakery. Daylight shots are excellent across all three lenses; low-light is a step behind the S26 Ultra's bigger main sensor and a step behind the Pixel 10 Pro's computational photography but still very competent. Samsung's photo processing tends warmer and more saturated than the Pixel's neutral approach — preference matters here. The 12 MP front camera is fine for video calls, dated against the higher-resolution selfie cameras Samsung shipped on later models.
What is the battery life of the Samsung Galaxy S24+ Certified?
4900 mAh, the standard 2024 Samsung+ size, comfortably reaching the end of a normal day with the 120 Hz panel. As a refurbished phone the battery is the variable to watch — Verizon's certification process tests battery health, but tested isn't new. Wired charging tops out at 45W with a Samsung-compatible USB-C PD source, and 15W on the Qi wireless pad. Both are fine without leading; flagship phones from 2025 onward push wired charging into the 80 to 100W range. Reverse wireless charging at 4W exists for top-up duty on accessories like earbuds.
What processor does the Samsung Galaxy S24+ Certified use?
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, the Samsung-binned version of the Qualcomm flagship chip from late 2023 — slightly higher GPU clocks than the standard 8 Gen 3. Two years on, this chip still handles everything Android 15 and the Galaxy AI suite ask of it, including on-device generative photo edits, live translation, and high-end gaming. Sustained workloads (long 3D gaming sessions, 4K video processing) are where the chip warms up and throttles compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in current flagships. Paired with 12 GB of RAM, multitasking is comfortable.
How much storage does the Samsung Galaxy S24+ Certified have?
Storage tier isn't recorded in the listing — confirm at purchase. The Galaxy S24+ shipped originally in 256 GB and 512 GB only (no 128 GB tier on the Plus model), so the Verizon-certified unit will be one of those two. No microSD expansion, which is the Galaxy S+ position since 2021. UFS 4.0 read and write speeds are quick and meaningfully faster than the UFS 3 storage in older or budget refurbished phones.
What kind of speakers does the Samsung Galaxy S24+ Certified have?
Stereo speakers tuned by AKG, with the earpiece firing forward and a bottom-firing driver. Loud and clear for podcasts, calls, and casual video; thin in the low end the way every phone speaker is. Dolby Atmos support inside compatible apps adds a bit of width through the speakers and a real effect through paired headphones.
Does the Samsung Galaxy S24+ Certified support fingerprint or face unlock?
Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor and camera-based face unlock. The ultrasonic reader is one of the better in-display implementations — fast, works with damp fingers, doesn't strobe the display awake. Face unlock through the front camera is convenience-grade, not banking-grade. Both methods are fine for everyday phone unlocks; the fingerprint reader is what handles payment authentication.
Is the Samsung Galaxy S24+ Certified water-resistant?
IP68 — rated for 1.5 meters of fresh water for 30 minutes. The standard 2024 flagship rating; survives realistic accidents (sink, rain, brief pool dunk) and the Verizon-certified refurbishment process tests the seal. Saltwater and hot water still void the warranty in practice.
