UP
Our takeEditorialVerizon-warrantied refurb of the S24 Ultra at $849 — strong hardware, but the carrier's standard outright listing of the same phone is $80 cheaper in the same catalog.
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified
7.5/10 UpPhone score
Verizon Certified S24 Ultra at $849 — Samsung's 2024 camera flagship through Verizon's pre-owned program, with the carrier's testing and warranty.
Screen
6.8"
Chip
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SM8650-AB
Camera
200 MP
The verdict, & two little voices
Should you actually get the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified?
The editor weighs in — flanked by the optimist on her shoulder and the cynic on the other.
“Verizon's own warranty on a previously activated flagship is real protection for the price.”
“Verizon's own non-Certified SKU is eighty dollars cheaper — the warranty is real, the markup is real too.”
Our take
Verizon Certified S24 Ultra at $849 — Samsung's 2024 camera flagship through Verizon's pre-owned program, with the carrier's testing and warranty.
This is the Galaxy S24 Ultra sold through Verizon's Certified Pre-Owned program — Samsung's 2024 flagship, inspected and warrantied by Verizon, listed at $849 in May 2026. Same phone as the standard S24 Ultra: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED at 2,600 nits, 200 MP main with a real 5x optical telephoto, S Pen built into the body, titanium frame, IP68. The Certified program is Verizon's own QA-and-warranty path for previously activated handsets, distinct from third-party refurb. The price actually sits $80 above Verizon's standard outright price on the same model — odd math, since the standard SKU is also new-or-near-new from the carrier. Worth comparing both listings before committing. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy is two generations behind today's S26 Ultra silicon, but the camera reach, the S Pen, and the display are still flagship in 2026.
What we love
- 200 MP main with a real 5x optical telephoto plus a 3x mid-range tele — the most flexible rear-camera kit at this price
- S Pen built into the body, the only mainstream phone that still does this
- 6.8-inch display hits 2,600 nits in direct sun — readable at the beach
- Titanium frame and Gorilla Glass Armor — the build that aged best of the 2024 flagships
- 5,000 mAh battery routinely runs a full day with screen-on time to spare
- Verizon Certified inspection and limited warranty on a previously activated handset
- Seven years of OS and security updates from launch — supported through 2031
What we don't
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy is two generations behind the chip in the S26 Ultra now — heavy gaming throttles harder than newer flagships
- $849 sits about $80 above Verizon's standard outright listing for the same phone — the inverted price is the oddity to verify
- Original battery, original cycle count — capacity will be slightly below new
- 45W wired charging is fine, not fast — full charge takes about an hour
- Verizon-locked at this price unless the listing notes otherwise
Full specifications
Display
Size6.8"
Resolution3088 x 1440 px
PPI501
Performance
ChipSnapdragon 8 Gen 3 SM8650-AB
OSAndroid 15
Camera
Rear camera200 MP
Rear camera 250 MP
Front camera12 MP
Frequently asked questions about the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified
What kind of display does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified have?
A 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel running 120 Hz adaptive refresh, 3088x1440 resolution, 2,600 nits peak brightness. Same panel as new-stock S24 Ultras, well-preserved through Verizon's refurb screening. Bright enough to read in direct sun without squinting — that 2,600-nit number was the brightest on any phone when this one launched and only the iPhone 17 Pro Max and S26 Ultra have meaningfully passed it since. The flat panel makes the S Pen actually usable to the corners. Colors run vivid by default with a Natural mode for accuracy.
What kind of camera does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified have?
The reason the S24 Ultra still gets recommended in 2026. A 200 MP main sensor with pixel binning that produces sharp 12 MP shots in good light and detailed 50 MP RAWs when there's room for the file. A real 5x optical telephoto at 50 MP — closer to a separate camera than a crop — plus a 3x telephoto at 10 MP for portraits and a 12 MP ultrawide. Reviewers placed it among the top Android cameras of 2024 (DXOMark in the high 140s). The Pixel 10 Pro pulls ahead on computational photography, but the reach the S24 Ultra offers — true 1x, 3x, 5x, plus crops to 10x and 100x with Space Zoom — is still the most flexible rear kit at this price.
What is the battery life of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified?
Original 5,000 mAh cell on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy that's tuned for efficiency. A full day of normal mixed use is comfortable on a fresh battery — call, scroll, photo, browse — with charge to spare by bedtime. The Certified path delivers an original battery with two years of prior cycles, so capacity will be a few percentage points below new. Verizon's inspection screens for obvious degradation but doesn't replace the cell. 45W wired charging gets to full in about an hour with a compatible brick (not in box). 15W wireless on Qi pads, 4W reverse wireless to top off earbuds.
What processor does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified use?
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy was the fastest Android chip at launch — Samsung's overclocked variant of Qualcomm's flagship — and it ran hot under sustained load in 2024 reviews. By 2026 it is two generations behind the silicon in the S26 Ultra. Day-to-day it still feels quick: apps open immediately, photo edits process without a wait, the 120 Hz refresh stays smooth. Heavy gaming and 4K video editing reveal the gap with newer chips, and the chassis warms up faster than the latest titanium frames manage. Paired with 12 GB of RAM here, which holds Galaxy AI features in memory better.
How much storage does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified have?
Storage tier varies on the Verizon Certified listing — the S24 Ultra shipped in 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB at retail, and the certified inventory rotates through whatever was previously activated. UFS 4.0 internal storage on all tiers, no microSD slot. Worth checking the listing detail before purchase — confirm storage size; tier matters for the price.
What kind of speakers does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified have?
Stereo setup with a bottom-firing main speaker and the earpiece doing duty as the second channel. Loud, clear, with more low-end body than most phones thanks to the larger chassis. Dolby Atmos tuning sounds noticeably wider on supported content. Fine for podcasts, calls, and casual video — among the better phone speakers of its generation.
Does the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified support fingerprint or face unlock?
Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor (Qualcomm 3D Sonic Gen 2) plus face unlock via the front camera. The ultrasonic reader is the strongest implementation Samsung has shipped — works through screen protectors, reads wet fingers reliably, doesn't flash a bright square at night. Face unlock is camera-only here, not a 3D depth sensor like Face ID, so it works for unlocking but not for payments. Use the fingerprint for banking apps. Verizon's refurb screening tests both sensors before resale.
Is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Certified water-resistant?
IP68 rated, which Samsung specifies as 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. Standard flagship rating — survives a drop in the sink, a swim in the pool, rain at a concert. Not a dive watch. Salt water voids the rating; rinse with fresh water if it happens. Verizon's certification confirms the seals are intact at the time of refurbishment.
