Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra unboxing and first impressions: Don’t judge too quickly

The buzz around Samsung’s 2024 flagship is real. The term AI (short for artificial intelligence) has been thrown around, but its true use case hasn’t been in any phones. The buck stops with Samsung. With the new Galaxy S24 series, the South Korean tech titan is pushing the boundaries on the use of AI in phones, but that’s just the beginning. 2024 is already off to a great start, if this is just the beginning.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra stole the limelight, despite its familiar design. But Samsung still managed to keep some excitement alive around the new flagships. As we continue to explore this new powerhouse, we can only say: don’t be quick to judge.

Before we get to the unboxing of the Galaxy S24, here’s a quick look at the specs:

1. Display:6.8″ QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display, Gorilla Armor, HDR10+, 2600 nits
2. CPU:Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, 4nm
3. RAM: 12GB
4. Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB UFS 4.0
5. Rear Camera:200MP wide angle, 50MP telephoto (5x optical zoom), 10MP telephoto (3x optical zoom), 12MP ultra-wide
6. Front Camera: 12MP wide-angle
7. Battery:5000mAh, 45W fast charging, 10W wireless fast charging
8. Dimensions:162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm, 232g
9. Software:One UI 6.1 based on Android 14
10. Colors:Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow (Online Only: Titanium Blue, Titanium Orange, Titanium Green)
11. Price: Rs 129,999 / Rs 139,999 / Rs 159,999

Note: Samsung sent us the Galaxy S24 Ultra for review. The variant we’re testing is of 12GB+256GB configuration in Natural Gray hue. The software

Unboxing Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes in familiar packaging, with a noticeable update in the device illustration featuring the inclusion of the S Pen. However, don’t expect any additional accessories, as the contents inside the box remain consistent.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Gray is undoubtedly appealing, as it is also the trending colour. There are other striking options, such as Titanium Violet and Titanium Yellow, Titanium Black, online-exclusive options such as Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, and Titanium Orange for you to choose from.

Samsung did jump on the trend early, and as the name suggests, it’s got a titanium body, which offers a balance between lightweight design and structural integrity. The phone’s angular edges contribute to a more comfortable grip. The matte finish on the rear keeps smudges at bay, and then there’s the prominent camera bump in Samsung’s signature floating lens design. The device preserves the IP68-rated water and dust resistance, so users don’t even have to worry about protecting their phone even in the shower.

My favourite part of the S24 Ultra is its impressive 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, which features an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz and a punch-hole camera cutout. The display is flat, and the bezels are remarkably thin, giving an edge-to-edge view without going for the curved option—much to our liking. That’s not even the best part.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultrahas a Gorilla Glass Armor on top, and there’s a unique matte-like finish, which repels reflections away to give a clearer view of content like I’ve never seen before. It adds to the beauty of the display, an area where Samsung has consistently excelled. With this special anti-reflective coating, Samsung managed to bring something new to the table—something no brand has—and with it added value. That’s not it; the screen’s peak brightness now reaches 2600 nits, a notable improvement from the previous 1750 nits in the predecessor.

At a glance, it may seem Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has nothing new. But there’s so much more than meets the eye. The phone is sturdy and light, with equal weight distribution for a pleasant experience. This plays a crucial role while gaming, binge-watching content, or even simply scrolling through social media feeds.

AI like never before

There’s a lot more happening under the hood. The Galaxy S24 Ultra houses the latest Qualcomm flagship chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, tailored for Samsung’s devices. However, the standout feature across the S24 lineup is the introduction of Galaxy AI, which is powered by Google’s large language models. There are so many cool AI features integrated within the phone, and they are not just fun to use but practical in real-world scenarios.

For instance, we tried the circle to search for random things in an image and got accurate results almost every time. The Interpreter mode, although with limited local languages for now, works very well. Generative Edit has to be the coolest of the lot, letting us recreate images to suit our preference. One feature vloggers are going to love is the Instant Slow-Mo, which can turn a regular video into a slow-mo with a few taps. I mean, if there’s any phone that’s truly leveraging AI it has to be Samsung. But Samsung saying these features are only free till 2025 is a bummer. Will users pay to use these features later? Your guess is as good as ours. But to put anxious minds at ease, Samsung says, “… by 2025 we will determine the future direction.”

For now, we will be testing these AI features thoroughly to see if they stand the test of time or get better with use. We have also been testing the camera and the battery capabilities and everything looks darn good.

Our take

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is an exciting flagship that brings forth design refinement, advanced AI features, and powerful specifications. One can easily be swayed by the charm of the S24 Ultra and our initial take is that it marks a significant milestone in the company’s flagship series. It’s got excellent camera, unparalled performance, and a battery that refuses to die quickly. What’s not to like?

Stay tuned for an in-depth exploration of its performance, camera capabilities, and overall user experience.