As the new year rolls in, so too do another generation of the best Android phones on the market. This year looks set to be no different, with rumours pointing to a whole host of top releases from major brands.
Of course, when we're talking about big releases in this field, many eyes will turn to Samsung phones. The Korean brand have long made some of the best handsets on the market, offering top hardware and software specs for an attractive price.
Their latest flagship – the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – won praise across the industry for its spec sheet. Now, the full Samsung Galaxy S24 range has been leaked, including specs and pricing.
The information comes from Roland Quandt at WinFuture. Quandt is a tipster with a top reputation, giving some added credence to these leaks. This is the most comprehensive spec sheet so far, so let's waste no time diving into the good stuff.
Snapdragon and Exynos blend
The first headline is that the range is not exclusively using Snapdragon processors in Europe. Last year, the Samsung Galaxy S23 range was showered with praise, as they moved away from the in-house Exynos chips which had received a bad name from users.
According to the leak, this time out, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will utilise the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, while the vanilla and Plus variants will use a new Exynos chip. The Plus and Ultra variants will also pack in 12GB of RAM; the vanilla model still has only 8GB there.
Display tech getting better
For the vanilla models, a new display will allow for an improved adaptive refresh rate. That gives access to a full 1-120Hz refresh rate, which should improve things like battery life, as well as giving a more smooth appearance.
In slightly less exciting news, the vanilla model does grow by 0.1 inches – don't use all of that extra screen real estate at once! And the Ultra model now packs a flat display.
It's time for your close up
Cameras are, of course, a big part of any modern phone. Here the biggest upgrades come on the Ultra variant. The main sensor is still a 200MP unit, though it looks to be a new one.
Far more exciting is the telephoto lens. That's a higher-resolution 50MP lens with 5x optical zoom – perfect for zoomed shots and close ups.
Video isn't left out, either. All models have a maximum 8k resolution at 30fps – perfect for getting really smooth, detailed content.
Prepare to be charged
Battery life is another crucial part of these devices. Both the vanilla and the Plus models are given a small bump here, with 4,000mAh and 4,900mAh batteries respectively. That should offer a little more juice for getting through the day, though don't expect a night and day difference.
As you'll probably have guessed, charging speeds haven't changed. The vanilla model is stuck at 25W wired charging, while the Plus and Ultra variants have 45W wired charging. All models retain 15W wireless charging.
Price tags getting bigger
Probably the least welcome addition to this spec sheet is the price. Although only given in Euros, the trend is clear – prices are increasing.
The vanilla model is set to jump by around €50-100 – starting from €899 – while the Ultra looks set to rise by around €250, with prices starting at €1,449. While there's no guarantee of those rises affecting other markets in parity, it might be time to prepare for the worst.
If that proves true, I think the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra could be a really tough sell. It's undeniably going to be a great handset, but the best part of £1,500 for a slab phone is tough to swallow. For that money, you could get into some top end foldable phones.
Of course, we won't have to wait long to see how accurate these rumours are. The Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event has been confirmed for the 17th of January, which means in one week we'll know exactly what these devices look like.
