We analyzed 879 reviews from verified Samsung Galaxy S24 owners to see how the phone performs in the real world. Our process is designed to show what people truly think after using the phone every day, cutting through the official marketing.
To do this, we identified the key features that users consistently discuss, including the camera, screen, battery, performance, design, and software. Our team then read each comment and classified every mention of these aspects as positive, negative, or neutral. This gives us a clear, percentage-based score for each feature, revealing its specific strengths and weaknesses.
💰 Value for Money: Great Upgrade, Missing Essentials
For the Samsung Galaxy S24, the perception of its value for money hinges heavily on where a user is coming from. The most compelling case for the S24’s price tag is found in the satisfaction of those making a significant leap from older devices.
With a 61% positive sentiment for being a worthy upgrade—a score slightly above the category average of 59%—it’s clear that for many, the new features justify the cost. For these users, the improvements are not just incremental, they are transformative.
Upgrade Justification
As one person upgrading from a much older model explained:
I upgraded my S8 to the S24 because I knew I finally found a phone I was excited about. My battery (compared to S8) is about 3 times longer… I am amazed at how strong this phone is… and am happy I waited and saved for it.
Unexpected Costs
However, this positive upgrade experience is sharply contrasted by a significant and widespread frustration. An astonishingly low 6% of users feel positive about the items included—or not included—with their purchase, a figure that plummets 15 points below the category average of 21%.
This isn’t just a minor annoyance; for many, it’s a tangible hit to the phone’s perceived value right out of the box. Users feel nickel-and-dimed, souring the initial excitement of their new device. This frustration is palpable in owner reviews:
I know phones are expensive but the price was a tad bit high seeing as it came with no accessories except a charging cord but no block. At least include the block so I can actually use it.
Competitive Standing
This mixed sentiment places the Galaxy S24 in a precarious position against its rivals. While its overall satisfaction for the cost sits at 79%, matching its predecessor, it trails key competitors like the Google Pixel 8, which boasts a higher satisfaction score of 83%.
This numeric gap highlights a critical decision point for buyers. Loyal Samsung users may find the upgrade path comfortable and familiar, but new customers cross-shopping brands may question the value proposition. Some owners are acutely aware of this, as their reviews show:
for the price there are better options
the brand has become lackluster and not worth the price tag on it
Trade-Off: For those upgrading from a years-old device, the S24 delivers a powerful and satisfying experience that justifies its cost, but this value is immediately challenged by the frustration over missing in-box essentials and a price point that feels less competitive against its direct rivals.
📸 Camera: Raw Power, Software Struggle
When discussing the camera on the Samsung Galaxy S24, users tell a story of powerful hardware at war with its own software. While the core photography experience is strong, driven by exceptional image quality and zoom capabilities that dominate the category, a significant portion of users feel let down by aggressive processing and a sense of stagnation compared to previous models.
Image Quality and Zoom Dominance
The camera’s primary strength lies in its raw output, particularly its image quality and zoom. With an 86% positive score for general image and video quality, it comfortably outperforms the category average of 78%. Users are frequently impressed by the “crisp and detailed” shots they can capture, with one owner noting:
The details, clarity and how life-like the photos are have blown me away.
The true showstopper is its zoom, which earns an 85% positive score—a staggering 39 points above the category average of 46%. This isn’t just a marginal improvement; it’s a feature that fundamentally changes how people take pictures, allowing them to capture amazing photos “even from pretty far distances.” As one user succinctly puts it:
the telephoto offers a distinctive edge over other phones in its price bracket through sheer range.
A Step Back in Software
However, this narrative of excellence is complicated by significant user frustration. While sentiment for features like low-light performance is numerically high at 85%, this is actually a step down from the 91% satisfaction rate of its predecessor, the Galaxy S23. This feeling of a lateral move, or even a downgrade, fuels disappointment.
Some find the new camera’s processing to be a major source of frustration. A detailed review noted that at night, the software was too aggressive:
the S24 sharpened photos to the point that they were blatantly artificial, and faces looked altered.
Others shared this sentiment, lamenting the uncontrollable aggressive software intervention. They complain that “the camera unfortunately does some weird ‘optimization’ that you can’t turn off,” which leaves them feeling the final image betrays the moment, with photos that “come up very dull and almost grey.”
Versus the Competition
This mixed experience creates a clear decision point for potential buyers, especially when compared to its chief rival, the Google Pixel 8. The Pixel 8 holds a slight edge in overall image and video quality satisfaction (89% vs. the S24’s 86%), suggesting it may deliver a more consistently pleasing point-and-shoot photo.
But the S24’s key advantage is its versatility; its 85% positive score for zoom capabilities completely eclipses the Pixel 8’s 37%. For a prospective buyer, the choice becomes clear.
The Pixel 8 may offer a more reliable standard photo, but the S24 provides a far more flexible and powerful toolkit for those who value creative control and the ability to capture distant subjects. As one user concluded:
boasts a versatility that no other phone in its price bracket can match.
Trade-Off: Users are getting a camera system with class-leading zoom and versatile hardware, but they must accept aggressive and sometimes frustrating AI processing that makes it feel less like a true upgrade and more like a lateral move from its predecessor.
📱 Screen: Smooth, Bright, But Awkward
For the Samsung Galaxy S24, the screen is where the action is, defined by a stunning fluidity that delights users. The secret behind this satisfaction lies in a phenomenal 96% positive score for screen smoothness and refresh rate, a score that soars 21 points above the category average.
This isn’t just a number; it’s a tangible feeling that transforms the user experience. Owners describe it as:
buttery smooth, with its high refresh rate,
Another notes how the panel:
refreshes at a silken-smooth 120Hz.
This translates to a sense of speed and responsiveness in everything from gaming to simply scrolling through feeds, making the phone feel incredibly premium in motion. This is complemented by excellent brightness and outdoor visibility, which at 89% positive sentiment, is 15 points higher than average. Users confirm this practical benefit:
Inside or outside there’s never any issue of being able to see the screen clearly.
Screen Size and Handling
However, the experience is soured by two significant pain points. The most glaring issue is the screen’s size and handling, which earns a dismal 60% positive score, lagging a massive 22 points behind the category average.
For a device that lives in the hand, this is a major frustration. Some users feel it’s a regression in design, criticizing the:
new brick design, which makes the S24 significantly heavier and thicker than the S10 with its curved screen edges.
Others find the base model’s screen too small, leading to buyer’s remorse:
The one and only thing I do not like about the S24 is the size of the screen.
Display Vibrancy
Furthermore, despite a respectable 84% score for overall display quality, a vocal group of users is disappointed by a perceived lack of vibrancy, with some complaining about an:
extremely washed out display.
This feeling of a step backward in color is backed by hidden data when compared to its predecessor. The Galaxy S23 actually scores 5 points higher for display vibrancy (89% vs. 84%), lending credibility to users who:
prefer more vivid display colours on my old S21 plus!
This suggests a deliberate tuning choice by Samsung towards more natural colors that has alienated some long-time fans.
Key Upgrades
Yet, in other areas, the S24 screen is a clear improvement. Its outdoor brightness (89%) is a meaningful 10-point leap over the S23 (79%), a critical upgrade for daily usability.
More impressively, touchscreen responsiveness, a major issue on the S23 (43%), has jumped to 68% on the S24, decisively beating both its predecessor and the Google Pixel 8 (51%), a difference users notice and appreciate.
Trade-Off: The Galaxy S24 delivers a technically superior screen with exceptional smoothness and brightness, but this comes at the cost of a divisive physical design and a less saturated color profile that may disappoint users accustomed to Samsung’s traditionally vibrant displays.
✨ Design: Premium Look, Missing Features
When evaluating the design of the Samsung Galaxy S24, user experiences diverge sharply, painting a picture of a phone that is both a triumph of premium craftsmanship and a source of considerable frustration. The physical object garners immense praise, particularly for its aesthetics, which score an impressive 90%. Users are clearly taken with its visual appeal, describing it as “sleek and beautiful,” with one owner noting they “already had lots of compliments about its colour (cobalt violet).”
This is backed by a leap in build quality, which at 86% outpaces the category average by a full 10 points. This isn’t just an abstract number; it translates into a tangible sense of confidence for owners. One user feels it’s an “overall sturdy little phone,” while another states, “the quality and build of the phone is outstanding. Solid, and robust.”
The handling is also a highlight, with its 77% satisfaction score reflecting a conscious choice by Samsung. For many, this makes the phone a joy to use daily, as it “fits in your hand nicely,” making it “perfect if you have small hands.”
Practical Frustrations
However, this glowing assessment of the phone’s physical form is sharply contrasted by a deep sense of dissatisfaction with specific design features and changes, a factor that scores a meager 38% and falls below the category average of 40%.
The frustration is palpable and centers on the removal of long-standing, practical features. The absence of expandable storage is a significant pain point, severing a key tie for loyalists. As one user laments:
Somehow Samsung removed SD card slot without me noticing in last few years. Upgradable memory was one of my main reasons for sticking to Android and Samsung.
This sentiment is echoed by others who feel key functionalities have been stripped away, with one complaining, “I’m missing a port for wired headphones.” These changes aren’t just minor inconveniences; for some, they represent a step backward that tests their brand loyalty.
Upgrade Justification
The context provided by its predecessor, the Galaxy S23, illuminates why so many are still drawn to the S24 despite these drawbacks. The S24 represents a monumental leap in physical refinement.
Build quality satisfaction surged from the S23’s 65% to the S24’s 86%—a 21-point jump that dramatically changes how substantial and durable the phone feels. Likewise, aesthetics improved by a remarkable 15 points, from 75% to 90%, signifying a device that looks and feels far more premium than the model it replaces.
For users upgrading, this makes the S24 an entirely different class of device. It offers a vastly improved tactile and visual experience that for many, justifies the contentious feature removals.
Trade-Off: The Galaxy S24 offers a superbly crafted and beautiful physical design that is a significant upgrade over its predecessor, but this comes at the cost of losing key features like expandable storage and a headphone jack, which alienates some long-time users.
🔥 Performance: Powerfully Hot Compromise
An analysis of the Samsung Galaxy S24’s Performance reveals a story of two extremes. While owners celebrate its exceptional power in high-demand scenarios like gaming and multitasking, a significant undercurrent of frustration reveals a device that often struggles to keep its cool.
Power and Performance
The phone’s real-world strengths are most evident in its exceptional ability to handle intense workloads. Hidden data shows a stellar 92% positive sentiment for multitasking capability, crushing the category average of 83%.
This isn’t an abstract number; it translates into a fluid, frustration-free daily experience. As one user anecdotally described it:
I’m able to load and switch between apps like nothing.
This power extends to gaming, which also scores a 92% positive rating, far surpassing the category average of 74%. For gamers, this means the S24 delivers on its promise. One owner noted:
This phone’s fast processor allows me to game with high settings and frame rates.
Another was amazed that:
one of my games looks as good as any newer console game.
The Overheating Achilles’ Heel
However, the Achilles’ heel of this performance powerhouse is its thermal management. With a positive sentiment of just 50%, this is by far the phone’s weakest performance factor. While this score is notably higher than the category average of 33%, for users feeling the heat, the practical impact is deeply frustrating.
The phone’s tendency to run hot isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it’s a disruptive flaw that affects usability. One user vividly described waking up to a phone:
that I could almost fry an egg on.
Another warned about a real-world limitation on a core function:
one can’t really use it while it is charging because it overheats bigtime.
Competitive Comparison
In the competitive landscape, these nuances become critical for potential buyers. For mobile gamers, the S24’s 92% positive score makes it a vastly superior choice over the Google Pixel 8, which struggles with a mere 47% for gaming performance. This enormous gap makes the decision clear for anyone prioritizing entertainment.
And while the S24’s heat is a concern, data reveals it is a significant improvement over both its predecessor, the S23 (48% for thermals), and especially the Google Pixel 8, which has a dismal 18% score in this area. This suggests that while Samsung hasn’t solved the overheating problem, it is managing it far better than its chief rival.
Trade-Off: Users get a class-leading device for gaming and multitasking, but they must accept the compromise of a phone that can run uncomfortably hot under pressure.
🐞 Software & Operating System: Smooth Interface, Buggy Core
The Software & Operating System of the Samsung Galaxy S24 presents a stark contrast of polished innovation and lingering frustration. While users are broadly impressed with the day-to-day fluidity of the interface, which scores a strong 76% positive sentiment for its smoothness and user experience, this polished veneer is often cracked by significant underlying stability problems.
This score, two points above the category average, reflects a lived experience that users describe as a “smooth transition” and an interface where “everything just makes sense, and is where it feels like should be.” For many, the a la carte customization and intuitive design are a major win, with one user noting how:
the personalisation of Samsungs/androids is super accessible no matter how tech savvy you are.
Software Stability’s Achilles’ Heel
However, the experience sours when it comes to reliability. Software stability is the S24’s Achilles’ heel, with a positive sentiment score of just 27%. This figure, which mirrors the category average, shows Samsung has failed to improve on a common industry weakness, leaving users to deal with significant bugs.
These aren’t minor quirks; they are deep frustrations that interrupt daily use. One user detailed a catastrophic data loss, explaining:
the phrase delete this conversation came up and it deleted all of the text messages from my boss with very important information… with no way to retrieve them.
Others report persistent headaches like Bluetooth that “randomly disconnects and won’t reconnect,” or GPS glitches that require a full app restart. The exasperation is palpable in one user’s question:
Did you seriously release a phone with this many problems?
The AI Upgrade vs. The Competition
The story becomes even more complex in the competitive landscape. Samsung has clearly made AI Features a cornerstone of the S24 experience. Its 73% positive score for AI Features represents a massive 16-point leap over its predecessor, the Galaxy S23.
Users feel this change, praising it as “a revolution in searching for items” and a tool that makes them feel like they have a “personal assistant.” Yet, for all its progress, the S24 still trails its main rival, the Google Pixel 8, which boasts an 84% positive score for its AI capabilities.
More critically, the Pixel 8 is perceived as far more stable, with a positive score of 42% for software stability—a full 15 points higher than the S24. This data suggests that while Samsung has successfully used AI to create a compelling reason to upgrade from an older Galaxy, it has not yet created a more stable or smarter system than its direct competitor.
Trade-Off: The Galaxy S24 offers a polished user interface and a significant AI upgrade over its predecessor, but this progress is undermined by persistent stability issues and a feature set that still trails its most advanced competitor.
🔋 Battery: Great Life, Bad Consistency
When it comes to the battery performance of the Samsung Galaxy S24, the story is one of impressive longevity that is frequently challenged by frustrating inconsistencies. For many, the phone is a dependable powerhouse, driven by a core strength in general battery life, which earns a strong 78% positive sentiment—four points above the category average.
This translates to a tangible sense of freedom for users, who feel untethered from the wall charger. As one owner celebrated, the S24 can last for days, while another praised its ability to endure heavy use, providing crucial peace of mind.
…all day even when streaming videos and playing a mobile game
Unpredictable Drain
However, this confidence is frequently shattered by the phone’s unpredictable drain patterns, the most significant source of user frustration. This factor scores a dismal 19% in positive sentiment, indicating that when the battery drain becomes noticeable, it becomes a major pain point.
Users report a jarring contrast between the phone’s typical stamina and its sudden, rapid power loss during certain activities. The feeling of reliability evaporates when, as one user put it:
The situation gets worse when I do basic tasks such as finding my way on maps. The battery gets fully drained within hours!
This inconsistency means users can’t always trust the battery meter, especially during critical moments, creating a sense of anxiety that mars the otherwise solid experience.
Performance Against Competitors
This mixed performance becomes clearer when viewed against its peers. While the S24’s general battery life is a notable 19 percentage points higher than its direct competitor, the Google Pixel 8 (78% vs. 59%), it surprisingly falls short of its own predecessor. The Galaxy S23 actually scores two points higher on battery life, leading to disappointment for some upgraders who expected progress, with one noting:
the life on the S24 is well below that of my wife’s 1 year old S23!!!!
Furthermore, the S24’s charging speed, while satisfactory to 73% of users, is completely outclassed by rivals like the OnePlus 11, which boasts a staggering 94% satisfaction score in the same area. This 21-point deficit is a palpable frustration for users who feel the phone’s refueling time is a step behind the market, with one complaining:
Charging speed should be improved… A lot of room for improvement.
Trade-Off: Users gain impressive multi-day endurance for general use but must accept inconsistent battery drain under heavy load and charging speeds that lag behind key rivals.
Bottom Line
- ✅ The “buttery smooth” 120Hz screen is the top feature, with a phenomenal 96% positive score for its refresh rate—21 points above the category average.
- ⚠️ A major source of frustration is the combination of missing hardware (like the SD card slot) and major software bugs, with stability scoring a dismal 27%.
- 🔻 For many upgraders, it feels like a regression, with display vibrancy scoring 5 points lower than the S23 and users complaining of “washed out” colors.
- 📉 Key features have not improved, as low-light camera satisfaction actually dropped 6 points from the S23’s already high 91% satisfaction rate.
- 🏁 It trails the Google Pixel 8 on software reliability, scoring a full 15 points lower for stability (27% vs. 42%) and 11 points lower for AI features.
- 💡 An excellent upgrade for users coming from phones several years old, but a questionable value for recent Samsung owners due to missing features and software frustrations.