The short answer
Yes, if you want Samsung's most current chip and AI features at a real, meaningful discount to launch pricing — the S24 range represents genuinely current-generation hardware without new-launch prices.
What the S24 genuinely improves
A more efficient, capable chip. The S24's processor brings real improvements to everyday performance and battery efficiency over the S23, alongside more capable on-device AI processing for tasks like text summarisation, translation, and photo editing.
Meaningfully better low-light camera processing. This is the S24's most tangible day-to-day improvement — genuinely better photo quality specifically in challenging, low-light conditions, less noticeable in typical daylight photography.
Samsung's expanded AI feature set. Circle to Search, improved Bixby capabilities, and generative photo editing tools all arrived or expanded with this generation — genuinely useful additions if you'd actually use them regularly.
What stays the same from the S23
The core design language, S Pen support on the Ultra specifically, and the overall Samsung software experience remain broadly consistent — this is a refinement generation rather than a structural reinvention.
Who it's genuinely right for
Anyone who wants Samsung's most current chip and AI capabilities without paying for the very newest S25 or S26 generations. It's also a strong pick if low-light photography specifically matters to you, since this is where the S24's camera improvements are most noticeable.
Who might not need the premium over the S23
If your priority is core performance and a strong camera for typical daylight use, the S23 — see our full Should I Buy S23 guide — delivers a very similar day-to-day experience for meaningfully less.
Compare live Galaxy S24 prices →
A real pricing quirk worth knowing
Currently, the S24+ and S24 Ultra show identical pricing in our tracking — when this holds, the Ultra is strictly the better buy, since you get the S Pen and largest display for the same money. Always check live prices at the point you're actually buying, since this pattern shifts as stock and demand change.
Software support
As Samsung's most recent full generation with established refurbished availability, the S24 range carries a genuinely long remaining software support window — a real consideration if you plan to keep your next phone for several years.
Are Samsung's AI features actually useful day to day?
It's worth being specific about this rather than treating "AI features" as a vague marketing bullet point. Circle to Search lets you search anything visible on screen with a simple gesture — genuinely convenient and something most users find themselves reaching for regularly once they try it. Generative photo editing tools let you remove unwanted objects or adjust compositions directly on the phone, useful if you edit photos often. Whether these specific features justify the S24's premium over the S23 depends entirely on how much you'd actually use them — for someone who rarely edits photos or searches from images, the practical benefit is smaller than the marketing suggests.
Understanding storage across the S24 range
Every model here is available across multiple storage tiers. 128GB comfortably suits most everyday use. 256GB is worth the modest premium if you take a lot of photos or video, particularly on the Ultra given its more capable camera system. If you're weighing a lower storage tier of the S24 against a higher tier of the S23 at a similar price, it's worth considering which matters more to your actual use — the newer chip and AI features, or the extra storage headroom.
Is the S24 worth choosing over an equivalent iPhone?
This comes down to ecosystem preference more than any single feature. If you value Samsung's more open customisation options, the S Pen (on the Ultra), or already use Google services extensively, the S24 fits naturally. If your family or workplace primarily use iPhones, Apple's tighter ecosystem integration may matter more than any S24-specific advantage. Neither is objectively the better phone — the real question is which platform genuinely suits how you already use technology.
GadgetRank verdict
Buy it if: you want Samsung's most current chip and AI features, or low-light photography specifically matters to you.
Buy the S23 instead if: core performance and typical daylight photography cover your needs — the price saving is real and the day-to-day gap is smaller than the spec sheet suggests.
Frequently asked questions
Is the S24 a significant upgrade over the S23?
Meaningfully, yes, in two specific areas: low-light camera processing and on-device AI features — for typical daylight use and core performance, the gap is smaller than these headline improvements suggest.
Should I buy the S24+ or the S24 Ultra?
Check current live pricing first — when these two are priced identically, as they currently are in our tracking, the Ultra is the clear better choice for the same money.
How long will the S24 range receive updates?
As Samsung's most recent full generation, it carries a genuinely long remaining support window compared to the S23 and earlier generations.
Is it worth paying more for the S24 over the S23?
If low-light photography or on-device AI features genuinely matter to your daily use, yes — if your priorities are core performance and typical daylight photos, the S23 delivers a very similar experience for less.
All prices above are live and checked daily — compare every Galaxy S24 model to see today's actual figures.
Related reading: Should I buy a Galaxy S23 in 2026? · Galaxy S24 Deals UK 2026 · Best Samsung Phone Under £500 UK 2026 · Compare all refurbished phones · Condition grades explained
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