For its first telephones of 2024, Samsung centered a lot on its “Galaxy AI” options that, bodily, the Galaxy S24 collection doesn’t seem like a lot totally different than the S23. Once again, the corporate’s telephones aren’t totally different sufficient to justify upgrading from their predecessors, particularly realizing that the S23 collection, Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5 and Tab S9 can be getting no less than a few of these AI options later this year. There’s additionally competitors from the Google Pixel 8 collection, which provide lots of the similar new options from a extra established AI firm.
Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply we must always dismiss the Galaxy S24 collection altogether. Samsung’s AI efforts could also be an indicator of smartphone options to come back. Even when in comparison with the Pixel 8s, Samsung’s Galaxy AI has its perks, significantly with real-time translation in voice calls and the choice to vary the tone of your writing. In locations the place Google’s Pixel is just not accessible, Samsung has a possibility to seize an viewers that is interested by generative AI on telephones. The query is: has Samsung achieved an excellent job at integrating these AI instruments into its smartphone line?
Samsung
Samsung’s new AI instruments, mixed with refined design tweaks, assist the Galaxy S24 and S24+ make a extra compelling case for upgrading from any cellphone older than the S23.
- Constructed-in generative AI is handy and productive
- Slick UX
- Wonderful battery life
- Clear, minimalist design
- Low-light images nonetheless not so good as different flagships
- Some AI options want simpler entry
Design and show
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In comparison with final yr’s S23 collection, this yr’s flagships are principally the identical, save for some new colours — I obtained the S24 in “Marble Grey” and the S24+ in “Cobalt Violet.” With the S24 and S24+ facet by facet, you’ll discover the lowered LED flash on the again, together with the body’s cleaner format with a brand new matte end, however the lack of adjustments is not essentially a nasty factor. The truth is, as somebody who’s accustomed to numerous Chinese language smartphones, I discover Samsung’s minimalist design to be refreshing, particularly with the uniformly sized particular person rear cameras.
Apart from display dimension, show decision and battery capability, the S24 and S24+ share an identical specs. The S24 packs a 6.2-inch Full HD+ display, weighs 167g and is available in at 7.6mm thick. The bigger S24+ sports activities a 6.7-inch Quad HD+ panel, and it’s 29g heavier with an additional 0.1mm in thickness.
It’s value noting that each fashions use the identical AMOLED 2X panel, with an adaptive refresh charge between 1Hz and 120Hz, in addition to a 2,600-nit peak brightness. I’ve had no drawback studying issues on both display whereas out and about, although I haven’t skilled robust daylight over the previous few unusually chilly days right here in Hong Kong.
Cameras
That is most likely essentially the most boring side on the S24 and S24+, as a result of there is no such thing as a change right here from final yr’s telephones. On the rear is a 50-megapixel important sensor, a 12 MP ultra-wide shooter and a ten MP 3x telephoto digicam, whereas a 12 MP digicam sits up entrance. Samsung does level out that these cameras profit from the brand new generative AI enhancing instruments, which let you reframe photographs, shift (or delete) topics and create slow-mo clips from present movies.
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Should you’re searching for higher low-light efficiency and improved zoom, you would possibly want the S24 Extremely (which my colleague Sam Rutherford reviewed). Nonetheless, the S24 and S24+ ought to be adequate on your each day snaps, and for me, the outcomes have been normally constant throughout the three rear cameras. Indoor photographs tended to be somewhat on the darkish facet and noisier than the outcomes I obtained on my important cellphone, the OnePlus Open (which has newer and bigger sensors). The distinction grew to become extra obvious because the surroundings obtained darker, particularly the pale reds (like on taxis and site visitors lights) and the aggressive sharpening on shrubs.
On a extra constructive word, I’d wish to echo my colleague Cherlynn Low’s reward of the S23+’s selfie digicam in her evaluate final yr. The S24 and S24+ inherited the identical setup. The truth is, it captured a lot element on my face — pores, dried pores and skin, facial hair, et cetera — that I began to overlook the beautification choices provided by Chinese language telephones. I used to be additionally impressed by the video recording capabilities, as a 4K clip I shot at 60 fps throughout a bus journey house got here out silky easy. The comparatively low gentle didn’t appear to have an effect on video stabilization that a lot.
Software program: Making a powerful case for sensible generative AI
I spent most of my time with my S24+ testing its “Galaxy AI,” which is touted as a privacy-first AI suite powered by the neural processing unit contained in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. In different phrases, these telephones can run a few of their “superior intelligence” duties on machine, and there’s an choice to go utterly offline for added privateness, however the outcomes will not be nearly as good or as updated. On a associated word, Samsung guarantees to by no means use your knowledge “for machine studying or for focusing on advertisements,” and that “your knowledge is instantly deleted from our servers or our associate’s servers as quickly as era is full.”
Samsung’s Galaxy AI might be damaged down into six features: “stay translate” for voice calls, stay interpreter (for in-person conversations), writing help from the keyboard (for fast translations and altering the tone of your drafts), word help (for auto summarization and formatting), transcript help (with translations of your recordings) and generative edit within the gallery app. The interpretation options depend on Samsung’s personal language packs, which at the moment embrace English (US and UK), Chinese language (Mandarin), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish (Mexico, Spain and US), Thai and Vietnamese. The corporate promised that extra can be added later.
Earlier than we go additional, I’d wish to level out that it wasn’t instantly clear the place I may allow these AI options. They’re disabled by default, and there’s no single swap to allow them multi functional go. It took me some time earlier than I dug up the “superior intelligence” hub in system settings. Even for Google’s self-explanatory “Circle to Search,” I needed to undergo a number of settings pages to allow it.
Essentially the most outstanding Galaxy AI characteristic is probably the real-time two-way translation for voice calls, which Samsung has been pitching since November. I needed to first allow stay translate within the dialer app’s settings, the place I needed to set the languages of myself and the receiver (it’s simpler if you happen to set up the required language packs within the “superior intelligence” hub beforehand). Then if you finally make the cellphone name, you’ll additionally must faucet on the “name help” button, after which faucet the “stay translate” button to begin.
This took me a number of runs earlier than I noticed I needed to hit each buttons to get this factor going, at which level the stay translate instrument would broadcast a immediate declaring that the decision is being translated and live-captioned. Talking of, be warned that the cellphone app doesn’t save these transcripts afterwards (I came upon the arduous means), so be sure you take screenshots or jot down essential data earlier than you cling up.
I enlisted my Ghanaian pal, Paul, who speaks French (and higher Mandarin than me!). It took a number of runs to let Paul get used to the delay (once more, possible not a privilege available in the actual world), after which we concluded that Samsung’s French language pack struggled to select up some names and culinary phrases, which was possible as a result of it didn’t play nicely with Paul’s regional accent. Apart from that, Paul and I have been in a position to perceive one another’s translated speech.
Paul and I additionally tried the split-screen interpreter instrument throughout a face-to-face dialog. The instrument was arduous to search out — it’s on the second web page of the system’s pull-down menu; there is no such thing as a app shortcut. As soon as we obtained the cling of the timing (particularly with the pauses required to let the AI begin processing), most translations have been correct, as long as Paul’s accent didn’t confuse the software program.
Samsung’s system carried out higher in Korean, which ought to come as no shock. I introduced my S24+ to lunch at a Korean restaurant, and after paying the invoice, I used the interpreter to go with the institution in two or three strains. The supervisor’s eyes lit up upon seeing the Korean translation, which got here out quick and precise. He then launched a few of his restaurant’s prime dishes to me by way of the interpreter, however as I went to dig up the dish names the subsequent day, I came upon that the system solely shops conversations for twenty-four hours. I misplaced all my earlier name transcripts. A disclaimer about transcript historical past would have helped.Samsung’s system carried out higher in Korean, which ought to come as no shock. I introduced my S24+ to lunch at a Korean restaurant, and after paying the invoice, I used the interpreter to go with the institution in two or three strains. The supervisor’s eyes lit up upon seeing the Korean translation, which got here out quick and precise. He then launched a few of his restaurant’s prime dishes to me by way of the interpreter, however as I went to dig up the dish names the subsequent day, I came upon that the system solely shops conversations for twenty-four hours. I misplaced all my earlier name transcripts. A disclaimer about transcript historical past would have helped.
The writing help AI instruments have been extra conveniently positioned – proper above the Samsung keyboard. I may shortly translate quick phrases whereas typing right into a discipline – I simply wanted to provide it a second or two earlier than it routinely swapped my typing to its translation. Nonetheless, I seen that the Chinese language for “Korean barbecue” (“韓式燒烤”) didn’t translate correctly to Korean — it grew to become “코리안 야끼” which is “Korean yaki” (which led me to okonomiyaki pancakes as a substitute on Google), when it ought to be “코리안 바비큐” as Google accurately deduced. I’m certain Galaxy AI’s accuracy will enhance over time, however be ready to come back throughout such foolish errors every so often.
As a reporter, I look ahead to making an attempt the AI transcription characteristic in Samsung’s Voice Recorder app in future interview alternatives. There’s no setting required, and like Google’s Recorder, it may well acknowledge a number of audio system. However in contrast to the Pixel model, you may solely transcribe (utilizing any downloaded language pack) when you’ve completed recording, slightly than seeing it stay. It is a little odd contemplating Samsung has a stay interpreter instrument; possibly it needed to rush out this unpolished Galaxy AI bundle in time for the launch.
Samsung’s different text-based AI instruments can even turn out to be useful, particularly as I sometimes swap between English and Chinese language. I’ve been in a position to mess around with each the “writing model” and “spelling and grammar” instruments in Samsung’s keyboard. In Samsung’s Notes app, it’s also possible to faucet into Galaxy AI for auto summarization and formatting, which might be helpful after jotting down notes from press occasions and interviews.
Positive, you may already carry out related duties utilizing ChatGPT, however it’s good to have these features simply a few clicks away on our telephones. I wouldn’t belief the entire grammar ideas, although, as some didn’t make sense. Not the entire writing kinds listed will fit your wants, both, however they do present some amusement — like methods to write to your love curiosity within the model of knowledgeable letter.
Efficiency and battery life
Just like the S24 Extremely, the S24 and S24+ are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor — however solely within the US, South Korea and China. Should you’re shopping for one within the UK, then you definitely’ll must make do with the Samsung Exynos 2400, although benchmarks have indicated that its efficiency isn’t far off from Qualcomm’s counterpart and, on paper, it truly has a sooner 5G modem. As for choices, the S24 begins with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for its $800 base mannequin, whereas the S24+ begins with 12GB of RAM and twice the storage at $1,000.
I’ve but to run into any hiccups on both machine, and the slick Android 14 animations made switching from one app to a different really feel easy. On Geekbench 6, the S24 and S24+ noticed notable enhancements in CPU multi-core efficiency scores, reaching 7,049 and 6,641, respectively. Each fashions noticed a much bigger increase in GPU scores, as much as 15,082 and 14,982, respectively.
The S23+ already impressed us with its 25-hour consequence on our video rundown battery take a look at final yr. This time, the S24+ lasted for 25 hours and 50 minutes, beating its predecessor by virtually an hour. The smaller S24 didn’t disappoint, both, clocking in at about 24.5 hours, so battery life isn’t a difficulty if single-handed operation issues to you. The S24+’s battery life is much more beneficiant in the actual world: With the occasional Fb, Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube and digicam testing all through the day, I nonetheless typically ended up with 50 to 60 % of energy by the point I obtained house within the night. If I forgot to cost the cellphone in a single day, it may nonetheless final one other day.
Wrap-up
I started my evaluate of the S24 and S24+ with low expectations. In any case, they weren’t very totally different (visibly) than their predecessors. However as I spent extra time with these gadgets, their minimalist design and slick UX grew on me. Then got here the built-in generative AI options, that are extra handy and intuitive than most different third-party bots. There’s even better potential with the stay translation instruments, particularly with worldwide journey principally again to pre-pandemic ranges. The brand new software program aids, mixed with refined design tweaks, assist the S24 and S24+ make a extra compelling case for upgrading from an S22 or earlier fashions. Or switching over from different manufacturers, for that matter.
Though OpenAI and Google are already nicely forward within the generative AI sport, Samsung nonetheless deserves some credit score for simplifying these features — no less than whereas it retains providing Galaxy AI totally free till the top of 2025. For now, although, Samsung must discover a method to polish the entire bundle, and make a number of the AI options extra simply accessible. Extra importantly, customers ought to be provided an possibility to avoid wasting the transcripts after every translated cellphone name or in-person chat. I’m certain Samsung would slightly not have Galaxy AI be diminished to a channel for venting.
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