Venturing into a comprehensive exploration of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for a month, I set out on a journey to unravel the depths of its AI-powered capabilities and to scrutinise if the promises of transformative smartphone experiences were more than mere marketing rhetoric. With a price tag of ₹1,29,999, slightly surpassing its predecessor, this device asserts itself as a pinnacle of innovation, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence.
AI Unleashed: Elevating communication and efficiency
The S24 Ultra's slight price hike is justified by a suite of AI features that vow to redefine the smartphone experience. The most extravagant among them is the live translation of phone calls across more than 11 languages, including French, German, Hindi, Korean, and Portuguese. It was fun testing this feature, which, ultimately, proved a hit or miss. It needs further refinement through software updates. The live translation feature adds a practical layer to daily interactions. Samsung's commitment to seven years of generative updates ensures the continuous evolution and expansion of these language capabilities, promising an enduring enhancement to the device's utility.
The 'Circle to Search' feature, while initially captivating, might gradually recede into the background after the novelty wears off. Similar to Google's Pixel 8 Pro, this S-Pen-enabled feature allows users to circle items in photos for in-app Google search results. While it's a nifty addition, its long-term relevance might be overshadowed by more conventional search methods. Yet it serves as a testament to Samsung's commitment to innovation, albeit with a touch of whimsy.
Note-taking, a critical aspect for someone in my profession as a journalist, received a 'noteworthy' boost from AI. Automatically transcribed voice memos are presented in an auto-formatted collection with headers, bullet points, and fonts all cleverly created for you.
Throughout my testing, this feature proved to be intuitive and easy, transforming mundane note-taking tasks into a breeze. It allowed me to effortlessly navigate through professionally formatted notes during meetings, all without anyone being the wiser to the fact that I barely lifted a finger to create them.
Oh, and the option to summarise web pages — only on Samsung's browser for the moment — proved useful on more than one occasion.
Photography Reinvented: AI editing and beyond
Flagship Samsung smartphones have long been synonymous with exceptional camera capabilities, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra continues this tradition. Instead of inundating the camera system with more specs, Samsung focused on post-snap editing, introducing generative AI editing features.
While the ability to move and enlarge objects within a photo is impressive, my testing revealed a certain temperamental quality to the feature. Removed objects often left wispy remnants denoting the edit, and enlarging certain elements led to sketchy results. Despite its quirks, the AI editing features add a creative dimension to photography, offering a playful space for experimentation.
The camera system itself is a quad-lens array featuring a 200MP wide lens, a 50MP periscope telephoto, a 10MP telephoto, and a 12MP ultrawide. It excels in capturing detailed and vibrant photos. The updated 5x lens, replacing the 10x lens from the S23 Ultra, offers crisp 10x optical zoom with Ultra HDR support. The resulting images elevate the photography experience to new heights. For those whose Instagram grid represents a hallowed ground, the S24 Ultra ensures that your photos are instantly worthy of a place on your followers' feed..
In short, the camera capabilities of the S24 Ultra, while building upon the foundation laid by the S23 Ultra, manage to deliver a remarkable photography experience. The lens upgrades, combined with the innovative AI editing features, strike a balance between traditional excellence and modern creativity.
Performance Beyond AI: A stellar everyday companion
Setting aside the allure of AI, the S24 Ultra proves itself as a formidable everyday phone. The 6.8-inch 2,600 nit display, equipped with a glare-resistant coating, ensures clear visibility even under direct sunlight. Gorilla Glass Armor adds an extra layer of protection against scratches and dings, enhancing the phone's durability. This is the first time I've gone a month using a smartphone this expensive without a case. The exclusive Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip powers the device seamlessly, offering a smooth gaming experience and showcasing the device's processing prowess.
The only indicator that the S24 Ultra consumes more resources than the S23 Ultra comes from the device care widget, which lets you optimise your RAM. On the S23 Ultra, any open apps would frequently eat up 7 of the 12 GB of RAM, but optimising the device would frequently bring RAM usage down to around 4 GB. On the 24 Ultra, though, I have only once managed to go below the 5 GB RAM usage mark.
If you're anything like me, direct sunlight has likely posed a challenge when using your phone. Doom-scrolling while sitting out on sun-drenched terrace has now become easier with the S24 ultra, with the glare-beating coat on the 6.8-inch 2,600 nit display that provides ample opportunity to lose yourself in your phone regardless of the sun's intentions. The display is also even sturdier than before, with Gorilla Glass Armor to combat the potential scratches and dings all phones go through at some point in their lifetime.
There’s yet to be any indication that phones can be as powerful as current-gen game consoles, but we're getting closer every year thanks to illuminating ray-tracing that elevates the look of your games way beyond the murky, pixelated garbage of yesteryear. And if you're worried about the phone getting hot and crashing, fear not, as a new vapour chamber keeps the battery and chipset breezy cool so you can play for longer.
Verdict: A worthy investment for the tech enthusiast
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, despite its higher price point, emerges as a worthy investment for those seeking a premium smartphone experience. The amalgamation of AI features, top-tier camera capabilities, enhanced display, refined design, and robust performance positions it as a standout device in the crowded smartphone market. While some AI features may be hit or miss, the overall package delivers on Samsung's promises of innovation and excellence.
If your priorities include exceptional camera performance, a durable design, and cutting-edge AI enhancements, the Galaxy S24 Ultra may indeed become your new favourite smartphone. Its ability to seamlessly blend functionality, creativity, and performance makes it a compelling choice for tech enthusiasts and those looking to explore the forefront of smartphone technology.
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
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