Samsung Galaxy S24: Is it time for an upgrade?

Ah, the perennial question whenever a new flagship smartphone is announced. With the Samsung Galaxy S24 being pretty much confirmed to appear at the upcoming Unpacked event, many Galaxy owners are wondering: “Is now the best time to upgrade?”

Some owners may think that their current flagship phones may still be enough to last a while longer. Or maybe it’s worth checking out competing phones from other brands like Google or even Apple for your next upgrade? Perhaps the Galaxy S23 is still worth a look now that it will probably come down in price?

After digging through all the information we know about the upcoming flagship though, we think whether you’ll ultimately switch to the Galaxy S24 in particular, hinges on one major feature: Samsung AI.

About Samsung AI

AI has been the major talk for Samsung leading up to the Galaxy Unpacked event on January 18. We’ve already talked about Samsung Gauss; the brand’s own generative model which is split along Language, Code, and Image components, similar to models like ChatGPT or Midjourney, but Samsung does have other implementations planned.

One of their research goals is to use their AI and machine learning capabilities to connect their diverse product lines to each other in a term they call Among-Device AI. They even had a booth at CES 2024 detailing how these different devices and appliances are meant to interact with each other, which includes smartphones of course.

As for the Galaxy S24 itself, Samsung promises to bring functionalities almost similar to the ones we’ve seen in the Google Pixel’s AI features. These include things like live translation during calls, summarizing long texts, image generation, and even coding assistance for more specialized users.

If you’re interested in checking out these promised features ahead then going for the Galaxy S24 is almost a no-brainer. These devices will come with it first before trickling down to other older models via updates. There’s a catch however:

As noted by some observers, it’s possible that these advanced features require the latest Snapdragon and Exynos processors, which have been given their own dedicated AI components. It’s possible that some of these features won’t make it to older Galaxy models with less capable chipsets.

Supposedly, it’s all riding on that One UI 6.1 update.

One UI 6.1

One UI 6.1 is set to release with the upcoming Galaxy S24 models first and will supposedly mark one of the biggest updates the company is pushing out for their phones. In addition to just improving the functionality and feel of the smartphone, the update is set to add new functionality to the phones in the form of AI and machine learning.

For example, One UI 6.1 adds AI-generated wallpapers similar to the one on the Pixel 8 series. You can either create something that’s completely new or you can use it to apply touch ups and effects to pictures you already have.

Or how about Ultra HDR support or whatever Samsung chooses to call their take on the format, which now lets compatible smartphones better showcase shadows and highlights in their image?

Right now, it’s a little unclear whether or not these features might make it to older devices. At the very least, most people expect it to come to devices that were compatible with the One UI 6.0 update, which does include the previous S23 line and Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Still, there’s a couple of main considerations we found when thinking about upgrading to the upcoming Galaxy S24:

While we’re at it, why not jump on a great deal on Galaxy accessories like this snazzy, Galaxy Watch 6 Classic today?

Exynos returns to the Galaxy S Line

Then there’s the big elephant in the room. While casual users aren’t too fussy about the chips powering their phone provided it does everything they need it to, enthusiasts may want the most optimized chip inside their phone. For Android, this is usually a Snapdragon chip.

Indeed, there was plenty of good news to go around when Samsung announced that their S23 line will be using Snapdragon chips across the board, in all regions. For the S24 though, Samsung once again decides to offer a mix of Exynos and Snapdragon processors in their phones.

According to leaks, those buying the Galaxy S24 Ultra should be getting the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 regardless of region. So if you’re springing for the most expensive variant, then you don’t have to worry about the performance differences between these two chips.

Nonetheless, Samsung has promised that all of their planned features will work on both chipsets used in their Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus. However, if you’re an avid mobile gamer or power user, you’ll probably wait for more reviews and benchmarks to come out for these two chips in order to see the performance and efficiency differences.

Or you can just spring for the S24 Ultra and save yourself the hassle. At least if you prefer to upgrade to Snapdragon’s latest offering. Alternatively, there’s one more option you can try before springing for Samsung’s latest flagship:

The Galaxy S23 is still around

And of course, there’s also Samsung’s previous handset, the Galaxy S23. Once the Galaxy S24 launches, you can expect these devices to get discounted as they start leaving the shelves. For example, you can even find the Galaxy S23 Ultra; a very powerful Android phone in its own right, at a discounted price here at Kimstore right now.

Samsung has also promised to provide up to four software updates and five years of security updates for the Galaxy S23, meaning it should last you until 2027, with it getting Android 17 (assuming Google retains its current naming scheme) sometime in 2026.

Those who are looking for a flagship Samsung can still get an impressive experience with these phones. You’ll just be down an update or two in the far future.

So should I upgrade to the Galaxy S24?

Ultimately, it’s still up to you. If you’re interested in getting the latest tech the moment they come out, then going for the upgrade is a no-brainer. You get to use the AI features and upgraded performance of the Galaxy S24 before they start making their way to older Galaxy smartphones.

If you decide to hold off on the upgrade or spring for the 2023’s Galaxy S23 instead, then we’ve got you covered too. The Galaxy S23 is still a very competent smartphone that should easily blitz through your mobile phone needs nonetheless and you can find stores offering great, discounted deals on this device soon.

In that case, make sure to stay tuned regarding our coverage of these upcoming Galaxy flagships. We’ll let you know when we’re finally ready to open orders for the Samsung Galaxy S24 here at your most trusted online store!

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