Samsung Galaxy S24+

GSMTechTok analysis

Who it's for

The Galaxy S24+ is best understood in 2026 as a genuinely well-supported budget-flagship purchase rather than a current-generation buy — Back Market's 2026 review is direct that it remains a compelling choice specifically because Samsung's 7-year OS and security update commitment holds regardless of when you buy it, with many core features still matching or closely trailing the current S26 lineup. It suits buyers specifically choosing between the S24+ and the base S24, since Refurbed's 2026 comparison found the meaningful upgrades — 45W charging versus 25W, a larger 6.7-inch display versus 6.2 inches, and a bigger 4,900mAh battery versus 4,000mAh — genuinely worth the roughly €90 price step for anyone who rapid-charges during the day or runs many apps simultaneously. It's a strong fit for buyers who specifically want the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 variant rather than the Exynos 2400 one, since Refurbed's testing found the Snapdragon model delivers a more consistent six-plus hours of screen-on time, while one long-term Exynos owner tracked by the same review commonly ended days around 20% remaining. It's a weaker fit for heavy multitaskers, per Refurbed's citation of a 2026 review finding 8GB of RAM "may not be that great" for running many apps simultaneously — the S24+ and Ultra both offer 12GB, so this specific limitation applies more to the base S24.

Standout features

Software longevity is the single biggest reason this phone still makes sense years after launch — the same 7-year OS and security update promise Samsung made across the whole S24 line means, per Ogabassey's 2026 review, updates continuing through 2031, a genuinely industry-leading commitment matched by very few rivals at any price. The 6.7-inch Quad HD+ LTPO AMOLED display remains a real strength even against newer competition, and the 4,900mAh battery paired with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 efficiency delivers genuinely reliable all-day performance that Back Market's 2026 testing found comparable to the newer S26+ in real-world use. The camera hardware — a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3x telephoto — remains capable for daylight, low-light, and video shooting alike, and 8K video recording at 30fps is still a genuinely high-end spec most rivals in this price bracket don't match. Galaxy AI features that launched on this exact phone, including Circle to Search and Chat Translation, remain fully active and free as of Ogabassey's April 2026 confirmation, with no paywall having materialized despite early uncertainty about their long-term availability.

Trade-offs

The regional chip split is a real, concrete factor to verify before buying rather than an abstract concern: Refurbed's tracked data found the Exynos 2400 variant, sold in the UK, Europe, and Korea, delivers noticeably more variable battery life than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 version sold in the US, Canada, and China, with one long-term Exynos owner commonly ending days around 20% charge remaining. There's also a specific, easily-missed video limitation independently confirmed by two separate reviewers per Refurbed's citation: at 4K 60fps, recording locks to the primary 50MP lens only, with no ability to switch to the telephoto — that flexibility only returns at 4K 30fps. Storage speed varies by configuration too, with the 128GB model using slower UFS 3.1 storage while the 256GB and above use faster UFS 4.0, a detail worth checking specifically before purchase since it isn't always obvious from a spec sheet. And while SlashGear's 2026 comparison found the S24 lineup still competitive against contemporaries, it specifically flags that newer budget phones like the Google Pixel 10a now match or beat the base S24's camera resolution and battery capacity at a lower price — a reminder that the S24+'s value case rests on its update longevity and display more than raw spec superiority at this point.