The Samsung Galaxy S24 line was launched in January, so at the time of writing this series of phones – including the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – is more than four months old.
In some industries, four months is hardly anything, but in the smartphone world, a lot can change in four months, as new models from other brands are launched and the next Galaxy S generation approaches.
So should you still buy a phone in the Samsung Galaxy S24 line? Well, that depends on your needs, but below we’ve outlined some circumstances where you should, and some where you shouldn’t.
Buy it if you specifically want Samsung (and don’t want a foldable device)
If you’re a fan of Samsung and are planning to buy a Samsung handset for your next phone, then in most cases you can’t go wrong with a Galaxy S24 or one of its siblings.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is unlikely to launch before January 2025, so that’s still a long time to wait, and in the meantime the only Samsung phones that might be better are the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6.
But these are foldable phones, so it’s a completely different prospect, and you probably already know whether you want a foldable phone or not.
If not, feel free to buy a Samsung Galaxy S24 – or, for the best possible option, a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Regardless of what else happens in the smartphone market, these are likely to remain among the best phones for many months to come, making them ideal for Samsung fans.
Don’t buy it if you’re interested in what’s on the horizon
As mentioned, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 are on the way, with both phones likely to be released in July.
But that is not everything. There’s also the iPhone 16 line likely to launch in September, the Google Pixel 9 series likely to launch in October, and several other big phones on the way, like the OnePlus 13.
So there are a lot of exciting alternatives that could emerge in the coming months – and then of course there’s the Samsung Galaxy S25, although we don’t expect that until early 2025.
Buy it if you don’t plan on upgrading again for a while
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and its siblings are powerful, feature-packed phones that aren’t likely to feel slow or dated for years to come.
Better still, they come with the promise of seven years of Android updates, so they’re ideal phones to hang on to for a long time; at least in theory.
So if you are not always looking for the latest model, then buying a Samsung Galaxy S24 is now a good choice.
Don’t buy it if you want better cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus and especially the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra all have great cameras. In fact, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra currently tops our list of the best camera phones.
But the leaks surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra so far have mainly focused on the cameras and suggest that they will be even better.
While there is some disagreement between sources, we have heard that the device may have an improved main sensor and a variable zoom lens, which can optically zoom to multiple focal lengths.
And other brands also have promising camera phones on the way. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, for example, could have a new 48MP ultra-wide camera, along with an improved main sensor. And the Pixel 9 Pro will likely have excellent cameras too.
Buy it now if you want a great phone
Ultimately, you’re in the right place if you buy a Samsung Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus or Galaxy S24 Ultra.
With the arguable exception of the iPhone 15 line, there isn’t really anything better on the market right now, and while we may see some better phones later this year, they’re unlikely to be huge improvements.
So unless you’re really looking for a different model or a feature that the Samsung Galaxy S24 series lacks, there’s little reason not to buy one.
And because the Samsung Galaxy S24 series isn’t brand new anymore, you can often find these phones for a little less than their launch prices. If you wait longer you might be able to get them even cheaper, especially during sales periods like Black Friday, but by then there will also be more competition.
So if you fancy a new phone now and aren’t put off by what we’ve mentioned above, then there’s little reason to wait to buy a Samsung Galaxy S24.