The Galaxy S24 series by Samsung was unveiled in San Jose, California, on Jan. 17 (local time), positioning itself in direct competition with Apple’s iPhone 15 series. Notably, the standard model of the Galaxy S24 surpasses the iPhone 15 in overall hardware performance, encompassing display, battery, and camera capabilities. An innovative addition to the Galaxy S24 is its incorporation of generative artificial intelligence (AI), a feature absent in the iPhone 15.
The Galaxy S24 boasts a remarkable FHD+ 120Hz display, present not only in the premium Galaxy S24 Ultra but also in the standard model. The higher refresh rate of 120Hz results in smoother screen playback, providing users with enhanced immersion and reduced eye fatigue during activities like gaming or video watching. In contrast, the iPhone 15 operates at FHD+ 60Hz, with the 120Hz display exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro model.
The Galaxy S24 display achieves a maximum brightness of 2600 nits, a significant improvement over the iPhone 15′s 1000 nits. Nits measure brightness per unit area, with one nit comparable to the light emitted by a candle illuminating one square meter. This implies that the Galaxy S24 screen offers enhanced clarity and visibility, particularly under sunny conditions or bright lighting.
Both the Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15 employ 4-nanometer (nm) processing technology for their application processors (APs). The Galaxy S24 combines the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 3rd generation with Samsung Electronics’ in-house developed Exynos 2400, while the iPhone 15 features its proprietary Apple A16 Bionic processor.
In terms of RAM, the Galaxy S24 takes the lead with an 8GB capacity, surpassing the iPhone 15′s 6GB. A larger RAM capacity allows for handling a greater number of tasks in the workspace. Both devices offer identical storage space options of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, varying according to price range.
The Galaxy S24 outperforms the iPhone 15 in battery capacity, featuring a 4000mAh battery compared to the iPhone 15′s 3349mAh. Additionally, the Galaxy S24 achieves faster charging, requiring approximately 80 minutes for a full charge with 25W, while the iPhone 15 takes nearly 2 hours with 20W.
In terms of USB-C port data transfer speed, the Galaxy S24 is more than 10 times faster than the iPhone 15, reaching a maximum of 5Gbps compared to the iPhone 15′s maximum of 480Mbps.
The Galaxy S24 camera features wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle lenses, and a telephoto lens, a feature not found in the iPhone 15. The telephoto lens emphasizes distant subjects, bringing them closer. In terms of smartphone usability, the Galaxy S24 weighs 167g, slightly lighter than the iPhone 15′s 171g.
Samsung has addressed previous criticisms of its post-purchase support, extending the security and operating system (OS) update period from five to seven years, starting with the Galaxy S24. The pricing for both the Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15 remains consistent, with the base 128GB model starting at $799 (approximately 1.07 million won).
The Galaxy S24 marks Samsung’s entry into AI phones, featuring the internally developed generative AI, ‘Galaxy AI.’ This innovation supports real-time interpretation during calls and enhances camera and photo editing functionalities. Apple, lagging in generative AI development, has been surpassed by Samsung in the release of AI phones. There are expectations that Apple will expedite efforts to launch a smartphone with generative AI in the upcoming iPhone 16 series in the latter half of this year. Currently, Apple is consolidating AI organizations scattered across the United States to boost its capabilities in generative AI development.
