Samsung has launched its flagship Galaxy S24 series of smartphones. While the high-end, S Pen bearing, titanium-laden Galaxy S24 Ultra grabbed most eyeballs, the suffix-less S24 is the one that is likely to end up in more pockets. The Galaxy S24 does not have the kind of spec muscle that the S24 Ultra and S24 Plus have, but it is the most pocket-friendly of the series in every sense of the word — at Rs 79,999, it is the most affordable, and it is also easily the most compact of the three phones. That does not stop the S24 from having many of the much-hyped AI features of the series, including Circle to Search, Notes Assist and Transcript Assist, as well as seven (yes, SEVEN) years of assured Android OS and security updates.
The most affordable S24 of them all also comes with a superb spec sheet, boasting a brilliant 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x FHD+ display with 120Hz refresh rate, a 50-megapixel main camera with OIS accompanied by a 10-megapixel telephoto with 3x zoom and a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor, a larger than before 4000 mAh battery, and is powered the Exynos 2400 chip, which some might frown at, but is flagship quality. All of this in an elegant design that at 147 mm and 167 grams is one of the most compact and light flagships around and comes with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection in front, an Armor Aluminium frame and IP68 dust and water resistance.
But will all this enable the Galaxy S24 to prevail over some very formidable rivals? These five phones in particular offer stiff competition:
iPhone 15: The Premium-Segment Boss
Price: Rs 72,900 onwards
It is a given that almost every premium smartphone launched in the market will have to deal with the threat of the Godphone from Cupertino. In the S24’s case, it is the iPhone 15. The iPhone 15 got a notable boost last year, getting a very good 48-megapixel main sensor, USB Type-C charging convenience and a Dynamic Island on its 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, which remains outstanding despite a “normal” 60 Hz refresh rate.
A classy frosted back finish makes it look very different from the competition (do not slap a case on it please), and you also get very good stereo speakers. The A16 Bionic chip might appear a little old, but it is still a top performer, and you get the smooth comfort and security of iOS, with its app ecosystem and assured updates.
It has the design, the hardware, the software… everything a premium-segment boss needs.
Google Pixel 8: The Snappy, Smart, Small Pixel
Price: Rs 75,999
Its plethora of smart features and fantastic cameras make the Pixel 8 a big stumbling block for the Galaxy S24. It only has two cameras on the back — a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS and a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor — but Google’s computational photography magic ensures that these deliver lots of detail and realistic colours. The Tensor G3 chip powering the phone adds a lot of smart features to the phone and is a terrific daily driver.
The phone also comes with that typically distinct Pixel design, and although slightly taller than the S24, is still very compact at 150 mm, and has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on its front as well as an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Its 6.2-inch full HD+ OLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate also cannot match the brightness of the S24, but on the flip side, it has a larger 4,575mAh battery with support for wireless charging and also comes with an assurance of seven years of Android updates.
iQoo 12 5G: The New Flagship Killer
Price: Rs 52,999 onwards
The iQoo 12 5G might come with a much lower price tag, but it comes with the hardware and design to be a pain for every flagship out there, and the Galaxy S24 is no exception.
The iQoo 12’s biggest trump card is its Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 3 (something seen on the S24 Ultra) which makes it one of the most powerful phones in the market, and a proper gaming beast. The phone also comes with a 6.78-inch 2800×1260 AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and a brightness of 3,000nits, which exceeds the 2600 nits of the S24, and has a remarkably good camera set-up (50+64+50 megapixel) with OIS and 3x optical zoom.
Round that off with a large 5,000mAh battery with a 120W charger in the box and a very premium design, and the iQoo 12 5G emerges as a massive headache for not just the S24 but any flagship out there, especially if you are on a tight budget.
Vivo X100: Power With Zeiss Expertise
Price: Rs 69,999 onwards
It might not have its Pro bro’s one-inch main sensor, but the Vivo X100 5G still has a lot of camera muscle up its photography sleeves, thanks to its tie-up with the legendary Zeiss.
The phone comes with a superb 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 64-megapixel telephoto camera (3.2x optical zoom) and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, all of which deliver some high-quality photography. It also comes with a brilliant 6.78 inch AMOLED display with 2800 x 1260 resolution 120 Hz refresh rate, and 3000 nits brightness, better than even the 2600 nits of the S24.
A flagship-level MediaTek Dimensity 9300 chip powers the phone and a large 5000 mAh battery keeps it running and thanks to a 120W charger, gets recharged in a jiffy. Its classy design (with a large, circular camera unit) will turn heads and an IP68 rating keeps it safe from dust and water. The FunTouch OS on Android 14 on the device can seem a little crowded, but it does let you do a lot.
Google Pixel 7 Pro: The Old Pro Still Rocks
Price: Rs 63,999 onwards
Its name might make it sound a little old, but take it from us: this old Pro can give the S24 a good run for its money. The Pixel 7 Pro boasts a brilliant 6.7 inch quad HD AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate, but what makes it special are the smart features enabled by the still-powerful Tensor G2 processor, and of course, its cameras (hey, this is a Pixel).
The triple camera set up on the back (50+48+12) not only delivers stunning detail but also 5x optical zoom and even very usable 30x digital zoom. It packs in a large 5,000mAh battery, and supports wireless charging.
Being a Pixel, it is assured of timely Android updates and it might even get some of the features the S24 has. And of course, it comes with that typical Pixel design with a distinct camera bar.
