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Gadget Review: The most sensible choice in the S24 range

A pocket-friendly price and size with more than adequate features make the base model S24 the pick of Samsung’s newest series, especially for those looking for practicality

You are sensible and pragmatic. Your head rules your heart. Your actions are informed by logic, not emotion. You value solidity over showing off, substance over style, practicality over frills. You do not consider flaunting the most sought-after and expensive thing out there to be an appropriate projection of your self-worth. You’re self-assured enough to want precisely what you need and not what everyone and his uncle is running after. And yet you appreciate the art of good design, value innovation and gravitate towards quality.

If you answer to the above description then the new Samsung S24 is for you. Yes, that smallest and least glamorous – and often overlooked – model of the Korean giant’s latest mobile phone series release.

Of late, whenever Samsung has introduced its new smartphones, it has done so in trios. And the good old base-model S24, the junior sibling of the bunch, is, in our estimation, perhaps the most sensible, exemplifying the same elegance and sophistication as the other members of the S24 range, and perhaps even more so with its sleek and ergonomic design.

Crafted from premium materials, the device exudes durability while maintaining a lightweight and slim profile. The seamless fusion of glass and metal not only enhances its aesthetics but also contributes to its robustness. The attention to detail is evident in every aspect of the design, from the precisely chamfered edges to the seamless transition between the display and the frame.

And best of all, this elegant and sophisticated design language comes in a size that is back-pocket-friendly. If you’re like millions - indeed billions – of people out there, the hip pocket of your jeans is your favourite receptacle to hold your mobile phone while you’re out and about. Now, some of the most glamourous mobile phones on the market are not designed keeping the size of the average hip pocket in mind, including the S24’s bigger siblings. But the 5.79 by 2.78 by 0.30 inches of the base S24 is just the right size to fit snugly into your hip pocket and cause no problems when you rush to grab that just-vacated seat on the Dubai Metro.

Despite the manageable dimensions, however, Samsung still managed to increase the screen size of the S24 when compared to the S23. The new model sports a 6.2-inch screen, which is 0.1 inch larger than its predecessor. While some may call that small – and indeed it is when compared to the largest mobile phone screens out there - 6.2 inches is a perfectly acceptable size, if you ask me, indeed even the perfect one. This is a mobile phone at the end of the day; if you need an immersive large screen, get yourself a tablet.

And the screen itself is stunning in its performance, elevating the viewing experience. The Super AMOLED display has a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and the colours are rich and vibrant, while the contrast ensures deep blacks and crisp whites. Whether you're streaming your favourite movies, browsing photos or gaming, the S24's display delivers immersive visuals with exceptional clarity and detail. Additionally, the slim bezels maximise the visual perception of the screen real estate, providing an expansive canvas for content consumption.

Powering the screen - and the rest of the phone – is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset, which has more than adequate processing power for anything that you might want to use this phone for. Internal storage is a maximum of 256GB, again extending the theme of adequacy. And while Samsung limits the RAM in the S24 to only 8GB, we did not feel any need for more, whether playing games, watching movies or running multiple apps together.

The S24 provides a seamless and responsive performance that effortlessly handles multitasking and productivity tasks. Apps launch swiftly, animations are fluid, and there's no lag even when running demanding applications.

The S24’s front camera has a three-lens array, with a 50MP, 12Mp and 10MP lens, which return superb images under all lighting conditions, with natural colours and contrast. Videos are not as good as the competition or the S24 UIltra, but then you surely don’t plan on using this device to film your Oscar-winning magnum opus anyway. Meanwhile, a 12MP front camera is again more than adequate for selfies and video calls.

And being more than adequate is the theme that sums up the S24, from its chipset and performance to its usage. The price - Dh3,499 for the 256GB and Dh3,199 for the 128GB – reflects this, as does the pocket-friendly size. Now, if only Samsung could increase the battery capacity to more than the slightly inadequate 13-ish hours we got on average, we’d have a flawless phone. It’s still the best S24 in our estimation, though. Especially if you’re the sensible sort.

Samsung Galaxy S24 mobile phone

Hits:

- Size and features

- Camera

- Price

Misses:

- Battery life

Price:

Dh3,499

Rating: 4.5 stars

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