Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Violet 256GB

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is Samsung's best-ever phone, with a camera and battery that are among the absolute best right now. The display is stunning, and the AI features are genuinely useful. If you can stomach the price and the weight, it's an easy recommendation.

Day-to-day performance is absurdly snappy thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 12GB of RAM. Apps fly open, 8K video records without breaking a sweat, and the 120Hz screen makes scrolling feel like butter. Our benchmarks place it well above average, though not quite at the absolute bleeding edge for gaming frame rates compared to a few dedicated gaming phones. That said, real-world use never feels lacking. The only slight concern: under sustained heavy loads, the phone gets warm, but never alarmingly so. For 99% of users, this thing is a rocket.

Stacked against the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the Ultra pulls ahead with its zoom cameras, S Pen, and more customizable Android experience, but iOS users will still prefer the Apple ecosystem's smooth integration. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is its own successor, offering a slightly refined design and newer chip, but the S24 Ultra remains a powerhouse at a now-lower price. The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is a completely different beast, a flip phone that wins on pocketability and style but can't match the camera reach or battery stamina here. The Ultra sits at the top for camera versatility and endurance, but it's also the priciest of the bunch.

At this price, the Ultra demands a lot from your wallet, but it delivers a ton in return. You're getting arguably the best camera zoom on any phone, a display that's downright gorgeous, and battery life that'll make you forget your charger. If you'll use the S Pen and the AI features regularly, the value proposition clicks. If you only care about core smartphone stuff, a Galaxy S24 or a Pixel will save you hundreds and still make you happy. But for the all-out enthusiast, this is money well spent.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is Samsung pulling out all the stops. You get a massive 6.8-inch AMOLED display that hits 2600 nits, a titanium frame that feels indestructible, and a camera array versatile enough to make a DSLR nervous. The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chews through anything you throw at it, and the 5000mAh battery genuinely lasts a full day of heavy use. Samsung also baked in some genuinely useful AI tricks like Circle to Search and Live Translate, which feel like party tricks at first but quickly become habits. It's a phone that tries to do everything, and it mostly succeeds.

But all that tech comes with a serious price tag and a 233g heft that you'll notice in your pocket. The S Pen is a great addition for note-takers, but it might be wasted on plenty of buyers. Still, if you want the most phone Samsung makes, warts and all, the Ultra is it.

If you're on a tighter budget, the Galaxy S24 or a Pixel 10a will cover your bases for much less cash. People with smaller hands or who hate heavy phones should look elsewhere, because 233g gets noticeable fast. And if you're happy inside Apple's world, the iPhone 17 will feel more familiar. The Ultra is overkill unless you truly need the zoom, the stylus, and the battery endurance.

If you want the most phone Samsung makes, with a camera that laughs at distance, a stylus that actually matters, and battery life that just won't quit, this is your phone. Power users, photographers, and productivity hounds will adore it. Just know that you're paying for all that firepower, and the size might not suit everyone.