Galaxy S24 Ultra alternatives: Google, Apple, and more

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the Korean brand’s latest and greatest flagship phone in 2024, bringing a super-powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, versatile cameras, and plenty more premium extras. Curious about this phone but want to get a better idea of your options? Then we’ve got you covered with our look at the best Galaxy S24 Ultra alternatives.

Buying the right Galaxy S24 Ultra alternative for your needs

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is a premium Android flagship phone through and through, and it packs a ton of features. These include the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 silicon, a flexible quad rear camera system, a huge battery, wireless charging support, and an IP68 rating. Samsung’s new phone even offers a variety of nifty AI-related features. It also doesn’t hurt that the series is unparalleled in terms of geographic availability.

So with all that in mind, the Google Pixel 8 Pro is arguably the best Galaxy S24 Ultra alternative in our book. The Google phone brings some impressive AI-related features, one of the best camera systems on the market, and premium extras like wireless charging and an IP68 rating. It’s not all perfect, though, as the Tensor G3 chip lags behind even last year’s phones, while availability is still limited compared to Samsung devices. Nevertheless, there are plenty of other options if this one isn’t doing it for you.

The best Galaxy S24 Ultra alternatives

• Google Pixel 8 Pro: The Pixel 8 Pro delivers a high-end experience at a cheaper price than the S24 Ultra. Google’s phone also serves up plenty of AI features and seven years of updates.
• Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Samsung’s previous Ultra phone can be had for a little cheaper now, but you’re still getting a big battery, an S Pen slot, and an excellent camera system. This is also the last Ultra phone with a 10x camera.
• Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: The latest Pro Max iPhone is as close as you can get to an Android superphone without running Android. The new device sports USB-C and a 5x camera for the first time, catching up to Android phones.
• OnePlus 12: Want a powerful phone with a great display and fast charging? That’s where the OnePlus 12 comes in, offering ultra-fast wired/wireless charging, a big battery, and a periscope camera for the first time in the series.
• Samsung Galaxy S24: The base S24 doesn’t have the S24 Ultra’s huge battery, pixel-dense screen, or that nifty 5x camera. Nevertheless, it packs the latest silicon, a raft of AI-enabled features, and the same lengthy update commitment.
• Sony Xperia 1 V: The Xperia 1 V is the Android phone to get if you’re a media and photography enthusiast, bringing a variety of features that are missing from the S24 series. This includes a 4K screen, a variable telephoto camera, and microSD support.

Like the idea of a premium Android flagship? Then the Pixel 8 Pro is definitely worth considering as a Galaxy S24 Ultra alternative. Best of all, the phone is available for a few hundred dollars cheaper than the Ultra device.

We praised the Pixel 8 Pro for its versatile camera system, great design, and improved wired charging speeds. We also really liked the industry-leading update commitment at the time of its launch, offering seven years of updates. Toss in some cool AI features here and there’s a lot to like.

It wasn’t all good with Google’s latest Pro Pixel though. The Tensor G3 chip is capable but still lags behind 2023’s rivals, while the temperature sensor is a gimmicky addition. It’s also worth noting that several software features like Zoom Enhance and Video Boost weren’t available at launch. Nevertheless, these downsides aren’t enough to dampen our enthusiasm for the phone.

What makes it stand out

• Reason #1: Raft of AI features

• Reason #2: Seven years of software updates

• Reason #3: Fantastic cameras

The Galaxy S24 Ultra might be the latest Ultra flagship, but the S23 Ultra is still worth a look in 2024. Samsung’s 2023 flagship retains features like a 200MP main camera, an IP68 rating, an S Pen slot, and a big battery with wireless charging support.

The S23 Ultra is also the last Galaxy phone with a 10x camera. Samsung claims that the S24 Ultra offers better 10x zoom shots via its 5x camera, but you’re still getting native 10x video with the S23 Ultra camera. Plus, we were pretty impressed with the 10x camera’s images beyond 10x.

Samsung’s previous Ultra phone does lose some ground to the S24 Ultra when it comes to horsepower and AI features, though. But does that really matter if the device is a little cheaper?

What makes it stand out

• Reason #1: Last Ultra phone with 10x camera

• Reason #2: S Pen slot

• Reason #3: Premium extras (IP68, wireless charging)

If you want a top-notch premium phone but are partial to iOS, then the iPhone 15 Pro Max is undoubtedly the best option for you. This is as close as you’ll get to a high-end Android phone in the iPhone space.

Apple’s latest Pro Max model adopts a folded zoom camera (5x 12MP) for the first time in an iPhone, catching up to a feature Android devices have offered for four or five years. The iPhone 15 series also adopts USB-C for the first time instead of the ancient Lightning port.

The device also enables access to Apple’s expansive ecosystem of software, devices, and services. So the iPhone 15 Pro Max makes sense if you’re intrigued by the company’s entire device/service portfolio.

What makes it stand out

• Reason #1: USB-C for the first time

• Reason #2: 5x camera for improved medium-range zoom

• Reason #3: Access to Apple’s ecosystem

We’re jumping the gun a little as the OnePlus 12 global launch takes place after the S24 launch. But it’s already available in China and it’s just a short wait for the global reveal on January 23. Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons to look at this phone.

Perhaps the biggest reason to opt for the OnePlus 12 is its fast charging capabilities. Expect 100W wired charging speeds here, along with 50W wireless speeds. The 5,400mAh battery needs just under 30 minutes to reach 100% via a cable.

The latest OnePlus flagship brings a host of other notable features. This includes a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a periscope camera (64MP 3x) for the first time in a conventional OnePlus phone, a bright QHD+ OLED screen, and an alert slider. The only major downside is that the phone lacks water resistance, only offering an IP65 splash-resistant rating.

What makes it stand out

• Reason #1: Super-fast wired/wireless charging

• Reason #2: Great performance and big battery

• Reason #3: Versatile camera system

The base Galaxy S24 is an ideal Galaxy S24 Ultra alternative if you don’t want to spend a ton of cash. Notable highlights include a powerful processor, a few premium extras (wireless charging, IP68 rating), and some great AI-enabled software features. Samsung is also offering seven years of updates, matching Google for the best update policy in the industry.

Samsung’s cheapest S24 does make a number of compromises for the price, though. You’re getting a much smaller battery, an FHD+ screen instead of a QHD+ panel, and what’s effectively the same camera system we’ve seen for a few generations now.

Nevertheless, the S24 is still worthy of consideration owing to its combination of software smarts, long-term update support, respectable specs, and a more palatable price.

What makes it stand out

• Reason #1: Latest flagship processor

• Reason #2: Same AI features as S24 Ultra

• Reason #3: Seven years of updates

Are you a photographer? Or maybe you just love consuming multimedia content on your phone? The Xperia 1 V is one of the best Galaxy S24 Ultra alternatives if you answered “yes” to one of these questions.

Sony’s phone brings several features you don’t see on most high-end phones anymore, namely microSD card support and a 3.5mm port. The phone also delivers a 4K OLED screen, enabling unparalleled clarity in theory. The Xperia 1 V brings slick camera hardware too, including a variable telephoto shooter. Toss in the well-received Cinema Pro and Photo Pro apps and this should please amateur photographers.

Perhaps the biggest issue with the Xperia 1 V is the fact that Sony isn’t offering a long-term update pledge. That’s a giant shame when you’re spending ~$1,400.