If it isn’t obvious, get the Galaxy S24 Ultra instead
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra is finally here, and on my list of the best phones you can buy it is the best phone overall. On paper it doesn’t look like a huge upgrade over the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and in some ways even seems a step backwards. Should you just buy last year’s Ultra instead, if the price is right? No! Even if the S23 Ultra falls in your lap for free, I’d suggest buying this year’s model or waiting until you can afford a phone made from this point onwards.
Wait, is the Galaxy S23 Ultra still on sale? Yes, and unfortunately the pricing makes little sense considering the new hotness is already here. When the Galaxy S23 Ultra was launched in February, 2023, it cost $1,199 in the US. Today at Samsung.com you can buy a brand new Galaxy S23 Ultra for the low price of … $1,199. Yup, Samsung hasn’t dropped the price at all.
Samsung is even offering more value on a trade if you buy a Galaxy S24 Ultra instead of an S23 Ultra. I checked the value for an iPhone 14 traded for a new Galaxy Ultra and Samsung offered $400 if I buy this year’s Ultra, but only $325 if I pick the S23 Ultra instead.Seven years of Android versus four
Even if you find a deal on a used or refurbished Ultra from last year, I’d still stick with the Galaxy S24 Ultra. First of all, Samsung only promises four years of Android updates on phones from 2023. That’s not bad, and probably longer than you’ll own the phone, but the latest Galaxy S24 family, including the Ultra, comes with a promise of seven years of Android and security updates.
