As we’ve seen over the past decade with the latest flagship smartphones, entry-level and midrange devices are also subject to regular upgrades year-on-year. Although their release schedule isn’t as well-timed, the units receive key improvements, often technologies that have become more affordable since they launched as first-time features on flagships. Samsung has a range of such smartphones within its stables, offering great value and capabilities across its A-Series range of smartphones. Having been released earlier in 2023, we look at the entry-level Samsung Galaxy A24.
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Build and Design
Being an entry-level smartphone, I was taken aback by its size upon unboxing. More often than not, budget smartphones have much more petite frames. However, with its larger screen, the Samsung Galaxy A24 is large, measuring 162.1×77.6×8.3mm. As a result, it’s also on the heavier side, weighing 195g.
However, the large size has its merits, with its 6.5” screen. The panel is a Super AMOLED with a 90Hz refresh rate and a brightness of 1,000 nits. Additionally, it has a 1,080×2,340px resolution display, which has a 396ppi pixel density. Furthermore, it has an 82.4% screen-to-body ratio. While it lacks HDR support, the specifications are similar to the Galaxy S23 Plus, which is quite impressive.
What’s excellent with the A24 is that it offers classic features such as the 3.5mm auxiliary jack for those still using wired headphones or their car’s audio system. Even with more people using Bluetooth of late, it’s still a welcome inclusion to have the option available. It also sports a tri-card slot, which allows for two nanoSIM cards and a microSD card.
If one feature is missing, it is its protective casing. Unlike the S23 range with its Gorilla Glass protection, the A24 doesn’t offer much protection. I would like to say it’s one of those features you can live without, but screen protection is essential, even if you have a case. This means you’ll need to double down and purchase a screen protector.
Overall, the design is quite impressive, especially its screen.
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Performance and Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy A24 features a MediaTek MT8781 Helio G99 (6nm) SoC with an Octa-core (x2 2.2GHz Cortex-A76 and six 2.0GHz Cortex-A55) CPU. It also features a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU along with 128GB internal storage and a range of 4GB, 6Gb and 8GB RAM options, however, if you’re going to be multitasking quite often.
What’s great is that it offers the latest firmware version with Android OS 13 and One UI 5.1. You get all the standard software features as with the other flagship smartphones.
Its 5,000mAh battery has an incredible capacity to power you through almost two full days of normal usage. Its less powerful CPU means you won’t use as much battery, eking out several more hours. If you also set the screen resolution down, you’ll have a smartphone capable of almost three days, which is even more impressive.
It supports 25W recharging, which is decent for an entry-level smartphone. This means you’ll have about 25% recharge in 15 minutes and roughly 50% in half an hour. As with other modern smartphones, the A24 also doesn’t ship with a charger in the contents, only the USB Type-C cable.
One lacking aspect is the 5G support. While it may not be as widespread outside of metropoles, or even certain mobile networks, it would be great to have it as future-proof.
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Overall, the Galaxy A24 delivers decent performance capabilities without breaking the bank. It delivers on what it sets out to do while offering a great visual display without issues while streaming or playing games. With a rundown battery test lasting about a day, you can go without your charger for much longer.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy A24 is a great little smartphone. Although, it’s not so little with its 6.5” screen. The A24 can easily be compared to the Galaxy S23 Plus, if not for its less powerful but more affordable CPU. While there is a noticeable difference in the crispness of operation, it’s still a great buy at just R4,499. It’s a feature-rich option for users on a budget who are still looking for a fantastic visual display.
The Review
Samsung Galaxy A24
The Samsung Galaxy A24 may be an entry-level smartphone, but it delivers excellent performance and quality while being extremely affordable. It delivers great visuals for all your videos and games while compromising a tad on multitasking.
PROS
- 6.5", 90Hz Super AMOLED screen
- Similar design to the flagship Galaxy range
- Great battery life
- 3.5mm auxiliary jack
CONS
- Surprisingly no 5G
- Camera is a hit and miss
- No Gorilla Glass
