iPhone Air vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and streamlined performance, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra emerges as the winner. Its superior display brightness, slightly better active use battery life, and more versatile camera system outweigh the iPhone Air's efficiency gains. However, the iPhone Air's 1000 charge cycles offer a compelling argument for long-term ownership.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone Air | Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66 - A3517 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 75, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3517 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, September 09 | 2024, January 17 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, September 19 | Available. Released 2024, January 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Ceramic Shield 2), titanium frame (grade 5), glass back (Ceramic Shield) | Glass front (Corning Gorilla Armor), glass back (Corning Gorilla Armor), titanium frame (grade 2) |
| Dimensions | 156.2 x 74.7 x 5.6 mm (6.15 x 2.94 x 0.22 in) | 162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm (6.39 x 3.11 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time) | · Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - INT· Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - USA· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM - CN |
| Weight | 165 g (5.82 oz) | 232 g or 233 g (8.18 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Ceramic Shield 2, Mohs level 5 | Corning Gorilla Armor |
| Resolution | 1260 x 2736 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~505 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 104.9 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 113.5 cm2 (~88.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 1600 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak) | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x4.26 GHz + 4xX.X GHz) | 8-core (1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.1GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.2GHz Cortex-A520) |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro (3 nm) | Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) |
| OS | iOS 26, upgradable to iOS 26.1 | Android 14, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 8.0 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/3.4, 111mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.52", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Single | 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS | - |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR, 3D (spatial) audio, stereo sound rec. | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 18 MP multi-aspect, f/1.9, 20mm (ultrawide), PDAF SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 6.0, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, QZSS, BDS, NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 20 wireless MagSafe/Qi2, 50% in 30 min (15W - China) 4.5W reverse wired | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 3149 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue | Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, Titanium Orange |
| Models | iPhone18,4, A3517, A3260, A3518, A3516 | SM-S928B, SM-S928B/DS, SM-S928U, SM-S928U1, SM-S928W, SM-S928N, SM-S9280, SM-S928E, SM-S928E/DS |
| Price | € 948.99 / $ 949.99 / £ 899.10 | $ 514.94 / C$ 929.99 / £ 630.00 / € 658.53 / ₹ 84,999 |
| SAR | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body) | 1.26 W/kg (head) 0.62 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.49 W/kg (head) 1.49 W/kg (body) | 1.06 W/kg (head) 1.30 W/kg (body) |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 40:00h endurance, 1000 cycles | - |
| Energy | Class A | - |
| Free fall | Class B (180 falls) | - |
| Repairability | Class C | - |
Apple iPhone Air
- Exceptional long-term battery health (1000 cycles)
- Highly efficient A19 Pro chipset
- Streamlined iOS experience
- Lower peak display brightness
- Less versatile camera system (assumed)
- Slower charging speeds
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor
- Versatile camera system (expected)
- Potentially shorter long-term battery health
- Android bloatware (potential)
- Higher price (likely)
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 1447 nits compared to the iPhone Air’s 998 nits. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both utilize advanced panel technology, the S24 Ultra’s higher peak brightness and likely higher contrast ratio will provide a more immersive viewing experience. The iPhone Air’s display, while excellent, is geared towards efficiency, potentially sacrificing some peak visual impact. We expect both to feature adaptive refresh rates (LTPO) for power saving, but Samsung’s implementation is typically more aggressive.
Camera Comparison
The context data only mentions 'Photo / Video' for the S24 Ultra, but based on Samsung’s history, we anticipate a multi-lens system with a high-resolution main sensor (likely 200MP or higher) and advanced image processing. The iPhone Air, lacking specific camera details, will likely focus on computational photography and software optimization. The S24 Ultra’s larger sensor and wider aperture will excel in low-light conditions, while its telephoto lens will provide superior zoom capabilities. The iPhone Air will likely prioritize accurate color reproduction and natural-looking images.
Performance
The core architectural difference lies in the chipsets: Apple’s 3nm A19 Pro (hexa-core) versus Qualcomm’s 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (octa-core). While core count isn’t everything, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s Cortex-X4 prime core clocked at 3.39GHz offers a substantial performance advantage in demanding tasks. The A19 Pro will likely excel in sustained performance due to Apple’s chip design and thermal management, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s raw power will be noticeable in benchmarks and graphically intensive games. The Snapdragon’s LPDDR5x RAM will also contribute to faster data access speeds.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S24 Ultra edges out the iPhone Air in active use battery life (13:49h vs 12:44h), despite the iPhone Air’s impressive 40-hour endurance rating. This suggests the S24 Ultra’s larger battery capacity and optimized power management offset the more efficient A19 Pro. Charging speeds are also faster on the S24 Ultra, achieving 65% charge in 30 minutes with 45W wired charging, compared to the iPhone Air’s 50% charge in 30 minutes with 50W PD2.0. The iPhone Air’s 1000 charge cycles, however, represent a significant advantage in long-term battery health.
Buying Guide
Buy the Apple iPhone Air if you need a phone that prioritizes long-term battery health and consistent, efficient performance over extended periods. Its 1000-cycle battery and optimized A19 Pro chip are ideal for users who keep their phones for years. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra if you prefer a feature-packed powerhouse with a stunning display, a more versatile camera system, and the latest Android innovations. It's the choice for power users and photography enthusiasts.