Samsung Galaxy S24: price, carriers, and how to buy

Following a spat of leaks, Samsung has unveiled its forthcoming set of flagship phones, detailing the new Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra at its latest Unpacked event. The new smartphones officially launch on January 31st and are available for preorder beginning today, with the base model starting at $799.99, the Plus model starting at $999.99, and the high-end Ultra handset going for $1,299.99.

In our early hands-on time with them, we haven’t noticed anything groundbreaking about the Galaxy S24 family’s hardware, though each phone boasts a slightly bigger battery and display than its predecessor. The Ultra now further justifies its premium price tag with a titanium build, and all of the displays are noticeably brighter. Instead of reinventing the design wheel, Samsung has instead focused on building out a suite of AI features that rely on Google’s Gemini foundational models, many of which sound genuinely helpful, while others are meant purely for fun.

Some of these features are fully processed on the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, while others require server-side processing. These phones should also age much more gracefully, as Samsung generously matches Google’s seven-year upgrade promise, guaranteeing you at least seven major Android upgrades and security updates.

For now, you’re probably wondering where you can order one ahead of their official launch later this month. Thankfully, you’ll find nice preorder incentives no matter which carrier or retailer you prefer.

The Galaxy S24 starts at $799.99 for the 8GB RAM model with 128GB of storage. Higher storage tiers will cost more, but Samsung has encored its free storage upgrade promotion this year that’ll get you double the storage on all models — including a bump from 512GB to 1TB on the Ultra, which is a first. It’s widely available in black, gray, violet, and yellow, though Samsung also offers it in green, blue, and orange if you purchase it direct.

In addition to the aforementioned storage upgrade, Samsung is throwing in a $25 credit if you purchase one during the preorder window as well as up to $550 in trade credit. Best Buy, meanwhile, is currently offering a $50 gift card and up to $870 after qualifying trade-ins and factoring in the price difference for the free storage upgrade. Amazon is offering a free storage upgrade and a $50 gift card as well, but you’ll need to click the on-page coupon to redeem it.

When compared to the Ultra, the standard Galaxy S24 lacks the titanium build and S Pen, along with the 200-megapixel wide and 5x telephoto cameras, QHD resolution, and 45W charging. It’s the smallest of the three phones at 6.2 inches, but that’s a boon for those who prefer petiteness, and it should sufficiently satisfy most buyers’ needs outside of the most demanding creatives and power users.

Starting at $999.99, the Galaxy S24 Plus offers 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. You’ll also get a free bump to the larger storage model if you buy it from Samsung during the preorder period. Trading in your older phone nets you up to $650 toward your purchase, and you’ll get an additional $75 in instant credit.

As for other retailers, the same storage promo is currently available at Best Buy with a $100 gift card and any additional funds you’d get from trading in your old device. It’s the same deal at Amazon, but you’ll receive a $150 gift card instead of a $100 gift card when you redeem the on-page coupon.

The Galaxy S24 Plus is similar to the base model but has a bigger 6.7-inch screen with QHD-equivalent resolution (an upgrade over the standard S24 and last year’s S23 Plus). This is the pick for you if you value more screen real estate and a substantially larger battery.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra now starts at $1,299.99 for the 12GB RAM model with 256GB of storage, which is a $100 uptick from last year’s model. A free storage upgrade to 512GB offsets the added cost, which you can get by preordering the phone through Samsung. This year, those who opt for the 512GB model will also get a free storage upgrade to the 1TB configuration. You can also get up to $750 with a trade-in, and you’ll get a $100 instant credit that’s good toward additional purchases made at the time of sale.

As for Best Buy, you’ll get up to $870 in value after trade-ins and free storage upgrades up to 512GB, along with a $150 gift card. Amazon is offering a free storage upgrade as well, along with a $200 gift card when you redeem the on-page coupon.

The S24 Ultra enjoys more radical changes this year. It’s only slightly bigger than the S24 Plus at 6.8 inches, but it includes an integrated S Pen, a new 50-megapixel 5x telephoto camera, and a 200MP wide-angle camera that serves as the primary shooter. It’s also the only smartphone of the three that sports a titanium frame and Corning’s new Gorilla Armor, the strongest tempered glass the company makes. The S24 Ultra is currently available in gray, black, violet, and yellow, with Samsung.com offering it exclusively in blue, green, and orange.

• Verizon will trade any older Samsung phone you have in any condition for a Galaxy S24 or S24 Plus or, for $1,000 off, a Galaxy S24 Ultra. Those discounts are administered as bill credits over a 36-month period. Verizon is also offering the same free storage upgrade as Samsung, Best Buy, and other retailers. You can also add a free Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Tab as additional lines or save up to 50 percent on a pair of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, 25 percent on select chargers, and 15 percent on cases and screen protectors.
• AT&T is also offering a Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus or $1,000 off the S24 Ultra as monthly bill credits when you trade in a Galaxy phone in any condition. Like the other retailers, you’ll also receive a free storage upgrade if you place your preorder before January 31st.
• T-Mobile customers can get the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus for free and up to $1,000 off the Galaxy S24 Ultra (distributed as 24 equal bill credits) when trading in phones on a Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan. You can also get the base Galaxy S24 for free (up to $800 off) without a trade-in if you’re adding a new line to either of those plans. If you make your purchase during the preorder period, you’ll get double the storage for free. New and existing customers can also get a $200 prepaid Mastercard for each new line they add (which is good for up to five lines).