The iPhone 16 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Full Comparison, the Clasico of compact flagships, Performance and Design. Let’s find out which one is the top winner.
Design
The recipe to make an iPhone 16: take an iPhone 15, remove the mute switch, replace it with the action button, add a camera control button on the other side, flip the back, realign the cameras into a vertical layout, and voilà, your iPhone 16 is ready!
For the Samsung Galaxy S24: just add one more camera below that vertical layout. Jokes aside, both these phones have a glass sandwich design with glass on the front and back, along with an aluminum frame. The iPhone has a matte finish, which I prefer, while the Samsung has a glossy finish.
Both phones are compact with a good in-hand feel, and both feature IP68 water and dust resistance. However, Samsung has an advantage with a USB 3.2 Type-C port, while the iPhone 16 uses USB 2.0.
Both phones use strong glass: Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 16 and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the S24. Despite Apple claiming Ceramic Shield is 50% better this year, it seems more prone to scratching than the S24’s glass.
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Display
When it comes to displays, Samsung has the upper hand. You get a larger display with slimmer bezels and a punch-hole camera instead of a dynamic island. Moreover, the S24 has a 120Hz LTPO panel, compared to the iPhone 16’s 60Hz display. Testing also showed that the Galaxy S24’s display is brighter than the iPhone 16, both indoors and outdoors.
The Galaxy S24 features an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, while the iPhone 16 sticks to Face ID. However, the iPhone has tighter, more refined haptic feedback.
Performance
The iPhone 16’s A18 chip is more powerful than the Exynos 2400 in the Galaxy S24. Benchmarks like Geekbench and 3DMark Wildlife Extreme show the iPhone scoring higher with better GPU stability. The iPhone also runs cooler thanks to an aluminum heat dissipation sheet, and it excels in gaming, supporting console-quality games like Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
While the S24’s GPU is capable, it seems to throttle performance. For example, in Genshin Impact, the iPhone 16 averaged 59 FPS, while the S24 managed around 47-48 FPS.
In daily usage, though, the S24’s 120Hz refresh rate makes for a smoother experience compared to the iPhone’s 60Hz.
Battery
The iPhone 16’s battery life is superior, lasting around 7 hours and 30 minutes of screen time, compared to 5 hours and 30 minutes on the S24. However, the S24 charges faster, with 25W wired charging versus 20W on the iPhone. Wireless charging is faster on the iPhone 16, but the MagSafe charger is expensive.
Camera
The S24 has a 3x telephoto camera, a feature missing on the iPhone 16. While the iPhone 16’s 24MP main sensor generally delivers more detail, Samsung’s 3x zoom shots are crisper.
The iPhone’s Fusion technology makes 2x images look almost optical, but Samsung’s ultra-wide camera falls short in macro shots, where the iPhone’s autofocus shines.
In portrait shots, Samsung struggles with skin tones, producing a reddish hue, while the iPhone performs better, especially in challenging lighting.
For video recording, both phones perform well, but the iPhone leads in low-light video quality and ultra-wide video. However, Samsung’s HDR for selfie videos is better.
Software
Samsung’s One UI 6 outshines iOS 18, mainly because of Galaxy AI, which offers features like Samsung Wallet, Secure Folder, and advanced photo editing tools. Samsung’s AI tools like Circle to Search and Note Assist are powerful, and Good Lock adds customization options that iOS lacks.
Apple’s iOS 18.1, coming in October, promises Apple Intelligence features like improved Siri, call transcription, and writing tools, which will bring it closer to competing with Galaxy AI.
Conclusion
Choosing between these two phones is tough. If you want great performance, better battery life, and prefer iOS, the iPhone 16 is your best option. However, if you’re looking for a more versatile and affordable phone with a 120Hz refresh rate and Galaxy AI features, the Galaxy S24 is the one for you.
For me, I’d probably choose the Galaxy S24, because I can’t live with a 60Hz display in 2024.
- Best Deals Today : iPhone 16
- Best Deals Today: Samsung Galaxy S24.
