The Smartphone Race of January 2024: Samsung S24 Ultra vs. OnePlus Ace3
The smartphone world kicked off 2024 with an exciting race of new releases, offering everything from high-end powerhouses to mid-range gems. For those ready to upgrade their devices and overwhelmed by the choices, let me share two devices that have caught my attention.
1. Samsung S24 Ultra
The much-anticipated Samsung S24 series made an early appearance in January 2024. The S24 series, being the flagship line from Samsung, showcases significant improvements in both hardware configurations and design—a compelling reason why I recommend it. The standard S24 and the S24+ show usual upgrades, but the S24 Ultra is the real showstopper.
The look of the Samsung S24 Ultra has undergone a dramatic overhaul. It moved from a curved to a flat-screen design and is encased in a more refined frame made of titanium metal, giving it a robust aesthetic. Its display is upgraded with Samsung’s latest M13 top-tier OLED screen, offering superior color reproduction and contrast.
In terms of the camera, the S24 Ultra’s main sensor has been improved from its 200-megapixel predecessor, ensuring clarity and vivid colors in both photos and videos. Additionally, it boasts 10 million 3X telephoto and 50 million 5X telephoto lenses, ensuring high-quality images and videos at various distances. These upgrades significantly bolster the overall capabilities of the S24 Ultra, establishing it as one of the top flagship smartphones on the market.
2. OnePlus Ace3
Now, you might be wondering why I’m also focused on a mid-range device. The OnePlus Ace3 starts at just 2599 yuan—a fraction of the Samsung S24 Ultra’s estimated price in the ten-thousand-yuan range! The Ace3 piqued my interest because its value proposition at the 2K+ price point is impressive, making it arguably the best bang for your buck at the start of the year.
First off, the performance of the OnePlus Ace3 is quite outstanding. It features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and is coupled with LPDDR5X+UFS4.0 memory, with up to 16GB of RAM support. While not the “strongest” or “flagship-level” performer, its AnTuTu score hits over 170,000, and it runs popular games like “Genshin Impact,” “Honor of Kings,” and “Honkai Impact 3rd” smoothly at full frame rates.
The screen is a crucial component of any smartphone and affects the overall user experience. The OnePlus Ace3 doesn’t disappoint with its latest 1.5K display by Dongfang, ensuring high definition, excellent color accuracy, and brightness. It makes watching videos and gaming a clear, smooth experience. The Ace3’s display also supports eye protection to reduce blue light exposure, and with LTPO technology, it adapts the refresh rate to balance performance and battery life.
Regarding battery life, the OnePlus Ace3 comes with a sizable 5500mAh battery that should last for a full day’s use. It also supports 100W super flash charging, capable of bringing the battery to 50% in roughly 10 minutes—ideal for long-term use and convenience.
In a nutshell, high-end seekers might lean towards the Samsung S24 Ultra, while those mindful of value for money should consider the OnePlus Ace3 as an excellent option in the 2-3K yuan price range. And, with the OnePlus Ace3 now on sale, it could be the perfect time for interested buyers to get their hands on it.