Is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Still Worth Buying in 2026?

Updated 21 July 2026.

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The Galaxy S24 launched back in early 2024, which in phone years is ancient. But here’s the thing — it’s still a genuinely good phone, it still gets updates for years, and now it’s a fraction of its launch price.

So is it a smart buy in 2026, or have cheaper new phones left it behind? Depends which S24 you mean. Let’s break it down.

Short answer

The S24 Ultra is still very much worth it — and it has one trick its newer replacements lost. The base S24 is trickier, because mid-range phones like the Pixel 10a now match it for less. Buy the S24 if the price is right; otherwise look carefully at what the same money buys new.

First: it’s not obsolete

Worth clearing this up, because people assume a two-year-old phone is past it. It isn’t.

The whole S24 range runs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (or Exynos 2400 in some regions), which is still fast in 2026. It handles everything — apps, multitasking, photography, most games — without breaking a sweat. Unless you’re doing heavy video editing or maxing out demanding 3D titles, you won’t feel the age.

And crucially, Samsung promised seven years of updates for the S24. So one bought now still has around five years of security patches and Android upgrades ahead. That’s longer support than most brand-new mid-rangers offer.

The S24 Ultra’s secret weapon

If you’re looking at the Ultra, here’s a reason to pick the older model over the newer ones that almost nobody mentions.

The S24 Ultra is the last Galaxy with a Bluetooth S Pen. Samsung quietly removed Bluetooth from the stylus on the S25 and S26 Ultra. That Bluetooth lets you use the S Pen as a remote — control media, act as a camera shutter, flip slides from across the room. If those air-gesture tricks matter to you, the S24 Ultra actually does something its own successors can’t.

Add the 6.8-inch AMOLED display, a 200MP main camera, and that 5,000mAh battery, and the S24 Ultra remains a proper flagship in 2026 — now at a much friendlier used price.

Get it if: you want flagship power, a big screen, and the stylus — especially the Bluetooth one.

→ Check renewed S24 Ultra prices on Amazon

The rest of the S24 lineup

Galaxy S24 (base)

The 6.2-inch base model is compact and still lovely to use, with the same fast chip and clean Samsung software. The catch in 2026 is its 4,000mAh battery, which is small by today’s standards, and the fact that newer mid-rangers have quietly overtaken it.

The clearest example: the Google Pixel 10a at around $500 has a bigger screen, a much larger 5,100mAh battery, and a similar camera — for less than a new S24. So the base S24 only makes sense if you find it genuinely cheap.

Get it if: you want a compact flagship and snag a real bargain on it.

→ Check renewed S24 prices on Amazon

Galaxy S24+

The Plus is the middle child — a bigger 6.7-inch screen at a sharper resolution, and a healthier 4,900mAh battery that fixes the base model’s main weakness. If you want a larger S24 without the Ultra’s price or stylus, this is the sensible pick, particularly at a discount.

Get it if: you want a big screen and better battery, minus the Ultra extras.

→ Check renewed S24+ prices on Amazon

Galaxy S24 FE

The FE (Fan Edition) is the budget entry to the S24 family — most of the experience for less money, with a slightly less powerful Exynos chip and marginally cheaper materials. It’s the value play within the range, and a solid choice if you want the Samsung experience cheaply.

Get it if: you want into the S24 family for the lowest price.

→ Check renewed S24 FE prices on Amazon

Quick comparison

Should you buy the S24 or something newer?

Here’s the honest decision.

Buy the S24 if you find a good used or discounted price — especially on the Ultra, which still competes with current flagships and has that unique Bluetooth S Pen. Two years of depreciation makes it a lot of phone for the money.

Buy something newer if you’re looking at the base S24 near its old price. At that point a current mid-ranger like the Pixel 10a, or the newest Galaxy, gives you more. Our Samsung Galaxy buying guide covers the current S26 lineup, and our best Android phones guide rounds up everything worth buying right now. Weighing it against Google’s equivalent? Our take on whether the Pixel 9 is still worth it covers its closest rival.

The rule of thumb: the S24 is a great deal, not a great full-price buy. Chase the discount.

Before you buy a used S24

A couple of quick tips if you go the second-hand route.

Check the battery health where you can — a two-year-old phone may have some wear. Certified refurbished units usually have this checked and often include a warranty, which is worth the small premium over a private sale.

Grab a case while you’re at it. A refurbished flagship is still a glass sandwich, and you’ve just saved hundreds — spend twenty of it protecting the thing.

→ Galaxy S24 cases on Amazon

Confirm update status. Make sure it’s had recent security patches, and set it to update through Settings — never through a link in a text. New-to-you phone owners get targeted by scammers, so our phone scam and security guide is worth a read.

FAQ

Is the Samsung Galaxy S24 still worth buying in 2026? Yes, if the price is right — especially the S24 Ultra, which remains a capable flagship and is the last Galaxy with a Bluetooth S Pen. The base S24 is trickier, since mid-rangers like the Pixel 10a now match it for less, so it’s only worth it at a genuine discount.

Will the Galaxy S24 still get software updates? Yes. Samsung promised seven years of OS and security updates for the S24, so one bought in 2026 still has roughly five years of support left — longer than many brand-new budget phones offer.

Which Galaxy S24 model should I buy? The S24 Ultra for flagship power and the stylus, the S24+ for a big screen and good battery, or the S24 FE for the best value. The base S24 only if you find it cheap, as its small 4,000mAh battery and price make newer mid-rangers more appealing.

Is the S24 Ultra better than the S25 or S26 Ultra? Not in raw specs, but it has one advantage: it’s the last Ultra with a Bluetooth S Pen, which works as a remote shutter and media control. Combined with a much lower used price, that makes it a smart buy for stylus fans.

Galaxy S24 or Pixel 10a? The Pixel 10a at around $500 often makes more sense than a new base S24 — bigger battery, similar camera, clean software. The S24 wins on raw processing power and if you can find it heavily discounted. For the base model specifically, the Pixel is strong value.

How much should I pay for a used Galaxy S24? Well below its launch price — two years of depreciation means significant savings. Prioritise certified refurbished units with checked battery health and a warranty, and compare against what a current mid-ranger costs new before deciding.

Is the Galaxy S24 good for gaming? Yes, for most games. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 handles the vast majority of titles smoothly in 2026. Only the most demanding 3D games will push it, and even then it remains playable — just not at maximum settings.