Galaxy S24 Ultra owners are publicly sticking with their phones and say Samsung’s newer flagships haven’t given them enough reason to upgrade. A recent Reddit discussion saw owners celebrating the S24 Ultra’s design and features while expressing disappointment with the S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra.
Galaxy S24 Ultra design and longevity
Many owners describe the S24 Ultra’s form factor, design and functionality as Samsung’s peak. One commenter wrote, “I keep holding out for a phone better than the 24u, might be holding out forever.” The attachment runs deep: some plan to keep their S24 Ultra through the remaining years of software support—the Galaxy S24 series will receive updates till 2031.
Owners’ willingness to keep their devices extends to repairs rather than replacements. Several said they would replace the battery if needed; one owner said they have already replaced theirs and were encouraged to keep the phone after seeing the rumored Galaxy S27 Ultra design. The discussion also acknowledged that rumors are not guaranteed to be true.
Reasons owners are staying put
Concrete reasons underlie the loyalty. Some prefer the S24 Ultra’s boxy, Note-like appearance. Others value the S24 Ultra’s mix of a flat display and a slightly curved side frame, which some found more comfortable to hold than the fully flat frames of the S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra.
Practical trade-offs also factor in. Curved displays can raise concerns about durability, lead to accidental touches and make using the S Pen near the edges less comfortable; the S24 Ultra combined a flat screen with curvy sides to avoid some of those issues. At the same time, some users miss Bluetooth S Pen features that Samsung removed with the S25 Ultra, including the ability to use the pen as a remote camera shutter.
Individual experiences echoed the broader sentiment. One owner who replaced a broken S24 Ultra with an S26 Ultra missed the older design and felt the improvements lacked a wow factor. Another returned their S26 Ultra because they preferred their S24 Ultra’s display, even while acknowledging the newer phone’s better performance and cameras. Conversely, some commenters said they prefer the S25 Ultra’s flat edges enough to accept the loss of the S Pen’s Bluetooth features.
