Samsung has made significant strides in smartphone technology in recent years, with each iteration of the Galaxy S lineup pushing the boundaries of performance, battery life, and user experience. With the release of the Samsung Galaxy S24, comparisons to its predecessor, the Galaxy S21, are inevitable—especially in terms of battery and performance. While the S21 brought solid reliability and performance when it was released, the S24 introduces enhanced components that may redefine what users expect from a flagship device.
Battery Life: Efficiency Meets Innovation
The Galaxy S24 builds on lessons learned from previous models, including the S21, by focusing on both battery capacity and optimization. While both phones deliver respectable endurance, the approach to power management differs significantly between them.
Battery Capacity: Marginal Yet Impactful Changes
- Galaxy S21: 4000mAh
- Galaxy S24: 4000mAh (base model), 4700mAh (S24+), 5000mAh (S24 Ultra)
Although the base model of the S24 retains the same 4000mAh battery as the S21, improvements in chip efficiency and software make it last significantly longer during real-world usage. In higher-tier models like the S24+ and S24 Ultra, higher-capacity batteries offer even better endurance, ideal for gaming, streaming, and productivity tasks.
Charging Capabilities: Quick and Convenient
- Galaxy S21: 25W wired, 15W wireless
- Galaxy S24: 45W wired (S24+ and Ultra), 15W wireless
The faster 45W charging in the S24+ and S24 Ultra provides a noticeable advantage for users who frequently need quick top-ups during the day. It reduces downtime and enhances mobility—especially important in a work-from-anywhere era.
Software Optimization
Samsung has fine-tuned One UI over the years, and the One UI 6 running on the S24 benefits from better background task management and adaptive power saving, contributing to longer screen-on times. The S21, though optimized for its time, lacks some of these newer enhancements in energy efficiency.
Users report approximately 10-20% improvement in daily battery performance when comparing equivalent use cases between the S21 and S24. For power users, this difference is more than noticeable—it becomes indispensable.
Performance: A Generational Leap Forward
The performance upgrade between the S21 and S24 is more than just numerical; it’s evolutionary. Under the hood, both devices are strikingly different when it comes to raw power and efficiency.
Processor and GPU
- Galaxy S21: Exynos 2100 (global), Snapdragon 888 (US)
- Galaxy S24: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (global & US)
The S24 blazes past the S21 in CPU speed, AI capabilities, and GPU efficiency thanks to the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip custom-tuned for Samsung devices. This translates into approximately 30-40% improved performance in real-world applications, including gaming, multitasking, and on-device AI processing.
RAM and Storage
- Galaxy S21: 8 GB RAM, 128/256 GB storage
- Galaxy S24: Up to 12 GB RAM (Ultra), 256/512 GB and 1 TB storage (Ultra only)
Bigger RAM and UFS 4.0 storage in the Galaxy S24 contribute to faster app launches, smoother multitasking, and improved performance for content creators who rely on 4K/8K video editing on the go.
Gaming and Graphics
Gaming benchmarks highlight a huge leap in graphical performance, with the S24 handling extensive gaming sessions with better thermal management and less frame drop compared to the S21. The Adreno GPU in the S24 not only supports higher frame rates but also enables features like ray tracing, previously unavailable to mainstream mobile users.
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Thermal Management and AI Integration
Samsung has made noticeable improvements in how the S24 handles heat under load. With a revamped vapor chamber cooling system and better dynamic power allocation, the S24 can sustain higher performance levels for longer periods without throttling. In contrast, the S21 tends to heat up quicker under extended strains such as 4K video recording or sustained gaming.
On-device AI features debut robustly in the S24 lineup, assisting in everything from photo editing to voice recognition. These processes now consume less battery and deliver faster, more accurate results compared to the S21’s dated neural processing unit.
Real-World Experience and Longevity
Daily tasks such as launching social media apps, using GPS while on mobile data, and video conferencing perform faster and more efficiently on the S24. The real-world advantage isn’t just about speed—it’s also about consistency and energy consumption.
Moreover, Samsung has extended its future-proofing promise with the S24 by offering 7 years of OS and security updates, placing it far ahead of the S21, which receives only 4 years. Long-term software support ensures that users continue to enjoy smooth and secure performance well into the next hardware cycle.
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Conclusion
While the Galaxy S21 still holds its own in many respects, the Galaxy S24 offers noticeable improvements in both battery life and performance that cater to today’s power-hungry and multitasking-heavy mobile environment. The S24’s enhanced chipset, improved power consumption, and smarter features make it a compelling upgrade—not just for enthusiasts but also for everyday users looking for longevity and reliability.
FAQs
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Q: Is the Galaxy S24 battery actually larger than the S21’s?
A: The base model of the S24 has the same 4000mAh battery as the S21, but improved power efficiency gives it better real-world battery life. The S24+ and Ultra do have larger batteries (4700mAh and 5000mAh respectively). -
Q: Does the S24 charge faster than the S21?
A: Yes, especially in the S24+ and S24 Ultra variants, which support 45W wired charging, compared to the S21’s 25W. -
Q: What is the biggest performance difference between the two phones?
A: The S24 uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, offering a significant boost in CPU, GPU, and AI performance over the S21’s Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100. -
Q: How does the gaming performance compare?
A: The S24 supports higher frame rates, better thermal management, and even ray tracing, making it substantially better for gaming than the S21. -
Q: Is it worth upgrading from the S21 to the S24?
A: If you desire noticeably better battery life, faster performance, and longer software support, the upgrade is well worth considering.