Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs iPhone 15 Plus: a middle-phone match-up

In the eternal contest between Samsung and Apple it’s perhaps the Plus models that get the least hype and attention. But these middle children are great handsets, with both the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and the iPhone 15 Plus achieving 4.5 stars in our reviews.

So which of these similarly supersized phones should you buy? Well, while the overall quality might be comparable, there are some big differences between them.

So, based both on their specs and the findings in our Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review and our iPhone 15 Plus review, here’s how these two phones compare.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs iPhone 15 Plus: specs comparison

The chart below shows the key specs of both the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and the iPhone 15 Plus, so you can see at a glance how they stack up – but for more detailed insights, read on.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs iPhone 15 Plus: price and availability

Both the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and the iPhone 15 Plus are out now and widely available, with the former having launched on January 17, 2024, and the latter landing back in September of 2023.

As for their prices, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus starts at $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,699, which gets you 256GB storage. There’s also a model that costs $1,119.99 / £1,099 / AU$1,899, and comes with 512GB of storage. All of these also have 12GB of RAM.

The iPhone 15 Plus starts at $899 / £899 / AU$1,649 for a 128GB model, rising to $999 / £999 / AU$1,849 for a 256GB model, and $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,199 for a 512GB model, all with 6GB of RAM.

So the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus’s starting price is $100 / £100 / AU$50 more than the iPhone 15 Plus’s, but that also gets you twice as much storage. When looking at the 256GB model of each, the two are priced identically in the US and the UK, while the iPhone 15 Plus costs AU$150 more in Australia.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs iPhone 15 Plus: design and display

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and the iPhone 15 Plus have a few key differences in their designs. For one thing, while the S24 Plus has a small punch-hole camera in the screen, the iPhone 15 Plus has a much larger Dynamic Island.

The rear camera layouts are also very different, with the Galaxy S24 Plus’ trio of lenses individually jutting out of the back in a vertical line, while the iPhone 15 Plus’ two cameras are diagonally arranged in a squarish camera block.

Other differences include their colors, with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus coming in Onyx Black, Marble Grey, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Jade Green, Sandstone Orange, and Sapphire Blue, while the iPhone 15 Plus is available in Black, Blue, Green, Yellow, and Pink.

Their dimensions and weights also differ, with the S24 Plus being 158.5 x 75.9 x 7.7mm and 196g, while the iPhone 15 Plus is slightly larger and heavier at 160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8mm and 201g.

However, they also have plenty of similarities, with both phones having a glass back, an aluminum frame, and water resistance (to an IP68 rating).

They also both have a 6.7-inch OLED screen, but the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus has the edge here, as it has a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, while the iPhone 15 Plus has a 60Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits.

Samsung’s phone is also higher resolution at 1440 x 3120 (for 513 pixels per inch), compared to 1290 x 2796 and 460 pixels per inch on the iPhone.

In our Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review, we described its screen as “big, bright, outdoor-friendly and as good as the Galaxy S24 Ultra'”, while in our iPhone 15 Plus review we called the screen “a great expansive display”, but added that “60Hz is well behind the curve”.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs iPhone 15 Plus: cameras

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus has a 50MP f/1.8 main camera, a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide with a 120-degree field of view, and a 10MP f/2.4 telephoto offering 3x optical zoom, as well as a 12MP f/2.2 camera on the front.

The iPhone 15 Plus on the other hand has a 48MP f/1.6 main camera and a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide with a 120-degree field of view, plus a 12MP f/1.9 camera on the front.

So on paper the cameras sound similar, except that the iPhone 15 Plus lacks the Galaxy S24 Plus’s telephoto snapper. That means the Galaxy S24 Plus is the better phone for long-range photography, although the iPhone 15 Plus does at least have an optical-quality 2x zoom achieved by cropping into shots taken with the main lens.

Both phones impressed overall though, with the Galaxy S24 Plus additionally benefitting from AI tools like the ability to move people and objects in a photo.

For video, Samsung on paper has an edge with the ability to record in up to 8K quality, while the iPhone 15 Plus tops out at 4K. But in practice video recording has always been a major strength of Apple’s phones, with our iPhone 15 Plus review noting that “if you plan on shooting a lot – for social or otherwise – iPhones offer some of the most dependable high-quality footage in the smartphone space”.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs iPhone 15 Plus: performance and software

Both of these phones are extremely powerful, with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus pairing either a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or an Exynos 2400 chipset (depending on region) with 12GB of RAM, while the iPhone 15 Plus has an A16 Bionic chipset and 6GB of RAM.

The latter might sound less impressive, with half the RAM and a far older chipset (as it didn’t get the newer A17 Pro used by the iPhone 15 Pro). But in practice, these are both exceedingly speedy devices, with our Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review describing it as “a phenomenally powerful phone”, while our iPhone 15 Plus review described that as offering “exceptional performance”.

So neither of these phones will slow you down, with the bigger difference being their software. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus runs Android 14 with Samsung’s One UI 6.1 overlay, while the iPhone 15 Plus runs iOS 17.

Both are polished operating systems, so which is better will be subjective, but it’s worth noting that Samsung’s software has more AI baked in. So if that’s something you want to experience then the Galaxy S24 Plus has the edge. Then again, we also described Samsung's software as "overcomplicated" in our Galaxy S24 Plus review, so the iPhone wins for intuitiveness.

Both phones will be supported for a long time though, with Samsung promising seven years of software updates for the Galaxy S24 Plus, and Apple typically supporting its phones for five or six years.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs iPhone 15 Plus: battery life

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus has a 4,900mAh battery that charges at 45W, or at 15W if you’re using a wireless charger. It also offers 4.5W reverse wireless charging.

The iPhone 15 Plus has a smaller 4,383mAh battery with slower 20W wired charging, along with 15W wireless, but no reverse wireless charging.

So Samsung’s phone has a bigger battery and it charges faster, but what about battery life? Well, our Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review found it could last for well over a day and a half, while our iPhone 15 Plus review found it could last for up to two days. So the iPhone might have a slight edge here, but it’s close, and both phones impress for battery life.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs iPhone 15 Plus: verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and the iPhone 15 Plus are both extremely powerful, and they have the same size screens, similar build quality, the same level of water resistance, and largely similar camera specs.

However, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus has a higher refresh rate, resolution, and brightness, making its screen better overall. It also has an extra camera for telephoto shots, a faster charging battery, and it benefits from AI abilities.

The iPhone 15 Plus though may have slightly better battery life, and is a stronger choice for video recording. It also has slicker software and a lower starting price – though that difference disappears when comparing the same storage amounts.

As ever with comparisons between Android and Apple phones though, the biggest difference is the operating system and the available apps. You probably know which of those you prefer already – and which of these phones is therefore the best choice for you – but in most ways these are both excellent handsets, so either one should serve you well.

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