Galaxy S24 unlocked… dumb question from someone not tech-savvy

General
1

Hi everyone, I’m planning to buy the Galaxy S24 soon and had a question I couldn’t find a clear answer for. On Samsung’s website, they offer the S24 with different carrier options and an ‘unlocked’ version. I’m currently on AT&T with a family plan, but the AT&T-specific version is $150 more than the unlocked one.

Would it be fine if I bought the unlocked version directly from Samsung and just swapped in my current SIM card? I’m not great with phone tech, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

2

Get the unlocked version. You’ll own the phone outright and can use it with any carrier.

3

Bao said:
Get the unlocked version. You’ll own the phone outright and can use it with any carrier.

Thanks! That makes sense and sounds easy enough.

4

Crosby said:

Bao said:
Get the unlocked version. You’ll own the phone outright and can use it with any carrier.

Thanks! That makes sense and sounds easy enough.

No problem, happy to help.

5

Crosby said:

Bao said:
Get the unlocked version. You’ll own the phone outright and can use it with any carrier.

Thanks! That makes sense and sounds easy enough.

Since you’re buying unlocked, think about switching to prepaid plans—they save you a lot in the long run.

6

@Peyton
Absolutely. I’m paying $42.50/month for unlimited everything on AT&T. Speeds rarely drop below 150 MB/S unless I’m at a crowded event, and they throw in 15 GB of free hotspot data too.

7

Go for the unlocked version if you can. It gives you more color options and avoids carrier bloatware. Plus, your current SIM should activate it just fine with AT&T.

Also, heads-up—the S25 launches on January 22, and preorders open in early February. Samsung usually offers huge trade-in discounts during launch, so it might be worth waiting.

8

@Eli
Wow, I didn’t realize the S25 was coming so soon. Honestly, I wanted to order now because I’m worried about possible tariffs affecting prices later.

Do you think I should go for the S25 or wait for its launch to see if the S24 gets a price drop? For context, I’ve been using an S8 for nearly 8 years, so small performance differences between the models don’t matter much to me if the price is a lot higher.

9

@Crosby
The difference between the S24 and S25 is small. Just go with whichever is more affordable for you.

10

@Crosby
I’d say go for the S25. You’ll get the latest features, and it’ll last you longer.