I know this has probably been asked a lot, but I’m unsure of what to do. I currently have the S20, and I’m wondering if I should buy the S24 Ultra now since it’s on sale for around $1000, or should I wait for the S25 Ultra?
I don’t upgrade phones often, so I’m not sure how the trade-in value works or how much the next phone will actually improve. I read that the S25 Ultra might not be much of an upgrade, but I’m also tempted by the sale now. I just don’t want to miss out on a good deal, especially since I’ve had my S20 for so long.
I’d say go for the S24 Ultra on Black Friday. Phones these days are so good, they’ll last a long time. You won’t need to upgrade again for years, and you’ll get a better deal now than later.
@Jo
Yeah, that’s kind of what I’m thinking too! I’ve heard rumors about a new chip in the S25 Ultra, but I’ve also read that the difference won’t be huge. I’m leaning towards getting the S24 Ultra for about $850 with all the deals, but I’m still not sure if I should just wait. The S24 Ultra seems like a great deal, but then I’d miss out on possible preorder deals for the S25 Ultra. It’s tough to decide!
I’ve been using Samsung for 15+ years, and I’ve learned to never buy at launch, especially the Exynos versions. It’s always better to wait for reviews, especially about battery life and connectivity. Sometimes they release phones that have major issues. Plus, Samsung’s phones lose value so fast, so I’d never pay full price.
@Haru
Yeah, they don’t actually ‘lose’ value—they just start off overpriced. It’s easy to get a phone for much cheaper if you know where to look. Samsung’s MSRP is set high to make the brand seem premium, but no one actually pays that.
The main differences with the S25 Ultra are the new processor (which isn’t really necessary), the ultrawide camera with 50 MP (still the same lens, so the picture quality won’t change much), and a new design. Honestly, between the two phones, I’d say stick with the S24 Ultra. The performance improvements between generations are getting smaller every year. If your phone’s already faster than a cheap laptop, do you really need more? Even phones from five years ago still work fine. If you’re in the US, $1000 isn’t really a great deal—it’s the regular price. You could wait for the S25 Ultra preorder deals and get a much better deal on it, like $600 after trade-in.
@Ciel
I’m in the US, and I just checked the Samsung app. I can get the S24 Ultra for about $850 with all the deals, which seems like a pretty good deal compared to the $1000. Do you think I could trade it in later for a decent value if I upgrade to the S25 Ultra? I’ve read I’d only need to pay a few hundred after the trade-in, so it seems like a good deal, but I’m not sure if I should just wait for preorder deals for the S25 Ultra.