Samsung Galaxy S24 vs. S23 Review: Which Refurbished Flagship Offers the Best Value in 2025?
With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S25 earlier this year, the focus shifts to the previous two generations: the S24 (released Feb 2024) and the S23 (released Feb 2023). Both phones were critically acclaimed and, now available on the refurbished market, represent two of the best-value Android devices you can buy. The core difference isn't just a slight bump in speed; it’s the addition of smart, game-changing AI features.
🧠 The AI Revolution: S24's Killer Feature
The single biggest distinguishing factor is Galaxy AI. The S24 series launched with a suite of integrated, on-device artificial intelligence features that redefine how you use the phone. While the S23 has received a limited number of these features via software updates, the S24 experience is more comprehensive and better integrated:
- Circle to Search: Draw a circle around anything on your screen (text, image, video) to instantly run a Google search.
- Live Translate: Provides real-time, two-way voice and text translations during phone calls.
- Generative Edit: AI features within the gallery allow you to move or remove objects, and seamlessly fill in the background.
Verdict: If you want the latest in mobile intelligence and future-proof AI integration, the Galaxy S24 is the clear winner.
🚀 Performance, Design, and Display
Performance and Chip
The S24 series features the faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (or the Exynos 2400 in some regions), providing a notable jump in GPU power over the S23’s excellent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Both chips are fast enough for any demanding app in 2025, but the S24 is more efficient, translating to better sustained performance and thermal management.
Design and Display
Both models feature the clean, minimalist "contour cut" camera design. The S24 introduced subtle but welcome changes:
- Brighter Screen: The S24 boasts a significantly brighter screen (peak brightness up to 2,600 nits), making outdoor viewing easier than the S23’s already bright display.
- Subtly Larger: The S24 and S24+ models saw a small size increase (0.1–0.2 inches) with thinner bezels, slightly enhancing the viewing experience without changing the feel.
- S24 Ultra: The S24 Ultra moved from a curved display to a fully flat screen, appealing to S Pen users and improving overall durability.
📸 Camera and Longevity
On paper, the camera hardware is virtually identical between the S23 and S24 base models, but the S24 pulls ahead thanks to superior processing and the use of its new AI engine for image enhancement. Most crucially for long-term ownership is the software promise:
- S24 Commitment: Samsung promised an industry-leading seven years of software and security updates for the S24 series, guaranteeing support well into the 2030s.
- S23 Commitment: The S23 offers four generations of OS updates and five years of security patches, still a solid promise, but significantly less than the S24.
🌟 Envirofone Verdict: Which Should You Buy Refurbished?
Both the S23 and S24 are superb devices, and choosing one comes down to your priorities:
| Choose the Galaxy S23 if: | Choose the Galaxy S24 if: |
|---|---|
| You want the absolute best value for money. The S23 is a premium flagship with fantastic battery life and a stunning camera that is now incredibly affordable. | You need the best long-term support (7 years of updates) and highly integrated AI features like Circle to Search and Live Translate. |
Find your next high-performance Samsung today. Secure a fully guaranteed, professionally tested S23 or S24 when you buy a refurbished smartphone. Ready to upgrade? Get an instant quote to trade in your current device when you sell your old handset to Envirofone.
