Galaxy S24 Ultra AI Review: Which Features Actually Matter?
- Review, Technology
- Exienent
- · Updated
The Galaxy S24 Ultra's AI is more than a marketing buzzword: three features in particular, Circle to Search, Live Translate, and Transcript Assist, change how you use a phone day to day. Generative Edit and the keyboard's writing assist are weaker, but those look like software issues that updates can fix.
It's easy to scoff at "AI built into a smartphone" and assume it just means one more app installed. The S24 Ultra, the phone that kicked off the on-device AI era, makes a stronger case than that. It's not just about chatting with a bot; the features below are built into everyday actions like searching, calling, and recording.
What Is Circle to Search and Why Is It So Useful?
Circle to Search lets you search anything on your screen by pressing and holding the home button (or navigation bar) and drawing a circle around it. It is arguably the S24's most useful AI feature.
Without it, spotting a cool pair of sneakers while scrolling Instagram means identifying the brand logo, opening a browser, and searching for it. That process is tedious enough that it's tempting to just give up.
With Circle to Search, you don't need to take a screenshot or switch to another app. Google Search slides up from the bottom of the screen and tells you the brand, the price, and even where you can buy the item.
It can quickly become a habit, to the point of reaching for the bottom of the screen on other phones and tablets. Clothes a friend is wearing, a cafe chair seen on the street, or a travel destination spotted on YouTube all become one gesture away. It lowers the barrier to searching more than any other feature on the phone.
How Well Does Live Translate Work on Phone Calls?
Live Translate, found under "Call Assist," translates a phone call in both directions in near real time, and it handles practical tasks well even if it is not perfect.
Take a common scenario: a problem with a hotel reservation abroad, where email would be too slow and a phone call is stressful for someone uncomfortable speaking English. With Call Assist turned on, you can say in Korean, "I want to postpone my reservation date by one day," and after a short pause the phone delivers it in English to the other person. When they reply in English, it translates back to Korean and shows the result in both voice and text.
It's not as seamless as a professional simultaneous interpreter. There is a slight delay, and it can occasionally misunderstand things. Still, it is good enough for the basic goal of communication. Because the whole process happens on the device itself, without an internet connection, there are fewer privacy concerns and the speed stays fairly stable.
Can Transcript Assist Replace Writing Meeting Minutes?
Transcript Assist can take most of the work out of meeting minutes, though you will still want to review its output.
After recording a meeting with the default Voice Recorder app, you press the "Transcribe" button. It distinguishes the speakers and extracts the conversation into text, and pressing "Summarize" makes the AI organize only the key points.
The transcription can be surprisingly accurate, picking up context even when Korean pronunciation is mumbled or several people talk over each other. Instead of listening to a recording from start to finish and typing it all out, you can let the AI draft the minutes and only make edits, which can save a meaningful amount of time.
What Are the Galaxy S24's AI Weak Points?
The weakest AI features are Generative Edit and the Samsung Keyboard's writing assist. Generative Edit can fill in the background absurdly after you erase a subject from a photo. The writing assist (tone change and similar tools) can still feel awkward and "translated" when used in Korean.
These look like software optimization issues rather than hardware limitations, and they can likely be improved through future updates.
Is the Galaxy S24 Ultra Worth Buying for Its AI?
If it's time to upgrade and you value small everyday conveniences, I think the Galaxy S24 series is a solid choice. The phone has evolved beyond being a fast machine that takes good photos into a smart assistant that helps out exactly when needed, without the hassle of finding an app, launching it, and typing in a command. Personally, I find it hard to imagine going back to a phone without AI.
