Samsung S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra: upgrading makes no sense.
Second-hand or refurbished, still the smartest buy

I own both a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and in everyday use I see no reason at all to upgrade. Everything runs smoothly, without a single stutter. Both phones have meanwhile been updated to One UI 9.0, and the photos I take with them still make people jealous.

So my advice is simple: there is no point in upgrading to a new phone today. A second-hand or refurbished S23 Ultra or S24 Ultra gets you a better smartphone than a new phone bought for the same budget.

Why a new phone is barely better

Processors have only taken small steps forward over the last three years. You can see the difference between the S23 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the S24 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and today’s chips in benchmarks, but not when opening apps, browsing, taking photos or navigating. The screens from back then are also nearly as good as today’s: sharp, bright and easy to read in sunlight.

Meanwhile, a new Galaxy S25 Ultra still costs around £630 in the UK and an S26 Ultra around £769 (idealo.co.uk, November 2026). For a lot less money you get an S23 Ultra or S24 Ultra that holds its own in daily use. A new phone in the same price range as a second-hand Ultra means compromising on the camera, the screen or the build quality. Current prices of new phones are in the most popular smartphones right now.

An S Pen with Bluetooth: gone on the new Ultras

Another reason not to upgrade: the S Pen of the S23 Ultra and S24 Ultra has a built-in Bluetooth button. It lets you control your phone remotely. Set the phone down, step into the frame and take a photo at the press of a button, for example. With the button and a gesture in the air you can also switch cameras or control a presentation and music. Samsung dropped this Bluetooth feature on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and the S26 Ultra no longer has it either. So on this point a newer Ultra actually does less than your old one.

Galaxy S23 Ultra: the best zoom for the lowest price

What many people don’t know: the S23 Ultra’s zoom is more powerful than the S24 Ultra’s. The S23 Ultra has a true 10x telephoto lens, while the S24 Ultra makes do with a 50-megapixel 5x lens and crops digitally at 10x. If you like zooming far in on birds, a stage or buildings, the older S23 Ultra takes the best pictures.

• Camera. 200-megapixel main camera plus 3x and 10x telephoto lenses.
• Performance. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 still runs even the heaviest apps and games without trouble.
• Updates. One UI 9.0 is its last major Android upgrade; security patches continue until early 2028.

Galaxy S24 Ultra: the flat screen and the longest updates

If you want to keep your phone for five years or more, pick the S24 Ultra. Samsung promises Android upgrades and security patches through 2031.

• Screen. Completely flat, with an anti-reflective coating that makes it even easier to read in sunlight.
• Galaxy AI. Handy extras such as Circle to Search and live translation during phone calls.
• Performance. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 stays a little cooler and more efficient during long gaming sessions.

S23 Ultra or S24 Ultra: the differences at a glance

Feature	Galaxy S23 Ultra	Galaxy S24 Ultra
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Screen	Slightly curved edges	Completely flat, anti-reflective
Optical zoom	3x and 10x optical	3x and 5x optical (50 MP)
Updates	Until early 2028	Until 2031

Buying second-hand or refurbished: what to look out for

My conclusion

Upgrading makes no sense today. A new smartphone brings only small improvements, at full price. Buy a second-hand or refurbished S23 Ultra or S24 Ultra and you have a better smartphone than a new phone for the same money. Pick the S23 Ultra for the best zoom and the lowest price, and the S24 Ultra if you want to keep using your phone until 2031.

Frequently asked questions

Will the S23 Ultra still get new Android versions? No. Samsung gave the S23 series four Android upgrades and five years of security patches. One UI 9.0 is the last major upgrade; security patches continue until early 2028.

Can you feel the difference between the two processors? Not in day-to-day use. During long gaming sessions or heavy video editing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 stays a little cooler and more efficient, but neither device feels slow.

Is the S Pen included with both? Yes, on both Ultra models the stylus slots into the phone itself. And on both it still has Bluetooth, so you can use it to take a photo remotely; the S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra can no longer do that.

Sources

• GalaxyClub — seven years of updates for the Galaxy S24 series
• Androidworld — update policy for the Galaxy S23 series
• Android Central — no more Bluetooth in the Galaxy S26 Ultra S Pen
• Kieskeurig — price history Galaxy S23 Ultra
• Back Market — refurbished price guide Galaxy S23 Ultra
• Tweakers — price comparison Galaxy S24 Ultra