The sun beat down on the Mojave, dust devils dancing in the distance. I was out there, of all places, testing the S24 Ultra’s 100x zoom. Seriously, who needs 100x zoom? Well, as it turned out, I did. I was tracking a rare desert tortoise, and that lens, paired with the AI-assisted stabilization, let me snag surprisingly crisp shots from hundreds of yards away. That, my friends, is practical application.

This isn’t just a phone; it’s a pocket-sized observatory. The 200MP main sensor, a significant jump over last year’s model, captures detail that’s frankly astounding. The image processing, handled by the enhanced Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, is also incredibly snappy. Even with the file sizes that behemoth sensor generates, everything processes fast. No lag, even when layering multiple effects or cropping aggressively. I’ve been known to push phones, and this thing takes it all without a whimper.

Let’s get down to brass tacks. I’ve been using the unlocked US version, specifically the 512GB model, for about a month now. Battery life? Solid. A full day of heavy use – GPS tracking, photography, video editing – is easily achievable. Even on a two-day camping trip, with careful power-saving measures, I was fine. The S Pen is, as always, a joy. Its responsiveness feels…right, like an extension of your hand. Samsung nailed that.

Now, for the nitty-gritty. The display is, to put it mildly, gorgeous. Edge-to-edge is the name of the game, so it feels immersive for anything from viewing photos to scrolling through spreadsheets (yes, I do that). The screen’s peak brightness, too, is a marked improvement. It’s readable, even in direct sunlight. The titanium build feels premium, and it’s lighter than I expected. It’s also, for the most part, a fingerprint magnet, which is a bit of a bummer. But a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth and it’s back to looking slick.

There is, of course, always a trade-off. The competition (looking at you, Google Pixel 8 Pro) offers slightly better computational photography in some scenarios. But the S24 Ultra’s raw hardware advantage – that massive sensor, the zoom capabilities – wins out for me, especially if you are serious about photos.

If you’re a professional photographer or a serious hobbyist who prioritizes image quality and zoom capabilities, this is your phone. Consider it a top-tier investment in your digital toolkit. Go. Buy it. You won’t regret it.