The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is now two Galaxy generations old, but that does not automatically make it a bad buy. If you want a large-screen, S Pen-equipped flagship with a genuinely capable camera system and years of software support left, a refurbished S24 Ultra is worth serious consideration — provided you buy from a seller who is clear about condition, warranty and returns. The short version: it remains one of the more sensible refurbished flagship purchases in the UK right now, especially at refurbished prices well below the cost of a new one, but it is not the right phone for everyone. The main thing to get right before buying is matching the condition grade and storage size to what you actually need, since the price varies with both.
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Quick Verdict: Is It Worth Buying in 2026?
Yes, with conditions. The Galaxy S24 Ultra still runs comfortably thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset, its 200MP camera system remains genuinely competitive, and Samsung's update commitment means it is not close to running out of software support. It suits buyers who want S Pen input, a large 6.8″ display and flagship camera versatility without paying current-generation flagship prices. It does not suit buyers chasing the newest chipset, the latest Galaxy AI feature set in full, or a phone with an unused battery and a full manufacturer warranty. Check current condition and storage availability before deciding.
Still Worth Buying in 2026?
The Galaxy S24 Ultra launched in January 2024, which puts it two generations behind Samsung's current flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra (launched February 2026). Two years is a meaningful gap in phone terms, but it matters less than it used to. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy was a genuine flagship chipset at launch and continues to handle everyday use, multitasking and most mobile gaming without strain. Samsung committed to seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates for the S24 series when it launched — a policy confirmed at the time by outlets including Engadget and Forbes, and later followed through with the One UI 7 rollout in April 2025. That puts the S24 Ultra's software support horizon out toward 2031, which is longer than most people keep a phone.
Who Should Buy This Phone
The S24 Ultra suits anyone who wants a large-screen flagship with S Pen input built into the chassis, a versatile camera setup covering ultra-wide through to 5x periscope telephoto, and a titanium build that feels more premium than mid-range alternatives. It is a good fit for buyers upgrading from an older Galaxy Note or S-series Ultra who want a noticeable step up without paying current flagship prices, and for anyone who values display size and stylus functionality over having the absolute latest chipset.
Who Should Skip This
Skip it if you specifically want Samsung's newest Galaxy AI feature set in full — some features are version and region dependent, and the S24 Ultra will not always match a current-generation phone here. It is also not the right choice if battery longevity is your top priority: refurbished units do not come with a stated battery health figure, and the warranty explicitly excludes battery issues. If you need a brand-new device with a full manufacturer warranty and an unused battery, buying new is the safer route. And if a compact phone is what you actually want, the S24 Ultra's size will not suit you regardless of price.
Performance in 2026
Day-to-day performance is where the S24 Ultra continues to earn its place. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy handles app switching, camera processing and typical productivity tasks smoothly, and it remains capable for most current mobile games at reasonable settings. It will not match the newest Snapdragon or Exynos silicon in raw benchmark terms, but very few everyday tasks actually require that headroom. For most buyers coming from a phone three or more years old, the difference will feel like a significant upgrade rather than a compromise.
Camera System
The rear camera array — 200MP wide, 50MP 5x periscope telephoto, 10MP 3x telephoto and 12MP ultra-wide, paired with a 12MP front camera — was a genuine step up when it launched and remains one of the more flexible Android camera setups available at refurbished prices. The 5x periscope lens in particular is still uncommon outside flagship-tier phones, and having two distinct telephoto focal lengths gives more compositional flexibility than most single-tele rivals. Photo quality in good light is excellent; low-light and zoom performance benefit from Samsung's processing, though as with any two-year-old flagship it will not quite match the very newest computational photography gains.
Battery
The S24 Ultra carries a 5,000mAh battery with 45W wired charging and wireless and reverse wireless charging support. On a new unit this comfortably covers a full day of typical use. What we cannot tell you is how much capacity a specific refurbished unit has left, because battery health is not stated per unit on the product listing — see the dedicated section below on what that means in practice.
Software Longevity
This is arguably the strongest argument for buying an S24 Ultra now rather than waiting. Samsung's seven-year OS and security update commitment for the S24 series means this phone is supported well beyond most ownership cycles. It launched on Android 14 and has already received One UI 7; on the stated policy it has years of update coverage ahead of it, which meaningfully de-risks a refurbished purchase compared with buying an older, closer-to-end-of-support flagship.
Build Quality
The titanium frame and Corning Gorilla Armor front glass were a genuine upgrade over previous Galaxy Ultra models, giving the phone a more premium, scratch-resistant feel in hand. Samsung rated the phone IP68 for dust and water resistance (1.5m for up to 30 minutes) when new; this is Samsung's original specification and has not been separately re-verified on refurbished units by The Tech Gadgets, so treat it as a manufacturer baseline rather than a guarantee on a used device that may have been opened for repair or inspection.
Display
The 6.8″ QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with adaptive refresh up to 120Hz remains one of the better mobile displays available, with strong brightness, colour accuracy and smoothness for scrolling, video and S Pen use. Two years on, it still holds up well against current mid-range and even some current flagship panels.
Storage Options
The S24 Ultra is available refurbished in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. The price varies with both storage size and condition grade, so it is worth checking the current variant selector on the product page for today's price on each configuration. Pricing on refurbished stock can shift with what is currently in inventory, so always confirm the live price for the exact configuration you want before deciding.
Refurbished vs New
Buying refurbished saves a substantial amount over a brand-new S24 Ultra while keeping the same core hardware, screen and camera system. The trade-offs are a shorter warranty than a new phone typically carries, no factory-sealed battery guarantee, and cosmetic variation depending on the condition grade you choose. For buyers who do not need an unopened box and are comfortable with light cosmetic wear on lower grades, refurbished is usually the better value decision. If you would rather compare this against a different ecosystem entirely, our refurbished iPhone buying guide for 2026 covers the equivalent trade-offs on the Apple side.
Refurbished vs Used (Private Sale or Marketplace)
A refurbished phone from a retailer and a used phone bought privately or from a general marketplace are not the same purchase, even at similar prices. A refurbished unit from The Tech Gadgets comes with a stated 12-month warranty covering manufacturing defects and functional faults, and a 30-day return window. A private sale typically comes with none of that — no warranty, no formal returns process, and no independent grading of condition. You also have far less recourse if a fault appears after a few weeks. Refurbished retail is the lower-risk route for anyone who is not confident inspecting or testing a used phone themselves.
What to Inspect Before Buying
Because exact box contents and per-grade cosmetic criteria are not published in detail on the listing, it is worth checking directly with the seller before you buy if either matters to you — for example, whether a charging cable is included, or exactly what "Very Good" looks like versus "Excellent" for this specific phone. On arrival, check the screen for dead pixels or burn-in, test all three rear cameras and the front camera, confirm the S Pen pairs and writes correctly, test wireless and wired charging, and check that both the SIM tray and eSIM activation work on your network within the 30-day return window.
Condition Grading Explained
The Tech Gadgets offers four condition grades for this phone: Like New, Excellent, Very Good and Fair. All four grades are currently listed — check the product page for live stock and today's price. Like New costs the most, then Excellent, then Very Good, and Fair is the cheapest. Current pricing for each grade is shown in the variant selector on the product page rather than quoted here. If a lower grade would suit your budget better, select it on the product page or contact the seller directly about availability.
Battery Condition Reality
This is worth being direct about: the listing does not state a battery health percentage for individual units, and this is common practice across the refurbished phone market rather than something specific to this seller. If battery health is critical to you — for instance, you plan to use the phone heavily for navigation, gaming or hotspot use — ask the seller directly before buying, and remember that the warranty explicitly excludes battery faults, so a battery that degrades over time after purchase would not be covered as a defect.
Warranty Considerations
The phone comes with a 12-month warranty covering manufacturing defects and functional faults. It explicitly excludes battery wear, physical damage and water damage. Read that as: if something stops working through no fault of your own, you are covered; if you drop it, get it wet, or the battery gradually degrades with normal use, you are not. This is a fairly standard structure for refurbished electronics and is worth factoring into how carefully you handle the phone once it arrives.
Returns
You have 30 days from delivery to return the phone. Use this window to genuinely test the unit — cameras, S Pen, charging (wired and wireless), both SIM methods, and general performance under your typical daily use — rather than just confirming it powers on.
Unlocked and Network Compatibility
This S24 Ultra is sold unlocked and SIM-free, and works on any UK network including EE, O2, Vodafone and Three, subject to normal device compatibility. UK models support Nano-SIM plus eSIM, so you can run a physical SIM and an eSIM profile side by side if your plan supports it, or switch networks freely without a carrier lock to deal with.
Value for Money
At current refurbished pricing, the S24 Ultra offers flagship-level display quality, a genuinely versatile camera system, S Pen functionality and years of remaining software support for meaningfully less than a current-generation flagship. The main variable affecting whether it is good value for you specifically is condition grade and storage size versus your budget and needs — there is little point paying for 1TB if you will never use half of it, and equally little point buying a lower grade purely to save money if cosmetic condition matters to you.
Compare Storage & Condition Options
What Affects Refurbished Pricing
Refurbished pricing moves with condition grade, storage size, and what is currently available in stock. The price gap between storage tiers is not fixed on refurbished stock — it depends on what units the seller currently holds rather than a fixed markup structure. This is normal for the refurbished market and is exactly why it is worth checking live pricing on the product page rather than relying on assumptions about how storage tiers are usually priced.
Buying Safely in the UK
When buying a refurbished flagship phone in the UK, look for a stated warranty period and what it actually covers, a clear returns window, an unlocked and network-compatible device, and a seller who is upfront about what is and is not confirmed about the unit's condition. The Tech Gadgets meets those basics here: 12 months warranty on defects and functional faults, 30 days to return, unlocked for any UK network, and clear condition grading at checkout. For a full specification rundown alongside the rest of the S24 line-up, see our Refurbished Galaxy S24 Series UK guide.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Refurbished, Unlocked)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Refurbished, Unlocked)
Current price: see today's price on the product page — varies by storage and condition grade
Condition: Like New / Excellent / Very Good / Fair — select at checkout
Storage: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Warranty: 12 months (manufacturing defects & functional faults; excludes battery, physical & water damage)
Delivery: same-day dispatch before 3pm Mon-Fri (per product page)
Returns: 30 days from delivery
Check Current Price & Availability
Buying Checklist for the Refurbished Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Decide your condition grade priority: all four grades (Like New, Excellent, Very Good and Fair) are currently listed, so check the variant selector for live stock.
- Confirm live pricing for your chosen storage size and condition grade on the product page.
- Ask the seller about box contents and specific cosmetic criteria for your chosen grade before ordering, since these are not fully published.
- Ask about battery health if it matters to your use case, since it is not stated per unit.
- Confirm your network (EE, O2, Vodafone, Three or other) will accept an unlocked S24 Ultra without issue.
- On arrival, test screen, all cameras, S Pen, wired and wireless charging, and both SIM and eSIM within the 30-day return window.
- Keep the 12-month warranty terms in mind — note what is and is not covered before you need to make a claim.
Final Recommendation
The refurbished Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra remains a sound buy in 2026 for anyone who wants a large-screen, S Pen-equipped Android flagship with a strong camera system and years of software support ahead of it, at a meaningful discount to current-generation pricing. It is not the right choice if you need the newest chipset, the fullest current Galaxy AI feature set, or the certainty of an unworn battery under full warranty. For most buyers who fall into the first group, checking current condition grade and storage pricing on the live listing is the sensible next step.
View the Refurbished Galaxy S24 Ultra
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra still worth buying in 2026?
Yes, for most buyers who want a large-screen flagship with S Pen input and a strong camera system without paying current-generation prices. It runs smoothly on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy and has years of software support remaining under Samsung's seven-year update commitment. It is less compelling if you specifically need the newest chipset or the full current Galaxy AI feature set.
How long will the Galaxy S24 Ultra receive software updates?
Samsung committed to seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates for the S24 series when it launched in January 2024, a policy confirmed by multiple outlets at the time and followed through with the One UI 7 rollout in 2025. That gives this phone one of the longer support horizons available on a two-year-old Android flagship.
What condition grades are available and what do they cost?
The Tech Gadgets offers Like New, Excellent, Very Good and Fair grades, and all four are currently listed — check the product page for live stock. Like New is the highest-priced grade, then Excellent, then Very Good, and Fair is the cheapest. Pricing for each grade is shown in the variant selector on the product page rather than being quoted here.
How does storage size affect the price?
Price depends on the storage size and condition grade you choose, and on current refurbished stock availability rather than a standard pricing rule, so it is worth checking the live variant selector for today's price rather than assuming a fixed price-per-storage-tier pattern.
Does the refurbished S24 Ultra come with a warranty?
Yes, 12 months, covering manufacturing defects and functional faults. It excludes battery wear, physical damage and water damage. Combined with the 30-day return window, this gives you time to test the phone properly and cover before committing long-term.
Will this phone work on my UK network?
Yes. It is sold unlocked and SIM-free, and works on EE, O2, Vodafone, Three and other UK networks subject to normal compatibility. UK models support both Nano-SIM and eSIM.
What is the battery health on a refurbished unit?
This is not stated per unit on the listing, which is standard practice across the refurbished phone market rather than specific to this seller. If battery condition is a priority for you, ask the seller directly before ordering, and bear in mind the warranty does not cover battery wear.
Is a refurbished S24 Ultra better value than buying used privately?
For most buyers, yes. A refurbished unit from a retailer comes with a stated warranty and a defined 30-day return window, neither of which you typically get buying privately or from a general marketplace listing. That formal cover is usually worth more than any small price difference versus a private sale.
Related Content
- Refurbished Samsung Galaxy S24 Series UK: Buy S24, Plus, FE & Ultra — full specification breakdown across the whole S24 line-up.
- Best Refurbished iPhone to Buy in 2026 (UK Buying Guide) — for buyers weighing Android against iOS.
- Refurbished Samsung Galaxy S25 Series UK — if you want to compare against Samsung's next generation.
- Refurbished Samsung Galaxy S23 Series UK — a lower-cost older-generation alternative if budget is the main driver.