Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra owners are complaining the S Pen ‘smells so bad’

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra S Pen.
(Image credit: Future)

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the best Android phones you can buy, featuring outstanding cameras, stellar battery life, and a slew of new AI features. But Samsung's latest flagship has one major flaw that users just can't ignore: The S Pen stylus smells rank. 

Talk of the S Pen's aroma kicked off earlier this week after Reddit user LatifYil noted in a post that the S Pen on their Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra “absolutely reeks.” "Either I have a sensitive nose or this thing is being barbequed by the internals while it's unsheathed," they said. 

The post has chalked up over 250 comments from users commiserating about the S Pen's unpleasant scent, either having noticed it already or upon taking an experimental whiff after reading the post. The top-rated comment reads: "Can confirm it's a stinky boi." Others described the smell as "burnt plastic," "like new tech with a hint of burning," or, my favorite: "smells like cybertruck." 

Some users speculated that a chemical component could be to blame for the bad smell, similar to the bitterant added to Nintendo Switch game cartridges to keep the potential choking hazard out of children's mouths. To test this theory, one brave user licked their S Pen in the name of science, but found it didn't taste as bitter as Switch cartridges (How did they know that? Don't worry about it).  

As noted by SamMobile, a moderator on Samsung's EU community forum offered this explanation for the surprisingly malodorous accessory: 

"This isn’t anything to be concerned about. While the S Pen is in its holster, it is close to the internal components of the phone, which will generate heat while in use, and cause the plastic to heat up. This can smell like burning, but it is similar to the smell you might experience after leaving your car in the sun for a few hours. The seats and plastic fittings in the vehicle might smell hot, but this will diminish after it cools."

Mystery solved! The S Pen smells that way because the heat generated by the Galaxy S24 Ultra's internals is cooking the stylus's plastic shell. The dedicated journalists over at 9to5 Google gave previous S Pen models the sniff test to see if this has been a reoccurring issue. The team noticed the same burnt plastic smell on the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy S22 Ultra as well. But surprisingly, the S Pen on the Galaxy Note S20 Ultra was fragrance-free. The outlet speculates that may be because it's an older model of S Pen, which sports more of a glossy finish, while the latest S Pens incorporate a rubbery top coating to add more grip to the stylus.

Granted, you aren't likely to notice the S Pen's smell unless you put it right up to your nose (as no doubt a lot of folks will do after reading this article). While it's not a room-clearing stench by any means, it is odd that it's stuck around on a device that at this point is more than two years old. 

More from Tom's Guide

Category
Arrow
Arrow
Back to Mobile Cell Phones
Brand
Arrow
Storage Size
Arrow
Colour
Arrow
Condition
Arrow
Price
Arrow
Any Price
Showing 10 of 110 deals
Filters
Arrow
Our Review
1
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 256GB
Verizon
(256GB 12GB RAM)
Our Review
2
SAMSUNG Galaxy S24 Ultra...
Amazon
Our Review
4
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 512...
Samsung
(512GB)
Our Review
5
OnePlus - 12 512GB (Unlocked)...
Best Buy
Our Review
6
Google Pixel 8 Pro 128 GB in...
Visible
(256GB Blue)
Our Review
8
iPhone 15 Pro Max 256GB (with...
Straight Talk
Our Review
9
Google Pixel 8 Pro - 128 GB
AT&T Mobility
Show more
TOPICS
Alyse Stanley
News Editor

Alyse Stanley is a news editor at Tom’s Guide overseeing weekend coverage and writing about the latest in tech, gaming, and entertainment.Prior to joining Tom’s Guide, Alyse worked as an editor for the Washington Post’s sunsetted video game section, Launcher. She previously led Gizmodo’s weekend news desk and has written game reviews and features for outlets like Polygon, Unwinnable, and Rock, Paper, Shotgun. She’s a big fan of horror movies, cartoons, and roller skating.

Read more
Galaxy S25 Ultra display showing home screen and S Pen
Samsung's ridiculous S Pen saga continues — users complain magnetic accessories cause issues
Using the stylus on a Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra S Pen should be sold separately — here’s why
Galaxy S25 Ultra from the back
I spent 24 hours with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra — here’s what I like and what I don’t
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra torture test is a step backwards from last year’s model
Galaxy S25 Ultra display showing home screen and S Pen
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra just spurred a petition against its controversial downgrade
Galaxy S25 Ultra display showing home screen and S Pen
Samsung has started selling Galaxy S25 Ultra S Pen replacements — here's what they cost
Latest in Phones
Showing the front of a Galaxy S25 Ultra held in hand
One UI 7 will arrive late for US Samsung users — here’s when it’ll launch for you
iPhone Flip render
iPhone Flip could solve one of the biggest problems with foldable phones — here's how
CAD renders of the Google Pixel 10
Google Pixel 10’s Tensor G5 chipset could be very different — here’s what we know
back of Iris Pixel 9a
Google Pixel 9a launch LIVE: Everything you need to know
Google Pixel 9a hands-on.
Google Pixel 9a launches — price, specs and all the new features
Google Pixel 9a hands-on.
Google Pixel 9a hands-on: This cheap phone just surpassed the iPhone 16e
Latest in News
ExpressVPN logo above mobile devices
ExpressVPN lays off undisclosed number of employees
Poster for The Sex Lives of College Girls
'The Sex Lives of College Girls' canceled by Max after 3 seasons
Google Gemini logo
You can now use Google Gemini without an account — here's how to get started
Park Hae-soo as Kim Beom-jun in "Karma" on Netflix
Netflix’s latest crime thriller show just got a new trailer — and I can’t wait to see this ‘Squid Game’ star back in action
Michaela Kell (Julianne Moore) petting a bird in a promotional still from Netflix's "Sirens"
Netflix just teased a new dark comedy series with Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, and Meghann Fahy — here's your first look
Showing the front of a Galaxy S25 Ultra held in hand
One UI 7 will arrive late for US Samsung users — here’s when it’ll launch for you