Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: In-Depth Comparison

In the world of premium smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max stand out as two of the most anticipated and highly rated devices in 2025. Both of these smartphones are packed with cutting-edge technology, offering powerful performance, stunning displays, advanced cameras, and top-tier features. In this article, we’ll provide a detailed comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, helping you decide which flagship device is best for you.

Design and Build Quality

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:

• The Galaxy S24 Ultra features a sleek and premium design, crafted with a glass back and aluminum frame. It maintains a modern and sophisticated aesthetic with a large dynamic AMOLED 2X display that curves around the edges, making it feel futuristic.

• The S24 Ultra is IP68 water and dust resistant, making it highly durable for everyday use.

iPhone 16 Pro Max:

• The iPhone 16 Pro Max follows Apple’s signature design, with a premium stainless steel frame and a Ceramic Shield front cover. It has a flat-edged design and is also IP68 rated, ensuring its durability against water and dust.

• Apple’s attention to detail with its color options and materials makes the iPhone 16 Pro Max a stunning device, especially in the new titanium options.

Winner: Tie – Both devices offer a premium build, with the edge going to design preferences, whether you prefer Samsung’s curved screen or Apple’s flat-edged design.

Display and Screen Technology

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:

• The S24 Ultra features a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering vibrant colors and sharp contrast. It is known for its excellent brightness levels and superb HDR support.

• Samsung’s AMOLED technology typically offers deeper blacks and more vibrant colors than other display types.

iPhone 16 Pro Max:

• The iPhone 16 Pro Max comes with a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion technology, supporting a 120Hz refresh rate. Apple’s display excels in color accuracy, and the ProMax model is brighter than previous iPhones, making it perfect for outdoor visibility.

• Apple’s display tends to deliver a more natural, true-to-life color palette, compared to the vibrant punchiness of Samsung’s AMOLED displays.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – Slight edge in color vibrancy and contrast due to AMOLED technology, though both displays are top-tier.

Performance: Power and Speed

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:

• The Galaxy S24 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (or Exynos 2200, depending on region). This chipset offers excellent performance for gaming, multitasking, and resource-heavy tasks.

• With 12GB or 16GB of RAM, the S24 Ultra handles smooth performance across demanding applications and multitasking needs.

iPhone 16 Pro Max:

• The iPhone 16 Pro Max is equipped with Apple’s A17 Bionic chip, which is known for its efficiency and impressive raw power. Apple chips typically outperform the competition in both single-core and multi-core processing speeds.

• With iOS’s optimization and up to 8GB of RAM, the iPhone 16 Pro Max provides an ultra-fast experience for apps and gaming.

Winner: iPhone 16 Pro Max – The A17 Bionic chip is expected to outperform the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, making the iPhone 16 Pro Max a more powerful device in terms of raw performance.

Camera Technology

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:

• The S24 Ultra offers an impressive quad-camera setup with a 200MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and two telephoto sensors (10MP and 10MP). Samsung’s camera system excels in zoom capabilities with 100x Space Zoom and laser autofocus for incredibly sharp images.

• The Galaxy S24 Ultra also performs well in low light, thanks to its larger sensors and advanced computational photography.

iPhone 16 Pro Max:

• The iPhone 16 Pro Max comes with a 48MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and two telephoto lenses (12MP and 12MP). Apple’s cameras shine in color accuracy, and they excel in portrait and low-light photography with advanced image processing.

• The iPhone’s new ProRAW and ProRes video features give professional-grade control over editing and shooting, making it perfect for content creators.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – The 200MP camera and advanced zoom capabilities give the Galaxy S24 Ultra an edge, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max holds its ground with superior video and color accuracy.

Battery Life and Charging

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:

• The S24 Ultra is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 45W fast charging. It also features wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.

• Samsung claims a full charge in around an hour, with fast charging up to 50% in about 20 minutes.

iPhone 16 Pro Max:

• The iPhone 16 Pro Max features a slightly smaller 4,400mAh battery but boasts highly optimized power efficiency through the A17 chip and iOS integration.

• It supports 20W fast charging and wireless charging, but the charging speeds are slower than the S24 Ultra’s.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – With its larger battery and faster charging capabilities, the S24 Ultra takes the lead in this category.

Software and Ecosystem

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:

• The S24 Ultra runs Android 13 with Samsung’s One UI 5.1 skin. Samsung continues to offer great customization options, multitasking features, and integration with Samsung’s ecosystem (including Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Watch, and Samsung Dex).

• Samsung provides 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates.

iPhone 16 Pro Max:

• The iPhone 16 Pro Max runs on iOS 17, offering seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem, including iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and other Apple services like iCloud and iMessage.

• iPhones receive software updates for up to 5 years, ensuring long-term support and new features.

Winner: iPhone 16 Pro Max – The iOS ecosystem and software support are often considered superior, especially for long-term updates.

Pricing and Availability

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:

• The base model of the S24 Ultra starts around $1,199.99, with higher pricing for increased storage options.

• The S24 Ultra is available globally, with various regional variants depending on chipset and features.

iPhone 16 Pro Max:

• The iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,299 for the base model, with additional pricing for higher storage configurations.

• Available through Apple and major carriers worldwide.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – The S24 Ultra offers a more affordable starting price compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Here’s the comparison table between the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max:

This table provides a clear side-by-side comparison of the key features between the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max, making it easier to see how each flagship device stands in terms of design, performance, and other specifications.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max are both exceptional devices, each catering to different needs and preferences.

• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra stands out with its massive 200MP camera, powerful battery life, and faster charging. If you’re looking for a versatile device with cutting-edge display technology and camera zoom capabilities, the S24 Ultra is the way to go.

• iPhone 16 Pro Max is the winner for performance, software integration, and longer-term iOS support. If you’re looking for seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem and cutting-edge processing power, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is unbeatable. / DifreHub.com