Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max—Which is Better?

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max, which phone is better? Earlier this month, Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event saw the launch of the Galaxy S25 series, showcasing the best smartphone technology that the South Korean company has to offer this year. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, the most advanced and expensive model of the lot, was an obvious standout, and it has established itself as the benchmark that all other smartphones will aim to surpass for the rest of 2025.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the best that Apple has available right now, and we likely won’t see the iPhone 17 series launch until much later in September. For now, the Apple and Samsung flagship phones for 2025 are going head to head in terms of technology, but which one comes out on top? To understand better, we’ll have to compare the Samsung S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max specs to get a better sense of what each brand has prioritized.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max—Which Flagship Smartphone Should You Buy?

All things considered, when you compare the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra, there is one thing that both devices have prioritized—Artificial Intelligence. Today, regardless of whether you’re looking at a smart TV, smartphone, or laptop, AI features have been leading the way in determining what is possible with the given device. Samsung did a more admirable job of kicking off the AI trend, however, Apple Intelligence has caught on quite nicely in terms of its capabilities.

The camera specs, display quality, and overall processing power are other areas where the Samsung vs Apple 2025 specs butt heads, so it all boils down to what you’re looking for in a device.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max Specs

The Galaxy S25 Ultra has the popular Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 3 nm chipset at its heart while the iPhone 16 Pro Max is powered by the Apple A18 Pro 3 nm chipset. These are both the top-performing chips on the market right now, although Apple’s is obviously exclusive to its own devices. 

Both offer high processing power to support the array of AI features and gaming activities, however, the Samsung flagship phone for 2025 edges forward when you consider that it has 12GB RAM to support it as opposed to the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 8GB RAM.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra runs on Android 15 with the One UI 7 update that features the latest assortment of Samsung’s OS features, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max comes with iOS 18.2, which is also extremely up-to-date. Determining which user interface is better all boils down to which UI you’re more familiar with.

Comparing Samsung and Apple’s Flagship Display and Design

When it comes to the appearance of the two smartphones, again, it’s a mere matter of preference. Both adopt a titanium form factor, but where the Samsung flagship is more rectangular and boxy, the iPhone flagship embraces softer curves to the edges. Both come in a similar range of dark and light colors, however, the Samsung phone does have more exclusive colors available on the website.

The camera layout on the back of the smartphones keeps with previous design choices made by both brands, so while the Samsung cameras are stacked in a straight vertical line, the iPhone ones are packed away in a corner and rimmed with a raised-square protector. The Camera Control button, Action button, and Dynamic Island on the iPhone 16 Pro Max add a touch of uniqueness to the smartphone, giving it an edge over its competitors.

Both devices feature a 6.9-inch display and 1-120Hz refresh rate, and the quality of the display is similar. When you compare the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, the brightness and color accuracy of the latter are showcased in a better light.

Camera Comparisons of the Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has a quad camera setup with a 200MP main lens, a 50M ultrawide lens, and two telephoto lenses standing at 50 MP with 5x zoom and 10MP with 3x zoom. The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max has a triple camera setup with a 48MP main lens, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 12MP telephoto lens with 5x zoom. 

More cameras don’t always have to mean a better phone, but unfortunately for Apple, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra camera does feel superior. Samsung’s ProVisual Engine comes in clutch to help the quality of the photo and the HDR video-recording quality is also top-tier. The Galaxy Log capture capability with the Expert RAW mode also ensures more processing capabilities for videographers. 

The iPhone 16 Pro Max, just like its predecessors, provides industry-leading photos and videos that have long been compared to a full-blown professional camera. In low-light settings and for night photography, the Apple flagship phone shines a little brighter. The differences between the two smartphones will feel negligible unless you take photos and compare them side by side, but overall, in terms of zoom and video recording capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra takes the cake. 

Other Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max Features You Might Care About

One advantage of the Galaxy S25 Ultra is that the S pen integration provides a handy tool wherever you go—even if it lacks Bluetooth features. The Apple Pro Max skips out on any Apple Pencil availability or compatibility. 

In terms of battery, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a bigger capacity with its 5,000mAh battery, as compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 4,685mAh one. However, the iPhone appears to have a better power management system overall that allows it to last slightly longer than its competitor. On the other hand, in terms of charging speed, the Samsung device powers up more quickly, so depending on which convenience you prefer, one will work better than the other.

In terms of AI, Samsung has a wider range of AI support with its Gemini integration, the Now Bar brief and recommendations, the circle to search capabilities, and overall cross-app AI applications. All of these tools work better than the writing tools, Genmojo capabilities, and other features that Apple has been able to introduce so far.

Another key consideration between the two devices is the price. Both are extremely expensive, but while the iPhone Pro Max starts at $1,199 the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra starts at $1,299. If money isn’t a consideration then the Samsung phone may be your best purchase of the year, however, the difference in quality is so minimal that the iPhone 16 Pro Max would work just fine for you if you don’t mind investing in the Apple ecosystem. 

Overall Summary of the Samsung vs Apple Specs

If you asked us which phone is better, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or iPhone 16 Pro Max, we would have to pick the Samsung smartphone. Overall, while the device doesn’t make a massive upgrade from the Galaxy S24 Ultra when it is pitted against the iPhone, it becomes clear why there are so many proud Samsung users. From the camera to the S Pen to the AI features, there’s a lot to like about Samsung’s capabilities despite it being marked at a high price.

If you’re already an Apple user, there isn’t anything substantially different that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra does to convince users to make the switch to the device. If you’re an Android user, there is again little reason to consider switching teams right now to a product that isn’t the best the industry has to offer. 

Ultimately, in the battle between the Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max, the choice comes down to preference of brand and UI rather than anything particularly noteworthy in the hardware and innovation.