Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: What's the difference?
Samsung's latest high-end flagship is ready to take on Apple's latest iPhone Pro Max - here's which one you should buy
📱 The Galaxy S25 Ultra is officially here to take on the iPhone 16 Pro Max
🏎️ Both phones come with top-tier specs and similar designs
📸 One can zoom 100x, the other has a dedicated camera button
📊 Here’s a breakdown of these beasts to help you decide which to buy
Samsung's popular new Galaxy S25 Ultra is poised to be a contender for smartphone of the year in 2025, despite being so similar to last year. But until the iPhone 17 Pro makes it way to the market, the high-end Galaxy has to compete with Apple's most recent all-mighty iPhone, the iPhone 16 Pro Max. And boy is it a brawl for the ages.
You have two phones that both come with 6.9-inch screens, powerful processors, amazing cameras, and big batteries. You also have two phones that want to convince you to buy them thanks to the AI features they come with.
In these early days of smartphone AI, it's hard to say whether One UI with Galaxy AI or iOS with Apple Intelligence will reign supreme, and that's why we don't recommend upgrading your phone based solely on whether it has AI. But we can tell you which phone is a better buy overall for your specific needs. Here we go.
Buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra if...
✍️ You want an S Pen. The biggest reason to buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra over any phone is the S Pen. No other flagship device in North America comes with one, which helps the phone stand out as the only one to buy if you like to scribble your notes or doodle on the go. The S Pen in the S25 Ultra doesn’t come with Bluetooth and Air Gestures like last year, but I don’t think many folks will be disappointed given how less than 1% of users would use them.
🔭 You need to get really close to your subjects. Samsung is the king of smartphone zoom. The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with 100x Space Zoom, much like previous Galaxy S Ultra devices, which uses the periscope telephoto camera and AI to get way closer to your subject than almost any other phone on the planet. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, for context, can only zoom in 15x. Is the quality perfect at 100x? No, but it’s cool you have the option to zoom that close anyway.
⚡️ You want faster wired charging. By today’s standards, the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s charging speeds are embarrassing. Apple caps USB-C charging to 30W which is far behind a lot of Android competitors, including the Galaxy S25 Ultra. That phone comes with 45W charging and 15W wireless, making it technically compatible with Qi2 chargers. The wired charging difference isn’t significant, but the extra time you’ll get from not waiting around for your phone stop charging could be worth it.
💡 You want a super bright screen. The Galaxy S25 Ultra uses one of the brightest displays I’ve ever seen. The screen maxes out at 2,600 nits which is still technically behind the OnePlus 13 at 4,500 nits, but it’s still a gorgeous screen that’s easy to see in visually every lighting. The iPhone 16 Pro Max can only reach 2,000 nits, so if you need a phone that’s easy to see no matter the time of day, get the S25 Ultra.
🤖 You prefer Android, or have other Android and Windows devices. Of course, if you like Android over iOS, the obvious choice is the Galaxy S25 Ultra. But it’s also the phone to get if you own other Android or Windows devices; there’s a lot of continuity between the platforms with features like Phone Link in Windows 11, and if your tablet or smart home are based on Android/Google devices, the S25 Ultra will play nicer with all of them than an iPhone.
Buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max if...
🔋 You need stellar battery life. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has really good battery life, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max tends to last even longer on a full charge. That’s despite the iPhone having a smaller 4,685mAh battery compared to the S25 Ultra’s 5,000mAh. The A18 Pro chip coupled with all of Apple’s in-house optimizations gives the 16 Pro Max enough juice to last almost two full days on a charge, which is insane.
🏎️ You want the fastest performance possible. Speaking of the A18 Pro chip, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is an absolutely screamer. While the S25 Ultra has crept up quite a bit on the performance front thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it doesn’t match the performance of the A18 Pro in everyday situations. From flipping through social media apps to juggling your calendar, the iPhone feels smoother and more responsive. Plus, it’s perfectly equipped for heavy tasks like video editing and gaming, all while staying efficient.
📸 You want an easier way to control your camera. Apple built an entire button into the side of the iPhone 16 Pro Max called Camera Control which acts as a shutter button, a slider for zoom, a slider for adjusting Photographic Styles, and more. You can quickly jump between shooting modes with it, and it overall enhances the experience of taking pictures with an iPhone. The S25 Ultra sticks with on-screen controls which are mostly fine, but you wind up blocking your screen with your finger and lose sight of what you’re shooting. The Camera Control isn’t an Earth-shattering innovation, but it’s certainly a neat feature to have.
🎥 You need top-notch video quality. Is the Galaxy S25 Ultra good at taking videos? Yes. Can it shoot LOG video now to appease serious videographers? Yes. But there’s no denying the iPhone is still the king of smartphone video recording. With near-perfect processing, little to no artifacting, and smooth transitions between the three lenses on the back, the 16 Pro Max is my personal favorite phone for shooting videos.
📱 You prefer iOS, or have other Apple devices. Yet another obvious point, but those who prefer iOS will like the iPhone 16 Pro Max over the Galaxy S25 Ultra for that reason alone. It’s also the right phone to buy if you already own a lot of Apple products. It syncs with iCloud and will give you easy access to anything in your account whether it’s photos, passwords, or your collection of iTunes ringtones.
Where to buy
Galaxy S25 Ultra
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Which one are you buying?
These are two of the best phones you can buy right now, so I’m curious: did you decide which one you’re gonna get? Is the S25 Ultra calling your name, or does the 16 Pro Max seem like the right move? Let me know in the comments - let’s chat.
Max Buondonno is Editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, Newsweek, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.
