Samsung
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max
Device summary
Apple
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Full specifications
| Basic information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Release year | 2026 | 2025 |
| Starting price | $1,300 | $1,199 |
| Display size | 6.9-inch | 6.9-inch |
| Dimensions | 78.1 mm × 163.6 mm × 7.9 mm | 78.0 mm × 163.4 mm × 8.8 mm |
| Weight | 214 g | 233 g |
| Front material | Corning Gorilla Armor 2 | Ceramic Shield |
| Back material | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Ceramic Shield |
| Display | ||
| Display technology | Dynamic AMOLED 2X with Privacy Display | Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 2600 nits | 2000 nits |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Armor 2 | Ceramic Shield |
| Resolution | — | 2868 × 1320 |
| Performance | ||
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy | Apple A19 Pro |
| RAM | 12 GB, 16 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB |
| Expandable storage | No | No |
| Cameras | ||
| Main camera | Wide · 200 MP · ƒ/1.4 · 2x Optical Quality Zoom | Fusion · 48 MP · ƒ/1.78 · 24 mm · Second-generation sensor-shift OIS |
| Ultra-wide camera | Ultra Wide · 50 MP · ƒ/1.9 | Ultra Wide · 48 MP · ƒ/2.2 · 13 mm |
| Telephoto camera | Telephoto · 10 MP · ƒ/2.4 · 3x Optical Zoom | Telephoto · 48 MP · ƒ/2.8 · 120 mm · 4× optical zoom · OIS |
| Rear camera 4 | Telephoto · 50 MP · ƒ/2.9 · 5x Optical Zoom / 10x Optical Quality Zoom | — |
| Front cameras | Front · 12 MP · ƒ/2.2 | Center Stage · 18 MP · ƒ/1.9 |
| Video recording | 4K at 120 fps, 8K at 30 fps | 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps, ProRes up to 4K at 60 fps |
| Battery & charging | ||
| Typical capacity | 5000 mAh | — |
| Rated capacity | 4855 mAh | — |
| Wired charging | 60 W | 25 W |
| Wireless charging | 25 W | 15 W |
| Charging standard | Super Fast Wireless Charging, Wireless PowerShare | MagSafe, Qi2 |
| Video playback (Manufacturer claim) | — | 39 h |
| Battery type | — | Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion |
| Connectivity | ||
| Cellular | 5G, LTE | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave), Gigabit LTE |
| Wi‑Fi | Wi‑Fi 7 | Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 6.0 | Bluetooth 6 |
| USB | USB‑C | USB-C (USB 3) |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
| Satellite | — | Emergency SOS via satellite |
| Build & durability | ||
| Frame | Armor Aluminum | Aluminum unibody |
| Ingress protection | IP68 | IP68 |
Basic information
Release year
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 2026
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 2025
Starting price
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- $1,300
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- $1,199
Display size
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 6.9-inch
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 6.9-inch
Dimensions
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 78.1 mm × 163.6 mm × 7.9 mm
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 78.0 mm × 163.4 mm × 8.8 mm
Weight
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 214 g
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 233 g
Front material
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Corning Gorilla Armor 2
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Ceramic Shield
Back material
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Ceramic Shield
Display
Display technology
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Dynamic AMOLED 2X with Privacy Display
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Super Retina XDR OLED
Refresh rate
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 120 Hz
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 120 Hz
Peak brightness
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 2600 nits
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 2000 nits
Protection
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Corning Gorilla Armor 2
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Ceramic Shield
Resolution
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- —
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 2868 × 1320
Performance
Chipset
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Apple A19 Pro
RAM
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 12 GB, 16 GB
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 12 GB
Storage
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB
Expandable storage
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- No
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- No
Cameras
Main camera
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Wide · 200 MP · ƒ/1.4 · 2x Optical Quality Zoom
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Fusion · 48 MP · ƒ/1.78 · 24 mm · Second-generation sensor-shift OIS
Ultra-wide camera
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Ultra Wide · 50 MP · ƒ/1.9
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Ultra Wide · 48 MP · ƒ/2.2 · 13 mm
Telephoto camera
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Telephoto · 10 MP · ƒ/2.4 · 3x Optical Zoom
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Telephoto · 48 MP · ƒ/2.8 · 120 mm · 4× optical zoom · OIS
Rear camera 4
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Telephoto · 50 MP · ƒ/2.9 · 5x Optical Zoom / 10x Optical Quality Zoom
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- —
Front cameras
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Front · 12 MP · ƒ/2.2
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Center Stage · 18 MP · ƒ/1.9
Video recording
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 4K at 120 fps, 8K at 30 fps
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps, ProRes up to 4K at 60 fps
Battery & charging
Typical capacity
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 5000 mAh
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- —
Rated capacity
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 4855 mAh
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- —
Wired charging
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 60 W
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 25 W
Wireless charging
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 25 W
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 15 W
Charging standard
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Super Fast Wireless Charging, Wireless PowerShare
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- MagSafe, Qi2
Video playback (Manufacturer claim)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- —
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 39 h
Battery type
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- —
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion
Connectivity
Cellular
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- 5G, LTE
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave), Gigabit LTE
Wi‑Fi
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Wi‑Fi 7
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Bluetooth 6.0
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Bluetooth 6
USB
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- USB‑C
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- USB-C (USB 3)
NFC
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Yes
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Yes
eSIM
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Yes
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Yes
Satellite
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- —
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Emergency SOS via satellite
Build & durability
Frame
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Armor Aluminum
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Aluminum unibody
Ingress protection
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- IP68
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- IP68
Key differences
The most meaningful measured gaps in size and weight — not an overall winner.
Weight
Galaxy S26 Ultra
19 g lighter
Thickness
Galaxy S26 Ultra
0.8 mm thinner
Height
Very similar height
Width
Very similar width
User Experience Summary
Galaxy S26 Ultra
Strengths
- 60W wired charging — major upgrade over S25 Ultra
- Privacy Display for commuting and office shoulder-surfing resistance
- Brighter 200MP main and versatile periscope zoom
Compromises
- Heavy, wide chassis limits one-handed and pocket comfort
- Aluminum instead of titanium divides premium buyers
- Privacy Display trade-offs and S Pen software stagnation
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Strengths
- Best-in-lineup battery endurance for real travel and heavy days
- 6.9-inch display transforms media, gaming, and mobile editing
- Full Pro camera system including 4x telephoto
Compromises
- Wide, heavy body limits one-handed and pocket-first use
- Incremental upgrade for recent Pro Max owners
- No camera advantage over the smaller iPhone 17 Pro