iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Which flagship could be better?

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is around the corner. But, you might be wondering how it might stack up against the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. So, we’ve compared all of the rumors about the handset to compare the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs the Galaxy S24 Ultra. 

The Samsung Galaxy Ultra and iPhone Pro Max lineups are often the most high-end smartphones you can get. If you’re into Android, the newest Galaxy S24 Ultra is likely your go-to pick, while iPhone fans might hold out for the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro Max, set to release this September.

Samsung’s $1,300 Galaxy S24 Ultra is the priciest non-folding phone in Samsung’s lineup. Its highlights include new AI features and tweaks to its cameras. You get a lot for your money, including the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display. The phone’s 200MP main camera is also now accompanied by a new 50MP telephoto camera.

The S24 Ultra will soon face tough competition from the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is shaping up to be a solid smartphone. It’s rumored to bring upgraded cameras, a larger display, and a larger battery. A new Apple silicon chip will also be in tow for rapid performance.

We’ve outlined what’s inside the S24 Ultra and pitted it against the rumored specs of Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max to see how they might compare.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Expected price

• iPhone 16 Pro Max Price— $1200 (expected)
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra— $1300

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra starts at $1300 for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage version. The iPhone 15 Pro Max costs $1,200, so we’d expect the iPhone 16 Pro to cost the same. This means the upcoming iPhone could be $100 cheaper than Samsung’s top flagship.

We won’t be surprised if Apple raises the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s price. Nikkei Asia reported that Apple invested more in producing the iPhone 15 than the iPhone 14 models. However, it decided to cover these extra costs itself, keeping the prices the same. Apple might have to raise prices with the iPhone 16 to avoid impacting its overall revenue.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Design & display

Samsung

The iPhone 16 Pro Max should feature a design similar to its predecessor, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra retains the S23 Ultra’s look. There were initial rumors that Apple is exploring a new design for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but a recent dummy leak says otherwise.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra features a titanium body, and if the iPhone 15 Pro Max is any indication, the iPhone 16 Pro Max might follow suit. A news aggregator suggests the iPhone 16 Pro Max will use a heavily polished titanium more akin to the stainless steel material used in previous Pro iPhones.

Apple is reportedly looking to bump up the screen size of the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Instead of a 6.7-inch liquid retina display, the iPhone may get a 6.9-inch panel. That’s an inch larger than Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED panel.

The Elec claims that Apple plans to use a new micro-lens OLED display for the iPhone, promising better brightness and less power drain. Another report from the South Korean publication suggests the phone’s bezels might get thinner, all thanks to Border Reduction Structure (BRS) tech.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Cameras

Apple

Both iPhones and Samsung Galaxy Ultras are known for their killer cameras. Samsung upped the ante with their latest S24 Ultra, and Apple might be following suit with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Leaks hint at a major camera upgrade for the 16 Pro Max, including a new 48-megapixel ultrawide lens and a brand new super telephoto periscope camera. If these rumors pan out, expect better zoom capabilities on the new iPhone. Apple could also add a capture button on the iPhone to give it a DSLR-like 2-stage release feature.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra keeps the same huge 200MP sensor as the S23 Ultra but adds a new 50MP periscope camera with 5x optical zoom and tiny 0.7-micron pixels. The other two cameras are the same as the S23 Ultra: a 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP telephoto with optical zoom.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Specs rumors

	Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra	Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (rumored)
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm)	Apple A18 Pro (3nm)
RAM	12GB LPDDR5X (max)	8GB LPDDR5 (max)
Battery	5000mAh	4676mAh
Charging	45W	25.5W
Display	6.8-inch AMOLED	6.9-inch OLED
Cameras	200+12+50+10, 12MP front. Quad camera with 5x optical zoom	48+ 48+ 12. Triple camera system with 5x optical zoom.
Price	Starting at $1,299	Starting at $1,199

The iPhone 16 Pro Max could use the A18 Pro chip, while the S24 Ultra features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 under the hood. Both these chips are quite powerful, but Apple’s silicon has always managed to one-up Qualcomm.

The A17 Pro chip, which powers the iPhone 15 Pro Max, boasts a 15% higher CPU clock speed and a higher GPU frequency compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It outperforms the Qualcomm chip in Geekbench, scoring 35% higher in single-core tests, according to Nanoreview. The A18 Pro will only widen this gap further.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is also rumored to receive a slight boost in battery capacity. The current iPhone 15 Pro Max comes with a 4441 mAh battery, while the forthcoming model is expected to be equipped with a 4676 mAh battery, according to leaker Majin Bu. By comparison, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra packs a 5000mAh battery.

The S24 Ultra supports 45W wired charging while the iPhone 16 Pro Max may stick to 25.5W. Storage options on both Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max should remain the same— 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: AI features & software updates

AI is making waves this year. Samsung rolled out the Galaxy S24 Ultra packed with loads of AI features, and Apple might be gearing up to do the same.

While we don’t know all the AI tricks iPhones will get just yet, reports suggest Siri might get a big AI boost, along with some other AI features in partnership with Google Gemini. The S24 Ultra is already loaded with tons of AI features like circle-to-search, live translation, and more.

In terms of software updates, Samsung promises seven years of updates with the S24 Ultra, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max may get five years of updates.

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Which one should you buy?

You should get the Galaxy S24 Ultra if you’re looking for a top-notch Android phone. But if you’re open to switching to an iPhone, or if your current iPhone is a bit older, then waiting for the iPhone 16 Pro Max might be a good call. It’s expected to be a solid upgrade over the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

That said, if you already have the 15 Pro Max, there’s no need to rush out and buy the new Samsung or iPhone right away. You can get at least another year out of your current phone before upgrading.