iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: which one is better?

Which of Apple and Samsung’s current top models is the best: the iPhone 17 Pro Max or the Galaxy S25 Ultra? We put them next to each other!

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S25 Ultra

How does the new iPhone 17 Pro Max perform compared to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra? We compare these two flagships from 2025! In addition, we must note that the iPhone 17 Pro Max is available for less than a month at the time of writing and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has been since the beginning of 2025. That means that the iPhone has not yet fallen into price and the Galaxy is.

Housing

The Galaxy is a bit more angular than the iPhone, but apart from that the devices have a similar size. With 163.4 x 78 x 8.8 mm, the iPhone is slightly larger than the Galaxy: 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm. This makes the iPhone 17 Pro Max somewhat heavier than the Galaxy S25 Ultra: 233 grams vs 218 grams. Furthermore, the frame of the iPhone is made of aluminum and that of the Galaxy of Titanium.

Screen

Both devices have a screen of 6.9 inches, with the resolution of the S25 Ultra somewhat higher than that of the 17 Pro Max: 1440 x 3120 pixels compared to 1320 x 2868 pixels. The maximum brightness is slightly higher with the iPhone: 3000 Nits compared to 2600 Nits. They are certainly both beautiful screens, which you can both read well in direct sunlight. All the more so because both screens are provided with an anti -reflection coating.

Camera

We find the somewhat larger differences with the camera. The iPhone has a 48-megapixel wide -angle camera With an aperture of f/1.8, the wide -angle camera of the Galaxy has no less than 200 megapixels with an aperture of f/1.7. This means that the Galaxy S25 Ultra displays more details and lets in a little more light. You can take beautiful photos with both cameras!

In addition, both devices also have one Ultra -Wood angle camera. The one on the iPhone has 48 megapixels and a diaphragm of f/2.2, which has 50 megapixels and a diaphragm of f/1.9 on the Galaxy. You do not notice the small difference in megapixels here in practice, the fact that the S25 Ultra lets in some more light possible.

And then both top telephones also have one zoom lens. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has one of 48 megapixels and an aperture of f/2.8, the Galaxy S25 Ultra one of 10 megapixels and an aperture of f/2.4. Here the iPhone has significantly more megapixels, but the zoom lens does let a little less light inside. In addition, the Galaxy has a 5x optical zoom and you can zoom in with the iPhone 17 Pro Max to no less than 10x optically.

Furthermore, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has one Lidar scanner (Light Detection and Ranging). He measures the distance to the subject, which results in better portrait photos, for example. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra does not have such a scanner.

Finally, both top devices naturally also have one selfie camera. The Galaxy has a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera there, the iPhone an 18-megapixel ultra whood corner camera with Center Stage. The selfie camera of the iPhone is therefore a bit more practical in practice.

Performance

Two totally different chips are always difficult to compare. On paper it means that the Apple A19 Pro is faster in single-core tasks and the Snapdragon 8 elite faster in multi-core tasks. In practice you only notice a difference when you perform demanding tasks. You don’t notice that at home-garden-and-kitchen use. You then notice that both devices are super fast.

The same applies to the amount of working memory. Both devices have 12 GB of memory and that is more than enough for most people. In addition, you can even choose 16 GB if you buy a Galaxy S25 Ultra with 1 TB storage space. That is not possible with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, it always has 12 GB of memory. You have the option to opt for even more storage space, namely 2 TB.

Battery

The capacity of the batteries are fairly comparable. The Samsung has one of 5000 mAh. The battery of the iPhone 17 Pro Max that we can buy here has 4823 mAh. The version with Esim-only that you can buy abroad has a battery of 5088 mAh. With the Galaxy S25 Ultra you get about 31 hours of video on paper, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max about 37 hours. Although there is a reasonable difference in this, the battery life of both devices is simply very good. If you really have to go on for a very long time, then you can get with the iPhone just a little further.

Pros and cons

Conclusion: iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S25 Ultra

The most important differences between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra can be found at the cameras and the battery life. Regarding the cameras, it depends on what you find more important. Do you prefer a wide -angle camera with 200 megapixels, or would you prefer to be able to zoom in 10x optically? Can’t you do without a Lidar scanner, or do you think a better selfie camera is more important?

In terms of battery life you get with the iPhone 17 Pro Max further than with the S25 Ultra. But here too it depends on how important you find that. You can get through the day with both devices more than easily. Furthermore, it is possible that you find extra working memory important, or that you would like 2 TB of storage space.

Want to buy iPhone 17 Pro Max?

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