Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max
Between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the Galaxy S26 Ultra comes out ahead in main camera and wired charging, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max wins on wireless charging and weight. Overall, the Galaxy S26 Ultra scores 75.6 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 67.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 8.1 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Galaxy S26 Ultra if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are main camera, wired charging, ram, among others.
Pick the iPhone 17 Pro Max if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are wireless charging, weight.
Both ship with comparable screen size, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra wins
- ▲Main camera — 316.67% more. 200 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 116.67% more. 65 W vs 30 W.
- ▲RAM — 33.33% more. 16 GB vs 12 GB.
- ▲AnTuTu — 10.00% more. 2310000 vs 2100000.
- ▲Pixel density — 8.91% more. 501 ppi vs 460 ppi.
- ▲Battery capacity — 6.72% more. 5000 mAh vs 4685 mAh.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 6).
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max wins
- ▲Wireless charging — 66.67% more. 25 W vs 15 W.
- ▲Weight — 5.00 g less. 227 vs 232.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 232 g | 227 glead |
| Thickness | 8.6 mm | 8.3 mmlead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.9 " | 6.9 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 501 ppilead | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2600 nitslead | 2200 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 200 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAhlead | 4685 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 65 Wlead | 30 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 25 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | iOSlead |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 6 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has 6.7% more battery — 5000 mAh vs 4685 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max is 5g lighter — 232g vs 227g.
Is Galaxy S26 Ultra waterproof?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 17 Pro Max support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 17 Pro Max supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max?+
Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 200 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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