Between the Galaxy S26+ and iPhone 15 Pro Max, the Galaxy S26+ comes out ahead in wired charging and ram, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max wins on several specs. Overall, the Galaxy S26+ scores 68.5 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max scores 63.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Galaxy S26+ edges ahead on the Mars Score (68.5 vs 63.2), but the 5.3-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Galaxy S26+ if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are wired charging, ram, antutu, among others.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max similarly doesn't carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
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+ 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+ wins
- ▲Wired charging — 66.67% more. 45 W vs 27 W.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲AnTuTu — 43.79% more. 2200000 vs 1530000.
- ▲Weight — 25.00 g less. 196 vs 221.
- ▲Pixel density — 11.52% more. 513 ppi vs 460 ppi.
- ▲Battery capacity — 10.81% more. 4900 mAh vs 4422 mAh.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 5).
Why Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 196 glead | 221 g |
| Thickness | 7.6 mmlead | 8.25 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.7 " | 6.7 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 513 ppilead | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2600 nitslead | 2000 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4900 mAhlead | 4422 mAh |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 Wlead | 27 W |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 15 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | iOSlead |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 5 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 15 Pro Max?+
Galaxy S26+ has 10.8% more battery — 4900 mAh vs 4422 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 15 Pro Max?+
Galaxy S26+ is 25g lighter — 196g vs 221g.
Is Galaxy S26+ waterproof?+
Galaxy S26+ has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 15 Pro Max support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 15 Pro Max supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 15 Pro Max?+
Galaxy S26+ offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 15 Pro Max?+
Galaxy S26+ has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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