Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 25 W |
| AnTuTu | 2200000 | 3550000 |
| Weight | 196 g | 249 g |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 18 MP |
| Wired charging | 45 W | 60 W |
| Pixel density | 513 ppi | 460 ppi |
Between the Galaxy S26+ and iPhone 18 Pro Max, the Galaxy S26+ comes out ahead in weight / pixel density, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max wins on wireless charging / antutu. Overall, the Galaxy S26+ scores 69.4 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max scores 69.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (69.4 vs 69.9). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Galaxy S26+ if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight, pixel density, main camera, among others. The single most decisive one: Weight — 53.00 g less. 196 vs 249.
Pick the iPhone 18 Pro Max if you care most about wireless charging / antutu. Its strongest claims are wireless charging, antutu, front camera, among others. The single most decisive one: Wireless charging — 66.67% more. 25 W vs 15 W.
Both ship with comparable ram, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Samsung - Galaxy S26+ or Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max?
Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max leads the current Mars Score by 0.5 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare screen size, pixel density, battery capacity against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Samsung - Galaxy S26+ if…
Samsung - Galaxy S26+ has the measurable edge on weight g, pixel density ppi, main cam mp.
Choose Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max if…
Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max has the measurable edge on wireless charging w, antutu score, front cam mp.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Samsung - Galaxy S26+ wins
- ▲Weight — 53.00 g less. 196 vs 249.
- ▲Pixel density — 11.52% more. 513 ppi vs 460 ppi.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 7 (vs 6).
Why Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max wins
- ▲Wireless charging — 66.67% more. 25 W vs 15 W.
- ▲AnTuTu — 61.36% more. 3550000 vs 2200000.
- ▲Front camera — 50.00% more. 18 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 33.33% more. 60 W vs 45 W.
- ▲Battery capacity — 10.02% more. 5391 mAh vs 4900 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 2.99% more. 6.9 " vs 6.7 ".
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 196 glead | 249 g |
| Thickness | 7.6 mmlead | 8.75 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.7 " | 6.9 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 513 ppilead | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2600 nits | 3000 nitslead |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| RAMⓘ | 12 GB | 12 GB |
| Storageⓘ | 256 GB | 256 GB |
| AnTuTuⓘ | 2200000 | 3550000lead |
| CPU total clockⓘ | 22.4 GHzlead | 20.3 GHz |
Cameras
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 50 MPlead | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 18 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacityⓘ | 4900 mAh | 5391 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 45 W | 60 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 25 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy S26+ | Apple - iPhone 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android | iOSlead |
| Promised OS updates | 7 yearslead | 6 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 18 Pro Max?+
iPhone 18 Pro Max has 10.0% more battery — 4900 mAh vs 5391 mAh.
Which is lighter, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 18 Pro Max?+
Galaxy S26+ is 53g lighter — 196g vs 249g.
Is Galaxy S26+ waterproof?+
Galaxy S26+ has an IP68 rating.
Does iPhone 18 Pro Max support 5G?+
Yes, iPhone 18 Pro Max supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, Galaxy S26+ or iPhone 18 Pro Max?+
Galaxy S26+ has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.