Head to head

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs iPhone 16

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra leads 12 to 1 on the 13 rankable specs, but iPhone 16 costs $500 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 232 g (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 lists 170 g (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 6.8 inches (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 lists 6.1 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 lists Apple A18 (3 nm) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 12 GB (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 lists 8 GB (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 5x optical (10x lossless / 100x digital) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 lists 2x optical quality crop (10x digital) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your phone.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 12 to 1

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Leads 12 of 13 rankable overall specs; iPhone 16 takes 1.
Size: 6.8 inches vs 6.1 inches
RAM: 12 GB vs 8 GB
iPhone 16 is $500 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.

12 Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra13 rankable of 48 specsiPhone 16 1

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Clear:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · S Pen (integrated, IP68)Trips:iPhone 16 · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · NoTrips:iPhone 16 · No
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · NoTrips:iPhone 16 · No
60 Hz screenrow
Scrolling looks noticeably less smooth than a 120 Hz rival.
Clear:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · 1–120 Hz LTPOTrips:iPhone 16 · 60 Hz
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · NoTrips:iPhone 16 · No

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

6 of 6 differ

Weight

Samsung

232 g

Apple

170 g

Size

Samsung

6.8 inches

Apple

6.1 inches

Chipset≠

Samsung

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)

Apple

Apple A18 (3 nm)

RAM

Samsung

12 GB

Apple

8 GB

Max optical zoom

Samsung

5x optical (10x lossless / 100x digital)

Apple

2x optical quality crop (10x digital)

Capacity

Samsung

5,000 mAh

Apple

3,561 mAh

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Upfront list price$1,299

Essential add-ons (45W Super Fast Charging 2.0 brick (no charger in box))+$35

3-Year Estimated Total$1,334

iPhone 16

Upfront list price$799

Essential add-ons (20W USB-C charging brick (no charger in box))+$29

3-Year Estimated Total$828

Pocket, Palm & Desk Usability Check

One-handed reachability, pocket weight, and table wobble when typing without a case.

Ergonomic & Spatial Check

One-Handed Palm Reach

Widths under 72mm allow thumb access to opposite screen edges without shifting grip.

Samsung

6.8" display with 79.0mm wide squared edges (stretches palms)

Apple

6.1" display with 71.6mm width (easy one-handed thumb reach)

Desk Typing Table Wobble

Horizontal visor cameras sit flat on desks without annoying rocking while typing.

Samsung

Individual camera lens rings cause corner wobble on flat tables

Apple

Vertical pill camera bump causes minor tilt on flat surfaces

Pocket Weight & Heft

Samsung

232g (substantial titanium brick)

Apple

170g (featherweight in pocket)

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Samsung: What to watch for

Ergonomics
Sharp 90-degree squared corners dig aggressively into palms.
One-handed typing causes the pointed lower corner to dig into your palm tissue unless cushioned by a rounded silicone case.
Hardware Quirk
Anti-reflective Gorilla Armor glass smudges easily with skin oils.
While outdoor glare reduction is class-leading, finger oils create noticeable rainbow sheen smudges in bright sunlight.

Apple: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$1,29912 wins

iPhone 16$7991 win

Body Display Platform Memory Rear camera Front camera Battery & charging Audio Connectivity Features

43 of 48 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Body

leads 1-0

Body specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16.
Dimensions	162.3 × 79.0 × 8.6 mm	147.6 × 71.6 × 7.8 mm
Weight	232 g	170 g (wins this row: lower)
Build	Gorilla Armor front and back, titanium frame	Ceramic Shield front, color-infused glass back, aluminum frame
Water / dust rating	IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min)	IP68 (6 m / 30 min)
Colors	Titanium Black, Gray, Violet, Yellow (plus exclusives)	Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine
Stylus	S Pen (integrated, IP68)	No

Display

leads 6-0

Display specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16.
Type	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, flat	Super Retina XDR OLED
Size	6.8 inches (wins this row: higher)	6.1 inches
Resolution	1440 × 3120 (QHD+) (wins this row: higher)	1179 × 2556
Pixel density	~505 ppi (wins this row: higher)	~460 ppi
Refresh rate	1–120 Hz LTPO (wins this row: higher)	60 Hz
Peak brightness	2,600 nits peak (wins this row: higher)	2,000 nits outdoor / 1,000 nits typical
HDR	HDR10+	Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
Protection	Corning Gorilla Armor, anti-reflective	Latest-generation Ceramic Shield
Always-on display	Yes (wins this row: has it)	No

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16.
Operating system	Android 14, One UI 6.1 (upgradable)	iOS 18
Software support	7 major OS versions + 7 years security	Typically 6+ years of major iOS versions
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)	Apple A18 (3 nm)
CPU	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)	6-core (2 performance + 4 efficiency)
GPU	Adreno 750	5-core Apple GPU

Memory

leads 2-0

Memory specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16.
RAM	12 GB (wins this row: higher)	8 GB
Storage	256 GB UFS 4.0 (wins this row: higher)	128 GB NVMe
Storage options	256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB	128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

leads 2-0

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16.
Main	200 MP, f/1.7, 24 mm, 1/1.3", OIS, multi-direction PDAF (wins this row: higher)	48 MP Fusion, f/1.6, 26 mm, sensor-shift OIS, 2x in-sensor zoom
Ultrawide	12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°	12 MP with Macro photography, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°
Telephoto	10 MP 3x + 50 MP 5x periscope (both OIS)	None (2x optical-quality crop from main sensor)
Max optical zoom	5x optical (10x lossless / 100x digital) (wins this row: higher)	2x optical quality crop (10x digital)
Stabilization	OIS on main and both telephotos	Sensor-shift OIS on main camera
Video	8K 30 fps, 4K 120 fps, HDR10+	4K 24/25/30/60 fps Dolby Vision, Spatial video capture

Front camera

2 differences

Front camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16.
Selfie camera	12 MP, f/2.2, punch-hole	12 MP TrueDepth with autofocus, f/1.9
Selfie video	4K 60 fps	4K 60 fps Dolby Vision

Battery & charging

leads 2-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16.
Capacity	5,000 mAh (wins this row: higher)	3,561 mAh
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	45 W (charger sold separately) (wins this row: higher)	~20–25 W USB-C
Wireless charging	15 W Qi / Fast Wireless	MagSafe up to 25 W, Qi2
Reverse wireless	4.5 W Wireless PowerShare	No
Charger in box	No	No

Audio

1 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16.
Speakers	Stereo tuned by AKG	Stereo speakers
Headphone jack	No	No

Connectivity

4 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16.
Cellular	5G (sub-6 + mmWave, region-dependent)	5G (sub-6 + mmWave)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
NFC	Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Wallet)	Yes (Apple Pay)
USB	USB-C 3.2	USB-C 2.0 (480 Mbps)
SIM	Dual nano-SIM + eSIM (region-dependent)	eSIM (US) / nano-SIM + eSIM

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is iPhone 16.
Biometrics	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint + face unlock	Face ID
Extra controls	S Pen button, programmable side key	Action Button, Camera Control
Standout features	S Pen, Samsung DeX, Galaxy AI, Vision Booster	Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, Spatial audio and video capture

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra source iPhone 16 source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Android flagship with S Pen, 200MP camera, 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED, and seven years of OS updates.

S Pen built in
200MP main + 5x periscope telephoto
7 years of OS and security updates

What you give up

Larger and heavier than iPhone 16 Pro
No charger in the box
Flat 6.8-inch body is harder one-handed

Full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs →

Pick this one if

iPhone 16

Standard flagship featuring A18 chip, Camera Control button, Action button, and 48MP Fusion camera.

Powerful Apple A18 processor built for Apple Intelligence
Camera Control button and Action button included on standard tier
Vibrant saturated color-infused back glass designs

What you give up

Display still restricted to 60Hz refresh rate
No dedicated optical telephoto camera lens

Full iPhone 16 specs →

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

For photos, buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Leads 2 of 2 rankable photos specs.
Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 2x optical quality crop
Main: 200 MP, f/1.7, 24 mm, 1/1.3", OIS,… vs 48 MP Fusion, f/1.6, 26 mm, sensor-shift…
iPhone 16 is $500 cheaper. Pay the difference only if max optical zoom matters to you.

Battery & updates

All-day battery, fast top-ups and years of software support

For battery & updates, buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Leads 2 of 2 rankable battery & updates specs.
Capacity: 5,000 mAh vs 3,561 mAh
Wired charging: 45 W vs ~20–25 W USB-C
iPhone 16 is $500 cheaper. Pay the difference only if capacity matters to you.

Games & video

Games and streaming: chip, refresh rate, brightness, speakers

For games & video, buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Leads 4 of 4 rankable games & video specs.
RAM: 12 GB vs 8 GB
Size: 6.8 inches vs 6.1 inches
iPhone 16 is $500 cheaper. Pay the difference only if ram matters to you.

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra spec sheet iPhone 16 spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra ↗ · iPhone 16 ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the iPhone 16?

iPhone 16 costs $500 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or iPhone 16?

iPhone 16 has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

Which is better for photos, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the iPhone 16?

For photos, buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Leads 2 of 2 rankable photos specs. Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 2x optical quality crop

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 35 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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