Head to head

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25

iPhone 16 Pro Max leads 7 to 5 on the 12 rankable specs, but Samsung Galaxy S25 costs $400 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: iPhone 16 Pro Max lists 227 g (8.0 oz) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25 lists 162 g (5.71 oz) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: iPhone 16 Pro Max lists 6.9 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25 lists 6.2 inches (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: iPhone 16 Pro Max lists Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25 lists Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: iPhone 16 Pro Max lists 8GB (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25 lists 12 GB (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: iPhone 16 Pro Max lists 5x optical (25x digital) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Samsung Galaxy S25 lists 3x optical zoom (Samsung 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: 7 to 5

Buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Leads 7 of 12 rankable overall specs; Samsung Galaxy S25 takes 5.
Size: 6.9 inches vs 6.2 inches
Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 3x optical zoom
Samsung Galaxy S25 is $400 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.

7 iPhone 16 Pro Max12 rankable of 48 specsSamsung Galaxy S25 5

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Trips:iPhone 16 Pro Max · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:iPhone 16 Pro Max · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 · No
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Trips:iPhone 16 Pro Max · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 · No
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:iPhone 16 Pro Max · NoTrips:Samsung Galaxy S25 · No

At a glance

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

6 of 6 differ

Weight

Apple

227 g (8.0 oz)

Samsung

162 g (5.71 oz)

Size

Apple

6.9 inches

Samsung

6.2 inches

Chipset≠

Apple

Apple A18 Pro (3 nm)

Samsung

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm)

RAM

Apple

8GB

Samsung

12 GB

Max optical zoom

Apple

5x optical (25x digital)

Samsung

3x optical zoom

Capacity

Apple

4,685 mAh (typical)

Samsung

4,000 mAh

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

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

iPhone 16 Pro Max

Upfront list price$1,199

Essential add-ons (30W USB-C fast charging brick (no charger in box))+$29

3-Year Estimated Total$1,228

Samsung Galaxy S25

Upfront list price$799

3-Year Estimated Total$799

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.

Apple

6.9" display with 77.6mm width (strictly 2-handed for most hands)

Samsung

Standard smartphone width

Desk Typing Table Wobble

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

Apple

Prominent corner camera plateau rocks when typing on desk

Samsung

Corner camera bump causes minor wobble

Pocket Weight & Heft

Apple

227g (heavy pocket presence)

Samsung

Standard phone weight

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

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

Post-Purchase Truths

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: 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.

iPhone 16 Pro Max$1,1997 wins

Samsung Galaxy S25$7995 wins

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 iPhone 16 Pro Max, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Dimensions	163 × 77.6 × 8.25 mm	146.9 × 70.4 × 7.2 mm
Weight	227 g (8.0 oz)	162 g (5.71 oz) (wins this row: lower)
Build	Grade 5 titanium frame, Ceramic Shield front, textured matte glass back	Enhanced Armor Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back
Water / dust rating	IP68 (6 m up to 30 min)	IP68 (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
Colors	Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium	Silver Shadow, Midnight Black, Moon Night Blue, Sparkling Green
Stylus	No	No

Display

leads 3-1

Display specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16 Pro Max, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Type	LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X
Size	6.9 inches (wins this row: higher)	6.2 inches
Resolution	2868 × 1320 (wins this row: higher)	2340 × 1080 (FHD+)
Pixel density	460 ppi (wins this row: higher)	416 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz ProMotion	120 Hz (1–120Hz LTPO)
Peak brightness	2,000 nits peak (outdoor)	2,600 nits peak (wins this row: higher)
HDR	HDR10, Dolby Vision	HDR10+, HLG
Protection	Latest-generation Ceramic Shield	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Always-on display	Yes	Yes

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16 Pro Max, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Operating system	iOS 18	Android 15 (One UI 7)
Software support	7 years (estimated based on Apple track record)	7 generations of OS upgrades & 7 years security updates
Chipset	Apple A18 Pro (3 nm)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm)
CPU	6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency)	8-core Oryon CPU (2× 4.47 GHz Prime + 6× 3.53 GHz Performance)
GPU	6-core Apple GPU with ray tracing	Adreno 830

Memory

3 differences

Memory specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16 Pro Max, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
RAM	8GB	12 GB (wins this row: higher)
Storage	256 GB (wins this row: higher)	128 GB
Storage options	256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB	128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

6 differences

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16 Pro Max, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Main	48 MP Fusion, f/1.78, 24 mm, sensor-shift OIS	50 MP (f/1.8, 24mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS) (wins this row: higher)
Ultrawide	48 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120° FOV, autofocus macro	50 MP (f/1.9, 120° FOV, Dual Pixel PDAF) (wins this row: higher)
Telephoto	12 MP, f/2.8, 120 mm, 5x optical zoom, 3D sensor-shift OIS (wins this row: higher)	10 MP (f/2.4, 67mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom)
Max optical zoom	5x optical (25x digital) (wins this row: higher)	3x optical zoom
Stabilization	3D Sensor-shift OIS on main and telephoto	OIS on main and 3x telephoto cameras
Video	4K at 24/25/30/60/120 fps Dolby Vision, ProRes, Log, spatial video	8K at 30 fps, 4K at 30/60/120 fps, HDR10+

Front camera

2 differences

Front camera specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16 Pro Max, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Selfie camera	12 MP TrueDepth, f/1.9, autofocus	12 MP (f/2.2, 26mm, Dual Pixel PDAF)
Selfie video	4K 60 fps, Cinematic mode 4K 30 fps	4K at 30/60 fps

Battery & charging

leads 1-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16 Pro Max, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Capacity	4,685 mAh (typical) (wins this row: higher)	4,000 mAh
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	~25 W USB-C (no charger in box)	25W wired fast charging (up to 50% in 30 min)
Wireless charging	MagSafe up to 25 W, Qi2 up to 15 W	15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0
Reverse wireless	4.5 W wired reverse charging	4.5W Wireless PowerShare
Charger in box	No	No

Audio

1 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16 Pro Max, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Speakers	Stereo (bottom + earpiece)	Stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Headphone jack	No	No

Connectivity

6 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16 Pro Max, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Cellular	5G (sub-6 + mmWave, region-dependent)	5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be tri-band)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4
NFC	Yes (Apple Pay)	Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Pay)
USB	USB-C 3 (up to 10 Gbps)	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DisplayPort video out)
SIM	eSIM (US) / dual nano + eSIM (many other regions)	Dual eSIM / Nano-SIM + eSIM

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is iPhone 16 Pro Max, right column is Samsung Galaxy S25.
Biometrics	Face ID	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor + 2D Face unlock
Extra controls	Action Button, Camera Control	None
Standout features	Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, MagSafe, Emergency SOS via satellite	Compact 7.2mm lightweight design, Galaxy AI suite (Now Brief, Live Translate, Circle to Search), Samsung DeX

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

iPhone 16 Pro Max source Samsung Galaxy S25 source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple's top-tier 6.9-inch smartphone with A18 Pro chip, 5x optical telephoto camera, and Camera Control button.

Massive 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display with ultra-thin borders
Longest battery life ever on an iPhone with up to 33 hours video
4K 120 fps ProRes video capture and dedicated Camera Control button

What you give up

Large and heavy in one-handed use
Wired fast charging capped around 25W

Full iPhone 16 Pro Max specs →

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy S25

Compact 6.2-inch flagship phone with Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, 12GB RAM, Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz display, and 7 years of OS updates.

Flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite power in a lightweight 162g compact body
RAM upgraded to 12GB standard across all storage tiers
7 years of Android OS and security upgrades

What you give up

Wired charging capped at 25W
Base storage starts at 128GB

Full Samsung Galaxy S25 specs →

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

Tied on photos. Samsung Galaxy S25 is cheaper.

The 4 rankable photos specs split 2 to 2.
Saves $400 at list price.

Battery & updates

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

Too close to call on battery & updates from the spec sheets. Only capacity is rankable here.

Wired charging: ~25 W USB-C vs 25W wired fast charging
Wireless charging: MagSafe up to 25 W, Qi2 up to 15 W vs 15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0

Games & video

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

For games & video, buy the Samsung Galaxy S25.

Leads 2 of 3 rankable games & video specs; iPhone 16 Pro Max takes 1.
RAM: 12 GB vs 8GB
Peak brightness: 2,600 nits peak vs 2,000 nits peak
It is also $400 cheaper.

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.

iPhone 16 Pro Max spec sheet Samsung Galaxy S25 spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: iPhone 16 Pro Max ↗ · Samsung Galaxy S25 ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the iPhone 16 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S25?

Samsung Galaxy S25 costs $400 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the iPhone 16 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S25?

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

Which is better for photos, the iPhone 16 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S25?

Tied on photos. Samsung Galaxy S25 is cheaper. The 4 rankable photos specs split 2 to 2. Saves $400 at list price.

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 36 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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