Though for the time being the greatest iPhone available, the iPhone 15 Pro Max won't hold that title for very long. Apple is set to launch the iPhone 16 family in September, along with the larger and more advanced Pro Max.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which tops our list of the greatest Android phones, is the biggest and finest Android phone available. In our review of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, we discuss how the device's AI capabilities are really valuable in helping consumers save time on difficult activities like using Generative Edit to edit images. And if that weren't enough, upgrades to its battery life also put it on our list of the best phone batteries.
It will be fascinating to watch how Apple reacts when the iPhone 16 Pro Max is anticipated to release, even though the Galaxy S24 Ultra has been proving that it is a strong competitor in the phone market. This is everything we currently know about the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S24 Ultra debate.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Specifications Comparison
| Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra | iPhone 16 Pro Max (rumored) | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.8 inches QHD+ AMOLED (1-120Hz) | 6.9 inches OLED (1-120Hz) |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Apple A18 Pro |
| RAM | 12GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 4,676 mAh |
| Rear Camera | 200MP main (f/1.7), 50MP 5x telephoto f/3.4), 10MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2) | 48MP main, 12MP 5x telephoto, 48MP ultrawide |
| Front Camera | 12MP (f/2.2) | 12MP |
| Price | $1,299 | $1,199 |
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Release Date & Pricing Comparison
Apple has been releasing new iPhones every September for the past ten years, with a little delay in 2020 due to pandemic-related issues. It's quite probable that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will follow suit, and given the history of launches, it will probably happen around September.
We hope Apple keeps the iPhone 16 Pro Max's starting price of $1,199, considering that the iPhone 15 Pro Max suffered a $100 price increase the previous year. That's for sure going to be the lowest price.
Since January 31, Samsung has began selling the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The price goes up to $1,659 for a device with 1TB of storage from $1,299 at launch.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Design & Screen Comparison
 |
| (Image credit: Future) |
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a striking resemblance to its forerunners. With four camera lenses arranged around the back and a huge 6.8-inch AMOLED screen, it is angular and imposing. Additionally, there's a place for the included S Pen, which docks neatly within the gadget (albeit this time around it could smell contentious!).
The iPhone 16 Pro Max, as its name implies, will be a massive phone, maybe larger than any previous model. It is rumored that this time around, the screen will measure 6.9 inches instead of 6.7.
However, a large portion of this is anticipated to be covered by bezel reduction, and an early CAD design indicates that it could be taller rather than wider to make up for it.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Performance Analysis
Regardless of where you purchase it, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU (the siblings, on the other hand, use Exynos chips outside of the US).
With 12GB of RAM to support it, performance is outstanding. This is in opposition to the internal A17 Pro/8GB RAM of the iPhone 15 Pro Max:
| Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra | iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 CPU test (single-core/multicore) | 2,300 / 7,249 | 2,783 / 6,945 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited (score/fps) | 5007 / 29.9 | 3481 / 20.8 |
| Adobe Premiere Rush time to transcode (mins:secs) | 0:42 | 0:24 |
The iPhone 15 Pro Max wasn't far behind, as you can see, and the next A18 Pro chipset will undoubtedly outperform that.
The 3nm manufacturing method should enhance both performance and efficiency, though it's unclear how big of a gain to anticipate. According to one leaker, the iPhone 16 will likely outperform certain MacBooks.
However, real-world benchmark leaks indicate a more gradual improvement, with the A18 Pro's performance being about 10% quicker than that of the iPhone 15 Pro.
But there are two things to keep in mind. First of all, there is still time for optimization because the iPhone 16 Pro Max won't be released for several months. Second, if Geekbench performance were to increase by 10%, the aforementioned numbers would rise to 3,061 and 7,640, respectively, which would surpass the S24 Ultra's results.
Additionally, the whole S24 Ultra is strategically loaded with artificial intelligence technologies. It even provides real-time phone call translation in addition to automatically editing photos.
Additionally, Apple will soon provide a ton of AI features. Although Apple has not officially acknowledged them, the impending AI features on the iPhone have the potential to change the game.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Camera Comparison
 |
| (Image credit: Future) |
In the Android category, the Galaxy S24 Ultra tops our list of the finest camera phones available for purchase. The quad camera arrangement is incredibly versatile, with specialized 5x and 3x telephoto lenses for capturing pictures at greater distances, and a primary lens that produces superb, detailed 200MP images.
However, the warning about Android is significant since, as of right now, our photographer's top pick is the iPhone 15 Pro Max. On top of that solid foundation, we anticipate modest but noteworthy advancements with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The findings of our camera comparison between the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, in which we took over 200 pictures, are currently available.
One leaker believes that the image sensor will go from 1/1.28 inches to 1/1.14 inches in order to enhance low-light photography and background blur capabilities, even though the 48MP headline specs could remain the same.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max will supposedly become a "image flagship" thanks to this, a 14-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter for better data conversion, and a Digital Gain Control for better noise and dynamic range.
iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S24 Ultra: Future Prospects
For the remainder of the year, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will undoubtedly continue to be a major participant in the Android market. Apart from its high cost, it performs brilliantly everywhere and doesn't really go wrong.
Though Samsung appears to have won hands-down with the iPhone 16 Pro Max's alleged specs, keep in mind that Apple has advantages because it produces both the hardware and the software. When the iPhone 16 Pro Max is released in September, it may present some fierce competition, particularly if the A18 Pro processor offers some amazing new AI tricks along the way.