Samsung
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Snapdragon 8 Elite · 6.9″ · 200 MP
93
/ 100
From $1,299
VS
iPhone 17 Pro Max wins by 3
Apple
iPhone 17 Pro Max
A19 Pro · 6.9″ OLED · IP68
96
/ 100
From $1,199
Specdex verdict
iPhone 17 Pro Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Galaxy S25 Ultra lands at 93 and iPhone 17 Pro Max at 96. That puts iPhone 17 Pro Max ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Galaxy S25 Ultra if…
- ✓Huge anti-reflective 6.9″ display
- ✓200 MP sensor with 5× tele
- ✓S-Pen productivity
Pick iPhone 17 Pro Max if…
- ✓A19 Pro chip
- ✓Up to 39 hours video playback
- ✓Up to 2 TB storage
Galaxy S25 Ultra 93
vs 96 iPhone 17 Pro Max
Score breakdown
Galaxy S25 Ultra
93 cpu 96
gpu 97
camera 94
battery 89
display 96
design 92
iPhone 17 Pro Max
96 cpu 98
gpu 96
camera 95
battery 92
display 95
design 95
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Galaxy S25 Ultra | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 3120×1440 | 6.9″ OLED, 2868×1320 at 460 ppi |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Apple A19 Pro chip |
| RAM | 12 GB | — |
| Storage | 256 / 512 GB / 1 TB | 256 / 512 GB / 1 / 2 TB |
| Rear camera | 200 MP + 50 MP 5× + 10 MP 3× + 50 MP UW | — |
| Front camera | 12 MP | — |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | — |
| Charging | 45W wired, 15W wireless | ▲ 50% in 20 min with 40W adapter; MagSafe up to 25W |
| OS | Android 15, One UI 7 | iOS 26 |
| Weight | ▲ 218 g | 233 g |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 (6 m, 30 min) |
| Battery (video) | — | Up to 39 hours |
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Pros
- +Huge anti-reflective 6.9″ display
- +200 MP sensor with 5× tele
- +S-Pen productivity
Cons
- −Pricey storage tiers
- −AI features still maturing
- −Heavier in hand
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Pros
- +A19 Pro chip
- +Up to 39 hours video playback
- +Up to 2 TB storage
Cons
- −Premium price
- −Weighs 233 g
- −Wired charging requires 40W+ adapter
FAQ: Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max
Which is better, Galaxy S25 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max? +
iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 96 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Galaxy S25 Ultra worth the price? +
At $1,299, Galaxy S25 Ultra delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in gpu.
Is iPhone 17 Pro Max worth the price? +
At $1,199, iPhone 17 Pro Max delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in cpu.
Does Galaxy S25 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.