When it comes to flagship smartphones, Apple and Samsung are always pushing boundaries. Let’s dive into the key differences between the new iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, comparing their design, features, cameras, battery life, and price.
Design
The iPhone 16 Pro Max offers a minimalist look with four color options:
- Black Titanium
- White Titanium
- Natural Titanium
- Desert Titanium
On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 Ultra comes in bolder colors:
- Titanium Grey
- Titanium Black
- Titanium Violet
- Titanium Yellow
In terms of aesthetics, both phones are sleek and premium, but there’s a noticeable difference in how they approach camera design. The iPhone 16 Pro Max sticks to its familiar camera bump with a diagonal lens arrangement, while Samsung opts for a flatter, vertical layout for its rear cameras.
One area where the Galaxy S24 Ultra shines is display brightness. Outdoors, the iPhone 16 Pro Max reaches 2,000 nits, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra hits 2,600 nits, making Samsung’s display slightly brighter in bright environments.
Features
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a major focus for both brands. The iPhone 16 Pro Max uses Apple Intelligence, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra leverages Galaxy AI. Both systems offer similar capabilities, like voice translation, visual searches, and smart editing for text messages or emails.
Where Samsung stands out is its advanced photo editing tools, including AI-powered features similar to Photoshop and the ability to transform selfies into cartoon portraits. Apple is expected to introduce AI-driven features such as text-prompt image generation and customizable emoji soon.
A major selling point for the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the included S Pen, which can be stored within the phone. This stylus adds versatility for users who like to sketch, take notes, or perform precision tasks. If the S Pen is important to you, Samsung is the clear winner in this area.
Cameras
Here’s a quick breakdown of the camera specs for both phones:
iPhone 16 Pro Max:
- 48MP wide lens
- 48MP ultrawide lens
- 12MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom
- 12MP selfie camera
Galaxy S24 Ultra:
- 200MP wide lens
- 50MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom
- 12MP ultrawide lens
- 12MP selfie camera
While Samsung’s 200MP wide lens may seem superior, don’t let the megapixel count fool you. Real-world performance is more nuanced, and both phones deliver top-tier photography experiences.
Battery Life
In battery life tests, the Galaxy S24 Ultra lasted 13 hours and 1 minute while continuously looping a TikTok video. Although the iPhone 16 Pro Max hasn’t been tested yet, last year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max managed to last 14 hours and 53 minutes in a similar test. Apple has also claimed that the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers the longest battery life of any iPhone.
Price
Both phones start with 256GB of storage and offer premium features, but here’s the price breakdown:
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: Starting at $1,199
- Apple A18 Pro chip
- 6.9-inch display
- 8GB RAM
- Galaxy S24 Ultra: Starting at $1,299
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip
- 6.8-inch display
- 12GB RAM
Both devices support up to 1TB of storage, and while the Galaxy S24 Ultra has more RAM, the difference in everyday performance may not be noticeable for most users.
Ultimately, choosing between the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Galaxy S24 Ultra comes down to your preference for iOS vs. Android. Both phones are packed with impressive specs, AI features, and premium designs. If you’re a fan of the S Pen or need a brighter display, Samsung may be the better choice. But if you’re loyal to the Apple ecosystem, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is an excellent option.
No matter your choice, both phones are excellent contenders in the high-end smartphone market.
