Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

We couldn’t pass the opportunity to deliver the comparison between the ultimate rivals – the Galaxy and iPhone. Maybe you already know which of the two is your dream phone, but many people would like to know how these two match up against each other in more objective metrics. So, here it is – the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra versus the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max!

Table of Contents:

For starters, you can compare the complete specs sheets or directly continue with our editor’s assessment in the following video or in the text further down below.

Size comparison

The Galaxy S24 Ultra has a larger screen – hence – it is the larger phone. It weighs more, too. But you should keep in mind there is a stylus housed inside its body.

Still, the size difference is mostly marginal. However, the design of the two phones is radically different. Samsung’s signature rectangle shape with right-angled corners and separate camera rings is just as recognizable as the iPhone’s rounded corners and arguably busier camera island. Both companies have had years to perfect these designs – there is nothing radically new here, but we are sure each one will have its own fans.

Both smartphones feature titanium frames, and both offer IP68 ingress protection. The iPhone has extended water protection since Apple claims it can survive in up to 6m deep water for half an hour, compared to 1.5m for the Galaxy.

We cannot say that one is better than the other as both are quite different. But the iPhone does trump the Galaxy with its higher water ingress protection rating.

Display comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a larger display with higher pixel density and supports S-Pen input. It also offers a smaller camera cutout and higher peak brightness.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max display has a higher manual and automatic brightness than the Galaxy; it also offers Dolby Vision support on top of HDR10+ video.

Not to mention that the bigger camera cutout on the iPhone comes with Apple’s FaceID, which works for secure unlocking, and Apple has found a way to add some clever functionality around it with the Dynamic Island.

Overall, both displays are as premium as their makers can offer today. Nobody would be able to see the difference in the pixel density as it is not that major. Both offer outstanding contrast, brightness and color specs.

Before we wrap this section up, we should mention a few issues with the Galaxy S24 Ultra display. One of them is the slight graininess that can be observed at very low brightness levels when you use your phone in a dark setting.

Samsung also received a lot of flak for its muted color rendition, even in the Vivid color mode, but this has since been addressed with a firmware update, and users can now pick their desired level of Vividness with a slider.

So, wrapping up this section, you’d get the Galaxy for the combination of the S-Pen, the built-in fingerprint sensor and the smaller punch-hole selfie cam. You will go for the iPhone Pro Max if you lean into Dolby Vision content and you think you will enjoy the seamless FaceID and Dynamic Island functionality offered by iOS.

Battery life

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is powered by a 5,000mAh battery, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 4,441mAh cell.

Despite the fact that the iPhone has a smaller battery capacity, it managed to beat the Galaxy S24 Ultra in our battery life test. It scored better across all of our test scenarios except for voice calls. And that is why its Active Use score turned out 16:01 hours compared to 13:49 hours for the Galaxy.

Both scores are excellent; it’s just the iPhone does better.

Charging speed

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra supports up to 45W fast charging, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max maxes out at 20W. And while both charging solutions are nowhere near the fastest on the market, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the phone that recharges faster of the two.

Beyond wired charging, both the S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max support 15W Qi/PMA wireless charging.

However, only the Galaxy offers reverse wireless charging.

Speaker test

The S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max feature hybrid stereo speaker setups. There is one speaker firing out of the bottom of the handset, and another one at the top end, which outputs sound forward through a slit that also serves as the earpiece.

Both phones fall into the ‘Very Good’ category for loudness in our testing, and there is minimal difference in the sound quality, minimal yet hearable.

While both phones offer good bass and excellent high range, the iPhone is the one with richer mid-tones and vocals.

You can compare how the two phones sound in controlled acoustic conditions with the samples below. Just make sure you have your headphones on and the volume is at max level.

Performance

Things don’t look any better for the S24 Ultra when it comes to raw computing power. The Apple A17 Pro chip appears to be faster than the latest Snapdragon. The S24 Ultra may have 12GB of RAM on its side, but the two mobile operating systems have different RAM requirements.

Still, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is still the fastest Android silicon, so it will remain relevant for quite a while.

Apple CPU is faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 both in single-core and multi-core loads.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is faster in GPU-bound tests as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 seems to have faster graphics performance.

Samsung promises 7 years of major OS updates for the S24 Ultra, which certainly looks better than Apple’s unwritten policy of offering its phones 5-6 years of major iOS updates.

The more extended software support means better value preservation overall. However, the big question is how well the hardware in a 7-year Android phone would keep up with the software in terms of performance. Nobody needs an updated phone that may be borderline unusable due to lag, whereas iPhones have already proven to be quite usable for years after launch without colossal performance degradation. So, for now, we’ll call this one a tie.

However, Samsung has the upper hand by introducing Google’s latest mobile AI features on the S24 series. You can read more about those in our dedicated One UI 6.1 review but the list includes:

• Circle to search.
• Chat translations.
• Generative AI message creation.
• Webpage summarization.
• Language interpreting for live calls or in-person convos.
• Recorded speech transcribing and summarization.
• Generative AI wallpapers and edits in the Gallery such as content-aware fill or object moving and removal.

Camera comparison

The S24 Ultra’s camera system has a new, large-sensor 5x telephoto camera, which replaces the 10x module of the previous generation. It provides great quality 5x and 10x zoom shots. The rest of the setup includes a 200MP primary unit that bins 16 pixels into 1, a 3x zoom camera, and an ultrawide camera with autofocus.

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max also has a new 5x periscope telephoto camera. The rest of the cameras include a familiar 48MP primary that takes 24MP photos and a 12MP ultrawide with AF. As you see, the iPhone is one camera short compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Both phones offer lossless 2x zoom via cropping from their main cameras.

Photo quality

Let’s start with the ultrawide and main cameras.

The ultrawide shooters on both devices capture similar photos with identical levels of detail, high contrast, and wide dynamic range.

The iPhone takes better panoramic scene photos – with more pleasing colors and less sharpening. When it comes to closer subjects (second set of photos), it is the Galaxy that offers a more balanced rendition with natural-looking foliage and grass.

The Galaxy’s primary camera offers less artificial rendition, and that is why we prefer its photos over the messy iPhone ones. We are glad Samsung has reworked its image processing algorithms this year and went for a more natural look. This surely pays off. Even if the iPhone’s color presentation is closer to reality, we’d still go for the S24 Ultra photos.

Finally, both phones offer high-quality 2x zoom thanks to their high-resolution sensors on the main camera. The resolved details seem up to par and nearly identical, but Samsung does more sharpening for its 2x photos, and we are inclined to say its photos are more convincing than the iPhone’s because of that.

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

Now, things become more interesting when we start comparing telephoto cameras, mostly because the Galaxy S24 Ultra has two of them (3x and 5x), while the iPhone 15 Pro Max has just one (5x).

For starters, there is no 3x digitally zoomed photo that can rival one taken with a proper 3x telephoto camera. The iPhone’s 3x photos are poor in detail, naturally, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra grabs an easy win here.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra saves the better 5x photos with its higher resolution 5x telephoto camera. First, its images have slightly more resolved detail and better sharpness than the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s. And second, its processing is the more mature one and makes for a more balanced look. The foliage looks great on the zoomed Galaxy photos, while it is quite artificial and chaotic on the iPhone’s.

The Galaxy S24 can also focus from much closer than the iPhone’s telephoto cam.

For a phone that crops and upscales from the 5x output, the iPhone 15 Pro Max puts a solid fight against the high-quality zoom from the 50MP Galaxy sensor behind the 5x zoom lens. The iPhone’s photos are almost as detailed as the Galaxy’s, but they are also noisier, and the poor image processing becomes even more obvious and distracting here.

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 3x • 5x • 10x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 3x • 5x • 10x

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 3x • 5x • 10x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 3x • 5x • 10x

Finally, a few selfies. Both phones offer 12MP selfie cameras with similar optics and autofocus, the iPhone even has OIS! But the Galaxy S24 Ultra photos have once again the more mature processing with the better overall rendition – noise reduction, sharpening, facial features, and it has the more accurate (warmer) colors.

Galaxy • iPhone • Galaxy • iPhone

Moving on to some low-light photos.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max ultrawide photos might be darker and less detailed, but they are mostly free of noise. The Galaxy’s photos have the potential to be better, but all that noise just gets in the way of that greatness.

The primary camera on the Galaxy S24 Ultra wins this round here as it saves the more detailed and sharper photos, with a wider dynamic range, too. Not that the iPhone photos are bad, it’s just that the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s are superb!

The 2x zoomed photos from the main cameras are solid – the first scene is where the iPhone did better by saving a more natura-looking and less processed photo, but the Galaxy did better on the second scene.

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

The Galaxy’s 3x photos at night look a bit better than the iPhone’s, but sometimes the phone will resort to a crop from the main cam, and in this case, the two produce identical results.

When it comes to the 5x photos, the two are quite similar – with pleasant colors and detail. The iPhone would sometimes crop from its main camera to achieve the zoom, which produces a soft photo.

At 5 times zoom, the playing field is more level, but the Galaxy still comes out on top. Its higher-resolution telephoto produces images that have a bit more detail and sharpness. Its processing is more natural than the iPhone’s too, especially with foliage.

Finally, you can shoot at 10x zoom with both phones, but neither of them would do great. Still, for comparison purposes, the Galaxy’s 10x photos look a bit more detailed. Maybe.

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 3x • 5x • 10x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 3x • 5x • 10x

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 3x • 5x • 10x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 3x • 5x • 10x

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the more versatile cameraphone with consistently better photo quality.

Video quality

The Galaxy S24 Ultra offers 8K@30fps video capturing, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers 4K@60fps video.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra can record HDR10+ video, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro Max can do Dolby Vision video.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra can also capture 4K@120fps video, which works out quite well for slow-mo footage. The iPhone tops out at 60fps so you can get twice as slowed down footage with the Galaxy.

Thanks to its AI features, the Galaxy can also slow down any regular footage straight in the Gallery by inserting generated frames to fill in the missing frames.

The Galaxy also has a high bitrate video option and a Pro Mode right in the default camera app, without the need to download a third-party app. As for iOS, there is a huge choice of third-party camera apps – some are photo-oriented, while others – are video-oriented, and all make great use of the hardware.

The video capturing capabilities on the ultrawide and telephoto cameras are similar on both phones. >

Overall, the Galaxy S24 Ultra saves sharper videos, though the amount of resolved detail is give or take the same. The foliage often looks better on the Galaxy, but the iPhone’s footage appears more balanced, especially at 2x zoom.

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

The Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 3x telephoto camera, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max doesn’t. And while the 3x zoomed Galaxy footage is nothing impressive, it is still better.

At 5 times zoom and 4K resolution, the two phones take similar quality videos. The S24 Ultra’s camera is somewhat rare in that it can record 8K video. And as we also mentioned, it can focus from much closer than the iPhone’s.

Finally, the 10x zoom is better on the Galaxy because of the higher-resolution sensor. The video is simply more detailed, although not that impressive in general.

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 3x • 5x • 10x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 3x • 5x • 10x

The iPhone saves far better 4K ultrawide videos at night – more detailed, clean of noise and with wider dynamic range.

The same goes for the main camera – the 4K videos from the iPhone’s primary camera are more detailed, clean of noise and have better dynamic range.

However, the Galaxy avoids the lens reflections or flaring you often get on the iPhone, and its videos have better saturation.

The 2x zoomed videos are equally soft and with poor detail, quite uninspiring.

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 0.6x • 1x • 2x

The 3x zoom appears to have been shot over the main camera on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and that is why what we said for the 2x footage applies to the 3x zoom as well.

Oddly, while the iPhone did better for photos at 5x zoom, here, the Galaxy S24 Ultra takes the lead with more colorful and cleaner footage. The same goes for the 10x – the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers better videos.

Galaxy S24 Ultra: 3x • 5x • 10x

iPhone 15 Pro Max: 3x • 5x • 10x

While the video recording on those two phones turned out to be more nuanced than the photo quality, one thing is certain – both smartphones are great at video capturing, and each one of them has its strengths and weaknesses.

Verdict

Let’s be honest – only a handful of users would be choosing between the latest Galaxy and the latest iPhone. Even if those two had the same hardware, which they don’t, their operating systems make for an incredibly different user experience.

Comparing the two, one thing became clear almost instantly – the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max are flagship smartphones catering to completely different groups of people. The Galaxy is a more versatile device with an S-Pen, all sorts of charging options, rich connectivity features, and more cameras!

At the same time, the iPhone is a consumer-oriented device with a ton of powerful video options for capturing on the go.

Both phones have solid builds; they offer great OLEDs, long-lasting battery life, and loudspeakers, and they come with the promise of software updates for the years to come. But while the iPhone has a longer battery life and better speakers, the Galaxy impresses with a more rounded and versatile camera experience.

The Android OS vs Apple iOS debate is not one to be solved today. The first is open to all sorts of tweaks and modifications, while Apple’s iOS is a fortress that even regulators have a hard time breaching.

So, there is no clear winner here. From an objective standpoint – we might be inclined to pick the Galaxy as the more versatile machine. However, the iPhone has a lot of strong sides that should not be ignored. Assuming they are priced the same, we’d call this one a draw.