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Apple has officially unveiled the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and it already looks set to be one of the standout smartphones of 2025 — though its enormous new 2TB storage option will cost you dearly.
Our full iPhone 17 Pro Max review is coming soon, but the immediate question is: how does Apple’s latest flagship compare to its biggest Android rival, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra? Let’s break it down across specs, design, performance, cameras, and value to see which device comes out ahead.
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Specifications
iPhone 17 Pro Max Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Display size 6.9 inches (2,868 × 1,320) 6.9 inches (3,120 × 1,440) Refresh rate 120Hz 120Hz Chipset Apple A19 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy Memory 12GB (rumored) 12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Rear cameras 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP periscope telephoto (4x zoom) 200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP periscope telephoto (5x zoom), 10MP telephoto (3x zoom) Front camera 18MP 12MP Battery size 5,088mAh 5,000mAh Weight 233g 218g
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Price and Release Date
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is available to pre-order now, with deliveries starting Friday, September 19. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra has been on the market since February 7, giving it an eight-month head start.
Pricing is close, but both sit firmly in premium territory.
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iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), $1,599 (1TB), $1,999 (2TB)
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Galaxy S25 Ultra: $1,299 (256GB), $1,419 (512GB), $1,659 (1TB)
With Samsung’s longer shelf life, the S25 Ultra may now represent better value, especially if you’re willing to buy pre-owned, where prices have already softened.
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Design and Screen
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra sticks with the familiar design language introduced on the S22 Ultra, while Apple shakes things up with the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
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The iPhone ditches its square camera block for a Pixel-style camera bar, while also adding bold new finishes like bright orange and dark blue.
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Both devices feature large 6.9-inch 120Hz displays, but Samsung’s panel has the advantage in sharpness: 3,120 × 1,440 resolution (498 ppi) versus Apple’s 2,868 × 1,320 (460 ppi).
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Samsung also retains its productivity edge with the built-in S Pen, still unmatched on Apple’s side since the Apple Pencil remains iPad-only.
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Performance and Battery Life
Performance has long been Apple’s trump card, and that looks set to continue.
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The Galaxy S25 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which is now nearly a year old. In head-to-head tests with Apple’s last-generation A18 Pro, the gap was already tight (see below).
Geekbench Adobe Premiere Rush 3DMark Solar Bay Unlimited Galaxy S25 Ultra 3,031 / 9,829 52s 42.4 fps / 11,140 iPhone 16 Pro Max 3,386 / 8,306 21s 28.1 fps / 7,396 -
Leaked benchmarks for the new A19 Pro chip suggest Apple will once again take the lead, with graphics performance reportedly on par with an M2 MacBook Pro.
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RAM is also getting a bump on the iPhone, rising to 12GB, matching Samsung for the first time.
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Battery capacity has been significantly increased: 5,088mAh (or 4,823mAh in SIM-card versions) compared to the previous iPhone’s 4,685mAh. That’s slightly larger than the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 5,000mAh, and considering that the iPhone 16 Pro Max already beat the S25 Ultra in endurance tests, expectations are high.
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Cameras
The Galaxy S25 Ultra currently sits atop our list of the best camera phones, thanks to its formidable quad-lens array:
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200MP main sensor
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50MP ultrawide
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50MP periscope telephoto (5x zoom)
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10MP telephoto (3x zoom)
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max counters with an upgraded 48MP telephoto lens (4x optical zoom), which produces 8x zoom shots via cropping at 12MP. The camera also boasts a 56% larger sensor, promising much-improved low-light performance.
Whether that’s enough to dethrone Samsung’s quad-lens powerhouse remains to be seen.
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Outlook
On paper, the iPhone 17 Pro Max represents a major leap forward for Apple: a larger battery, increased RAM, and a significantly upgraded telephoto camera. But while impressive, these gains mostly bring Apple level with Samsung, rather than putting it far ahead.
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Samsung still has its advantages, most notably the S Pen for productivity and the more versatile camera setup.
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Apple’s newest flagship will likely outpace the S25 Ultra in raw performance and efficiency, but with the Galaxy S26 Ultra expected in early 2026, any lead Apple enjoys may be short-lived.
For now, the showdown between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is too close to call. Apple’s newest release has the specs to challenge Samsung’s dominance, but whether it can claim the crown will only be clear once full reviews and real-world tests are in.
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