Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max wins 2 of 5. Buy Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if you want the longest software support. Buy Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max if you want longer battery life and to spend less.
The short answer
- CameraIt's a tie
- BatteryApple iPhone 17 Pro Max. Lasts longer on a charge: battery score 10 out of 10, against 8. Its 4832 mAh battery is smaller, but it uses less power, and our score follows tested battery life.
- SpeedIt's a tie
- UpdatesSamsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. Android upgrades: until about Feb 2033 (7 upgrades). Security patches: until about Feb 2033 (7 years from launch).
- PriceApple iPhone 17 Pro Max. Costs 3% less.
Overall, Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max wins 2 of 5. The full details are below.
Side by side
Compared like for like: each phone in the version closest to the same memory and storage. Change a version at the top of its column.
| Spec | Your main pickSamsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | Suggested by TuvvoVivo X300 ProWins 6 of 10 key areas against Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra₹55,000 cheaper for 16GB + 512GB, better camera, longer battery life, brighter screen outdoors, faster charging, better water protection | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹1,74,999 12GB + 512GB | ₹1,69,900 12GB + 512GB | Best price of these phones₹1,19,999 16GB + 512GB | |
| Price since launch | Up ₹15,000 (11%) ₹1,39,999 at launch, ₹1,54,999 now 12GB + 256GB model | No change ₹1,49,900 at launch, ₹1,49,900 now 12GB + 256GB model | Up ₹10,000 (9.1%) ₹1,09,999 at launch, ₹1,19,999 now 16GB + 512GB model | |
| Versions | 12GB + 256GB: ₹1,54,999 12GB + 512GB: ₹1,74,999 16GB + 1TB: ₹2,14,999 | 12GB + 256GB: ₹1,49,900 12GB + 512GB: ₹1,69,900 12GB + 1TB: ₹1,89,900 12GB + 2TB: ₹2,29,900 | 16GB + 512GB: ₹1,19,999 | |
| Stands out for | Nothing that leads its price range | Nothing that leads its price range | Brightest screen in its price range: 4,500 nits | |
| Launched | 25 February 2026 | 9 September 2025 | 2 December 2025 | |
| Big upgrades | Best big upgrades of these phonesAndroid upgrades: until about Feb 2033 (7 upgrades) | iOS upgrades: no fixed promise from Apple, expected until about Sep 2031 | Android upgrades: until about Dec 2030 (5 upgrades) | |
| Security patches | Best security patches of these phonesSecurity patches: until about Feb 2033 (7 years from launch) | Security patches: until about Sep 2030 (5 years from launch) | Security patches: until about Dec 2032 (7 years from launch) | |
| Software now | One UI 9 (Android 17), launched with One UI 8.5 (Android 16) | iOS 27.0.1, launched with iOS 26 | OriginOS 6 (Android 16) (same as launch) | |
| Rating | 8.6/10 | 8.7/10 | Best rating of these phones9/10 | |
| Battery | Lasts longer than last year's model and now charges much faster, to 75% in about 30 minutes. 5000 mAh | Best battery of these phonesOne of the longest-lasting phones we track; 40W wired charging. 4832 mAh | Solid all-day battery with fast 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. 6510 mAh | |
| Camera | 200MP main camera plus 3x and 5x zoom cameras; very versatile, though not the very best Android camera. | Excellent all round, with a 4x zoom lens and pro video features. | Best camera of these phonesExcellent cameras, especially the 200MP zoom lens, which is great at night and for close-ups. | |
| Speed | Best speed of these phonesExtremely fast, though it slows down a bit during long heavy games. | Best speed of these phonesA19 Pro with vapour-chamber cooling stays fast in long games. | Very fast chip with standout graphics, though it slows down when pushed for a long time. | |
| Screen size | 6.9 inch | 6.9 inch | 6.78 inch | |
| Smooth scrolling | 120Hz, very smooth | 120Hz, very smooth | 120Hz, very smooth | |
| Outdoor brightness | 2,600 nits, easy to read in sun | 3,000 nits, very easy to read in sun | Best outdoor brightness of these phones4,500 nits, very easy to read in sun | |
| Charging | 60W wired, 25W wireless | 40W wired, 25W wireless | Best charging of these phones90W wired, 40W wireless | |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | Best wireless charging of these phonesYes | |
| Water and dust | IP68: survives a dunk in water | IP68: survives a dunk in water | Best water and dust of these phonesIP68/IP69: survives a dunk and hot water jets | |
| Weight | Best weight of these phones214 g | 233 g | 226 g | |
| Thickness | Best thickness of these phones7.9 mm | 8.75 mm | 8 mm | |
| 5G | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Tap to pay (NFC) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Speakers | Two (stereo) | Two (stereo) | Two (stereo) | |
| Headphone jack | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No | |
| Colours | Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold | Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, Silver | Dune Gold, Elite Black | |
| Catch | Expensive, small upgrade over the S25 Ultra, and the US price went up another $100 (about ₹9,500) in October 2026. | Heavy at 233g. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is out now; buy the 17 Pro Max only at a clear discount. | Heavy, and performance drops under long gaming sessions; speakers are only average. | |
| What owners say | Several owners say battery drain and warmth got worse after a recent software update, even with light use. Some say it settled after a few days or a reset. | No owner reports yet | No owner reports yet | |
| Expert reviews | Digit 87.2% GSMArena | GSMArena Tom's Guide | GSMArena Smartprix 8.8/10 |
marks the strongest phone on each row, Tuvvo's suggestion included. For price, weight and thickness, that's the lowest.
Full specifications (tap to open)
Every spec side by side
Compared like for like: every phone in its 12GB + 256GB version. Change a version at the top of its column.
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 2600 nits peak, Privacy Display, Gorilla Armor 2 anti-reflective | 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR LTPO OLED (1320 x 2868), 120Hz ProMotion, 3000 nits peak, Ceramic Shield 2 |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (3nm) | Apple A19 Pro (3nm) |
| CPU | 8-core: 2x Oryon V3 Phoenix L @ 4.74GHz + 6x Oryon V3 Phoenix M @ 3.62GHz | 6-core: 2x performance @ 4.26GHz + 4x efficiency |
| Graphics (GPU) | Adreno 840 @ 1.3GHz | Apple 6-core GPU with neural accelerators |
| AI chip (NPU) | Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (TOPS not officially stated) | 16-core Neural Engine (TOPS not officially stated) |
| RAM and storage | 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB, 16GB + 1TB (UFS 4.x storage; RAM type not officially stated) | 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB, 12GB + 1TB, 12GB + 2TB (NVMe storage; RAM type not officially stated) |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 4832 mAh |
| Charging | 60W wired PD 3.0 (75% in 30 min), 25W Qi2.2 wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless | 40W wired USB-C (50% in about 20 min), 25W MagSafe/Qi2.2 wireless, 4.5W reverse wired |
| Cameras | 200MP main (f/1.4, 1/1.3", OIS) + 10MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4, 1/3.94", OIS) + 50MP 5x periscope (f/2.9, 1/2.52", OIS) + 50MP ultrawide (f/1.9, 1/2.5"); 12MP front | 48MP main (f/1.78, sensor-shift OIS) + 48MP ultrawide (f/2.2) + 48MP 4x telephoto (f/2.8, OIS); 18MP Center Stage front |
| Water and dust | IP68 (1.5m for 30 mins) | IP68 (6m for 30 mins) |
| Size and weight | 7.9mm thick, 214g | 8.75mm thick, 233g |
| Software | One UI 8.5 (Android 16) at launch, One UI 9 (Android 17) now | iOS 26 at launch, iOS 27.0.1 now |
| Updates | 7 years promised | 6 years promised |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7 tri-band, Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C 3.2 with DisplayPort 1.2 and DeX, UWB | Wi-Fi 7 (Apple N1), Bluetooth 6, NFC, UWB, USB-C 3 (10Gbps), satellite SOS |
| Modem | Snapdragon 5G modem integrated in the chipset (exact model not officially stated) | Qualcomm 5G modem (model not officially stated) |
| Speakers and haptics | Stereo speakers (rated Very good by GSMArena, -25.9 LUFS); S Pen included | Stereo speakers; Taptic Engine |
| Screen flicker (PWM) | No high-frequency PWM dimming (GSMArena); touch sampling not officially stated | Not officially stated |
| Cooling | Cooling hardware not officially detailed; GSMArena found significant CPU throttling under sustained load | Vapour chamber in an aluminium unibody |
| Colours | Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold | Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, Silver |
Where to buy
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra₹1,54,999
Pick your version and colour, then your store:
Opens 12GB + 256GB.
- Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max₹1,49,900
Pick your version and colour, then your store:
Opens 12GB + 256GB.
Store links may earn Tuvvo a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our rankings.
Waiting for a better price?See it here next time you open Tuvvo if any of these phones drops in price.
Common questions
- Which is better, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra or Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max?
- Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max wins 2 of 5 areas (camera, battery, speed, updates and price). Buy Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra if you want the longest software support. Buy Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max if you want longer battery life and to spend less.
- Which has the better camera?
- They are about even on camera.
- Which has the better battery life?
- Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max lasts longer on a charge.
- Which is faster for gaming?
- They are about even on speed.
- How much do they cost?
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (12GB + 256GB) costs ₹1,54,999, Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (12GB + 256GB) costs ₹1,49,900.
- Which gets software updates for longer?
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, now on One UI 9 (Android 17). Android upgrades: until about Feb 2033 (7 upgrades). Security patches: until about Feb 2033 (7 years from launch). Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max, now on iOS 27.0.1. iOS upgrades: no fixed promise from Apple, expected until about Sep 2031. Security patches: until about Sep 2030 (5 years from launch).
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