iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Which is the ultimate camera phone?

The iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra are two ultimate camera phones from each company. They promise to deliver the best camera experience possible, but only one can really be the best. That's why we are going to compare the two smartphones in this article to find out which is the best. Read on to learn more.

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: Detailed comparison

Specs comparison

Here are the specs of the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra:

Specifications	iPhone 17 Pro Max	Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Display	6.9-inch LTPO Super retina XDR OLED 1.5K panel with 120Hz refresh rate	6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh rate
Chipset	Apple A19 Pro	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
Operating system	iOS 26.1	Android 15-based OneUI 7
Memory & storage	12GB RAM 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB internal storage	12/16GB RAM 256GB/512GB/1TB storage
Camera setup	48+48+48MP rear camera setup 18MP selfie camera	200+10+50+50MP quad camera setup 12MP selfie camera
Battery and charging	4823mAh battery (Physical SIM variant) 5088mAh battery (Physical E-SIM variant) 40W wired fast charging 25W wireless fast charging	5,000mAh battery 45W wired fast charging 25W wireless Qi2 fast charging

Design, build quality, and display

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's design (Image via Samsung)

The build quality of the two phones is exceptionally high-end, but the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra edges ahead due to the use of titanium metal. Apple also used titanium previously, but it went with Aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Therefore, the Samsung phone wins in build quality.

The design of both smartphones is quite elegant, but it is subjective in nature, and the users get to decide which is better. The Galaxy S25 Ultra also includes a pen, which can be used for jotting down some quick notes or scribbling.

As for the display, the Samsung phone wins once again. Its display features a higher resolution and much better anti-reflective coating, which significantly improves outdoor usage and delivers a better user experience than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Performance and gaming

The iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra both feature flagship chipsets, but there are some differences. The Apple A19 Pro chipset delivers better performance and smoothness in regular usage and apps. You will rarely see any hiccups or stutters, even when the iPhone is pushed heavily. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is also quite close, but not quite the same in regular usage.

However, if you run heavier applications, the Snapdragon chip inside the Samsung phone will pull ahead, thanks to its higher core count and better thermal cooling capabilities. The Snapdragon chip is also better in gaming, but only by a small margin.

On the other hand, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has support for console games like Resident Evil 7, Death Stranding, Assassin's Creed Mirage, and more. Overall, I would say it's a tie between the two smartphones in terms of performance.

Camera performance

iPhone 17 Pro Max's camera setup (Image via Apple)

The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max features a much upgraded camera sensor compared to its predecessor. All three cameras have a 48MP sensor. However, as we know, megapixels are not an indicator of good, but rather the sensors themselves. Nonetheless, it still indicates a significant change in sensors.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's camera system hasn't really changed significantly compared to its predecessors. The primary camera of the iPhone 17 Pro Max produces better images with greater detail levels, contrast, color tone, and even dynamic range than the Samsung phone.

This is also true for the ultrawide camera. The detail levels, contrast, color tone, and more are better in the iPhone, but the Galaxy S25's ultrawide shots have a wider field of view (FOV). Therefore, it's a mixed bag here. When it comes to zoomed telephoto pictures, this is where the Samsung phone has a clear advantage.

The Galaxy S25 manages to capture higher detail levels, better image stability, color tone, and dynamic range. However, the iPhone 17 Pro Max wins again in selfies. It takes better selfies, and its features, like Center Stage, make the iPhone a better choice.

The iPhone also wins in low light and video recording. It is significantly better than the Samsung phone in these two areas. Therefore, the iPhone 17 Pro Max wins in terms of camera performance.

Battery, charging, and pricing

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's battery can last a long time (Image via Samsung)

When it comes to battery life, both the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra are quite similar, but the former delivers slightly more in real-world usage, according to many reviews. Their wired charging speeds are also similar, but the iPhone wins in faster wireless charging.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at ₹1,49,900 as of this writing, while the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra costs ₹1,22,199 for the base model.

Which is the ultimate camera phone?

The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max clearly has a better camera system, so it is the better choice for camera-centric users. This phone also delivers higher battery life, faster wireless charging, a smoother experience, and support for a few console-level games.

However, you can also choose the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra if you want better build quality, display, gaming performance, and support for S-Pen.

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Edited by Abu Amjad Khan