Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max scores higher on the OH Rank (75 vs 74), winning 4 of 10 categories including Performance and Battery. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is 7.5mm wider than Samsung Galaxy S25. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is the more recent release, from Sep 19, 2025.
EDITORIAL: Apple decided to introduce an aluminium frame for it's Pro phones after years of promoting steel and titanium as better options. The camera bump now stretches across the top portion of the back to allow for a bigger battery and the new cooling chamber. These make for the biggest design changes in years and its a needed move considering there is much more Android competition in the premium segment. All of the back cameras are now 48MP but photography is not showing improvement over 16 Pro Max while phones from Vivo, Huawei, Vivo and Xiaomi now offer better pics. A new 18MP selfie produces great photos (as did the old one) and iPhone Pros still record the best videos, front and back. New A19 Pro is a good processor but not as powerful as are the latest SnapDragon and Mediatec chips. iOS 26 brings Liquid Glass design language while keeping the fundamentals same. UI design feels a bit outdated with multiple pages of icons and (while labels can now be removed) the overall design is not as flexible as with Android competition.
EDITORIAL: S25 is taking on other flagship phones with excellent (very pocketable) build, great screen, good cameras, excellent selfie and of course: DeX -the best desktop replacement software there is. This year, Samsung is focusing on the software side, adding tons of features meant to set it apart. The battery tests confirmed our expectations: S25 offers no improvement over S24's mediocre battery life and charging performance. S25 is not bad but what a shame to have to worry about topping up your phone before going out in the evening.
Both phones here were scored by me, using the same ten categories, with no ads, sponsorships, or manufacturer relationships — this comparison is as objective and honest as it gets.