Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra scores higher on the OH Rank (79 vs 78), winning 2 of 10 categories including Screen and Desktop Replacement. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is 0.4mm wider than Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is the more recent release, from Sep 19, 2025.
EDITORIAL: The S25 Ultra may be an incremental upgrade in hardware and camera tech but it is a world leader in AI functionality as Samsung turns to AI software to set itself apart from the competition. This is a phone with top performance, a full day of battery life, excellent photo and video results and 7 years of very stable OS package. Included is DeX - still the very best desktop replacement software there is. The screen, while not the brightest minimizes reflections and is more usable outdoors than any other. This year, Samsung decided to give us an Ultra with improved battery endurance and faster charging too. The lack of expandable memory is the only thing keeping the S25 Ultra back. The included stylus lost its Bluetooth but still works great.
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 it's 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 the same. UI design feels outdated with multiple pages of icons and (while labels can now be removed) the overall design is not efficient.
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.