Samsung Galaxy S26 vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Verdict
Samsung Galaxy S26 scores higher on the OH Rank (76 vs 75), winning 2 of 10 categories including Screen and Desktop Replacement. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is 6.3mm wider than Samsung Galaxy S26. Samsung Galaxy S26 is the more recent release, from Mar 4, 2026.
Score Breakdown
Performance /15
Battery /15
Screen /15
IP Protection /15
Main Camera /15
Selfie /5
Video /5
SD Memory /5
Software /5
Desktop Replacement /5
TOTAL
76
75
Samsung Galaxy S26
71.7mm (2.82in) · Mar 4, 2026 · Rank #42
13+7+13+12+12+5+4+0+5+5 = 76
* TOP Selfie* TOP Software* TOP Desktop Replacement* TOP Compact
EDITORIAL: Like S26 Ultra and the S26+, the vanilla S26 will be remembered for the sad lack of improvement. S26 gained the latest processor and a silly 300mAh more of battery capacity. And that’s it. Oh, it grew 1.2mm in width – when rivals are all shrinking. Still, in a small world of compacts (pun intended) many will love this phone’s performance, bright screen, proficient imaging, Samsung’s polished ecosystem and having the DeX on board.
PROs
one-hand friendly and well build, fast SD 8 Elite Gen 5 (Exynos 2600 in EU) with UFS 4.0 performance, 24hr endurance from a 4300mAh (old Lithium tech) battery with sub-70min 25W (15 wireless) charging, IP69 protection, very good (same as last year) front and back camera setup with a 50MP 24mm main + 10MP 67mm telephoto (both OIS PDAF) + 12MP 13mm sans-AF ultrawide, excellent 12MP 26mm dual pixel PDAF selfie, above average video recording skills, polished and AI feature-packed OneOS with up to 7 years of updates, excellent DeX and fast USBC 3.2 port with DisplayPort and OTG
CONs
same as last year save for updated processor and extra 300mAh of battery, wider then S25, no expandable memory, walled-off Samsung garden you may wish you didn’t enter
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
78mm (3.07in) · Sep 19, 2025 · Rank #52
13+10+11+12+14+5+5+0+5+0 = 75
FLY* BEST Video* TOP Software* TOP Selfie
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.
PROs
attractive new hardware design and colors, great Apple A19 Pro with NVMe performance, over 30hr of battery life, sub-90min ~35W charging (25W wireless), new anti reflective LTPO HDR OLED screen with Dolby Vision, IP68 protection (down to 6m), great pics from 48MP OIS main + 48MP OIS periscope telephoto + 48MP ultrawide (all with PDAF) back lenses, new 18MP Center Stage selfie, the best video recording, 6+ years of OS updates, video out USB-C port and a new 2TB storage option
CONs
wider and heavier then 16 Pro Max, max screen brightness is about 1000nits, no memory expansion slot, no desktop replacement software, expensive for what it is
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.
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