iPhone 16 vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: A Deep Dive into Flagship Supremacy
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and charging flexibility, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra emerges as the winner. Its significantly higher battery endurance (44:54h vs 37:00h) and faster charging (65% in 30 min) outweigh the iPhone 16’s slightly brighter display.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone 16 | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 66 - A3287 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3287 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, September 09 | 2025, January 22 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, September 20 | Available. Released 2025, February 03 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Ceramic Shield), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning Gorilla Armor 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 mm (5.81 x 2.82 x 0.31 in) | 162.8 x 77.6 x 8.2 mm (6.41 x 3.06 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) | · Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - INT· Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - USA· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM - CN |
| Weight | 170 g (6.00 oz) | 218 g (7.69 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Ceramic Shield glass (2024 gen), Mohs level 4 | Corning Gorilla Armor 2, Mohs level 6 |
| Resolution | 1179 x 2556 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~498 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 91.7 cm2 (~86.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.9 inches, 116.9 cm2 (~92.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x4.04 GHz + 4x2.20 GHz) | Octa-core (2x4.47 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) |
| Chipset | Apple A18 (3 nm) | Qualcomm SM8750-AC Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Adreno 830 (1200 MHz) |
| OS | iOS 18, upgradable to iOS 26.1 | Android 15, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | Laser AF, Best Face, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/3.4, 111mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.52", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/1.9, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR, 3D (spatial) audio, stereo sound rec. | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.4, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, DisplayPort | USB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, tri-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 25W wireless (MagSafe), 15W wireless (China only) 15W wireless (Qi2) 4.5W reverse wired | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 3561 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine | Titanium Silver Blue, Titanium Black, Titanium White Silver, Titanium Gray, Titanium Jade Green, Titanium Jet Black, Titanium Pink Gold |
| Models | A3287, A3081, A3286, A3288, iPhone17,3 | SM-S938B, SM-S938B/DS, SM-S938U, SM-S938U1, SM-S938W, SM-S938N, SM-S9380, SM-S938E, SM-S938E/DS |
| Price | $ 494.93 / C$ 945.75 / £ 569.99 / € 678.57 / ₹ 66,900 | € 895.00 / $ 859.98 / £ 799.99 / ₹ 110,498 |
| SAR | 1.08 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) | 1.26 W/kg (head) 0.64 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.24 W/kg (head) 1.41 W/kg (body) | 1.25 W/kg (head) 1.42 W/kg (body) |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 37:00h endurance, 1000 cycles | 44:54h endurance, 2000 cycles |
| Energy | Class B | Class B |
| Free fall | Class C (90 falls) | Class A (270 falls) |
| Repairability | Class C | Class C |
Apple iPhone 16
- Brighter display for outdoor visibility
- Longer battery cycle life (1000 cycles)
- MagSafe wireless charging ecosystem
- Shorter battery endurance (37:00h)
- Slower wired charging speed
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
- Superior battery endurance (44:54h)
- Faster wired charging (65% in 30 min)
- Longer battery cycle life (2000 cycles)
- Lower peak display brightness
- Android ecosystem fragmentation
Display Comparison
The iPhone 16 boasts a measured peak brightness of 1708 nits, exceeding the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 1417 nits. While this translates to better visibility in direct sunlight, the difference isn’t drastic. Both devices likely employ LTPO technology for adaptive refresh rates, though specifics are missing. The S25 Ultra’s display, while dimmer, benefits from Samsung’s established color calibration expertise. The iPhone 16’s brightness advantage is most noticeable in HDR content, but the S25 Ultra’s panel is still excellent.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specifications, a direct comparison is limited. However, Samsung typically prioritizes high-resolution sensors and advanced computational photography, while Apple focuses on natural image processing. The S25 Ultra is likely to feature a larger main sensor, benefiting low-light performance. The iPhone 16’s image processing pipeline is known for its color accuracy and dynamic range. Both phones will likely offer excellent video recording capabilities, but Samsung’s hardware advantages may give it an edge in zoom capabilities.
Performance
Both the iPhone 16’s Apple A18 and the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Elite are built on a 3nm process, promising significant efficiency gains. However, the Snapdragon 8 Elite utilizes an octa-core configuration (2x4.47 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) compared to the iPhone’s hexa-core (2x4.04 GHz + 4x2.20 GHz). This core count advantage *could* translate to better multi-threaded performance for demanding tasks like video editing. The Snapdragon 8 Elite’s Oryon V2 cores are designed for high performance, potentially closing the gap with Apple’s custom CPU cores. Thermal management will be crucial; the Snapdragon’s higher peak clock speeds may necessitate more aggressive throttling under sustained load.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 44:54h endurance significantly surpasses the iPhone 16’s 37:00h. This is a substantial difference, translating to a full day of heavier use for the Samsung device. While the iPhone 16 offers 1000 battery cycles, indicating longevity, the S25 Ultra’s 2000 cycles suggest it will maintain capacity for a longer period. The S25 Ultra’s 45W wired charging (65% in 30 min) is faster than the iPhone 16’s 50% in 30 min. Both support 15W Qi2 wireless charging, but the iPhone 16 also offers 25W MagSafe, a proprietary advantage.
Buying Guide
Buy the Apple iPhone 16 if you prioritize seamless ecosystem integration, a refined software experience, and are heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem. Its 1000 battery cycles also offer a longer lifespan. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra if you demand maximum battery endurance, faster charging speeds, and a more versatile feature set, particularly if you’re comfortable with Android’s customization options.