Samsung Galaxy S20 vs. iPhone 11 Pro Max: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and consistent performance, the iPhone 11 Pro Max emerges as the superior choice. Its significantly longer endurance rating (102h vs 71h) and efficient A13 Bionic chip outweigh the Galaxy S20’s potentially brighter display and faster charging, especially considering the Exynos variant's potential thermal concerns.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S20 | Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max |
| 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, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2218 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps | HSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2161, A2220 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, February 11 | 2019, September 10 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, March 06 | Available. Released 2019, September 20 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.72 x 0.31 in) | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 163 g (5.75 oz) | 226 g (7.97 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~563 ppi density) | 1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 93.8 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display 120Hz@FHD/60Hz@QHD refresh rate | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) |
| Chipset | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA | Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5 | iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | - | 13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6" |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink, Cloud White, Aura Red | Matte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green |
| Models | SM-G980, SM-G980F, SM-G980F/DS | A2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5 |
| Price | $ 252.72 / C$ 249.99 / £ 185.00 / € 185.00 | $ 233.00 / C$ 369.75 / £ 226.95 / € 249.00 |
| SAR | 0.76 W/kg (head) 1.01 W/kg (body) | 1.16 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.28 W/kg (head) 1.52 W/kg (body) | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 256GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 874.46 |
| 512GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 1,004.31 |
| 64GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 435.00 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 485.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -81.5dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 71h | Endurance rating 102h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -23.9 LUFS (Very good) | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 525029 (v8) GeekBench: 12557 (v4.4), 2750 (v5.1) GFXBench: 44fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 459713 (v7), 536883 (v8) GeekBench: 13870 (v4.4), 3503 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S20
- Faster 25W wired charging
- Potentially brighter display
- Reverse wireless charging capability
- Lower battery endurance (71h)
- Exynos variant may throttle under load
- Performance variability between chipsets
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
- Exceptional battery life (102h)
- Consistent and powerful A13 Bionic chip
- Thermally stable performance
- Slower wired charging
- No reverse wireless charging
- Lacks 120Hz display
Display Comparison
Both the Galaxy S20 and iPhone 11 Pro Max boast 'Infinite' contrast ratios, indicative of OLED panel technology. However, measured brightness reveals a slight edge for the iPhone 11 Pro Max at 820 nits compared to the S20’s 814 nits. While the difference is minimal, it could be noticeable in direct sunlight. The S20’s 120Hz refresh rate (not specified in the data, but a key feature) would offer smoother scrolling, but this comes at the cost of battery life. The iPhone 11 Pro Max lacks a high refresh rate, prioritizing efficiency. Both devices likely employ PWM dimming, but the rate isn't specified, making it difficult to assess potential flicker-related issues for sensitive users.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are capable of capturing excellent photos and videos, but their approaches differ. The provided data doesn’t detail sensor sizes or specific camera features beyond 'Photo/Video' capability. However, Apple’s computational photography is renowned for its natural-looking images and consistent performance across all lenses. Samsung typically leans towards more vibrant and saturated colors. The S20’s variable chipset could also impact image processing performance, with the Snapdragon variant likely offering faster processing speeds. Without detailed sensor information, a definitive camera winner is difficult to declare, but Apple’s consistent image quality is a strong point.
Performance
The performance landscape is significantly different. The iPhone 11 Pro Max utilizes Apple’s A13 Bionic, a hexa-core chip known for its exceptional single-core performance and efficiency. The Galaxy S20, conversely, comes in two variants: a global Exynos 990 and a US Snapdragon 865. The Snapdragon 865 generally outperforms the Exynos 990, particularly in sustained workloads due to better thermal management. The Exynos 990, while powerful, has been known to throttle under heavy load. The A13 Bionic’s architecture, with its 'Lightning' and 'Thunder' cores, is optimized for iOS, providing a fluid and responsive experience. The S20’s octa-core configuration, while offering more cores, doesn’t necessarily translate to superior real-world performance, especially with the Exynos variant.
Battery Life
The iPhone 11 Pro Max decisively wins in battery endurance, achieving a remarkable 102 hours in testing compared to the Galaxy S20’s 71 hours. This 30-hour difference is substantial and translates to a full day of extra usage for the iPhone. While the S20 supports faster 25W wired charging (versus the iPhone’s PD2.0 charging with a 50% charge in 30 minutes), the iPhone’s superior efficiency means it requires less frequent charging. The S20 also offers 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent in the iPhone 11 Pro Max, but these are secondary to the overall endurance advantage.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 if you prioritize a potentially brighter display (814 nits) and faster 25W wired charging, and are comfortable with the variability in performance between the Exynos and Snapdragon variants. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you value exceptional battery life, a consistently powerful and thermally stable processor, and a streamlined user experience within the iOS ecosystem.