Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and consistent performance, the iPhone 16 Pro Max emerges as the winner. Its significantly superior 48-hour battery endurance and optimized A18 Pro chipset provide a smoother, more reliable experience. However, the Galaxy S25 offers a compelling alternative with its faster charging and potentially more open ecosystem.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S25 | Apple iPhone 16 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 - International | 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 - A3296 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International | 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 - A3296 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, January 22 | 2024, September 09 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, February 03 | Available. Released 2024, September 20 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | Glass front (Ceramic Shield), glass back, titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm (5.78 x 2.78 x 0.28 in) | 163 x 77.6 x 8.3 mm (6.42 x 3.06 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · 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 | · 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) |
| Weight | 162 g (5.71 oz) | 227 g (8.01 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Mohs level 5 | Ceramic Shield glass (2024 gen), Mohs level 4 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~416 ppi density) | 1320 x 2868 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 94.4 cm2 (~91.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.9 inches, 115.6 cm2 (~91.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x4.47 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) | Hexa-core (2x4.05 GHz + 4x2.42 GHz) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8750-AC Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) | Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 830 (1200 MHz) | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 15, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 | iOS 18, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Best Face, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.06", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60/100/120fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, 3D (spatial) video/audio, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, HDR10+ | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR, 3D (spatial) audio, stereo sound rec. |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready) 4.5W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 25W wireless (MagSafe), 15W wireless (China only) 15W wireless (Qi2) 4.5W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 4685 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Icy Blue, Mint, Navy, Silver Shadow, Pink Gold, Coral Red, Blue Black | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium |
| Models | SM-S931B, SM-S931B/DS, SM-S931U, SM-S931U1, SM-S931W, SM-S931N, SM-S9310, SM-S931E, SM-S931E/DS | A3296, A3084, A3295, A3297, iPhone17,2 |
| Price | $ 674.99 / C$ 689.00 / £ 435.99 / € 548.13 / ₹ 80,999 | $ 724.88 / C$ 1,405.46 / £ 864.49 / € 955.00 |
| SAR | 1.13 W/kg (head) 0.92 W/kg (body) | 1.01 W/kg (head) 1.15 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.29 W/kg (head) 1.36 W/kg (body) | 1.22 W/kg (head) 1.45 W/kg (body) |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 37:16h endurance, 2000 cycles | 48:00h endurance, 1000 cycles |
| Energy | Class B | Class B |
| Free fall | Class A (270 falls) | Class C (90 falls) |
| Repairability | Class C | Class C |
Samsung Galaxy S25
- Faster 25W wired charging
- Potentially longer battery lifespan (2000 cycles)
- Android's open ecosystem and customization options
- Significantly shorter battery endurance (37:16h)
- Lower peak display brightness (1395 nits)
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
- Exceptional battery endurance (48:00h)
- Brighter display (1796 nits)
- Optimized A18 Pro chipset for consistent performance
- Fewer battery cycles (1000)
- Reliance on the proprietary MagSafe/Lightning ecosystem
Display Comparison
The iPhone 16 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1796 nits compared to the Galaxy S25’s 1395 nits. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both devices utilize a 3nm process for their chipsets, the display’s impact on overall power consumption is notable. The iPhone’s brightness advantage comes at a cost, potentially contributing to its higher battery draw. Both support Qi2 wireless charging, but the iPhone’s MagSafe ecosystem offers a more integrated wireless charging experience.
Camera Comparison
Without specific camera specs, it's difficult to make a definitive judgment. However, given Apple’s history, the iPhone 16 Pro Max likely prioritizes computational photography and video recording quality. Samsung typically focuses on versatility with a wider range of lenses and features. The image processing philosophies differ; Apple aims for natural-looking images, while Samsung often boosts saturation and contrast. The absence of detailed sensor information necessitates a cautious approach to camera comparisons.
Performance
Both the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the S25 and the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro Max are built on a 3nm process, promising efficiency gains. However, their architectural approaches differ significantly. The S25’s octa-core CPU (2x4.47 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) emphasizes core count, while the iPhone’s hexa-core CPU (2x4.05 GHz + 4x2.42 GHz) focuses on maximizing per-core performance. This difference suggests the iPhone will excel in single-threaded tasks, while the S25 might handle heavily multi-threaded workloads more efficiently. The S25’s LPDDR5x RAM is standard, but Apple’s memory bandwidth optimizations often give it an edge in real-world responsiveness.
Battery Life
The iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 48-hour endurance is a clear win, significantly outperforming the Galaxy S25’s 37:16h. This difference is further emphasized by the active use scores: 17:18h for the iPhone versus 13:09h for the Samsung. While both offer 50% charging in 30 minutes, the iPhone’s superior capacity means you’ll be plugging in less often. The S25’s 2000 battery cycles suggest greater long-term battery health, but the initial endurance gap is substantial. The iPhone’s 1000 cycles are still respectable, but the S25 has a potential advantage in longevity.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 if you need the flexibility of Android, prioritize faster charging speeds (25W wired, 15W Qi2), and appreciate the potential for customization. Buy the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max if you value exceptional battery life (48 hours endurance), seamless ecosystem integration, and consistently high performance under sustained loads, even if it means relying on the proprietary Lightning port.