Samsung Galaxy S6 vs iPhone XS: A 2024 Showdown
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone XS wins overall due to its superior performance thanks to the A12 Bionic chip, significantly better battery life, and continued software support. While the S6 boasts a beautiful design, its aging hardware and lack of updates make it a less compelling choice for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S6 (USA) | Apple iPhone XS |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - G920V, G920P | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - G920V | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 13 - G920V | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - A2097 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat6 300/50 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat16 1024/150 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 17, 25 - G920R | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - A1920, A2100 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2015, March. Released 2015, April | 2018, September 12. Released 2018, September 21 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), glass back (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 143.5 x 70.6 x 6.9 mm (5.65 x 2.78 x 0.27 in) | 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 140 g (4.94 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 2m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~576 ppi density) | 1125 x 2436 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.1 inches, 71.7 cm2 (~70.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 84.4 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED | Super Retina OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM) |
| - | 3D Touch | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.1 GHz Cortex-A57 & 4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53) | Hexa-core (2x2.5 GHz Vortex + 4x1.6 GHz Tempest) |
| Chipset | Exynos 7420 Octa (14 nm) | Apple A12 Bionic (7 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-T760MP8 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 5.0.2 (Lollipop), upgradable to 5.1 (Lollipop), TouchWiz UI | iOS 12, upgradable to iOS 18.7 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 3GB RAM, 128GB 3GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 2.0 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom |
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 16 MP, f/1.9, 28mm (wide), 1/2.6", 1.12µm, AF, OIS | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., OIS, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 5 MP, f/1.9, 22mm (wide) | 7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm (standard) SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1440p@30fps | 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.1, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| ANT+ S-Voice natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 15W wired Wireless | 15W wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) |
| Music play | Up to 57 h | - |
| Stand-by | Up to 700 h (2G) / Up to 650 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 23 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 2550 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 2658 mAh, non-removable (10.13 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum | Space Gray, Silver, Gold |
| Models | SM-G920P, SM-G920V, SM-G920R, SM-G920W8, SM-G920R4, SM-G920T1, SM-G920AZ, SM-S907VL | A2097, A1920, A2100, A2098, iPhone11,2 |
| Price | About 410 EUR | About 190 EUR |
| SAR | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.13 W/kg (body) | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.18 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.22 W/kg (head) 0.66 W/kg (body) | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -93.7dB / Crosstalk -82.8dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 72h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 5.171 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 71dB / Noise 75dB / Ring 78dB |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 346379 (v7) GeekBench: 11472 (v4.4) GFXBench: 47fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S6 (USA)
- Premium design and build quality
- Compact size
- Vibrant AMOLED display
- Fast charging (wired)
- Aging hardware
- Limited software updates
- Shorter battery life
- Lower performance compared to modern phones
Apple iPhone XS
- Powerful A12 Bionic chip
- Excellent battery life
- Superior camera performance
- Continued iOS updates
- Fast charging (wired and PD2.0)
- Larger size compared to S6
- Older design
- Can be expensive on the used market
Display Comparison
Both phones feature excellent displays for their time. The S6 has a vibrant AMOLED panel with rich colors and deep blacks, while the iPhone XS offers accurate color reproduction and good brightness. Sunlight readability is comparable, with both achieving a contrast ratio of approximately 5.171. However, the S6's smaller size might be preferable for one-handed use.
Camera Comparison
The iPhone XS generally delivers better image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. Its computational photography is more advanced, resulting in more detailed and vibrant photos. The S6's camera is still capable, but it lacks the XS's dynamic range and overall consistency. Video recording on the XS is also superior.
Performance
The iPhone XS's A12 Bionic chip is the clear winner here. It offers significantly faster processing speeds and smoother multitasking compared to the S6's Exynos 7420. The A12's efficiency also contributes to better battery life. While the S6 was powerful in its day, it struggles to keep up with modern apps and games.
Battery Life
The iPhone XS boasts a significantly longer battery life, with an endurance rating of 72 hours compared to the S6's considerably shorter lifespan. This is largely due to the A12 Bionic's efficiency and the XS's larger battery capacity.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S6 (USA)? Budget-conscious users seeking a compact Android phone with a premium feel and who don't require the latest features or software updates. Who should buy the Apple iPhone XS? Users prioritizing performance, battery life, and access to the latest iOS features and updates, even on an older device.