Last year, I compared the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra to the iPhone 17 Pro Max on release. It was the first time that Samsung tipped the scales, providing a more complete smartphone package.
It wasn’t so much what Samsung did as what Apple hasn’t done. Samsung has gained ground by standing still, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max has done nothing in the last few months to convince me otherwise.
Fast-forward to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. It’s not a massive upgrade from Samsung, but it didn’t have to be.
Samsung’s done enough over the last several years to overtake the iPhone, and Apple’s once-venerable advantages have eroded.
I used the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the gap between the two is widening.
After 5 minutes with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, its best new feature is something I didn’t expect
The real Galaxy upgrade to me isn’t in the camera, Bixby, or performance
What I like about the Galaxy S26 Ultra
Solid software upgrades and a premium build quality
The Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max both feature powerful chipsets and premium build qualities. The reason why Samsung manages to pull ahead is the software.
If you had told me 10 years ago that I’d prefer Samsung’s software to Apple’s, I would’ve checked you for a fever — but here we are.
Samsung has done a better job of improving stability while still providing a feature-rich Android experience. One UI 8.5 is the company’s best effort to date.
There were only subtle improvements over One UI 8, but it’s been rock-solid on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. It’s smooth and reliable, two characteristics Apple would’ve held the advantage over a short time ago.
I maintain that neither device is good enough to get you to switch ecosystems. However, if you are frustrated with your iOS 26 experience, as I am, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is an ideal off-ramp if you want a premium flagship device.
I didn’t even mention Galaxy AI because I don’t consider it an advantage just yet. However, if you have found AI useful in your daily life, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the only real choice between the two phones.
As frustrated as I am with Galaxy AI in its current form, it at least takes the field — which is more than I can say for iOS and Apple Intelligence.
One UI 8.5 offers more customization features, I don’t experience nearly as many glitches, and it delivers clear notifications.
On the other hand, iOS notifications are a disaster, and any time Apple Intelligence tries to help, it makes things worse. It has yet to correctly identify a proper priority notification, and summarization is a punchline.
Not to mention, if you like customizing your device, iOS has a fit, making it seem like icons exploded on your home page.
iOS needs a major overhaul to get back to basics, but I prefer One UI 8.5 while I wait.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is exactly what you’d expect. I am in the minority of those affected by the display, with viewing causing a mild lightheadedness.
I fully understand most will have no problems, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra does feature a vibrant, bright 6.9-inch display.
Neither one is a native 10-bit panel, so I won’t get into all that. Samsung was wrong for claiming it was, and I have no idea what happened there.
Still, the bottom line is most users won’t notice, and it’s a gorgeous display — even if Samsung has some PR cleanup to do.
I wasn’t blown away by the Privacy Display feature, but I can see it being useful in certain circumstances. If you live in an urban area and frequent mass transit, it’s helpful to have notifications and important banking apps shielded from unwanted eyes.
The S Pen is another feature, like the Privacy Display, that feels nerfed, but at least it’s there. I still use my beleaguered S Pen often, and while I wish Samsung returned it to its former glory, I’m just happy it’s on the device for now.
The move from titanium to aluminum is a non-story for both companies. There are design differences, but the materials feel premium either way.
Samsung rounded off the Galaxy S26 Ultra and made it a touch thinner, giving it a sleek feel. By contrast, the iPhone 17 Pro Max feels more industrial, and it will be a matter of personal taste which one you prefer.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset is everything you’d expect from a high-end flagship SoC.
I wish we could get 16GB of RAM without spending $1,800, but if it kept the base price at $1,300, I can’t complain too much.
Performance in everyday use feels like a dead heat between the two phones. If you’re looking for a power gap, you won’t find one.
I’ll talk about the battery life a bit later. Even though 60W isn’t blazing compared to devices from overseas, it runs circles around the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s charging speeds.
However, the Galaxy S26 Ultra doesn’t have full Qi2 compatibility out of the box, which does feel a bit dated in 2026.
Samsung did give the Galaxy S26 Ultra a wider aperture on the primary 200MP camera, and it appears that low-light photography is improved. However, overall, it’s a toss-up between the two phones.
If you like a warmer image, the iPhone is still your best bet, though the Galaxy S26 produces sharp, vibrant photos.
What I like about the iPhone 17 Pro Max
Excellent display and robust ecosystem
The Galaxy S26 Ultra features a gorgeous display, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max is no slouch either. Its 6.9-inch display is equally vibrant, and it’s a coin toss between the two.
Apple has consistently shipped excellent displays on all its hardware, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is no exception.
The phone’s industrial design is a welcome change of pace for the company that desperately needed to refresh its design.
You may love it or hate it, but at least it elicits a reaction, which is more than I can say for anything Samsung has released over the last few years.
I may no longer prefer iOS, but it’s hard to argue that Apple has a robust ecosystem.
If you own a MacBook or an Apple Watch, it’s next to impossible to convince you to switch. iPads are everywhere, and Apple does a comprehensive job of keeping its users in the fold.
The Apple A19 Pro chipset chews through anything you throw at it, and Apple Silicon is probably the best decision the company’s made in over a decade. It’s powerful and power-efficient.
And while I prefer the charging speeds of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the iPhone 17 Pro Max gets the most from its roughly 5,000mAh cell.
Both devices easily give me two days of mixed use on a single charge, but if I had to bet who would run out first, it would be the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Photos will come down to personal preference, but I still prefer the video taken on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. People often ask me why, and there’s a smoothness and depth to iPhone video that hasn’t been matched on any Android I’ve used.
There’s no night-and-day contrast, but the differences are there.
Which should you buy?
There’s a path for Apple to reclaim the throne, since it was nothing Samsung really did that overtook our friends in Cupertino.
iOS slipped back, and I’ve experienced more bugs and crashes on iOS 26 so far than in the previous decade on Apple software.
Hand on heart, without any ecosystem considerations, if you asked me which one I would want to live with for the next year, it’s the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
It’s not exactly choosing the lesser of two evils, but it’s an uninspiring pick. I review what’s put in front of me, and this year, Samsung comes out ahead.
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- SoC
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- RAM
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12GB / 16GB
- Storage
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256GB / 512GB / 1TB
- Battery
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5,000mAh
- Operating System
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Android 16 / OneUI 8.5
- Front camera
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12MP
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has a world-first new feature called the Privacy Display, which hides the phone screen from prying eyes. The phone is lighter, thinner, and more powerful than its predecessor.
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- SoC
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A19 Pro chip
- Storage
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256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB
- Battery
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Up to 39 hours of video playback
- Ports
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USB-C
- Operating System
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iOS 26
- Front camera
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18MP
Did you look at the iPhone 17 Pro and think you needed something with a bigger screen, or more storage? The iPhone 17 Pro Max has you covered.
