Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (for Galaxy)) that was released on January 17, 2024, against the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is powered by Apple A17 Pro and came out 5 months before.
Compare Galaxy S24 Ultra & iPhone 15 pro max
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra boasts a 10x optical zoom rear camera, newer Bluetooth version (v5.4), faster charging (45W), a fingerprint scanner, 960FPS slow-motion recording, a larger battery (5000mAh), 30% better AnTuTu Benchmark performance, and compatibility with Wi-Fi 7. On the other hand, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is favored for Apple’s longer software support and updates, as well as its 29% faster performance in the single-core GeekBench 6 test.
Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
- The rear camera has a 10x optical zoom
- Newer Bluetooth version (v5.4)
- Supports higher wattage charging (45W versus 23W)
- Fingerprint scanner
- Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
- Comes with 559 mAh larger battery capacity: 5000 vs 4441 mAh
- 30% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (2038K versus 1571K)
- Compatible with the latest Wi-Fi 7 wireless networks
- CPU with a higher amount of cores (+2)
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Apple releases software updates and supports their phones a few years longer than Samsung
- 29% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 2906 and 2249 points
Display
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED | OLED |
| Size | 6.8 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Resolution | 3088 x 1440 pixels | 1290 x 2796 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 19.3:9 | 19.5:9 |
| PPI | 500 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | Yes | Yes |
| Max rated brightness | 2500 nits | 2000 nits |
| Max rated brightness in HDR | – | 1600 nits |
| HDR support | Yes, Dolby Vision | Yes, Dolby Vision |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Ceramic Shield |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 89.9% | 88.2% |
| Display features | – DCI-P3 – Always-On Display | – DCI-P3 – Always-On Display |
Performance
Tests of Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max in the benchmarks
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (for Galaxy) | Apple A17 Pro |
| Max clock | 3400 MHz | 3780 MHz |
| CPU cores | 8 (1 + 3 + 2 + 2) | 6 (2 + 4) |
| Architecture | – 2 cores at 2.26 GHz: Cortex-A520 – 2 cores at 2.96 GHz: Cortex-A720 – 3 cores at 3.15 GHz: Cortex-A720 – 1 core at 3.3 GHz: Cortex-X4 | – 4 cores at 2.11 GHz: Sawtooth – 2 cores at 3.78 GHz: Everest |
| L3 cache | 12 MB | – |
| Lithography process | 4 nanometers | 3 nanometers |
| Graphics | Adreno 750 | Apple A17 GPU |
| GPU shading units | 3072 | 768 |
| GPU clock | 770 MHz | 1398 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~4730.8 GFLOPS | ~2147.2 GFLOPS |
Memory
| RAM size | 8, 12 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5 |
| Memory clock | 4200 MHz | 3200 MHz |
| Channels | 4 | 4 |
| Storage size | 256, 512, 1024 GB | 256, 512, 1024 GB |
| Storage type | UFS 4.0 | NVMe |
| Memory card | No | N |
Battery
| Capacity | 5000 mAh | 4441 mAh |
| Max charge power | 45 W | 23 W |
| Battery type | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | Yes (15 W) | Yes (7.5 W) |
| Reverse charging | Yes, (wireless) | Yes |
| Fast charging | Yes (68% in 30 min) | Yes (46% in 30 min) |
| Full charging time | 0:58 hr | 1:49 hr |
| Web browsing | – | 17:03 hr |
| Watching video | – | 22:31 hr |
| Gaming | – | 06:42 hr |
| Standby | – | 154 hr |
Camera
Specs and camera test of smartphones
| Matrix | 200 megapixels | 48 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 16320 x 12240 | 8000 x 6000 |
| Zoom | Optical, 10x | Optical, 5x |
| Flash | LED | Dual LED |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| 8K video recording | Up to 30FPS | No |
| 4K video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| 1080p video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| Slow motion | 960 FPS (1080p) | 240 FPS (1080p) |
| Angle of widest lens | 120° | 120° |
| Lenses | 4 (200 MP + 50 MP + 12 MP) | 4 (48 MP + 12 MP + 12 MP) |
| Wide (main) lens | – 200 MP – Aperture: f/1.7 – Pixel size: 0.6 micron – Sensor: 1/1.3″, Samsung ISOCELL HP2SX (ISOCELL CMOS) – Laser autofocus – Optical stabilization | – 48 MP – Aperture: f/1.8 – Focal length: 24 mm – Pixel size: 1.22 micron – Sensor: 1/1.28″, Sony IMX803 (Exmor-RS CMOS) – Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) – Optical stabilization |
| Telephoto lens | – 50 MP – Sensor: 1/2.52″, Sony IMX854 (Exmor-RS CMOS) – Phase autofocus – Optical stabilization | – 12 MP – Aperture: f/1.78 – 2.8 – Focal length: 120 mm – Pixel size: 1.12 micron – Sensor: 1/1.9″, Sony IMX913 (Exmor-RS CMOS) – Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) – Optical stabilization |
| Ultra-wide lens | – 12 MP – Aperture: f/2.2 – Focal length: 13 mm – Pixel size: 1.4 micron – Sensor: 1/2.55″ – Phase autofocus | – 12 MP – Aperture: f/2.2 – Focal length: 13 mm – Pixel size: 1.4 micron – Sensor: 1/2.55″, Sony IMX633 (Exmor-RS CMOS) – Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) |
| Depth lens | – | Yes |
| Camera features | – Bokeh mode – Pro mode – RAW support | – Bokeh mode – Pro mode – RAW support |
| Samples | – | Photo samples of Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max from DxOMark |
Result
The Samsung Galaxy S24 offers superior features compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, including a versatile 10x optical zoom rear camera, a newer Bluetooth version (v5.4), faster 45W charging, a fingerprint scanner, impressive 960FPS slow-motion recording, a larger 5000mAh battery, 30% better AnTuTu Benchmark performance, and compatibility with the latest Wi-Fi 7 networks. These advantages make the Galaxy S24 a compelling choice for users seeking advanced camera capabilities, faster charging, and cutting-edge technology.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max stands out as a preferable choice over the Galaxy S24 Ultra due to Apple’s commitment to longer software support and updates. With Apple consistently providing updates for several years, users can enjoy the latest features and security enhancements. Additionally, the iPhone 15 Pro Max showcases a 29% faster performance in the single-core GeekBench 6 test, highlighting its efficiency and responsiveness. For those prioritizing long-term software reliability and enhanced single-core performance, the iPhone 15 Pro Max emerges as the superior option.
If the software and sound are more important to you, then choose the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. But if the connectivity is more of a priority – go for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.