Samsung made a bold move with the launch of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, equipping it with a variety of Galaxy AI features. Since its launch, it has topped our list of the best Android phones. Now, with Apple’s new flagship, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the ultimate showdown has arrived. This showdown could finally establish which phone truly deserves the title of best smartphone.
The 8-month gap since our comparison between the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max gives the iPhone 16 Pro Max a new advantage. In this review, we’ll dive into all the key aspects — battery life, software, displays, AI features, and more — to determine which device offers the most value. As premium devices with price tags to match, these phones boast unique features meant to enhance the user experience.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has only been out for a few weeks and brings several camera improvements, including a new shortcut button. Despite being on the market for nine months, the Galaxy S24 Ultra remains one of Apple’s biggest competitors in mobile photography. If you’re a creative professional, choosing between the two camera systems can be a challenge. That’s why I spent a week comparing both phones to see which one stands out in sharpness, color contrast, and zoom.
Let’s start with the specs. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is equipped with a 48-megapixel main camera with a wide-angle lens, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens that offers 5x optical zoom. Its front camera is also 12 megapixels and can record video in up to 4K at 120 fps.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra, on the other hand, features a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, a 10-megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom, and a 50-megapixel telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. Like the iPhone, it also features a 12-megapixel front-facing camera and can shoot videos at up to 8K resolution. But keep in mind that more megapixels don’t always translate to better photos — software plays a huge role. That’s why real-world testing is essential. The iPhone’s new Photographic Styles feature, for example, lets users adjust saturation and contrast, making customization easier.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,200 for 256GB of storage, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra comes in at $1,300 for the same capacity.
A standout addition to this year’s iPhone is the camera control button on the side, which allows for quick access to camera functions like exposure and zoom. While I find it useful as a shortcut, I still prefer adjusting settings directly on the touchscreen. (My colleague Bridget Carey thinks the same.) Fortunately, case makers like Speck and Otterbox have already released designs that support this new button, making it easier to access while keeping the phone secure.
