iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra: Main differences to expect
The iPhone 18 Pro Max or the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which one to pick? | Image by PhoneArena
Aside from experiencing a pivotal change at the top, Apple will also be announcing its first foldable iPhone and launching the iPhone 18 Pro Max in the fall. The latter will be the best conventional iPhone released this September, with the best battery life, best performance, and most certainly, the most intriguing camera upgrades.
Apple is reportedly eyeing a main camera with variable aperture, the largest battery ever on an iPhone, and the most efficient Apple A20 Pro chip. While it might not be a perfect upgrade option for iPhone 17 Pro Max users, those using much older iPhones will certainly get much better value when they upgrade. A stretch in this economy, but if you're using an iPhone 14 Pro Max or older, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better option.
One of those from the Android side is Samsung's current flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra. With a built-in stylus, a quad-camera, and a cool privacy screen feature, it's definitely a phone that could sway many iPhone users over from the Apple side.
iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra expected differences:
| iPhone 18 Pro Max | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Aluminum design language with an expansive camera plateau in the back | Aluminum frame and glass back with a compact quad-camera setup |
| Narrower second-gen Dynamic Island at the front | A small camera punch-hole |
| 2 nm Apple A20 Pro chip | 3 nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
| 12 GB of RAM on board | 12GB of memory in the starting model, Galaxy AI support |
| Starting at 256 GB and up to 2 TB of storage, likely | Starts at 256 GB and maxes out at 1 TB |
| Variable aperture on 48MP main camera | A 200 MP main camera with fixed F1.4 aperture |
| Potentially wider aperture for the telephoto lens | A fairly short 3X telephoto camera |
| Periscope with 4X optical zoom | 5X telephoto camera |
| 5,088+ mAh battery | A 5,000 mAh battery |
| Possibly improved charging | 60W wired charging, 15W wireless charging |
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Design and Size
Two very different beasts
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will be mostly similar to the iPhone 17 Pro Max in terms of looks, with an aluminum build and the oversized camera plateau in the back.
Right now we don't expect any major changes to take place with the exterior, although rounder edges of the camera plateau would certainly boost the durability in comparison with the current straight edges at the rear that are fairly easy to damage.
In terms of size, the iPhone 18 Pro Max will most certainly be very similar to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, meaning it will be around 8.75 mm in thickness and weigh around 232 grams, or if the rumors are to be believed, slightly more.
With a customizable Action button and Camera Controls keys, the iPhone is a very different phone from iPhones a few years ago.
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm | 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm (~12.33 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 231.0 g | 214.0 g |
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Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
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The Galaxy S26 Ultra relies on the same all-flat design language that appeared on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, titanium was switched for aluminum, and the S Pen stylus now features a slightly different design. The camera island is now slightly more pronounced, but overall, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a safe choice in terms of design.
It will most certainly be lighter than the iPhone 18 Pro Max at around 214 grams and thinner, too.
In terms of colors, the Samsung device is available in Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White, Silver Shadow, and Pink Gold colors. The iPhone 18 Pro Max, on the other hand, will launch in a new red color but will also be available in Light Blue (Pantone 2121), Dark Gray (426C), and Silver (Pantone 427C).
Display Differences
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with the same 6.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion as the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The peak brightness will probably surpass 3,000 nits. So, generally, not a very different display.
One major change with the screen that we've heard about is the potential adoption of LTPO+ technology. This one will enable Apple to have greater control over the light emission, which will potentially deliver battery savings.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is also expected to feature a smaller Dynamic Island notch. The size could be reduced by as much as 40% thanks to putting some Face ID components underneath the screen.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a slightly lower peak brightness of 2600 nits. The highlight feature here is the Privacy Display feature, which protects sensitive data on the display from prying eyes. There is a layer of narrower pixels in the display assembly that have a much narrower field of view, making an area or the whole screen appear dark when viewing it from the side.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.9-inch | 6.9-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, Variable 1-120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
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While the iPhone will rely on Face ID for biometrics, the Galaxy S26 Ultra has an in-screen ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.
Performance and Software
Thouroughbred
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will arrive with the A20 Pro chip, which will be built on a 2 nm manufacturing node. Aside from having better performance, the chip will also boast better efficiency, too.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip, built on a 3 nm process. It's one of the better-performing chips around, but the Apple one will likely have the upper hand in the fall.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will be available in 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, and will also probably have a 2 TB version. The Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with 256, 512, or 1024 GB of storage on board.
In terms of memory, both will be equal, with 12 GB of RAM on either device.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Apple A20 Pro (2 nm) | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy SM8850-1-AD (3 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB 12GB/2TB |
12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB (UFS 4.0) 12GB/512GB 16GB/1024GB |
| OS | |
| iOS | Android (16), up to 7 OS updates |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
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The iPhone 18 Pro Max will launch with iOS 27, which will be demoed in early June. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 Ultra currently runs Android 16 with One UI 8.5, but the Android 17-powered One UI 9 is already available as a beta. The software will likely launch officially later this summer.
Camera
Triple 48 MP versus a quad-camera setup
We expect that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will flaunt the same camera setup as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, so a triple 48 MP selection in the back with a long 4X periscope camera.
The big upgrade here would be the main camera, which will reportedly score a variable aperture technology. This will allow the camera to switch to a wider aperture in lower-light conditions or when you need a shallow depth of field (most often when taking portraits). In other scenarios with better lighting, the lens will close down so that you get better sharpness and detail.
We also expect larger aperture on the telephoto as well.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm |
200 MP (OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung ISOCELL HP2 Aperture size: F1.4 Focal length: 23 mm Sensor size: 1/1.3" Pixel size: 0.6 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide, Sensor-shift OIS) Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm | 50 MP (Ultra-wide, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung JN3 Aperture size: F1.9 Sensor size: 1/2.5" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Optical zoom: 4.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 100 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
10 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX754 Optical zoom: 3.0x Aperture size: F2.4 Sensor size: 1/3.94" Pixel size: 1.12 μm |
| Fourth camera | |
| 50 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX854 Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.9 Focal Length: 115 mm Sensor size: 1/2.52" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
|
| Front | |
| 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) | 12 MP (PDAF, HDR) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
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The Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with a familiar setup: a 200 MP main camera with a 50 MP ultrawide, a 10 MP telephoto, and a 50 MP periscope. The brunt of improvements is thanks to software upgrades.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will launch with the 18 MP Center Stage camera, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra relies on a 12 MP one.
Battery Life and Charging
Apple will likely have the upper hand
There are rumors that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will arrive with a battery that's larger than the one on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, so more than 5,088 mAh.
That's already larger than the 5,000 mAh battery inside the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung hasn't been terribly adventurous with the batteries on its Galaxy S Ultra flagships, which have all boasted a 5,000 mAh battery on board.
With all the efficiency improvements, we expect that the iPhone will last longer on a single charge than the Galaxy.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5088 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 40.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
Wired: 60.0W Wireless: 15.0W |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
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Charging speeds, however, will remain a strong point of the Galaxy, which will charge at 60 W. The iPhone? 40 W or slightly more. Wireless charging will be better on the iPhone - 25 W versus 15 W on the Galaxy.
Specs Comparison
Here's how the iPhone 18 Pro Max will compare against the Galaxy S26 Ultra specs.
|
|
|
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm | 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm (~12.33 mm with camera bump) |
| Weight | |
| 231.0 g | 214.0 g |
| Size | |
|---|---|
| 6.9-inch | 6.9-inch |
| Type | |
| OLED, Variable 1-120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz |
| System chip | |
|---|---|
| Apple A20 Pro (2 nm) | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy SM8850-1-AD (3 nm) |
| Memory | |
| 12GB/256GB 12GB/512GB 12GB/1TB 12GB/2TB |
12GB (LPDDR5X)/256GB (UFS 4.0) 12GB/512GB 16GB/1024GB |
| OS | |
| iOS | Android (16), up to 7 OS updates |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| 5088 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charge speed | |
| Wired: 40.0W Wireless: 25.0W |
Wired: 60.0W Wireless: 15.0W |
| Main camera | |
|---|---|
| 48 MP (Sensor-shift OIS, PDAF) Aperture size: F1.8 Focal length: 24 mm Sensor size: 1/1.28" Pixel size: 1.22 μm |
200 MP (OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung ISOCELL HP2 Aperture size: F1.4 Focal length: 23 mm Sensor size: 1/1.3" Pixel size: 0.6 μm |
| Second camera | |
| 48 MP (Ultra-wide, Sensor-shift OIS) Aperture size: F2.2 Focal Length: 13 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm | 50 MP (Ultra-wide, PDAF) Sensor name: Samsung JN3 Aperture size: F1.9 Sensor size: 1/2.5" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
| Third camera | |
| 48 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Optical zoom: 4.0x Aperture size: F2.8 Focal Length: 100 mm Sensor size: 1/2.55" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
10 MP (Telephoto, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX754 Optical zoom: 3.0x Aperture size: F2.4 Sensor size: 1/3.94" Pixel size: 1.12 μm |
| Fourth camera | |
| 50 MP (Telephoto, Periscope, OIS, PDAF) Sensor name: Sony IMX854 Optical zoom: 5.0x Aperture size: F2.9 Focal Length: 115 mm Sensor size: 1/2.52" Pixel size: 0.7 μm |
|
| Front | |
| 18 MP (Time-of-Flight (ToF), Autofocus, HDR) | 12 MP (PDAF, HDR) |
See the full
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specs comparison
or compare them to other phones using our
Phone Comparison tool
Summary
With the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple isn't changing the winning team; it's merely improving it. Better performance, promising camera upgrades, and all the benefits of living in the iOS ecosystem are what we will get this fall.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is one of the better Android phones, with exceptional hardware, software, and the unmatched flexibility added by the S Pen stylus.
However, Samsung has been resting on old laurels for a while, which has allowed Apple to surpass it in many areas, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max will possibly widen the gap.
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