Phone comparison · 2 products
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Key differences
- ChipsetiPhone 17 Pro Max Apple A19 Pro · Galaxy S25 Ultra Snapdragon 8 Elite
- Wired charging (rated)Galaxy S25 Ultra: 5 W higher (13%)iPhone 17 Pro Max 40 W · Galaxy S25 Ultra 45 W
- WeightGalaxy S25 Ultra: 15 g lighter (7%)iPhone 17 Pro Max 233 g · Galaxy S25 Ultra 218 g
- ThicknessiPhone 17 Pro Max: 0.55 mm thicker (7%)iPhone 17 Pro Max 8.75 mm · Galaxy S25 Ultra 8.2 mm
- ResolutioniPhone 17 Pro Max 1320 × 2868 · Galaxy S25 Ultra 1440 × 3120
- Pixel densityGalaxy S25 Ultra: 38 ppi denser (8%)iPhone 17 Pro Max 460 ppi · Galaxy S25 Ultra 498 ppi
What’s the same
- Water & dust rating IP68
- Screen size 6.9″
- Panel OLED
- Refresh rate 120 Hz
- RAM 12 GB
- Wi‑Fi (newest supported) Wi‑Fi 7
- USB‑C data USB 3.2
- 3.5 mm headphone jack No
- Memory card slot No
Identical specs don’t help you choose, so “Differences only” hides them.
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | Galaxy S25 Ultra | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 233 g | 218 gLighter | Galaxy S25 Ultra · 15 g lighter (7%) |
Why this matters. Weight affects one‑handed comfort and pocketability. A few grams rarely matter; 20 g or more is usually noticeable. | |||
| Thickness | 8.75 mm | 8.2 mm | iPhone 17 Pro Max · 0.55 mm thicker (7%) |
| Height | 163.4 mm | 162.8 mm | iPhone 17 Pro Max · 0.6 mm taller |
| Width | 78 mm | 77.6 mm | ≈ Within 0.4 mm |
| Water & dust rating | IP68 | IP68 | Same |
Why this matters. IP68: the first digit (6) is dust‑tight, the second (8) is rated for continuous immersion under conditions set by the manufacturer. | |||
2 identical specs hidden in this section
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | Galaxy S25 Ultra | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.9″ | 6.9″ | Same |
| Panel | OLED | OLED | Same |
| Resolution | 1320 × 2868 | 1440 × 3120 | Different |
| Pixel density | 460 ppi | 498 ppi | Galaxy S25 Ultra · 38 ppi denser (8%) |
Why this matters. Above roughly 400 ppi at phone viewing distance, most people struggle to see individual pixels. | |||
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | Same |
Why this matters. Higher refresh rates can make scrolling and motion look smoother, particularly in games and fast‑moving interfaces. Most phones vary the rate to save power. | |||
| Brightness (typical) | 1,000 nits | 2,600 nits | Galaxy S25 Ultra · 1,600 nits brighter (160%) |
Why this matters. Manufacturers measure brightness differently (typical, HDR peak, outdoor boost). Compare like‑for‑like figures only. | |||
3 identical specs hidden in this section
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | Galaxy S25 Ultra | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Different |
| RAM | 12 GB | 12 GB | Same |
Why this matters. More RAM lets more apps stay open in the background. Beyond 8–12 GB the everyday difference is small. | |||
| Storage (max listed) | 2,048 GBMore | 1,024 GB | iPhone 17 Pro Max · 1,024 GB more (100%) |
Why this matters. DuelVS lists one storage figure per model, usually the largest configuration. Check the variant you would actually buy. | |||
| Geekbench 6 single‑core | 3,933 | 3,057 | iPhone 17 Pro Max · 876 higher (29%) |
Data note. Benchmark figures come from mixed sources and test versions. Treat small gaps as noise. | |||
| Geekbench 6 multi‑core | 10,223 | 9,846 | iPhone 17 Pro Max · 377 higher (4%) |
Data note. Benchmark figures come from mixed sources and test versions. Treat small gaps as noise. | |||
1 identical spec hidden in this section
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | Galaxy S25 Ultra | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rear cameras | 48 + 48 + 48 MP | 200 + 50 + 50 + 10 MP | Different |
Why this matters. Megapixels describe resolution, not image quality. Sensor size, lens and processing usually matter more. | |||
| Front camera | 18 MP | 12 MP | iPhone 17 Pro Max · 6 MP higher‑res (50%) |
| Max video | 4K · 120 fps | 8K · 30 fps | Different |
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | Galaxy S25 Ultra | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 5,088 mAhMore | 5,000 mAh | iPhone 17 Pro Max · 88 mAh more |
Why this matters. Capacity is the size of the tank, not the mileage. Chip efficiency and screen settings decide real battery life. | |||
| Wired charging (rated) | 40 W | 45 WHigher | Galaxy S25 Ultra · 5 W higher (13%) |
| Wireless charging (rated) | 30 WHigher | 15 W | iPhone 17 Pro Max · 15 W higher (100%) |
| Reverse wireless charging | No | Yes | Only Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | Galaxy S25 Ultra | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wi‑Fi (newest supported) | Wi‑Fi 7 | Wi‑Fi 7 | Same |
Why this matters. Wi‑Fi 7 can be faster and steadier on a Wi‑Fi 7 router. On older routers the difference disappears. | |||
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | 5.4 | Different |
| USB‑C data | USB 3.2 | USB 3.2 | Same |
Why this matters. USB 2 transfers files much more slowly than USB 3.x over a cable. Charging is unaffected. | |||
| SIM | 1 SIM + 1 eSIM | 2 SIM + 2 eSIM | Different |
| LDAC audio codec | No | Yes | Only Galaxy S25 Ultra |
| 3.5 mm headphone jack | No | No | Same |
| Memory card slot | No | No | Same |
| Release date | Sep 2025 | Jan 2025 | Released 8 months apart |
4 identical specs hidden in this section
How this comparison works
Every product in a category uses the same fields and units. Rows highlight a difference. A direction label such as “Lighter” or “More” appears only on fields where DuelVS’s methodology defines which way is generally preferable. Nothing here declares an overall winner.
Questions, answered from the data
- How many specs are different between iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra?
- Of 31 specs DuelVS lists for this comparison, 21 differ, 9 are identical, 1 are within a negligible margin.
- Which is lighter?
- Galaxy S25 Ultra: 218 g vs 233 g for iPhone 17 Pro Max, 15 g lighter.
- Which is thinner?
- Galaxy S25 Ultra: 8.2 mm vs 8.75 mm for iPhone 17 Pro Max, 0.55 mm thinner.
- Which has the larger screen?
- Neither, in DuelVS data: both are listed at 6.9″.
- Which has more RAM?
- Neither, in DuelVS data: both are listed at 12 GB.
- Which has the larger battery?
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 5,088 mAh vs 5,000 mAh for Galaxy S25 Ultra, 88 mAh more.
- Which charges faster with a cable?
- Galaxy S25 Ultra: 45 W vs 40 W for iPhone 17 Pro Max, 5 W higher.
- Which supports the newer Wi‑Fi standard?
- Neither, in DuelVS data: both are listed at Wi‑Fi 7.
- What do they have in common?
- Water & dust rating: IP68; Screen size: 6.9″; Panel: OLED; Refresh rate: 120 Hz; RAM: 12 GB; Wi‑Fi (newest supported): Wi‑Fi 7; USB‑C data: USB 3.2; 3.5 mm headphone jack: No.