iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra, short answer: buy the iPhone 17 Pro Max for the best video, long battery life, strong resale value and the Apple ecosystem. Buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra for the 200MP camera with 5x periscope zoom, the built-in S Pen, faster 60W charging and seven years of Android updates. Both are top phones of their generation.
Updated 24 October 2026
Design and display
Both have 6.9 inch 120Hz screens and aluminium frames with IP68. The S26 Ultra's QHD+ AMOLED is sharper and adds a privacy display mode; the iPhone's 3000-nit OLED is brighter outdoors. The S26 Ultra weighs about 214 g, the 17 Pro Max about 231 g. The S26 Ultra also hides an S Pen in its body.
Performance
The A19 Pro and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy are both among the fastest mobile chips. The iPhone has a vapour chamber and holds speed well in long games; the S26 Ultra has 12GB or 16GB RAM for heavy multitasking.
Cameras
The iPhone has three 48MP cameras with a 4x telephoto. The S26 Ultra has a 200MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, 50MP 5x periscope and 10MP 3x telephoto, so it wins on long zoom. The iPhone wins on video, with ProRes RAW and very natural skin tones.
Battery and charging
The 17 Pro Max battery is about 4,823 mAh (about 5,088 mAh on eSIM-only units), and the S26 Ultra's is 5,000 mAh. Real battery life is close, with the iPhone slightly ahead in video playback. The S26 Ultra charges faster at 60W against 40W.
Specs side by side
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra, key specs:
- Display: 6.9 inch 120Hz OLED vs 6.9 inch 120Hz QHD+ AMOLED
- Chip: A19 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
- Rear cameras: 48MP x3 (4x zoom) vs 200MP + 50MP + 50MP 5x + 10MP 3x
- Battery: about 4,823 to 5,088 mAh vs 5,000 mAh
- Charging: 40W vs 60W
- Weight: about 231 g vs about 214 g
- Stylus: no vs built-in S Pen
PTA status of our stock
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is a 100% genuine Non PTA (factory unlocked) box pack unit: a local SIM works for a limited time, then you register it and pay the PTA tax. The Galaxy S26 Ultra, like all our Android phones, is a PTA Patch Approved box pack unit. Read our PTA tax guide (PTA Tax on Mobile Phones: How It Is Calculated and Paid) for details.
Who should buy which
Final verdict on iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra. Buy the iPhone 17 Pro Max (iPhone 17 Pro Max) for video, resale value and iOS.
Buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra (Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra) for zoom, the S Pen and faster charging. Want the newest iPhone instead? See iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max (iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max).
