Different ecosystems, but similar flagship hardware.
Apple/Samsung Add Engadget on Google: Preferred Source Google Discover The new iPhone 18 Pro Max may not seem as exciting as the iPhone Duo . Indeed, it still has that classic iPhone form factor and, aside from some new colors, looks identical to the iPhone Pro 17 Max. Even so, you get everything you'd expect from a flagship. Large screen, multiple cameras, it checks all the boxes. But the iPhone 18 Pro Max isn't the only flagship phone on the market. Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra is also a very capable device , and it's hard not to compare the two.
Given that we're comparing the most impressive non-folding phones Apple and Samsung makes, the choice will likely come down to some small details and personal preferences. Maybe you're an iOS person, or you've got your eye on that new dark red iPhone 18 Pro Max. Or maybe you'd rather have the freedom of Android, or you like having the S Pen on the Galaxy. There are pros and cons on both sides. And even before diving into the details, the truth is neither of them disappoint.
Wongsakorn 2468/Shutterstock Both the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Galaxy S26 Ultra look like regular smartphones. They're straight, rectangular devices without a foldable screen in sight. They both have the same 6.9-inch size. But the iPhone has slightly rounder corners, while the Galaxy goes for a straighter shape. Apple went with a design that combines aluminum and glass on the back. Samsung, on the other hand, has an all-glass back.
One great thing about the S26 Ultra over the iPhone is its weight. It's 214 grams, compared to 249 grams for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. It might not seem like much, but you can probably feel the difference when holding your phone for a long time. The Samsung phone is also thinner — 7.9 mm versus the iPhone's 8.75 mm. Again, it's not a huge difference, but it matters to some people, especially when you consider adding a case to them.
The differences in the displays are also subtle. The iPhone uses an OLED panel with a resolution of 2,868 by 1,320 pixels. That's high enough to make the screen look great. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate and reaches 3,000 nits of brightness. In other words, it's a good, bright and smooth display. Samsung uses a slightly higher-resolution AMOLED display. It's 3,120 by 1,440 pixels, but the resolution difference between these screens is extremely hard to notice in real life.
The S26 Ultra also has a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling, but the brightness is limited to 2,600 nits. And brightness matters a lot if you use your phone a lot outdoors. The S Pen is also a huge plus for the S26 Ultra. Not everyone cares about it, but it's nice to have it. It can be a good way to take notes more naturally. On the iPhone side, you need the very expensive iPhone Duo to use the Apple Pencil.
Herman Vlad/Getty Images Cameras are where these phones really stand out. Both have incredible specs that make the eyes of photographers and filmmakers light up. Starting with the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple has kept the classic three-camera setup on the back: wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto, all of which have 48-megapixel sensors. And there's some big news about this year's main sensor : variable aperture.
Most phone cameras use a fixed aperture. That means the focal length and the amount of light hitting the sensor are fixed, with no way to change that. But the iPhone 18 Pro Max lets you adjust the aperture mechanically. It opens up…