DATA-DRIVEN PHONE COMPARE

Galaxy S26 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max

34 source-backed differences · 4 fields the same. Official sources below.

✓Both records verified · latest Aug 19, 2026

Pick two phones to see a source-backed comparison.
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Direct answer

Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max trade strengths: Galaxy S26 Ultra leads in camera, Cameras and Design, while iPhone 17 Pro Max leads in display, Display, Battery, Connectivity, battery and performance.

Key differences

Prioritize what matters to you, then expand the full shared field set.

✓50 registry fields

FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Ultra Wide cameraMinor difference2 official sources50 MP48 MPHigher resolution can preserve more detail in wide scenes.
Main cameraMarginal difference2 official sources200 MP48 MPResolution is one part of camera detail and crop flexibility.
Front cameraMinor difference2 official sources12 MP18 MPFront camera changes affect selfies and video calls.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Telephoto mpMeaningful difference1 official source50UnknownNo universal winner; decide based on your use case.
ZoomMarginal difference1 official source5x optical; 10x optical-quality; up to 100x Space ZoomUnknownNo universal winner; decide based on your use case.
VideoMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps, 100 fps (Fusion Main), or 120 fps (Fusion Main)No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Refresh rateMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown120 HzHigher refresh rates make motion and scrolling feel smoother.
Outdoor brightnessMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown3000 nits outdoorHigher outdoor brightness improves sunlight readability.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
ChipMarginal difference2 official sourcesSnapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for GalaxyA19 ProNewer silicon generally extends performance headroom.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Video playbackMarginal difference2 official sources31 hours39 hoursApple’s common playback test gives a comparable endurance signal.
Fast chargeMarginal difference2 official sourcesUp to 75% in around 30 minutesUp to 50% charge in 20 minutes 8 with 40W adapter or higher (available separately) paired with USB-C charging cableShorter top-up time matters during travel and busy days.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
WeightMinor difference2 official sources214 g233 gWeight affects long sessions and one-handed comfort.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Storage optionsMarginal difference2 official sources256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB256 GB, 512 GBAvailable capacities determine local media and app headroom.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
BluetoothMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknownBluetooth 6The generation can affect accessory capabilities.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
U.S. SIMMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknownDual eSIM onlySIM format determines carrier setup and travel flexibility.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Capacity mahMarginal difference1 official source5000UnknownNo universal winner; decide based on your use case.
Streamed video hoursMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown35No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Depth mmMinor difference2 official sources7.98.75No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
Height mmMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown163.4No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
Width mmMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown78No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Magsafe wMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown25No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
Qi2 wMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown25No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
Wired max wMarginal difference1 official source60UnknownNo universal winner; decide based on your use case.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Cpu coresMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown6No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
Gpu coresMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown6No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
Neural engine coresMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown16No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
CellularMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown5G sub-6 GHz and mmWaveNo universal winner; decide based on your use case.
WifiMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknownWi-Fi 7 (802.11be)No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Brightness peak nitsMarginal difference1 official source2600UnknownNo universal winner; decide based on your use case.
HdrMeaningful difference1 official sourceUnknowntrueNo universal winner; decide based on your use case.
ResolutionMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknown2868-by-1320-pixel resolution at 460 ppiNo universal winner; decide based on your use case.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
RatingMarginal difference2 official sourcesIP68Rated IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) under IEC standard 60529No universal winner; decide based on your use case.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
ConnectorMarginal difference1 official sourceUnknownUSB-CNo universal winner; decide based on your use case.
FieldGalaxy S26 UltraiPhone 17 Pro MaxWhy it matters
Fresh ordinary priceMarginal difference1 official source$1299.99 · 256GBUnavailableOrdinary unlocked prices avoid presenting carrier-dependent discounts as universal.

What’s the same

Display size6.9 in
TechnologyDynamic AMOLED 2X
ReleaseYear2026
OsAndroid with One UI

Which should you buy?

Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max trade strengths: Galaxy S26 Ultra leads in camera, Cameras and Design, while iPhone 17 Pro Max leads in display, Display, Battery, Connectivity, battery and performance.

CHOOSE GALAXY S26 ULTRA
  • Choose Galaxy S26 Ultra if you prioritize camera, cameras and design.
CHOOSE IPHONE 17 PRO MAX
  • Choose iPhone 17 Pro Max if you prioritize display, display, battery, connectivity, battery and performance.

Category-by-category

CAMERA · Galaxy S26 Ultra

Leads in camera.

DISPLAY · iPhone 17 Pro Max

Leads in display.

DISPLAY · iPhone 17 Pro Max

Leads in display.

CAMERAS · Galaxy S26 Ultra

Leads in cameras.

BATTERY · iPhone 17 Pro Max

Leads in battery.

CONNECTIVITY · iPhone 17 Pro Max

Leads in connectivity.

BATTERY · iPhone 17 Pro Max

Leads in battery.

PERFORMANCE · iPhone 17 Pro Max

Leads in performance.

DESIGN · Galaxy S26 Ultra

Leads in design.

PERFORMANCE · Comparable

Comparable across performance.

STORAGE · Comparable

Comparable across storage.

REGIONAL · Comparable

Comparable across regional.

BODY · Comparable

Comparable across body.

CHARGING · Comparable

Comparable across charging.

CONNECTIVITY · Comparable

Comparable across connectivity.

DURABILITY · Comparable

Comparable across durability.

PORTS · Comparable

Comparable across ports.

PRICE · Comparable

Comparable across price.

FIELD-LEVEL PROVENANCE

2 official sources

Every compared field traces to an official product source. No model-generated specs, prices or winners.

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