Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely vs Apple iPhone 16 Professional Max

Out of lockstep via a couple of months as all the time, without equal Galaxy and the most efficient iPhone ever meet once more. The S25 Extremely is low on dramatic adjustments, the 16 Professional Max used to be a sprucing activity itself – most likely we have reached some degree the place we want to focal point on and recognize the little upgrades. That is an issue for a unique time regardless that – now, let’s evaluate the present most sensible fashions from the 2 archrivals.

Desk of Contents:

For starters, you’ll be able to evaluate your entire specifications sheets or without delay proceed with our editor’s overview within the following textual content.

Dimension comparability

Having a look at the ones numbers, it is simple to conclude that there is by no means been a fit so shut in dimensions between the 2 competing heavyweights. And no, the 9g of weight distinction is not in point of fact noticeable.

The Galaxy were given somewhat of a reimagining of the shapes this yr, dropping a definite stage of persona however gaining higher ergonomics and pocketability. The iPhone’s corners are rounder, admittedly, however it is necessarily a flat slab you will be keeping, whichever one you select.

Each fashions elevate an IP68 ranking for mud and water resistance, so nor is rated for the high-temperature jets that each one contemporary high-end Chinese language fashions appear to be secure in opposition to. That mentioned, as is most often the case, the iPhone exceeds the usual’s necessities, and Apple says the handset must be just right the entire method all the way down to 6m – simply 1.5m at the Galaxy.

The Galaxy nonetheless holds exclusivity on Corning’s Gorilla Armor subject material, now in its 2nd iteration. The iPhone, in the meantime, is at era 3 of Apple’s unique Ceramic Defend. Each fabrics are made via Corning, so one inevitably has to surprise simply how other they in reality are. The frames on each telephones are titanium.

Colour choices are not precisely impressed on both style, each and every providing quite a lot of inoffensive hues of kind of the standard ‘major’ choices. The iPhone will get the nearest to white, whilst the Galaxy provides a kind of blue choice, however you are apparently going to must depend on instances if you need extra colour.

In all probability right here it is price bringing up one key distinction between the 2 telephones, that is affecting operation to a vital extent. The iPhone nonetheless does not have a fingerprint reader, as a substitute depending on 3-D face scans (now not a nasty factor in itself, it is simply a kind of ‘why now not each’ moments). The Galaxy, however, has a well useful ultrasonic fingerprint reader and best fundamental face unencumber.

Show comparability

Samsung has added 0.1 inches to the Extremely’s show diagonal this yr, tying the iPhone 16 Professional Max at 6.9″. Each have related pixel density, regardless that the Galaxy is that one bit sharper on paper. Each give a boost to refresh charges within the 1Hz to 120Hz vary with adaptive switching relying on content material and interplay with the telephone. The iPhone does give a boost to Dolby Imaginative and prescient video, which Galaxies historically put out of your mind in desire of HDR10+.

The iPhone 16 Professional Max proved brighter than the S25 Extremely in our trying out, each in auto (1,796nits vs. 1,417nits) and handbook operation (900nits vs. 784nits). The Galaxy does counter with its anti-reflective entrance glass and S Pen functions (the tremendous power sensitivity is constructed into the show itself).

Battery lifestyles

The Galaxy comes with a reasonably increased capability battery in comparison to the iPhone, regardless that the Samsung is trailing its Android friends on this admire. In the case of extracting longevity out of the to be had mAhs, the iPhone does a lot better in each internet surfing and video playback in our trying out. Each telephones final nearly an identical quantity of time in gaming, whilst the Galaxy has a bonus in voice calls – the smallest of consolations for those who ask us.

Charging pace

We steadily ramble on in regards to the slowness of charging on Galaxies, iPhones and Pixels, and this right here supplies some other alternative. Apple does not explicitly state charging energy scores, whilst Samsung says the Extremely helps as much as 45W of charging – in follow, the numbers are round 30W and 40W, respectively (give or take a watt or two, relying at the charger and cable used).

The Galaxy proved quicker in our charging pace trying out, in particular in case you are evaluating complete fee instances the place the S25 Extremely is just right to move in an hour, and the 16 Professional Max wishes two. It isn’t taking a look just right for the iPhone at intermediate checkpoints both. So the in a different way now not in particular fast Galaxy is, in reality, so much sooner than the iPhone.

Each telephones give a boost to wi-fi charging with some stage of magnetism incorporated, or a minimum of implied. The iPhone’s MagSafe charger aligns mechanically due to the telephone’s integrated magnets, and maxes out at 18-ish watts (out of a claimed 25W ranking). The Galaxy does now not have any magnets integrated and wishes a case to get in at the magnetic motion. Nonetheless, magnets or no magnets, it best is going as excessive as 15W. Each telephones give a boost to opposite wi-fi charging.

Speaker take a look at

Each telephones are supplied with stereo audio system and we were given nearly an identical effects for loudness out of the 2, each rating within the ‘Very Just right’ class. Whilst the numbers are necessarily the similar, the iPhone does sound that little bit nicer – much more like a speaker and no more like a smartphone.

Efficiency

The Galaxy S25 Extremely makes use of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the de facto usual Android flagship chipset for 2025, in supposedly particular ‘for Galaxy’ spec. The iPhone, however, is powered via customized, Apple-designed silicon – the A18 Professional chip for this newest era. The 2 fashions get started at 256GB and will also be had with as much as a terabyte of garage. RAM is 8GB within the iPhone, and 12GB at the Galaxy (there is a reasonably uncommon 16GB/1TB model, too, however up to now best in China).

Benchmark efficiency

The iPhone stays forward of the Galaxy in single-core CPU benchmarks, via a margin of a few 15%. However the Galaxy’s Elite does win beneath multi-core CPU a lot, and is much forward in 3DMark, regardless that cross-platform comparisons must all the time be inquisitive about warning as the 2 telephones have distinctly other graphics APIs – one makes use of Vulkan, whilst the opposite – Steel.

In the case of tool give a boost to, Apple does not in point of fact have the rest set in stone, however 5 years seems to be the empirically established time frame for purchasing new iOSes. Samsung has not too long ago began providing 7 years of give a boost to, so realistically, you can be neatly lined both method.

Digital camera comparability

The Galaxy takes a relatively other solution to its digicam device in comparison to the iPhone. Whilst each telephones have 5x telephotos, the only at the Galaxy has a bigger, higher-res sensor. No longer best that, however the Galaxy has a 2nd telephoto, at 3x, probably making it extra flexible.

The Galaxy’s major digicam makes use of kind of the similar dimension sensor because the iPhone (1/1.3″ vs. 1/1.28″) however the imager at the Extremely has a 200MP nominal answer in comparison to the 48MP one at the iPhone – that too might be a bonus in sure programs.

The ultrawides are kind of the similar, each and every using a Quad Bayer-type sensor – each fashions were given upgraded from typical RGB imagers on their predecessors (with little tangible growth, however that isn’t the purpose right here).

The selfie cameras are a few of the higher ones within the industry – do not let the unassuming 12MP sensors idiot you. Each front-facing cameras have AF too.

Symbol high quality

In sunlight, the Galaxy captures a little bit extra expressive footage with its major digicam, with somewhat increased colour saturation and distinction. The Galaxy additionally has a bonus in sharpness and element – despite the fact that you evaluate its default 12MP photographs to the iPhone’s 24MP mode. Thoughts you, the Galaxy can do 24MP too, albeit in Skilled RAW mode, and the iPhone has a 12MP mode itself.

Sunlight picture samples, 1x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

At 2x zoom, we are additionally liking the Galaxy’s effects higher – they are a little bit sharper, extra colourful, extra contrasty.

Sunlight picture samples, 2x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

At 3x, it is a very easy and decisive victory for the Galaxy – the iPhone’s major digicam is also aggressive at 2x, however at 3x, it is an excessive amount of for its computational skills.

Sunlight picture samples, 3x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

The Samsung fares a little bit higher at 5x, once more scoring issues for added distinction and definition, in addition to its close-focusing functions – the minimal focusing distance is 25cm at the Galaxy, and what appears like a kilometer at the iPhone (okay, it is round a meter if truth be told).

Sunlight picture samples, 5x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

Because the Galaxy S25 Extremely had the lead at 5x, it is no surprise then that its 10x effects also are awesome to the 16 Professional Max’s, regardless that the adaptation is not precisely large.

Sunlight picture samples, 10x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

Evaluating the ultrawides, we would additionally give the nod to the S25 Extremely.

Sunlight picture samples: Galaxy S25 Extremely (0.6x) • iPhone 16 Professional Max (0.5x)

Selfies are nice on each telephones, regardless that there are subtleties. We favor the Galaxy’s colours, regardless that the iPhone’s wider lens is a little more flexible.

Selfie samples: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

At midnight, neither telephone is our favourite. Evaluating the principle cameras at 1x, there is almost certainly a case to be made for the iPhone 16 Professional Max due to a small benefit in sharpness that we are seeing right here or there.

Low-light picture samples, 1x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

At 2x, the Galaxy S25 Extremely beneficial properties a bonus, a extra noticeable one too.

Low-light picture samples, 2x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

We noticed how poorly the iPhone in comparison to the Galaxy at 3x right through the day, so we figured we would spare it the embarrassment at the hours of darkness.

Low-light picture samples, 3x: Galaxy S25 Extremely

The Galaxy has the higher hand at 5x, regardless that the iPhone is doing somewhat alright.

Low-light picture samples, 5x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

There is a relatively extra pronounced disparity between the ultrawide cameras, the place the iPhone is trailing in sharpness and element.

Low-light picture samples: Galaxy S25 Extremely (0.6x) • iPhone 16 Professional Max (0.5x)

Video high quality

Beneath now we have a couple of framegrabs from the movies taken via the 2 telephones at each and every focal duration so it is more uncomplicated to check to each other.

There are delicate variations between the video high quality you would get out of those two. The iPhone has a sharpness benefit at the ultrawide digicam, the place its wider protection can be a bonus.

Sunlight video samples: Galaxy S25 Extremely (0.6x) • iPhone 16 Professional Max (0.5x)

At 1x, it is nearer to a toss-up, regardless that for those who glance hard and long, you might in finding the iPhone’s photos is marginally sharper.

Sunlight video samples, 1x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

Zooming in to 2x, it is nonetheless a slender victory for the iPhone.

Sunlight video samples, 2x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

It is a just right factor that the iPhone does not have a 3x digicam in order that the Galaxy can take hold of a victory at that zoom stage, regardless that it is in some way now not as giant of an opening as you would assume.

Sunlight video samples, 3x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

At 5x, there is not any transparent winner – we would have was hoping the Galaxy’s extra complex sensor would give it some edge, however that does not seem to be the case. In all probability it is advisable persuade your self that the Galaxy’s 10x benefit makes up for it.

Sunlight video samples, 5x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

Sunlight video samples, 10x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

At midnight, the Galaxy has a bonus at the ultrawide finish. Once more, it is advisable argue that the broader box of view of the iPhone’s UW digicam is a bonus by itself.

Low-light video samples: Galaxy S25 Extremely (0.6x) • iPhone 16 Professional Max (0.5x)

The low-light video recording via the 2 major cameras glance tied at 1x to our eyes.

Low-light video samples, 1x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

The Galaxy is significantly higher at 2x at evening, a reversal of the sunlight effects.

Low-light video samples, 2x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

The 3x zoom digicam of the Galaxy is doing a tight activity.

Low-light video samples, 3x: Galaxy S25 Extremely

At 5x, it is usually the Galaxy S25 Extremely that has the higher hand.

Low-light video samples, 5x: Galaxy S25 Extremely • iPhone 16 Professional Max

Verdict

Samsung’s redesign of the Extremely this yr introduced it as just about the iPhone as it is ever been (bodily, this is). Issues are not very other with regards to the deserves both, regardless that goal comparisons may nonetheless sway you a method or some other – in case you are in any respect open to being swayed from one ecosystem to the opposite.

The Galaxy’s S Pen is a big differentiator you probably have evident use instances for it (which a digicam faraway not is). The Samsung is a extra flexible cameraphone, we reckon – it has a selected benefit at the hours of darkness, it grew to become out. You may additionally recognize its quicker charging – on this specific comparability, as a result of it is not strictly ‘speedy’ in absolute phrases. And the anti-reflective display is an actual boon if you’re out within the solar. And there is no doubt that the Galaxy S25 Extremely gets you essentially the most whole Android tool revel in, too.

Conversely, the iPhone 16 Professional Max is essentially the most complex iPhone and it has got the entire newest iOS options – if the ecosystem is a most sensible precedence, there is now not a lot explanation why to also be taking a look at those comparisons. That apart, we do in finding some small, however probably necessary spaces that the iPhone has a bonus in – it has an edge in battery lifestyles, a nicer show, awesome audio system, and wider selfies.

As soon as once more, we do not in point of fact see this as purchasing recommendation, such a lot as a comparability of the scenario at both sides of the OS divide. Get the only you favor and be pleased with it.