Head to head

Samsung Galaxy S24 vs iPhone 16 Pro Max

iPhone 16 Pro Max leads 8 to 3 on the 11 rankable specs, but Samsung Galaxy S24 costs $400 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 167 g (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 Pro Max lists 227 g (8.0 oz) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 6.2 inches (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 Pro Max lists 6.9 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: Samsung Galaxy S24 lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 Pro Max lists Apple A18 Pro (3 nm) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 8 GB (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 Pro Max lists 8GB (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: Samsung Galaxy S24 lists 3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); iPhone 16 Pro Max lists 5x optical (25x digital) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your phone.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 3 to 8

Buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Leads 8 of 11 rankable overall specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 takes 3.
Size: 6.9 inches vs 6.2 inches
Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 3x optical
Samsung Galaxy S24 is $400 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.

3 Samsung Galaxy S2411 rankable of 48 specsiPhone 16 Pro Max 8

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · NoTrips:iPhone 16 Pro Max · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · NoTrips:iPhone 16 Pro Max · No
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · NoTrips:iPhone 16 Pro Max · No
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 · NoTrips:iPhone 16 Pro Max · No

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

6 of 6 differ

Weight

Samsung

167 g

Apple

227 g (8.0 oz)

Size

Samsung

6.2 inches

Apple

6.9 inches

Chipset≠

Samsung

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)

Apple

Apple A18 Pro (3 nm)

RAM≠

Samsung

8 GB

Apple

8GB

Max optical zoom

Samsung

3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom)

Apple

5x optical (25x digital)

Capacity

Samsung

4,000 mAh

Apple

4,685 mAh (typical)

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

Samsung Galaxy S24

Upfront list price$799

Essential add-ons (25W USB-C charging brick (no charger in box))+$25

3-Year Estimated Total$824

iPhone 16 Pro Max

Upfront list price$1,199

Essential add-ons (30W USB-C fast charging brick (no charger in box))+$29

3-Year Estimated Total$1,228

Pocket, Palm & Desk Usability Check

One-handed reachability, pocket weight, and table wobble when typing without a case.

Ergonomic & Spatial Check

One-Handed Palm Reach

Widths under 72mm allow thumb access to opposite screen edges without shifting grip.

Samsung

Standard smartphone width

Apple

6.9" display with 77.6mm width (strictly 2-handed for most hands)

Desk Typing Table Wobble

Horizontal visor cameras sit flat on desks without annoying rocking while typing.

Samsung

Corner camera bump causes minor wobble

Apple

Prominent corner camera plateau rocks when typing on desk

Pocket Weight & Heft

Samsung

Standard phone weight

Apple

227g (heavy pocket presence)

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Samsung: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Apple: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Samsung Galaxy S24$7993 wins

iPhone 16 Pro Max$1,1998 wins

Body Display Platform Memory Rear camera Front camera Battery & charging Audio Connectivity Features

42 of 48 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Body

leads 1-0

Body specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Dimensions	147.0 × 70.6 × 7.6 mm	163 × 77.6 × 8.25 mm
Weight	167 g (wins this row: lower)	227 g (8.0 oz)
Build	Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front/back, Armor Aluminum 2 frame	Grade 5 titanium frame, Ceramic Shield front, textured matte glass back
Water / dust rating	IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min)	IP68 (6 m up to 30 min)
Colors	Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow	Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium
Stylus	No	No

Display

leads 3-1

Display specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Type	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X	LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED
Size	6.2 inches	6.9 inches (wins this row: higher)
Resolution	1080 × 2340 (FHD+)	2868 × 1320 (wins this row: higher)
Pixel density	~416 ppi	460 ppi (wins this row: higher)
Refresh rate	1–120 Hz LTPO	120 Hz ProMotion
Peak brightness	2,600 nits peak (wins this row: higher)	2,000 nits peak (outdoor)
HDR	HDR10+	HDR10, Dolby Vision
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2	Latest-generation Ceramic Shield
Always-on display	Yes	Yes

Platform

5 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Operating system	Android 14, One UI 6.1	iOS 18
Software support	7 major OS updates + 7 years security patches	7 years (estimated based on Apple track record)
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)	Apple A18 Pro (3 nm)
CPU	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)	6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency)
GPU	Adreno 750	6-core Apple GPU with ray tracing

Memory

leads 1-0

Memory specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is iPhone 16 Pro Max.
RAM	8 GB	8GB
Storage	128 GB UFS 3.1	256 GB (wins this row: higher)
Storage options	128 GB / 256 GB	256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

leads 3-1

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Main	50 MP, f/1.8, 24 mm, 1/1.56", Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS (wins this row: higher)	48 MP Fusion, f/1.78, 24 mm, sensor-shift OIS
Ultrawide	12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°	48 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120° FOV, autofocus macro (wins this row: higher)
Telephoto	10 MP, f/2.4, 67 mm, 3x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS	12 MP, f/2.8, 120 mm, 5x optical zoom, 3D sensor-shift OIS (wins this row: higher)
Max optical zoom	3x optical (30x digital Space Zoom)	5x optical (25x digital) (wins this row: higher)
Stabilization	OIS on main and telephoto lenses	3D Sensor-shift OIS on main and telephoto
Video	8K 30 fps, 4K 60 fps, 1080p 240 fps	4K at 24/25/30/60/120 fps Dolby Vision, ProRes, Log, spatial video

Front camera

2 differences

Front camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Selfie camera	12 MP, f/2.2, 26 mm, Dual Pixel PDAF	12 MP TrueDepth, f/1.9, autofocus
Selfie video	4K 60 fps	4K 60 fps, Cinematic mode 4K 30 fps

Battery & charging

leads 1-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Capacity	4,000 mAh	4,685 mAh (typical) (wins this row: higher)
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	25 W fast wired (50% in 30 min)	~25 W USB-C (no charger in box)
Wireless charging	15 W Fast Wireless	MagSafe up to 25 W, Qi2 up to 15 W
Reverse wireless	4.5 W Wireless PowerShare	4.5 W wired reverse charging
Charger in box	No	No

Audio

1 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Speakers	Stereo speakers tuned by AKG	Stereo (bottom + earpiece)
Headphone jack	No	No

Connectivity

5 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Cellular	5G (sub-6 + mmWave)	5G (sub-6 + mmWave, region-dependent)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6E	Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
NFC	Yes	Yes (Apple Pay)
USB	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1	USB-C 3 (up to 10 Gbps)
SIM	Dual nano-SIM + eSIM	eSIM (US) / dual nano + eSIM (many other regions)

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24, right column is iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Biometrics	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint + Face unlock	Face ID
Extra controls	Power and Volume keys	Action Button, Camera Control
Standout features	Circle to Search, Live Translate, Note Assist, Samsung DeX	Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, MagSafe, Emergency SOS via satellite

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Samsung Galaxy S24 source iPhone 16 Pro Max source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy S24

Compact Android powerhouse with 6.2-inch 120Hz LTPO display, 3x telephoto, and Galaxy AI suite.

Extremely lightweight and compact 167g pocket-friendly design
Dedicated 3x optical telephoto camera on a base model
Bright 2,600 nit 1-120Hz LTPO display

What you give up

Charging capped at 25W wired
Base model starts with 128GB UFS 3.1 storage

Full Samsung Galaxy S24 specs →

Pick this one if

iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple's top-tier 6.9-inch smartphone with A18 Pro chip, 5x optical telephoto camera, and Camera Control button.

Massive 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display with ultra-thin borders
Longest battery life ever on an iPhone with up to 33 hours video
4K 120 fps ProRes video capture and dedicated Camera Control button

What you give up

Large and heavy in one-handed use
Wired fast charging capped around 25W

Full iPhone 16 Pro Max specs →

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

For photos, buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Leads 3 of 4 rankable photos specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 takes 1.
Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 3x optical
Ultrawide: 48 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120° FOV, autofocus macro vs 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°
Samsung Galaxy S24 is $400 cheaper. Pay the difference only if max optical zoom matters to you.

Battery & updates

All-day battery, fast top-ups and years of software support

Too close to call on battery & updates from the spec sheets. Only capacity is rankable here.

Wired charging: 25 W fast wired vs ~25 W USB-C
Wireless charging: 15 W Fast Wireless vs MagSafe up to 25 W, Qi2 up to 15 W

Games & video

Games and streaming: chip, refresh rate, brightness, speakers

Tied on games & video. Samsung Galaxy S24 is cheaper.

The 2 rankable games & video specs split 1 to 1.
Saves $400 at list price.

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Samsung Galaxy S24 spec sheet iPhone 16 Pro Max spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Samsung Galaxy S24 ↗ · iPhone 16 Pro Max ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy S24 or the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

Samsung Galaxy S24 costs $400 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Samsung Galaxy S24 or iPhone 16 Pro Max?

Both has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

Which is better for photos, the Samsung Galaxy S24 or the iPhone 16 Pro Max?

For photos, buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Leads 3 of 4 rankable photos specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 takes 1. Max optical zoom: 5x optical vs 3x optical

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 37 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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