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
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Compare a different phone
Google Pixel 8a$499OnePlus 12$799iPhone 16$799Google Pixel 9$799Samsung Galaxy S25$799iPhone 17$799ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra$899iPhone 16 Plus$899OnePlus 13$899iPhone 16 Pro$999Google Pixel 9 Pro$999Samsung Galaxy S24+$999Samsung Galaxy S25+$999iPhone 17 Pro$999iPhone Air$999Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6$1,099Google Pixel 9 Pro XL$1,099iPhone 17 Pro Max$1,199Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$1,299Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra$1,299Xiaomi 14 Ultra$1,399OnePlus Open$1,699Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold$1,799Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6$1,899Buying for
Your devices
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.
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
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)
Samsung Galaxy S24
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Pocket, Palm & Desk Usability Check
One-handed reachability, pocket weight, and table wobble when typing without a case.
One-Handed Palm Reach
Standard smartphone width
6.9" display with 77.6mm width (strictly 2-handed for most hands)
Desk Typing Table Wobble
Corner camera bump causes minor wobble
Prominent corner camera plateau rocks when typing on desk
Pocket Weight & Heft
Standard phone weight
227g (heavy pocket presence)
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Samsung: What to watch for
- Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Apple: What to watch for
- Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Body
leads 1-0| 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| 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| 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| 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| 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| 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| 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| Speakers | Stereo speakers tuned by AKG | Stereo (bottom + earpiece) |
|---|---|---|
| Headphone jack | No | No |
Connectivity
5 differences| 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| 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 |
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
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
Best for each use
Photos
For photos, buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Battery & updates
Too close to call on battery & updates from the spec sheets. Only capacity is rankable here.
Games & video
Tied on games & video. Samsung Galaxy S24 is cheaper.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
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.