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A Samsung announced this Wednesday (22) during the Galaxy Unpacked 2025, the new Galaxy s25 ultra and its other variants, Galaxy S25+ e Galaxy S25. The new models will arrive in Brazil soon and are the main rivals of the top of the line models, including the iPhone 16 Pro Max. In this article, we will compare the two based on the new features of each one and see which one comes out on top. Come with us!
Size and design
O Galaxy s25 ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max are very similar. In terms of dimensions, both have the same height, at 77,6mm. In terms of width, iPhone is a little bigger, at 163mm versus 162,8mm of the new smartphone from Samsung. Finally, in length, the iPhone It is also a little bigger, at 8,3mm versus the 8,2mm of the Galaxy s25 ultra.
The difference is so small that in everyday life you won't even notice it. Now about the weight, I would say that the new smartphone from Samsung comes out ahead, after all he is lighter with 218g and the iPhone 16 Pro Max with 227g.
As for the design, the Samsung remains with the body of its predecessors, referring to a Galaxy Note, but with a slight adjustment on the edges, making it a little more rounded. The iPhone 16 Pro Max bets on a design with much more rounded edges, even though neither of them has Edge screens. In the construction of both devices, titanium was the choice.
For protections, both bring the IP68, certification that guarantees the survival of smartphones in case of accidents involving water, even if submerged, up to 1,5m for up to 30 minutes. In Galaxy s25 ultra, Corning Gorilla Armor 2 is once again present to protect both the screen and the back. In iPhone 16 Pro Max, it also has titanium edges, but the protection used on the rear glass is not specified.
Regarding colors, both models have four options. Galaxy s25 ultra comes to the market in the following options: blue, silver, gray or black. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is available in: Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium and Desert Titanium.
Although they are the same size, the S25Ultra It has the advantage here of having a better and more ergonomic grip, sort of “erasing” the fact that it is so big. In addition, it is also lighter, which gives it an advantage.
Fabric
O iPhone 16 Pro Max is equipped with a screen Super Retina XDR OLED of 6,9", reaching up to 2000 nits at its peak. In addition, because it has the technology LTPO, can range from 1 to 120Hz, based on the type of content displayed on the screen. HDR10 e Dolby Vision are also good differentiators here.
Already Galaxy s25 ultra arrives with the 2X Dynamic AMOLED, also with 6,9″. In terms of brightness, it can reach incredible levels (check the brightness later). The technology LTPO is also present here, and can reach up to 120Hz. A highlight is the Galaxy s25 ultra is your resolution QHD +, higher than the iPhone 16.
I already mentioned the Corning Gorilla Armor 2 do Galaxy previously, but it is worth mentioning here that on the screen iPhone 16 Pro Max is used the Ceramic Shield Glass in its latest version. Tests prove that against falls, at least, Apple comes out ahead in this one.
In this version, both bring the Always on Display — something that has existed for a while on the Galaxy, by the way — but Samsung wins in this regard by offering more customization tools and also by being very functional. It is also worth mentioning that in the new version of the system, Galaxy has its own Dynamic Island, but at the bottom and without the need to hide parts of the hardware.
Both models deliver excellent screens here, with great contrast and brightness, but if there's one thing that Samsung knows how to do are screens. It has an advantage here too by bringing a maximum brightness of an incredible 2600 nits, compared to the iPhone's 2000 nits. The S25 also wins in resolution, with the QHD + and for bringing a slightly greater screen utilization.
Hardware and performance
Just like last year, the Samsung continues its partnership with Qualcomm, now bringing the Snapdragon 8 Elite For Galaxy to the device. This chipset is an exclusive version for smartphones from Samsung and brings improvements of up to 40% compared to last year.
already on the side Apple , the chip used is the Apple A18 Pro, made by itself and with a very interesting power. In both cases, the performance is out of this world and you probably won't enjoy everything they can offer anytime soon. However, the platform iOS is more optimized than the Android in some aspects, such as games. Examples include the release of games in the franchise resident evil and even Death Stranding.
As for internal storage options, both offer good options and no major new features so far. iPhone 16 Pro Max can reach an incredible 1TB of memory, all with 8GB of RAM. The Galaxy s25 ultra, on the other hand, in addition to also bringing options of up to 1 TB of internal storage, it differentiates itself in RAM memory, with 12GB across the entire line, inclusive.
If we consider only numbers, the Samsung comes out ahead here because it has more RAM, but we know that how iOS works allows it to still perform great even with less memory. Supporting AAA games, on the other hand, is a huge differentiator. iPhone 16 Pro Max, even if you have to buy the games at full price.
Finally, speaking of software, Samsung inaugurated in One UI 7 No. Galaxy s25 ultra, based on Android 15, bringing a good makeover to it and bringing several new features. The iPhone 16 Pro Max rely on iOS 18, the latest version of Apple's system for smartphones as well. Following the new policy adopted last year, new Galaxy S25 will have 7 years of updates and support, thus remaining the same as iPhone.
I would say we have a tie here. Both are super powerful, but each has its advantages. On the Samsung we have more RAM and with that we have more freedom for multitasking and even heavier apps like video game emulators. On the other hand, the optimization and power of the hardware and software of the Apple It's fantastic, ensuring a fluid experience even with AAA games.
Artificial Intelligence
A Samsung brings once again the Galaxy A.I. on the new smartphone. In the case of iPhone, the option is for the Apple Intelligence and here without much argument the victory is clear for the Samsung. Perhaps with the release of iPhone 17 things change, but so far, AI Samsung It is more complex, intelligent and has many more resources.
With the new version of Gemini integrated into the system, the Galaxy A.I. can now do things related to the system, such as searching the calendar or the WhatsApp, or even ask for a summary of a video of the YouTube directly in the app Samsung Notes.
As to Apple Intelligence, it has not yet arrived in Brazil, requiring you to change the region of your iPhone 16 Pro Max If you want to test it out, it can summarize and help you write a text, help you send messages with the help of Siri, and also do searches using just the photo. These are good features, but with very limited access here in Brazil.
With that, without many details, the point is for Samsung for bringing more resources and proving to be more efficient.
Cameras
O Galaxy s25 ultra arrives with 5 rear lenses once again, but with a slight but useful upgrade. The main lens remains with 200 SM and the telephotos haven't changed either, being one of 50 SM with optical zoom of up to 5x and the other of 10 SM with zoom up to 3x.
The only hardware change here is to the lens. UltraWide which went from 12MP to an incredible 50MP, ensuring more details, especially in macro mode photos. The depth lens ToF remains here, in addition to a front camera also without changes, with 12 SM.
No iPhone 16 Pro Max, there are 3 physical cameras, the main one being 48 SM, a periscopic telephoto of 12 SM with 5x optical zoom and finally a UltraWide de 48 SM. The difference here is that it has a sensor TOF 3d LiDAR for depth. Another interesting thing is that even with fewer lenses, it allows you to change the mm of some of them, thus giving less or more zoom, ensuring more photo possibilities. In the selfie, it also brings 12MP and the proprietary sensor of Apple for use of Face ID.
The big difference of this generation of iPhone is to have an exclusive button for the cameras. This button allows you to open the app, change the lenses, depth, filters and much more, proving to be quite useful and practical in everyday life and also for work.
In the videos, both manage to achieve cinematic quality with the use of 10-bit HDR for greater dynamic range. However, the Galaxy s25 ultra stands out here for being able to reach 8K quality in recordings, which makes things quite tight, since the iPhone It becomes quite competitive with its camera functions with the new button.
Although both deliver similar photography quality, the iPhone wins this fight by now having a dedicated button for this. This button can transform the experience of recording videos and taking photos into something very similar to using a camera, in fact, and I consider this a powerful differentiator here.
Battery
A Samsung launch the Galaxy s25 ultra once again with a battery of 5.000mAh, a number already known in the top of the range that guarantees good performance. In addition to support for 45W charging, from this version onwards it will also support wireless charging 25w through the standard Qi2, faster and allows the use of magnetic accessories.
O iPhone 16 Pro Max, however, it remains with a maximum load 30w via cable and 25w via MagSafe. It also supports technology Qi2, but limited to 15w. In practice, the Apple found a way for you to have to use the MagSafe if you want to use magnetic charging in all its glory on your smartphone. As for the cable, the price is also lower, with a guarantee of 50% in 30 minutes. The total value of the battery is 4685mAh.
A Apple promises up to 33 hours of video playback on iPhone 16 Pro Max. In case of Galaxy s25 ultra, the promise is up to 31 hours. Although smaller, this is an interesting leap for a Galaxy and makes us keep an eye on it.
Both have a Type-C input for charging, in addition to supporting reverse charging, both wired and wireless in the case of S25Ultra, through technology wireless power share, very useful for carrying accessories such as headphones or watches.
A Samsung Samsung has the advantage in charging here, as it can charge 65% in 30 minutes, 15% more than the iPhone in the same period. On the other hand, the iPhone promises 2 hours more autonomy in videos. The tiebreaker here is Samsung's wireless charging, which is more powerful and does not require a standard from the brand itself, thus giving it the point.
Conclusion
While both bring an excellent experience to the high-end smartphone market, they have unique features that may make you prefer one over the other. In terms of design, for example, they both share the same size, but the Samsung does not have the notch invading part of the screen. The new rounded look of the devices is also very inviting, especially now with a more resistant glass on the Galaxy s25 ultra and with titanium edges.
As for performance, we have the Snapdragon 8 Elite ForGalaxy against Apple A18 Pro. As it is a new release, we have not yet been able to test it. Galaxy, but we know that in everyday life both smartphones guarantee a cutting-edge and powerful experience, especially when taking photos and videos. However, as I mentioned before, I give the advantage to the Apple here for being able to run games AAA.
Finally, the Samsung announced several new developments related to Galaxy A.I., making it even smarter and more useful for everyday activities. Compared to Apple Intelligence Currently, Samsung's AI is far superior, in addition to having full support here in Brazil.
Galaxy s25 ultra | iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
Size and design | 1 | 0 |
Fabric | 1 | 0 |
Hardware and performance | 1 | 1 |
Cameras | 0 | 1 |
Battery | 1 | 0 |
Total | 4 | 2 |
Pricing and Availability
In Brazil, the Galaxy s25 ultra was announced today, with initial values of R$11.999 in the 256GB model. It can reach R$14.999 in the 1 TB model. All versions have 12GB of RAM, which is an interesting feature for the smartphone.
O iPhone 16 Pro Max, on the other hand, can be found for incredible R$12.499 in the official store of Apple in the 256GB model. In the 1TB version, it can reach R$15.499.
Mark | Samsung | Apple |
Model | Galaxy s25 ultra | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
Fabric | 6,9-inch FHD+ screen QHD+ resolution Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen 120Hz Adaptive Super Smooth Refresh Rate (1~120Hz) Vision booster support 77.6 X 162.8 X 8.2mm 218 grams | 6,3-inch (diagonal) all-screen Super Retina XDROLED display Resolution of 2622 x 1206 pixels at 460 dpi Dynamic Island ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates of up to 120 Hz HDR True tone Wide color tone (P3) tactile response Contrast ratio: 2.000.000:1 (typical) 1000 nits max brightness (typical); 1600 nits peak brightness (HDR) 2000 nits peak brightness (outdoor); Minimum brightness of 1 nit Fingerprint and oil resistant coating Support for displaying multiple languages and characters simultaneously |
Camera | 50 MP ultra wide camera (F1.9, FOV 120˚) 200MP Wide Camera (OIS F1.7, FOV 85˚) 50 MP telephoto camera (5x optical zoom, OIS F3.4, FOV 22˚) 10 MP telephoto camera (3x optical zoom, OIS F2.4, FOV 36˚) 12 MP front camera (F2.2, FOV 80˚) | Advanced dual-camera system (48MP Fusion and 12MP Ultra Wide) Fusion: 48 MP, θ/1.6 apertureUltra-wide: 12 MP, θ/2.2 aperture Sensor-shift optical image stabilization Optical zoom levels: 0,5, 1x, 2x Flash True Tone Photonic engine Smart HDR 5 for photos Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control Portrait Lighting with six effects Macro photography Lens with anti-reflective coating (Fusion) SELFIE: TrueDepth front camera 12 MP photos Aperture ƒ/1.9 Retina flash Photonic engine Deep Fusion Smart HDR 5 for photos Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control Portrait Lighting with six effects Animoji and Memoji Night Mode Photo Styles 4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps Cinema Mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps HDR Dolby Vision video recording up to 4K at 60 fps 1080p slow motion video at 120 fps Video QuickTake Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p and 720p) |
Processor (AP) | Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | A18 Pro New 6-core CPU (2 performance and 4 efficiency) New 6-core GPU New 16-core Neural Engine |
Memory and Storage | 12GB RAM + 1TB 12GB RAM + 512GB 12GB RAM + 256GB | 256 GB 512 GB 1 TB |
Battery | 5.000 mAh Wired charging up to 45W Fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare 25W power supply shipped in the box | 4.685 mAh Wired charging up to 20W Wireless charging via MagSafe and Qi |
Operating System (OS) | Android 15 via OneUI 7 | iOS 18 |
Network and Connectivity | 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth 5.4 | 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth 5.4 |
Security | Samsung Knox, Samsung Knox Vault | Not specified |
Water Resistance | IP68 Rating: Water resistant in up to 1,5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes and protected against dust, dirt and sand. Not recommended for use on the beach or pool. Your device's water and dust resistance is not permanent and may decrease over time. | Rated IP68 (maximum depth of six meters for up to 30 minutes) according to IEC 60529 |
Colors | blue, silver, gray or black in titanium | Black titanium, White titanium, Natural titanium and Desert titanium. |
Price | From R$11.999 | From R$12.499 |
Availability in Brazil | As of January 22, 2025 | September 2024 |
So, what did you think of the comparison? Tell us and check out all the news from Galaxy s25 ultra
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Text proofread by: Daniel Coutinho in 22 / 01 / 2025
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