iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Which Flagship Wins?

Two phones, two philosophies, one price bracket that's edging uncomfortably close to laptop territory. The iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Galaxy S25 Ultra represent the absolute peak of what Apple and Samsung think a smartphone should be in 2025, and reviewers have had months to pick both apart.

Apple's entry leans on video capture, battery stamina, and its usual walled-garden polish. Samsung counters with a titanium chassis, a built-in S Pen, a 200MP camera array, and an AI feature set that's actually shipping, not promised for a future update. Aggregate review scores put the S25 Ultra at 9 out of 10 against the iPhone's 8.9, a razor-thin gap on paper that widens once you look at where each phone actually falls short.

This isn't a blowout in every category. The iPhone still wins some fights outright. But the full body of professional reviews points to one phone that does more, for more people, without the asterisks. Here's how they stack up.