iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra

Phone 1

Phone 2

Winner

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The Galaxy S26 Ultra wins this one, taking software longevity and camera decisively. Against the iPhone 15 Pro Max it's also the sounder buy at $13.62 per month of safe use.

Value Score: iPhone 15 Pro Max 63 · Galaxy S26 Ultra 77 — methodology

The lifespan decider

When specs are close, support length decides it — this is what each phone costs per month of safe use.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max $760

Safe to buy$14.87/mo

2023◆ Buy-by Sep 20282030

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra $1099

Safe to buy$13.62/mo

2026◆ Buy-by Mar 20312033

Category by category

Display

iPhone 15 Pro Max 80Galaxy S26 Ultra 100

The Galaxy S26 Ultra's screen is the better one — 6.9-inch dynamic ltpo amoled 2x, qhd+, 1–120hz, up to 2600 nits, with anti-reflective privacy display.

Performance

iPhone 15 Pro Max 88Galaxy S26 Ultra 100

The Galaxy S26 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy is simply the faster chip.

Camera

iPhone 15 Pro Max 74Galaxy S26 Ultra 96

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has the stronger camera system (4 real rear lenses vs 3).

Battery

iPhone 15 Pro Max 68Galaxy S26 Ultra 80

5,000mAh vs 4,422mAh — the Galaxy S26 Ultra lasts longer between charges.

Software longevity

iPhone 15 Pro Max 61Galaxy S26 Ultra 96

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is supported until Mar 2033 — 30 months longer than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Value

iPhone 15 Pro Max 63Galaxy S26 Ultra 77

Overall value goes to the Galaxy S26 Ultra at $13.62 per month of safe use.

Full spec table

Spec	iPhone 15 Pro Max	Galaxy S26 Ultra
Price (street)	$760	$1099
Display	6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz ProMotion, Always-On, Dynamic Island, up to 2000 nits peak	6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, QHD+, 1–120Hz, up to 2600 nits, with anti-reflective Privacy Display
Chipset	Apple A17 Pro	Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
RAM	8GB	12GB
Storage	256GB/512GB/1TB	256GB/512GB/1TB
Battery	4,422 mAh	5,000 mAh
Charging	Wired ~50% in 30 min with 20W+; MagSafe 15W wireless	60W wired, 25W wireless
Rear cameras	48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephoto	200MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto 3x, 50MP telephoto 5x periscope
Dimensions	159.9 × 76.7 × 8.25 mm	163.6 × 78.1 × 7.9 mm
Weight	221 g	214 g
Water resistance	IP68	IP68
Supported until	Sep 2030	Mar 2033

iPhone 15 Pro Max full verdict →Galaxy S26 Ultra full verdict →Longevity master board →

Scores and verdicts are computed from our verified database — see exactly how. Specs from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers.