PhoneLifespan

iPhone 16 vs Galaxy S25 Ultra

vs

Winner

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The Galaxy S25 Ultra wins this one, taking display and camera decisively. Against the iPhone 16 it's also the sounder buy at $13.30 per month of safe use.

Value Score: iPhone 16 59 · Galaxy S25 Ultra 75 — 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 16 $699
Safe to buy$11.05/mo
2024◆ Buy-by Sep 20292031
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra $902
Safe to buy$13.30/mo
2025◆ Buy-by Feb 20302032

Category by category

Display
iPhone 16 50Galaxy S25 Ultra 100

The Galaxy S25 Ultra's screen is the better one — 6.9-inch dynamic ltpo amoled 2x, qhd+, 1–120hz, up to 2600 nits.

Performance
iPhone 16 92Galaxy S25 Ultra 98

The Galaxy S25 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is simply the faster chip.

Camera
iPhone 16 62Galaxy S25 Ultra 96

The Galaxy S25 Ultra has the stronger camera system (4 real rear lenses vs 2).

Battery
iPhone 16 51Galaxy S25 Ultra 80

5,000mAh vs 3,561mAh — the Galaxy S25 Ultra lasts longer between charges.

Software longevity
iPhone 16 75Galaxy S25 Ultra 81

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is supported until Feb 2032 — 5 months longer than the iPhone 16.

Value
iPhone 16 59Galaxy S25 Ultra 75

Overall value goes to the Galaxy S25 Ultra at $13.30 per month of safe use.

Full spec table
SpeciPhone 16Galaxy S25 Ultra
Price (street)$699$902
Display6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz, up to 2000 nits peak6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, QHD+, 1–120Hz, up to 2600 nits
ChipsetApple A18Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
RAM8GB12GB
Storage128GB/256GB/512GB256GB/512GB/1TB
Battery3,561 mAh5,000 mAh
ChargingWired fast charge — 50% in ~30 min with 20W+ adapter; MagSafe wireless up to 25W45W wired (65% in 30 min), 15W wireless (Qi2 Ready), 4.5W reverse wireless
Rear cameras48MP main, 12MP ultra-wide200MP main, 50MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto 3x, 50MP periscope 5x
Dimensions147.6 × 71.6 × 7.8 mm162.8 × 77.6 × 8.2 mm
Weight170 g218 g
Water resistanceIP68IP68
Supported untilSep 2031Feb 2032
iPhone 16 full verdict →Galaxy S25 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.