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The Galaxy S25 Ultra is the more flexible choice for native zoom: it has dedicated 3x and 5x telephoto cameras, alongside its main and ultra-wide cameras. The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a single 5x telephoto, and a reviewer found its color rendering more truthful in the tested still-photo comparisons. Battery results are nearly even in one named web-browsing test, while an early Geekbench 6 comparison favored the iPhone. The better fit depends on the photos you take, the platform you prefer, and the current price where you shop.
Camera hardware: more native zoom options on the Galaxy
Samsung’s 2025 specification sheet lists four rear cameras on the Galaxy S25 Ultra: a 200MP main camera, 50MP ultra-wide, 10MP 3x telephoto, and 50MP 5x telephoto. It also lists optical-quality 2x and 10x zoom, plus Space Zoom up to 100x. Samsung warns that digital zoom can reduce image quality, so 100x is not equivalent to optical zoom. Samsung’s specification sheet describes the hardware and zoom labels.
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AT&T’s comparison lists the iPhone 16 Pro Max with a 48MP main camera, 48MP ultra-wide, and 12MP 5x telephoto; it also says the ultra-wide camera supports macro photography. These are hardware specifications, not a complete measure of image quality. See AT&T’s device comparison.
| Camera detail | Galaxy S25 Ultra | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 200MP | 48MP |
| Ultra-wide camera | 50MP | 48MP; macro photography uses this camera, according to AT&T |
| Telephoto cameras | 10MP 3x and 50MP 5x | 12MP 5x |
| Additional zoom detail | Samsung lists optical-quality 2x and 10x, and digital Space Zoom up to 100x; digital zoom may reduce image quality | Not stated in AT&T’s comparison |
What the hardware means in practice
The Samsung’s separate 3x and 5x telephotos give you more dedicated framing choices before relying on digital zoom. The iPhone’s listed 5x telephoto offers a long-reach option, while its ultra-wide also handles macro according to AT&T. Neither megapixel counts nor zoom labels alone establish which phone will produce the better picture in a particular scene.
#1 Best Overall
- Stunning 6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ display with adaptive 1–120 Hz refresh rate, ultra‑bright up to ~2600 nits, HDR support, “Vision Booster,” and adaptive color tone — giving vivid colours, great outdoor visibility, and super‑smooth scrolling.
- Powerful internals: it runs on the new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm) chip, with 12 GB (or in some markets up to 16 GB) RAM and up to 1 TB UFS 4.0 storage — offering significantly improved CPU/GPU/NPU performance, especially for AI tasks, gaming, and heavy multitasking.
- Advanced quad‑camera system: 200 MP wide main sensor, plus a 50 MP ultrawide, a 50 MP periscope telephoto (5× optical zoom), and a 10 MP telephoto (3× optical zoom) — giving flexibility from ultra‑wide through detailed telephoto shots, and strong performance in varied lighting.
- 5,000 mAh battery with 45 W fast wired charging, wireless charging (Qi2) and reverse wireless charging — balancing long battery life with flexible charging options.
- Durable, premium build: Titanium‑frame body, protected by Corning Gorilla Armor 2 glass, with IP68 dust/water resistance, ultrasonic in‑display fingerprint sensor, modern connectivity (5G, Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth, UWB, USB‑C), and long‑term software support (Android 15 / One UI 7, promised 7 major OS/security updates).
Still photos: rendering preferences matter
In TechRadar’s camera comparison, the reviewer said the S25 Ultra generally captured more detail in default still-photo settings, while the iPhone handled color more truthfully. That is a reviewer observation from that comparison, not a result that applies to every camera mode or photographer. Scene, settings, and image processing can change what you prefer. Read TechRadar’s camera comparison for its observations.
If you are deciding from sample images, compare the same scene and approximate framing on both phones. Check daylight, indoor and low-light scenes, portraits, and close-ups; note the lens, mode, and resolution setting for each image. This helps separate a preference for color or processing from the benefit of having a particular focal length.
Rank #2
- Stunning 6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ display with adaptive 1–120 Hz refresh rate, ultra‑bright up to ~2600 nits, HDR support, “Vision Booster,” and adaptive color tone — giving vivid colours, great outdoor visibility, and super‑smooth scrolling.
- Powerful internals: it runs on the new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm) chip, with 12 GB (or in some markets up to 16 GB) RAM and up to 1 TB UFS 4.0 storage — offering significantly improved CPU/GPU/NPU performance, especially for AI tasks, gaming, and heavy multitasking.
- Advanced quad‑camera system: 200 MP wide main sensor, plus a 50 MP ultrawide, a 50 MP periscope telephoto (5× optical zoom), and a 10 MP telephoto (3× optical zoom) — giving flexibility from ultra‑wide through detailed telephoto shots, and strong performance in varied lighting.
- 5,000 mAh battery with 45 W fast wired charging, wireless charging (Qi2) and reverse wireless charging — balancing long battery life with flexible charging options.
- Durable, premium build: Titanium‑frame body, protected by Corning Gorilla Armor 2 glass, with IP68 dust/water resistance, ultrasonic in‑display fingerprint sensor, modern connectivity (5G, Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth, UWB, USB‑C), and long‑term software support (Android 15 / One UI 7, promised 7 major OS/security updates).
Video: choose for your workflow, not an unproven winner
The available comparisons do not establish a controlled video winner between these models. If video is central to your choice, evaluate the recording options and the way each phone fits your editing and sharing workflow, then compare matched clips made in the modes you actually use. Still-photo observations should not be treated as evidence of video quality.
Battery: a near tie in one web-browsing test
Tom’s Guide reports 14 hours 27 minutes for the Galaxy S25 Ultra and 14 hours 17 minutes for the iPhone 16 Pro Max in its web-surfing battery test. That is a ten-minute S25 Ultra lead in that specific test, not a guarantee of longer battery life in your routine. The reported result is protocol-specific; Tom’s Guide’s battery-life coverage gives the comparison context.
Rank #3
- Stunning 6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ display with adaptive 1–120 Hz refresh rate, ultra‑bright up to ~2600 nits, HDR support, “Vision Booster,” and adaptive color tone — giving vivid colours, great outdoor visibility, and super‑smooth scrolling.
- Powerful internals: it runs on the new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm) chip, with 12 GB (or in some markets up to 16 GB) RAM and up to 1 TB UFS 4.0 storage — offering significantly improved CPU/GPU/NPU performance, especially for AI tasks, gaming, and heavy multitasking.
- Advanced quad‑camera system: 200 MP wide main sensor, plus a 50 MP ultrawide, a 50 MP periscope telephoto (5× optical zoom), and a 10 MP telephoto (3× optical zoom) — giving flexibility from ultra‑wide through detailed telephoto shots, and strong performance in varied lighting.
- 5,000 mAh battery with 45 W fast wired charging, wireless charging (Qi2) and reverse wireless charging — balancing long battery life with flexible charging options.
- Durable, premium build: Titanium‑frame body, protected by Corning Gorilla Armor 2 glass, with IP68 dust/water resistance, ultrasonic in‑display fingerprint sensor, modern connectivity (5G, Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth, UWB, USB‑C), and long‑term software support (Android 15 / One UI 7, promised 7 major OS/security updates).
Samsung lists a 5,000mAh typical capacity for the S25 Ultra, measured under third-party lab conditions. Capacity is not a runtime comparison: displays, chips, operating systems, network conditions, and usage all affect endurance. Samsung says actual battery life varies with network environment and usage, and GSMArena’s direct comparison also cautions against treating capacity as a proxy for battery life. Samsung’s separate claim of up to 31 hours of video playback measures something different from Tom’s Guide’s web-browsing test.
Performance: a benchmark result is not every workload
Android Central’s early 2025 comparison reports an approximately 10% iPhone 16 Pro Max advantage in Geekbench 6. Treat that as a result in that benchmark at that time, not proof that the iPhone is faster in every app, sustained workload, or game. The cited summary does not provide enough detail here to extend the result to thermals, gaming over long sessions, or AI tasks. See Android Central’s comparison.
Rank #4
- Stunning 6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ display with adaptive 1–120 Hz refresh rate, ultra‑bright up to ~2600 nits, HDR support, “Vision Booster,” and adaptive color tone — giving vivid colours, great outdoor visibility, and super‑smooth scrolling.
- Powerful internals: it runs on the new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (3 nm) chip, with 12 GB (or in some markets up to 16 GB) RAM and up to 1 TB UFS 4.0 storage — offering significantly improved CPU/GPU/NPU performance, especially for AI tasks, gaming, and heavy multitasking.
- Advanced quad‑camera system: 200 MP wide main sensor, plus a 50 MP ultrawide, a 50 MP periscope telephoto (5× optical zoom), and a 10 MP telephoto (3× optical zoom) — giving flexibility from ultra‑wide through detailed telephoto shots, and strong performance in varied lighting.
- 5,000 mAh battery with 45 W fast wired charging, wireless charging (Qi2) and reverse wireless charging — balancing long battery life with flexible charging options.
- Durable, premium build: Titanium‑frame body, protected by Corning Gorilla Armor 2 glass, with IP68 dust/water resistance, ultrasonic in‑display fingerprint sensor, modern connectivity (5G, Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth, UWB, USB‑C), and long‑term software support (Android 15 / One UI 7, promised 7 major OS/security updates).
Samsung identifies the S25 Ultra’s processor as Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy; AT&T lists Apple’s A18 Pro for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Chip names and a short synthetic benchmark cannot determine which phone feels faster for your particular tasks. For everyday use, consider the apps and platform you rely on; for demanding work, look for comparisons using that workload and sustained testing.
Which phone should you buy?
- Choose the Galaxy S25 Ultra if you want separate 3x and 5x telephoto cameras and value the flexibility of its listed zoom system.
- Choose the iPhone 16 Pro Max if you prefer iOS and Apple’s ecosystem, or if the iPhone’s color rendering in the images you see suits your taste better.
- For battery life, the cited web-browsing test is too close to serve as a universal deciding factor; your network, settings, and usage matter.
- For performance, the early Geekbench 6 result modestly favors the iPhone in that test, but it does not settle every real-world workload.
- Before paying, compare the same storage tier, device condition, carrier or network variant, and current local sale price. Samsung’s US page displayed a $1,299.99 starting price before trade-in when observed for this comparison; promotions and prices change and that figure is not a matched, current iPhone price. Check Samsung’s US product page and your local retailer for current terms.
There is no universal winner in these comparisons. The decision is strongest when you weigh native zoom needs and photo preferences against your preferred operating system and the actual price of the configuration available to you.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- PRIVACY DISPLAY: Automatically hide your screen from those beside you. The built-in privacy display can be preset¹ to turn on when receiving notifications, typing passwords, or using specific apps
- TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist² with Galaxy AI.³ Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
- NIGHTS, CAPTURED CLEARLY: From gigs to city lights, record and capture moments after dark with clarity using Nightography so your photos and videos stay crisp and clear on your Samsung Galaxy
- MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile phone, whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more⁴
- HELP THAT KEEPS UP: Stay in the moment while Now Nudge with Galaxy AI helps you respond faster and stay organized with smart suggestions⁵ that appear exactly when you need them on your phone
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