Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy A53 5G sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is the cheaper of the two at $449 versus $1,199, a difference of about $750. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max stands out for 48mp periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom, while Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is praised for outstanding battery life with 5000 mah. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max if…
- →48MP periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom
- →4823 mAh battery for all-day use
- →Up to 2TB storage
Buy the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G if…
- →Outstanding battery life with 5000 mAh
- →120Hz Super AMOLED display at mid-range
- →IP67 water resistance
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Pros
- 48MP periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom
- 4823 mAh battery for all-day use
- Up to 2TB storage
- Ceramic Shield 2 front and back
- Spatial Video recording
Cons
- 227g is heavy
- Still 27W wired charging
- $1199 starting price
- Aluminum unibody less premium feel than titanium
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
Pros
- Outstanding battery life with 5000 mAh
- 120Hz Super AMOLED display at mid-range
- IP67 water resistance
- Four major Android updates promised
- microSD card slot for expandable storage
Cons
- Exynos 1280 performance is sluggish
- No headphone jack
- No wireless charging
- Slow 25W charging
- Depth and macro cameras add little value
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy A53 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 19 | Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 227 g | 189 g |
| Material | Aluminum unibody frame, Ceramic Shield 2 | Plastic frame, Gorilla Glass 5 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Dimensions | 163 x 78 x 8.3 mm | 159.6 x 74.8 x 8.1 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 64 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 24 MP, f/1.9 | 32 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@120fps ProRes, Spatial Video | 4K@30fps |
| Telephoto | 48 MP, f/2.8, 8x optical zoom, periscope | — |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Depth | — | 5 MP, f/2.4 |
| Macro | — | 5 MP, f/2.4 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 6 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4823 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | No |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.9 inches | 6.5 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion | Super AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1320 x 2868 | 2400 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 800 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | 6-core | Octa-core (2x2.4 GHz + 6x2.0 GHz) |
| GPU | 6-core GPU | Mali-G68 |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro | Samsung Exynos 1280 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 (Thunderbolt) | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.1 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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