Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy A56
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy A56 sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Samsung Galaxy A56 is the cheaper of the two at $449 versus $1,199, a difference of about $750. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max stands out for 48mp periscope telephoto with 8x optical zoom, while Samsung Galaxy A56 is praised for six generations of os updates — longest support in the mid-range. 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 A56 if…
- →Six generations of OS updates — longest support in the mid-range
- →IP67 water resistance is rare at this price
- →Bright 120Hz Super AMOLED display looks great outdoors
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 A56
Pros
- Six generations of OS updates — longest support in the mid-range
- IP67 water resistance is rare at this price
- Bright 120Hz Super AMOLED display looks great outdoors
- 45W fast charging is a welcome upgrade over the A55
- Clean One UI 7 software with Galaxy AI features
Cons
- Exynos 1580 is slower than Snapdragon competitors at this price
- No telephoto — only a 5MP macro camera
- Plastic frame feels less premium than glass rivals
- No wireless charging
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy A56 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 19 | Android 15 (One UI 7) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 227 g | 197 g |
| Material | Aluminum unibody frame, Ceramic Shield 2 | Plastic frame, Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Dimensions | 163 x 78 x 8.3 mm | 162.9 x 77.4 x 8.2 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 24 MP, f/1.9 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@120fps ProRes, Spatial Video | 4K@30fps |
| Telephoto | 48 MP, f/2.8, 8x optical zoom, periscope | 5 MP, f/2.4, macro |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4823 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | — |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.9 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion | Super AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1320 x 2868 | 2340 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 1800 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | 6-core | Octa-core |
| GPU | 6-core GPU | Xclipse 540 |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro | Samsung Exynos 1580 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 (Thunderbolt) | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.3 |
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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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