Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S10+
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S10+ sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Samsung Galaxy S10+ is the cheaper of the two at $999 versus $1,199, a difference of about $200. 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 S10+ is praised for gorgeous dynamic amoled display with hdr10+. 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 S10+ if…
- →Gorgeous Dynamic AMOLED display with HDR10+
- →Headphone jack retained
- →microSD card slot with up to 1 TB option
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 S10+
Pros
- Gorgeous Dynamic AMOLED display with HDR10+
- Headphone jack retained
- microSD card slot with up to 1 TB option
- Dual aperture main camera was innovative
- Reverse wireless charging (Wireless PowerShare)
Cons
- No 5G support (separate 5G model existed)
- 60Hz display refresh rate
- Slow 15W wired charging
- Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner was slow
- Punch-hole selfie cutout was distracting
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S10+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 19 | Android 9, One UI 1.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 227 g | 175 g |
| Material | Aluminum unibody frame, Ceramic Shield 2 | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 6 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 163 x 78 x 8.3 mm | 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, dual aperture, OIS |
| Front camera | 24 MP, f/1.9 | 10 MP + 8 MP depth |
| Video | 4K@120fps ProRes, Spatial Video | 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 48 MP, f/2.8, 8x optical zoom, periscope | 12 MP, f/2.4, 2x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP, f/2.2 | 16 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB | 128 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4823 mAh | 4100 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 15W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.9 inches | 6.4 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1320 x 2868 | 3040 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | 6-core | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.78 GHz) |
| GPU | 6-core GPU | Adreno 640 |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 (Thunderbolt) | USB-C 3.1 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.0 |
Want to compare a third product?
Add another product for a 3-way comparison.
Related Comparisons
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.
Explore more in phones, see all Apple products or all Samsung products. View full details for the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S10+.