Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G is the cheaper of the two at $699 versus $1,199, a difference of about $500. 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 S20 FE 5G is praised for flagship snapdragon 865 at a reduced fan edition price. 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 S20 FE 5G if…
- →Flagship Snapdragon 865 at a reduced Fan Edition price
- →120Hz Super AMOLED display is vibrant and smooth
- →3x optical zoom telephoto is rare at this price point
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 S20 FE 5G
Pros
- Flagship Snapdragon 865 at a reduced Fan Edition price
- 120Hz Super AMOLED display is vibrant and smooth
- 3x optical zoom telephoto is rare at this price point
- IP68 water resistance and wireless charging
- MicroSD expansion for additional storage
Cons
- Plastic Glastic back instead of glass at flagship pricing
- 25W charging is slow compared to competitors
- Software updates have reached end of life
- 8 MP telephoto resolution is low
- 32 MP front camera can oversharpen selfies
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 19 | Android 10 (One UI 2.5) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 227 g | 190 g |
| Material | Aluminum unibody frame, Ceramic Shield 2 | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 3 front, plastic (Glastic) back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 163 x 78 x 8.3 mm | 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 24 MP, f/1.9 | 32 MP, f/2.0 |
| Video | 4K@120fps ProRes, Spatial Video | 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 48 MP, f/2.8, 8x optical zoom, periscope | 8 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 6 GB / 8 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4823 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| 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 (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.80 GHz) |
| GPU | 6-core GPU | Adreno 650 |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 (Thunderbolt) | USB-C 3.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.0 |
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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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