Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
The Verdict
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. Both launched at roughly the same price ($1,199 vs $1,199), so cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor. 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 S21 Ultra is praised for 100x space zoom with 10x optical telephoto. 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 S21 Ultra if…
- →100x Space Zoom with 10x optical telephoto
- →108 MP main sensor with excellent detail
- →S Pen support (first S-series to do so)
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 S21 Ultra
Pros
- 100x Space Zoom with 10x optical telephoto
- 108 MP main sensor with excellent detail
- S Pen support (first S-series to do so)
- 1440p 120Hz LTPO adaptive display
- 5000 mAh battery with all-day endurance
Cons
- Heavy at 227 g
- Snapdragon 888 can overheat under load
- S Pen sold separately, no silo slot
- Slow 25W charging for the class
- No charger or earbuds in the box
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 19 | Android 11, One UI 3.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 227 g | 227 g |
| Material | Aluminum unibody frame, Ceramic Shield 2 | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 163 x 78 x 8.3 mm | 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 108 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 24 MP, f/1.9 | 40 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@120fps ProRes, Spatial Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 48 MP, f/2.8, 8x optical zoom, periscope | 10 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Periscope | — | 10 MP, f/4.9, 10x optical zoom |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4823 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 25W MagSafe | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.9 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, ProMotion | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, LTPO |
| Resolution | 1320 x 2868 | 3200 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 1500 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | 6-core | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | 6-core GPU | Adreno 660 |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 (Thunderbolt) | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.2 |
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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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