# iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra > Two $1,299 giants, and the winner depends entirely on whether you want battery life or a stylus. - Title: iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra · PCMAG | Shortify - Summary: Two $1,299 giants, and the winner depends entirely on whether you want battery life or a stylus. Buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max for battery and video, the S26… - Keywords: iphone, samsung, smartphones, flagship, comparison, technology, Pro, Max, Galaxy, S26, Ultra, PCMAG - Source: PCMAG — https://pcmag.com/comparisons/apple-iphone-18-pro-max-vs-samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra - Author: Eric Zeman - Published: 2026-09-11T15:11:05+00:00 - Read time: 4 min - Topics: iphone, samsung, smartphones, flagship, comparison, technology ## Two giants, same price Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra both start at $1,299 for 256GB. Neither is cheap, and picking between them comes down to what you actually do with a phone. > Neither of these phones is cheap. ## Storage gets expensive fast Apple charges $1,499 for 512GB, $1,899 for 1TB, and a painful $2,499 for 2TB. Samsung tops out at $1,799.99 for 16GB/1TB and offers no 2TB option at all. ## Shop around either way The iPhone is new, so carriers are pushing launch deals. The S26 Ultra has been out six months and sells below list at several retailers. Price is a tie. > You'll benefit from shopping around. ## Design barely moved The 18 Pro Max looks almost identical to the 17 Pro Max, with new colors and that huge camera bump. The S26 Ultra is slightly less pointy but otherwise familiar. ## Metal, glass, IP68 Both use a metal frame with glass front and back, and both carry IP68 dust and water protection. Apple offers Black, Burgundy, Glacier, and Silver; Samsung counters with Cobalt Violet and Sky Blue. ## The SIM tray tiebreaker US iPhones are eSIM only, with no SIM card tray. The S26 Ultra still has one. If you swap SIMs when you travel, that alone hands Samsung the design round. > If you frequently swap SIM cards, this could be a deal breaker. ## Samsung is a brick less Both measure about 6.4 by 3.1 inches. But the iPhone weighs 8.78 ounces against Samsung's 7.55, and you feel that gap every time you pull it from a pocket. > It's like carrying around a brick in your pocket. ## Apple's screen stood still The 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR is unchanged this year: 2,868 by 1,320, 460ppi, 1Hz to 120Hz, always-on, and 3,000 nits peak outdoors. ## Samsung goes sharper The S26 Ultra's 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X pushes 3,120 by 1,440 at 498ppi with 120Hz. It peaks dimmer at 2,600 nits, but it is the crisper panel. ## A screen nobody can peek at The S26 Ultra is the only phone with Samsung's Privacy Display, which shades the screen from nearby eyes. Add the S Pen stowed in the frame and the display round is not close. > This lets artists be artful, and note-takers take notes. ## The A20 Pro arrives Apple's new chip doubles the Neural Engines to 32, moves DRAM to the side for better channel management, and adds integrated thermal management. It has not been benchmarked yet. ## Snapdragon holds the crown The S26 Ultra runs the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy with 12GB of RAM, and it beat last year's A19 on benchmarks. Whether the A20 Pro takes it back is still an open question. > Can the A20 Pro retake the crown from the 18 Pro Max? ## Radios are a wash Different modems, same capabilities. Both do 5G across sub-6GHz, C-band, and mmWave, plus Bluetooth 6.0, Wi-Fi 7, Ultra Wideband, NFC, and GPS. ## Battery is not close The S26 Ultra's 5,000mAh cell ran 15 hours and 5 minutes. The iPhone 17 Pro Max ran over 32 hours, and Apple calls the 18 Pro Max its biggest battery jump ever. > The largest year-over-year leap in battery life it has ever produced. ## Charging comes out even Both hit 60W wired. Apple claims 50% in about 15 minutes plugged in, 30 minutes via MagSafe, and offers 35W wireless. Samsung's Qi2 tops out at 25W and needs an hour for a full charge. ## Apple's moving aperture Three 48MP rear cameras, main, telephoto, and ultrawide, with a physically moving aperture for real bokeh. The A20 Pro's new image signal processor handles the rest. ## Samsung brings the megapixels A 200MP main sensor, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto at 5x, 10MP telephoto at 3x, and a 12MP selfie camera. PCMag's review called the photos and video superb. > We found the pictures and videos to be of superb quality. ## Filmmakers lean Apple The iPhone shoots 4K120 in Dolby Vision and supports film-grade color profiles for correction in post. That flexibility is the clearest camera edge either phone holds. ## Siri becomes an app iOS 27 turns Siri into a real chatbot that lives on your home screen and keeps your past conversations. Samsung answers with Android 17, One UI 8.5, Gemini Live, and Galaxy AI. ## How to actually choose Want epic battery or serious video, take the iPhone. Want a privacy screen, a built-in stylus, or a lighter phone, take the S26 Ultra. Preorders for the iPhone open Sept. 12. > You've already made up your mind which you prefer. ## Key takeaway Buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max for battery and video, the S26 Ultra for the S Pen, privacy screen, and lighter weight.