The market's two most complete phones, period. One does everything, the other does everything differently. S25 Ultra versus iPhone 16 Pro Max: the full match.
Design and ergonomics
218 g of rounded titanium versus 227 g of squared titanium. The Ultra embeds the S Pen; the iPhone embeds Camera Control. Two visions of 'all-in-one' — both mature.
Screens
6.9" QHD+ anti-glare (Samsung) versus 6.9" XDR (Apple). Gorilla Armor wins in full sun; Apple's calibration remains the color-accuracy reference. Split decision.
Power and battery
| S25 Ultra | 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | 8 Elite | A18 Pro |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 4685 mAh |
| Charging | 45 W | ~30 W |
Equivalent endurance — an Apple exploit with so few milliamp-hours. Charging: Samsung.
Camera and video
Samsung's 200 MP + 5x periscope + 100x zoom rules versatility. Apple's video (Dolby Vision 4K120, stabilization) stays untouchable. Photo content: Samsung. Video content: iPhone.
The decisive Algerian criterion: resale
After 2 years: ~65% value kept on Apple's side, ~50% on Samsung's. On a 250,000+ DZD purchase, that gap funds a backup phone.
Verdict
Versatility, zoom, sunlight screen, S Pen: S25 Ultra. Video, resale, ecosystem, time-value: iPhone 16 Pro Max. Both camps tracked at real prices on our comparator.
