Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs. iPhone 12 Pro Max

Samsung changed its strategy with the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus, advancing both phones technologically while cutting back on a few angles - like using flat screens rather than curved ones - to price both models more competitively. However, the same cannot be said of the

Galaxy S21 Ultra

. Not only does this behemoth of a smartphone find Samsung unwilling to compromise on any design feature, but it also features several improvements and upgrades that make it one of the

telephones

for 2021.

It might be one of the best smartphones we've ever gotten our hands on, but that doesn't mean it has no competition. Apple's iPhone 12 Pro Max

is another big beast of a smartphone, boasting the best performance you can find on any Apple smartphone, plus several key improvements to its screen and camera.

It's certainly in the same league as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, but we're here to find out which one is better, so read on to see how each phone performs in our head-to-head.

Specifications

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

Cut

165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm (6.5 x 2.98 x 0.35 inches)

160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches)

Weight

229 grams (8.04 ounces)

228 grams (8.04 ounces)

Screen size

6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X

6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED

Screen resolution

3200 x 1440 pixels (515 pixels per inch)

2778 x 1284 pixels (458 pixels per inch)

Operating system

Android 11, OneUI 3.1

iOS 14

Storage

128GB, 256GB, 512GB

128GB, 256GB, 512GB

MicroSD card slot

Nope

Nope

Tap-to-Pay services

Nope

Google Pay, Samsung Pay

Apple Pay

Processor

Exynos 2100 (global) Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (USA)

Apple A14 Bionic< /p>

RAM

12 GB, 16 GB

6 GB

Camera

108MP quad wide lens, 10MP telephoto, 10MP telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide rear

Front 40MP

12MP wide triple lens, 12MP telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide rear

Front 12MP

Video

8K@30fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR12

4K at 60fps, 1080p at 120fps, HDR10

Bluetooth version

5.0

5.0

Ports

USB-C

Lightning

Fingerprint sensor

Yes, integrated in the screen (ultrasound)

No, Face ID

Water resistance

IP68

IP68

Battery p>

5000mAh

Fast charging (25W charger sold separately)

Qi wireless charging

3687Ah

Quick charge (20W charger sold separately)

Qi wireless charging (15W)

Application Market

Google PlayStore

Apple App Store

Network support

All major carriers

All major carriers

Colors

Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Brown, Phantom Navy, Phantom Titanium

Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue

Price< /p>

$1199

$1099

Rating of critics

4.5 out of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars p>

Design, display and durability

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 12 Pro Max feature notable design updates. The Galaxy S21 Ultra features an edge-to-edge display with even thinner bezels than the

S20

, with the discreet punch-hole selfie camera giving it a very svelte look. It also features a newly redesigned rear camera bump, which tilts nicely into the frame of the phone, making it less noticeable and looking more integrated with the overall device.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max sports two. Main renovations: A thinner notch at the top of the screen and flattened/squared edges on the side of its frame. Again, these are fairly subtle changes, but they serve to set the phone apart from previous models, giving it a more premium, high-end aesthetic. It's hard to say which device looks better, though the S21 Ultra's angled camera bump is arguably more striking than the flat edges of the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

There is, however, a distinct difference when it comes to the screens of each phone. The S21 Ultra packs a large 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display within its frame with a generous helping of 3200 x 1440 pixels, resulting in a very vivid 515 pixels per inch. The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display, which has 2778 x 1284 pixels, or 458 ppi.

In practice, that means the Galaxy S21 Ultra's display will be more impressive, boasting higher resolution and sharpness, and with its AMOLED technology (as opposed to OLED) delivering deeper blacks and slightly better dynamic range. At the same time, the Ultra also supports a 120Hz refresh rate, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max only goes up to 60Hz. This makes videos and motion pictures much smoother on the Samsung device.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Performance, battery life and charging

Leaving behind the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 from the S20, the Galaxy S21 Ultra runs on the new Snapdragon 865. Combined with 12GB of RAM, you'll find it handles any app or game with relative ease, even allowing you to keep multiple apps on the go without experiencing any noticeable slowdown. The iPhone 12 Pro Max, on the other hand, has a less impressive 6GB of RAM, but its use of Apple's latest A14 Bionic chip - along with the fact that iPhones need less RAM - means you won't also have no problem playing demanding games. or run multiple applications.

This year, Samsung ditched the MicroSD card slot, mainly to make its line of devices a bit more affordable. As such, the Galaxy S21 Ultra doesn't have the edge over the iPhone 12 Pro Max when it comes to storage, not least because both phones come with 128GB of internal memory as standard, or can be purchased with 256 GB or 512 GB for higher prices. .

As for the battery, the S21 Ultra comes with a larger 5,000mAh cell, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max offers a 3,687mAh battery. Nonetheless, the iPhone comfortably provides more than a day's worth of use, even under the heaviest revs. The same goes for the S21 Ultra, with

our review

estimating that it lasts until the second day, even with the 120Hz mode activated.

Winner: Tie

Cameras

Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends

It's with its camera you'll probably notice the biggest difference between the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and the S21 and S21 Plus, with the Ultra sporting four rear cameras. This includes a primary wide-angle lens with 108MP, a 12MP ultra-wide lens and also two (yes, two) telephoto lenses. The first telephoto lens is 10MP with 3x optical zoom and f/2.4 aperture, while the second is also 10MP, but with 10x optical zoom and f/4.9 aperture.

Those are impressive specs, and in practice they result in a very versatile camera capable of taking very usable shots in most conditions. The two telephoto lenses are particularly impressive, with

our review

finding that they take very detailed zoomed photos, when used with optical zoom. More generally, the overall quality of the main camera of the S21 Ultra is comparable to that of the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which is also one of the best camera phones.

That said, the S21 Ultra still struggles a bit in low-light environments, where it introduces some noise and smooths out detail. For this reason, we give a narrow win to the iPhone, which is more effective in nighttime conditions.

Winner: iPhone 12 Pro Max

Software and updates

Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra runs OneUI 3, Samsung's skin for

Android 11

. It's a great operating system, although it's hard to directly compare it to

iOS 14

, which runs the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Both systems have their advantages, so we'll leave the question of which is the best personal choice.

On the other hand, Apple still has the advantage with updates. iPhone users receive new software versions as soon as they are ready, while they are also supported with updates for several years. The same cannot be said for Samsung, although its track record has improved somewhat in recent months.

Winner: iPhone 12 Pro Max

Special features

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the first S-series phone to support the

S-Pen

, which is usually reserved for Samsung's Note series. It doesn't have a stylus slot and lacks some of the features you'll find with the

Note 20 Ultra

, but it offers a very convenient way to take notes, annotate documents and draw, so it will definitely be a bonus for those who need to use their phone for work.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max doesn't support the S Pen, oddly enough, but like the S21 Ultra, it does support 5G. In fact, both phones support both major 5G bands, mmWave and sub-6Hz, giving users the fastest possible 5G speeds.

Beyond that, the phones offer more modest special features. The S21 Ultra provides its Camera app with a Vlogger View mode, which lets you capture video with the front and rear cameras simultaneously, as well as a Director View mode, which displays thumbnails of the feed from the phone's various camera lenses. . Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 Pro Max supports MagSafe accessories, which means you can attach various magnetic accessories to its back.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra starts at $1,200 for the 128GB model, $1,250 for 256GB, and $1,380 for 512GB, and can be purchased directly through Samsung's website now. It is supported by all major carriers and is available from most major retailers.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is available now from $1100, with the 256GB and 512GB models costing you $1200 and $1400 respectively. It is also supported by all major carriers.

Overall Winner:

iPhone 12 Pro Max

Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends

As well as the

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

is the

iPhone 12 Pro Max

is pretty much a better smartphone. It offers an overall slightly better camera, better updates and better software support, while also matching the new S21 Ultra in several key areas including performance, 5G support, software and duration. battery life. To be fair, the S21 Ultra has a more impressive display, is a little more attractive, and also supports the S Pen. Even so, S Pen support may not be used by most users, so it's not enough to tip the scales in favor of the S21 Ultra.

Those lugs aside, the S21 Ultra is still the best phones you can buy right now, and if you prefer Android to iOS, it might be the one to get anyway.

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