iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Samsung S21 Ultra

The Samsung S21 Ultra and the iPhone 12 Pro Max are flagship heavyweights. Their performance and build qualities easily place them both as high-end devices. However, there are a few differences between them. This guide will allow you to choose one or the other of these smartphones, depending on your usage and habits.

Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: the better screen

The screen of the Samsung S21 Ultra makes it stand out. It is particularly large and offers a larger display surface than the iPhone 12 Pro Max. In terms of definition, the Samsung smartphone hits hard by offering the most advanced OLED panel to date for the manufacturer.

iPhone 12 Pro Max: the better performance

The iPhone 12 Pro Max stands out from the Samsung S21 Ultra thanks to its processor, which is the same as in the iPhone 12. The one in the S21 Ultra is excellent as well, but Apple's processor is objectively faster. While it may not make a ton of difference right now, it does mean the iPhone 12 Pro Max will likely stay fast and fluid longer than the S21 Ultra.

Samsung S21 Ultra vs iPhone 12 Pro Max camera: the ultimate iPhone camera vs Samsung camera face-off

In terms of photography, Samsung sets the bar very high. This smartphone is equipped with a 108-megapixel wide-angle module and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle module. It also has two telephoto lenses, including 100x space zoom.

On Apple's end, the iPhone 12 Pro Max plays it safe and reliable. The iPhone 12 Pro Max comes with 12-megapixel wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle and telephoto lenses. It comes with all the standard 4K recording, portrait mode and HDR processing features we've come to expect from Apple. 

If you love high-definition photography and video, either device will suit your needs. The truth is that both Apple and Samsung make some of the most popular cameras available. While you can nitpick about the iPhone only having 12MP, the truth is that most people won't print their photos so that doesn't matter much (plus it makes the file sizes bigger). And while you can similarly complain about the colour technology in the Samsung camera, some people do prefer that look (and you can just edit it).