iPhone 18 Pro Max and Galaxy S26 Ultra Match at $1,299 as Battery, Camera and Feature Gaps Emerge
A TechRadar comparison finds Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra start at the same $1,299 price but split on battery capacity, camera hardware, a bundled stylus and a variable aperture, with the iPhone costing more at higher storage tiers.
Both devices carry top-tier chipsets, 6.9-inch displays and several rear cameras, and both are now widely available, TechRadar said. The iPhone 18 Pro Max shipped in September 2026, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra arrived in February 2026.
On price, the iPhone 18 Pro Max costs $1,299 for 256GB, $1,499 for 512GB, $1,899 for 1TB and $2,499 for 2TB in the US, with UK prices matching those figures in pounds and Australian prices of AU$2,299, AU$2,699, AU$3,499 and AU$4,699. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is priced at $1,299.99, $1,499.99 and $1,799.99 in the US for 256GB, 512GB and 1TB, and at £1,279, £1,449 and £1,699 in the UK and AU$2,199, AU$2,499 and AU$2,649 in Australia. TechRadar said the starting prices are similar or identical depending on the market, but the gulf widens as storage rises, and Samsung offers no 2TB configuration.
The two phones are close in size. The iPhone measures 163.4 x 78 x 8.8mm and weighs 249g, while the Galaxy is 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9mm and 214g. Both use 6.9-inch OLED panels with a 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate; Apple's Super Retina XDR display peaks at 3,000 nits against 2,600 nits for Samsung's Dynamic AMOLED 2X.
The iPhone runs Apple's A20 Pro chipset and the Galaxy S26 Ultra uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Both offer 12GB of RAM, with Samsung adding a 16GB option. The iPhone is sold with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB of storage, the Galaxy with 256GB, 512GB or 1TB.
Camera hardware differs sharply. The iPhone pairs a 48MP main sensor with a 48MP ultra-wide and a 48MP telephoto, plus an 18MP front camera. The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide, 10MP and 50MP telephoto lenses and a 12MP front camera. TechRadar lists the iPhone's variable aperture as an advantage, a feature the Galaxy does not offer.
Battery capacity is also uneven. The iPhone 18 Pro Max carries 5,567mAh in its eSIM-only version and 5,391mAh with a physical SIM, against 5,000mAh for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Both charge wirelessly at 25W; Samsung specifies 60W wired charging, while TechRadar lists the iPhone's fast wired charging at 60W unofficially.
In design, the iPhone follows the iPhone 17 Pro Max with a large rear camera island holding three lenses and a Dynamic Island cut-out that has shrunk, an aluminum frame and a back combining aluminum and glass. The Galaxy is more angular with less curvy corners, a vertically arranged rear camera block, a smaller punch-hole cut-out, an aluminum frame and a glass back. Both are rated IP68, and the iPhone is water-resistant to depths of six meters for up to 30 minutes.
TechRadar credits the iPhone 18 Pro Max with a useful variable aperture, outstanding battery life and strong performance, but faults its high price, the absence of Samsung's stylus and the lack of a Privacy Display. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is credited with its unique Privacy Display, a powerful chipset and cameras the comparison calls phenomenal, but it has no MagSafe-style magnetic charging system, no variable aperture and is also expensive.