Apple VS Samsung: which is better? The new iPhone 12 Pro Max or the Galaxy S20 Ultra? I’ll show you the differences.
Apple and Samsung are the largest Smartphone manufacturers on the market – so the rivalry is great because everyone wants to build the best Smartphone. That’s why we’re comparing the brand new top model iPhone 12 Pro (Max) with the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G.
Specs Comparison
| Data | iPhone 12 Pro (Max) | Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G |
| Display technology | Super Retina XDR | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Display | 6.1 inches, FHD + | 6.7 inch FHD + | 6.9 inches, QHD + |
| Pixel density | 460 PPI | 458 PPI | 511 PPI |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hertz | up to 120 Hertz |
| Main camera | Triple cam | Quad cam |
| Camera details | 12 MP wide-angle | 12 MP ultra-wide | 12 MP Tele | Lidar | 108 MP wide-angle | 12 MP ultra-wide | 48 MP Tele | Depth camera |
| Video | 4K | 8K |
| Front camera | 12 MP / 4K video | 40 MP / 4K video |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm | 166.9 x 76.0 x 8.8 mm |
| Processor | A14 Bionic | Exynos 990 |
| CPU Speed | 2×3.1 GHz + 4×1.8 GHz | 2.73 + 2.6 x 2.0 GHz |
| RAM | 6 GB RAM | 12/16 GB RAM |
| Storage | 128/256/512 GB | 128/256/512 GB |
| Expandable | No | yes | Micro SD |
| Dual SIM | Yes | yes | Hybrid |
| Mobile Internet | 5G | 5G |
| Battery Size | 2775 mAh | 3687 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Price ($) | $999 – $1,099 | $999 – $1,399 |
| Market launch | Pro: 10/23/20 | Pro Max: 11/13/20 | 03/13/20 |
Display and Design
The iPhone 12 Pro (Max) is equipped with an OLED display that is bright and shows super sharp content. With the iPhone 12 Pro (Max) and the predecessors, the display looks like it is glued on. Colors, contrasts, and brightness do not decrease even with different viewing angles. The resolution of the 6.1 and 6.7 inches “Super Retina XDR displays” is high; the pixel density is 460 PPI (iPhone 12 Pro) and 458 PPI (iPhone 12 Pro Max). The iPhone is so well made that you hardly feel any transition from frame to display; it almost looks like the phone is made of a block. Even if the screen takes up the entire front, the frame is thicker than the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
The fact that the black border of the iPhone display looks much wider may also be related to the fact that Samsung has installed a dual-curved screen; a rounded screen on both sides. And that makes it almost as if there is no edge. Like Apple, Samsung also uses an OLED screen that Samsung calls “Dynamic AMOLED 2X”. The 6.9-inch screen has a higher resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels, which means that the pixel density is also higher at 510 PPI. However, you will not see any individual pixels on either model; the content is crisp!
As usual, Apple relies on a wide notch on the top of the iPhone 12 Pro (Max), in which the front camera and sensors, among other things, are for Face ID. The new iPhone 12 Pro (Max) has become angular again compared to its predecessor, which gives the Apple mobile phone an exquisite and straightforward look. The stainless steel frame matches the color of the case, but it shines and attracts fingerprints. The matte back is largely spared. In contrast to the slightly reflective glass back of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, especially the black version quickly looks greasy.
Both models lift the camera on the back with an extra area; with the Galaxy S20 Ultra, this area protrudes too strongly from the case. The iPhone 12 Pro (Max) is available in a total of four colors. In addition to the new color Pacific blue, the cell phone is also available in gold, graphite, and silver. With the S20 Ultra, you can choose between black, gray, and white.
Most significant Differences Between Galaxy S20 Ultra and iPhone 12 Pro (Max)
Even if Apple has now taken over some Android competition functions, including widgets in iOS 14 and 5G as fast cellular standard, essential features are still missing. For example, Apple continues to do without an always-on function to display information such as time, date, and important notifications on the deactivated OLED screen. There is also no Touch ID under the display glass in the iPhone 12 Pro (Max), which would have been a convenient alternative to Face ID or PIN entry, especially in the current Corona crisis. The fingerprint sensor in the display in the iPhone 13 should come next year.
Also, Apple stays with a standard refresh rate of 60 Hertz even with its Pro models, while the Galaxy S20 Ultra supports a frequency of up to 120 Hertz. This makes animations look much smoother, and navigating through the menu or scrolling through websites, and apps like Instagram are smoother. Therefore, the high refresh rate is beneficial for a gamer and also for the average user. Apple has also recognized that 120 Hertz also makes sense for Smartphone displays. Because according to current rumors, the next iPhone should offer 120 Hertz.
You can increase the 128 GB storage of the Galaxy S20 Ultra via a micro SD card. So it doesn’t matter that the 512GB version is unavailable. As usual, there is no memory card slot in the iPhone 12 Pro (Max). You have to take the next larger memory variant for more memory, which Apple can pay dearly!
Like the memory card slot, the USB-C port is only available on the Galaxy S20 Ultra. The iPhone 12 Pro (Max) continues to use Lightning. USB-C offers several advantages, including significantly faster charging. You can charge the Galaxy S20 Ultra with a maximum of 45 watts; the iPhone 12 Pro can charge 20 watts. However, Samsung only supplies a 25-watt power supply as standard, and Apple does not even supply one! The iPhone 12 (Pro) only comes with a charging cable; you either have to buy the power adapter separately or even own one. The problem: The cable is a USB-C to lightning cable. And most of the other devices don’t have such a USB-C charger in their drawer.
The iPhone 12 Pro (Max) can also score with functions that we miss in almost every Android Smartphone and the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Apple guarantees update support for its iPhone for 5 years. The Galaxy S20 Ultra has only received Android updates for 3 years. Compared to the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the new Apple cell phone with Face ID again has very secure 3D face recognition on board.
Conclusion: iPhone 12 Pro (Max) or Galaxy S20 Ultra – which is better?
In the past, there were significantly greater differences than today. Both the Galaxy S20 Ultra and the iPhone 12 Pro (Max) convince with their technology. The iPhone 12 scores with a very long update guarantee of 5 years, high performance, smooth operation, and a high resale value. iPhone is generally an excellent Smartphone with a clear design line and technology, some of which are tried and tested but are continually being further developed. However, useful functions such as a fingerprint sensor or a 120 Hertz display are missing. These features should not come until the next iPhone at the end of 2021 – and Android devices certainly have entirely different technologies at the start that will become a trend.
With many Android smartphones, including the S20 series, manufacturers are playing with new technologies and functions to stand out from the crowd. This also includes “number flexing” with 108 megapixels and 100x zoom. However, with Android, you have the great advantage of being more flexible, for example, when it comes to exchanging data with other devices. You also have useful features onboard, such as the 120 Hertz display, the display’s fingerprint sensor, memory expansion, and reverse charging. And you benefit from lower prices. So if you are looking for one of the best Android phones, one of the S20 models – above all, the Galaxy S20 Ultra – is the right choice.
