iPhone XS Max vs Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
30Performance29.1
29.7Display54
35.3Camera65.9
23Battery55.1
73.3Features73.3
6 spec wins — iPhone XS Max13 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra wins this phone face-off, 51.1 to 33.9, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+32) and camera (+31). iPhone XS Max still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the iPhone XS Max
- 100% higher OS update pledge: 6 years vs 3 years
- 44% higher AnTuTu 10: 720,000 vs 500,000
- 22% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 1,100 vs 900
- 13% lower thickness: 7.7 mm vs 8.8 mm
- Lower launch price: $1,099 vs $1,399
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
- Stronger display score: 54 vs 30
- Stronger camera score: 66 vs 35
- Stronger battery score: 55 vs 23
- 800% higher Main camera: 108 MP vs 12 MP
- 471% higher Front camera: 40 MP vs 7 MP
Display
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.5 ″ | 6.9 ″+6% |
| Panel type | OLED | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2688x1242 | 3200x1440 |
| Pixel density | 458 ppi | 511 ppi+12% |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 625 nits | 1,200 nits+92% |
Performance
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A12 Bionic | Samsung Exynos 990 |
| AnTuTu 10 | 720,000+44%Top 68% | 500,000Top 77% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,100+22%Top 63% | 900Top 78% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 2,800+6%Top 67% | 2,650Top 72% |
| RAM (max) | 4 GB | 12 GB+200% |
| Storage options | 64GB / 256GB / 512GB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB |
| Storage type | NVMe | UFS 3.0 |
Camera
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 108 MP+800% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | — | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 48 MP+300% |
| Optical zoom | 2 x | 4 x+100% |
| Max video | 4K@60fps | 8K@24fps |
| Front camera | 7 MP | 40 MP+471% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 3,174 mAh | 5,000 mAh+58% |
| Wired charging | 15 W | 45 W+200% |
| Wireless charging | 8 W | 15 W+100% |
Design
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 208 g+6% | 222 g |
| Thickness | 7.7 mm+13% | 8.8 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Stainless steel | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | iOS 12 | Android 10 (One UI 2) |
| OS update pledge | 6 years+100% | 3 years |
Audio
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |