Why the iPhone 17 Pro Max doesn't even come close to the Galaxy S25 Ultra

The Galaxy S25 Ultra has been out for nearly eight months now. A lot of phones have been launched since then that aim to take away its crown as one of the best phones on the market.

Apple's new iPhone 17 Pro Max is on a similar mission, but as our colleagues over on SamMobile's YouTube channel explain, it doesn't even come close to Samsung's top flagship.

There are a few reasons why the Galaxy S25 Ultra has such incredible staying power against all of its competitors. Take the anti-reflective display coating, for example. It's built right into the glass so there's no question of it wearing off after some time.

You could make the argument that the camera hardware on this device isn't as impressive as it can be on other devices, but camera performance depends on so much more than the hardware. Samsung's work on the software side of things puts the device in a league of its own.

The plethora of shooting modes on offer delivers incredible control over the experience to users. Then there's also the S Pen. Even though it lost the Bluetooth features this year, it's still a force to be reckoned with, and there's no other flagship device that provides a similar experience.

The full video goes into a lot more detail about why hype alone isn't enough to open your wallet for the latest iPhone. There's a Galaxy beyond it, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra is its guardian.