The last year has witnessed the launch of many high-end smartphones. The latest in the line is the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G. They are competitive in almost every aspect. This article is an attempt to help customers decide which is the better choice for them depending on their needs and preferences.
Key Specification
| Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G | |
| Released | Sep 2019 | Feb 2020 |
| Chipset | Apple A13 Bionic | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) – Global |
| Display Size | 6.5 inch | 6.90-inch |
| Memory | 4 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB |
| Camera | 12MP + 12MP + 12MP | 108MP + 48MP + 12MP |
| Fingerprint Sensor Position | – | On-screen |
Design
| Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G | |
| Dimensions | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm | 166.9 x 76 x 8.8 mm |
| Weight | 226 grams | 222 grams |
| Screen Resolution | 1242 x 2688 pixels | 1440×3200 pixels |
| Pixel Density | 458 ppi | 511 ppi |
| Color | Matte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green | Cosmic Grey, Cosmic Black, Cloud White |
| Display Type | OLED | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Screen Protection | – | Corning Gorilla Glass v6 |
Both the devices have a glass back and metallic frame. The Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G comes with a large camera set up in the back and a punch-hole camera in the top center of the display. It is 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm and weighs 208 grams. It has IP68 certification, which makes it splash and spill-resistant. The iPhone 11 Pro Max comes with a large camera block in the back and a notch in the front that houses the selfie camera. It is 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm and weighs 226 grams. It also has an IP68 certification. They both offer various color options.
When comparing displays, one major visual difference is that the Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G offers a curved display. The Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G a huge 6.9-inch HD Dynamic AMOLED display, 3200 by 1440 resolution with 511 PPI. It has a refresh rate of 120Hz. The iPhone 11 Pro Max offers a 6.5-inch Retina XDR display. It’s 2688 by 1242 with 458 pixels PPI and it supports HDR. It has a refresh rate of 60Hz. There is one important thing to that the Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G lets you use only FHDR when the refresh rate is 120Hz. If you want to utilize the higher resolution, you will have to lower the refresh rate to 60Hz.
Performance
| Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G | |
| Processor | Hexa core 2.65 GHz | Octa core 2 GHz |
| GPU | Apple GPU | Mali-G77 MP11 |
| RAM | 4 GB | 12 GB |
| Internal storage | 64 GB | 128 GB |
| Storage expansion | No | Yes |
| OS | iOS v13.0 | Android 10, One UI 2.5 |
Both the phone boasts powerful performance but they are not exactly equal. The Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G packs the Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 990. The iPhone 11 Pro Max has the Apple A13 Bionic. The Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G runs on 12 GB RAM while the 11 Pro Max offers 4 GB RAM. But in most tests, iPhone either matches or outperforms the Android. On either phone, the internal storage goes up to 512 GB. But the Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G offers storage expansion. A significant difference is that the 20 Ultra supports 5G while the other doesn’t.
Camera
| Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G | |
| Rear | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide) 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm (ultrawide) 12 MP f/2.0, 52mm(telephoto) | 108-megapixel (f/1.8) (wide) 48-megapixel (f/3.5) (telephoto) 12-megapixel (f/2.2) (ultrawide) |
| Front | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm(wide) | 40-megapixel (f/2.2) |
| Video recording | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+ |
The Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G sports a 108 MP, f/1.8, 26mm main sensor combines with 12 MP f/3.0, 120mm (telephoto), and a 16 MP f/2.2 13mm (ultrawide). It has a 10 MP, f/2.2 front camera. The iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm primary lens accompanied with a 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm (ultrawide), and 12 MP f/2.0, 52mm(telephoto).
Multimedia
| Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G | |
| Headphone jack | Lightning | USB Type-C |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Audio Features | Dolby Atmos | Dolby Atmos |
| FM Radio | No | No |
Battery Life
| Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G | |
| Capacity | 3969 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Type | Li-ion | Li-ion |
| Quick Charging | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes |
| User Replaceable | No | No |
The Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G packs an impressive 5000 mAh battery with 25W fast charging. The iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3969 mAh battery with 18W fast charging. On paper, it may seem that the 20 Ultra has the iPhone 11 Pro Max beat. But it is must be noted that because of Samsung’s higher refresh rate, it eats into the battery.
Connectivity
|  | Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G |
| SIM | Dual SIM, GSM+GSM | Dual SIM, GSM+GSM |
| Network Support | 4G, 3G, 2G | 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G |
| Bluetooth | v5.0 | v5.0 |
| Wifi | Wi-Fi 802.11, a/ac/ax/b/g/n/n 5GHz | Wi-Fi 802.11, a/ac/ax/b/g/n/n 5GHz, MIMO |
| GPS | Yes with A-GPS, Glonass | Yes with A-GPS, Glonass |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Sensors | Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyroscope | Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX |
Which is Better?
In most respects, the phones are extremely similar. The key differences would be :
- The Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G comes with a stylus.
- The Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G offers a slightly better camera experience.
- They run on different operating systems. ( iPhone – iOS v13.0 and Samsung – Android v10 (Q))
- The Samsung Galaxy 20 Ultra 5G has a larger battery which does not necessarily translate in longer battery life.
So, the ultimate decision will mostly come down to whether the consumer prefers iOS or Android. The other thing that may also help make the decision is what importance one gives to the stylus.
