It’s the battle of the big phones, but which will come out on top?
There has been a rivalry between Samsung fans and iPhone fans for as long as we can remember and with the announcement of the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, we just couldn’t help ourselves.
The new phone from Samsung certainly talks the talk, but what we want to know is, can it walk the walk. We’ve all had long enough to process the iPhone 12 Pro Max and although it still blows us away, we wanted to see how it compares with the latest big addition to the Galaxy family.
The best view in the house.
One thing we all take into careful consideration when phone shopping is the display. If it’s a bigger screen that you’re after, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra steals the show. At 6.8-inch, this phone has a 0.1-inch advantage over the iPhone 12 Pro Max, measuring 6.7-inch.
If we compared this to a horse race, we think it’d be fair to say that the Galaxy S21 Ultra won by a nose – a small win, but a win nonetheless! iPhone 12 Pro Max does have some sensational qualities, curtesy of its Super Retina XDR display.
It boasts a display resolution of 1284 x 2778 pixels and reaches 1200 nits peak brightness, something that Apple fans are particularly fond of. Since its release late last year, it has been praised for its systemwide colour management, with users feeling utterly immersed in their favourite shows!
With all this savvy tech, it seems impossible that the Galaxy S21 Ultra could match the 12 Pro Max, let alone take another win. The latest from Samsung packs Quad HD+ resolution at a whopping 3200 x 1440 pixels.
Samsung have stated that this phone has the most vivid and bright display, ever seen in any Galaxy smartphone, which is impressive in itself. When it comes to brightness, you’ll be needing your sunnies. Reaching a huge 1500 nits at peak, the S21 Ultra does not mess around.
With all this light, you’re probably sat thinking about your poor little eyes, but the S21 Ultra takes care of that too. It adjusts blue light for you, so you don’t have to worry about any eye strain – great news for those of you who’s phone is practically glued to your hand!
Design differences.
Both the 12 Pro Max and Galaxy S21 Ultra have designs that are both beautiful and durable. The 12 Pro Max boasts Apple’s latest material, Ceramic Shield. Made by infusing nano-ceramic crystals into glass, the design is stronger than most metals.
This new fancy material also gives the phone a 4x better drop performance, protecting it against any accidents. Its IP68 rating for water and dust resistance adds another protective layer to this phone, meaning you can enjoy it with full peace of mind.
The 12 Pro Max has a new flat-edge design, made with surgical-grade stainless steel so it’s not only easy on the eyes, but feels great in your hand too. Available in unseen before colours, Pacific Blue, Gold, Silver, and Graphite, the choice is yours.
So, where does the S21 Ultra stand against all of this? You ask. Like the 12 Pro Max, the Ultra takes measures to ensure it stays in tip-top shape. Its glass front is designed with Gorilla Glass Victus, making it stronger than previous models.
It can survive that every-day wear and tear and with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, it’ll withstand whatever you day may throw its way. Its aluminium frame gives it a premium looking finish and its colour options compliment this.
This is where the 12 Pro Max takes the lead. While the latest from Apple has four colours to choose from, the S21 Ultra has two. Will it be elegant Phantom Black or a touch of shimmer with the dazzling Phantom Silver?
Both phones look like they were crafted by artists, and we’re not sure how you’ll choose your favourite…
A photo speaks a thousand words.
Both the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra have cameras that are way ahead of their time. We always expected big things, with them being the heads of their little families, but both exceed all expectations.
We’ll start with iPhone 12 Pro Max and its amazing triple camera system. With a 12MP wide lens, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a 12MP telephoto lens, the 12 Pro Max makes every moment a photo opp.
The wide lens comes with huge improvements and lets in 27 percent more light, delivering greater detail and sharper focus. The telephoto lens lets you get closer than ever to your photo subjects and boasts 5x optical zoom. You’ll get professional looking shots in a matter of seconds!
With this camera, you not only get great photos but great videos too. Jumping from 8-to 10-bit HDR recording, 12 Pro Max users can capture 700 million colours, giving a more life-like end product. Who even knew that many colours existed!
As the first smartphone to support Dolby Vision recording, the 12 Pro Max camera gives you what you need for pro-looking video footage. Your summer holiday montages will look flawless!
Now onto what Samsung have in store for you. The Galaxy S21 Ultra packs not one, not two, not three, but FOUR camera lenses. A 12MP ultra-wide lens, two 10MP telephoto lenses, and a whopping 108MP wide lens.
This lens lets you capture 12-bit HDR photos with 64 times richer colour data, which when paired with 100x space zoom, you’ll get details like never before. You can enjoy 100x space zoom and see details like never before.
Like the 12 Pro Max, the S21 Ultra also records amazing video footage. You can film in 9K resolution, a first for the Galaxy line. But that’s not all… You can now shoot in 4K at 60fps across ALL lenses, front and back!
Which one will be snapping your pics this year?
Top tier performance.
Apple and Samsung have always been at the top of the game for mobile performance and these two phones are no exception to that. Both phones pack incredible 5G tech, a super-fast chip and the battery needed to power it all.
iPhone 12 Pro Max users can take full advantage of Apple’s 5G and with more 5G bands than any other smartphone, you’ll be getting great coverage. The Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts Samsung’s HyperFast 5G, letting its users accelerate into the future.
No matter which of these phones you opt for, you’ll be guaranteed faster downloads, higher-quality streaming, and more-responsive gaming in an instant. So, what about their chips?
We think the iPhone 12 Pro Max takes the crown when it comes to its chip, but we’ll let you decide. It packs the A14 Bionic, the first ever to be built on a 5-nano-metre process, delivering a huge 80 percent increase in performance.
This doesn’t mean that the S21 Ultra chip isn’t amazing. The Exynos 2100 gives heightening performance, power efficiency, camera functions and AI capabilities. Samsung are claiming that this chip sets a new standard for mobile experience.
Both of these huge phones have huge performance perks and we’re certain that whichever you go for, you’re getting the best of the best.
Who’s your winner?
With so many perks to each of these phones, we’re struggling to pick the winner. What we’re certain on is that no matter which of these you pick, you’ll be getting a fresh-design, a dazzling display, a top camera, and flawless performance.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is available to buy, but if the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has swayed you, then you can pre-order today instead. The choice is yours…
