Apple and Samsung, iPhone and Galaxy. For many years that pass, the comparison between the mobile devices of both brands will continue to be the most observed. In this article we compare the best mobile of the last generations of both brands: Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Specifications iPhone 12 Pro Max and Galaxy S21 Ultra
Beyond the tastes and opinions of each one, there are certain points that are unappealable both for these phones and for the rest and that are the specifications they have. Here is a table with the highlights of each:
| features | iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Base operating system | iOS 14 | One UI 3.1 (based on Android 11) |
| Colors | -Graphite -Silver -Gold -Pacific blue |
-Phantom Black -Phantom Silver -Phantom Titanium -Phantom Navy -Phantom Brown |
| Dimensions | -High: 16.08 cm -Width: 7.81 cm -Thickness: 0.74 cm |
-Height: 16.51 cm -Width: 7.56 cm -Thickness: 0.89 cm |
| Weight | 226 grams | 229 grams |
| screen | 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR (OLED) | 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2,778 x 1,284 with a density of 458 pixels per inch and up to 1,200 nits of maximum brightness | 3,200 x 1,440 with a density of 515 pixels per inch and up to 1,500 nits of maximum brightness |
| Processor | A14 Bionic | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
| Capacity | -128 GB -256 GB -512 GB |
-128 GB -256 GB -512 GB |
| RAM | 6 GB * | -12 GB -16 GB |
| Drums | 3,687 mAh * | 5,000 mAh |
| Frontal camera | 12 Mpx with aperture of f / 2.2 | 40 Mpx with aperture of f / 2.2 |
| Rear camera | -Wide angle: 12 Mpx and aperture of f / 1.6 -Ultra wide angle: 12 Mpx and aperture of f / 2.4 -Telephoto lens: 12 Mpx and aperture of f / 2.2 |
-Wide angle: 108 Mpx and aperture of f / 1.8 -Ultra wide angle: 12 Mpx and aperture of f / 2.2 -3x telephoto lens: 10 Mpx and aperture of f / 2.4 -10x telephoto lens: 10 Mpx and aperture of f / 4.9 |
| Connectors | Lightning | USB-C |
| Biometric systems | Face ID | -Screen fingerprint detector -Facial unlock |
The data related to the RAM and battery of the iPhone 12 Pro Max are not official by Apple, since the company never gives these data about their mobiles. They have been obtained thanks to various tests carried out by third parties. In the following sections we will explain the reason why both terminals are not really comparable at these points.
iOS and Android, the eternal debate
This is one of the most controversial points on which we will probably never find a general consensus. It is evident that in La Manzana Bordida we have a predilection for iOS, although the truth is that throughout the year we tested various devices with Android and we have knowledge about the Google operating system. In the end, the choice of one or the other depends on the personal taste of each one and other factors. If you have a large Apple product ecosystem, iOS will give you better syncing benefits. If you value aspects such as customization a lot, there is no doubt that Android is one step ahead.
In the end, both systems have evolved very well over the years and although it is true that a decade ago we could safely say that iOS was more secure and had better performance, today everything has become more equal. Of course, it must be said that the Galaxy does not have pure Android but with the One UI customization layer created by Samsung itself. Although it is true that it is highly optimized, at certain times there may be some lag. This is not constant and should not be worrisome, but it is a point to take into account.
Regarding future updates, we can practically take it for granted that the iPhone 12 Pro Max will have more years of support. Until at least 2025 if we follow the current Apple trend. It will also reach all users at the same time, while the Android and One UI updates are usually more staggered and do not guarantee as many years as Apple’s.
Both screens are designed by Samsung
Samsung is a huge company with all kinds of products that it markets to individuals or companies. One of the departments or sub-companies that earns them the most is the component department, among which its screens section stands out. Of course, the Galaxy S21 Ultra has a screen designed and manufactured by Samsung, but the iPhone 12 Pro Max does too. The South Korean company is the main supplier of Apple OLED panels and therefore we find evident similarities on the screens of their terminals.
For technical purposes, the Galaxy screen is better as we have seen in the comparison table. But, is it noticeable on a day-to-day basis? Yes and no. Both have a different color treatment, having something more “natural” in the case of the Apple model and something more saturated in the Samsung one, although for color tastes and never better said. Both screens look trendy and look good in any situation, although the Samsung one stands out a bit more in bright situations because of its better brightness.
Mind you, the 120 Hz refresh rate makes a fundamental difference to the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Of this, and its little brother 12 Pro, it was said that they would include this type of technology and finally they did not. Samsung’s is not the first to incorporate it and although we cannot say that it is an essential feature, being as well applied as this it is difficult for us to imagine a phone without that brutal refreshment.
As an extra note, it must be said that this Samsung smartphone model is compatible with the S Pen stylus, which is included in the ‘Note’ range, but not in this one. This does not necessarily mean that it has all the compatible functions or that it is included, because it is not like that, but it is interesting to know that it is possible to use this device because it has technology that allows it.
Both are 5G, but with differences
5G connectivity is here to stay and the only thing missing from the big companies was Apple to join. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is one of the first to incorporate this technology, although it must be said that only in the United States it has mmWave antennas that allow it to have a “real 5G”, while in the rest of the world it is a “4G +” . It is true that there is an improvement over classic 4G, but it is not close to the exorbitant speeds that can be achieved with true 5G.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra for its part if it has the best connectivity in this section. Although in the end it has a problem that is shared by the iPhone and by the rest of the mobile manufacturers with 5G: the lack of infrastructure . To this day, it is still a little extended connectivity and that except in specific points in large cities, it is not possible to access it.
If we look to the future and take into account that these phones have been designed to last for many years, in the end the Galaxy will be able to benefit more from 5G when the infrastructure improves, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max will lag a bit behind, especially outside the States. United.
In performance they are more than enough
We have the two highest-end devices from companies such as Apple and Samsung, so anticipating poor performance in either of them is unrealistic. On the web we can find tests and performance tests for all tastes, some in which the A14 Bionic amply beats the Exynos 2100 and others in which the opposite happens. It really is an unfair comparison, since in the end both processors would have to be tested on the same terminal, something that unfortunately is not possible to do.
In practice, we find a tremendously fluid performance to perform any type of task. It is true that the Galaxy sometimes gives the sensation of greater fluidity due to the 120 Hz rate mentioned in the screen section, but if we look closely at the rendering of photographs or videos, both perform on par.
In fact we have not saturated any of them no matter how much application we had opened and this is where we remember the RAM data of the iPhone and that is that despite having much less capacity than the Galaxy, we see that it does not experience notable differences in performance. What is this about? Well, fundamentally to the good work of the A14 processor and the fact that iOS is an operating system designed by Apple itself and adapted one hundred percent to the hardware.
The best in autonomy
Something similar to what we explained with the RAM happens in the iPhone battery. It has a much lower capacity in mAh than Samsung and yet it is capable of offering a similar and even identical autonomy in some cases. It is doubly surprising to know that this 12 Pro Max reduced the capacity compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Both devices have passed the battery test with flying colors, getting to make intensive use of it for a day and reaching the end of this with at least 30-40% in each. With a considered normal use (messaging apps, calls, social networks and video viewing) we could even have more.
What you do have to keep in mind is that the Galaxy supports a higher fast charge , although you will have to loosen your pocket and buy the power adapter yourself. What do you want to use a lower capacity adapter? Well, you will also have to buy it because it is not included in the box . What do you prefer the iPhone in that case? Okay, but you will also have to go through the box because this was the first to stop including the charging adapter. Green or cost saving measure? Probably both. If you have a USB-C adapter at home you can reuse it because the cable that comes in both devices works for them.
The cameras have notable differences
Returning to the comparison table seen at the beginning, there is no doubt that the Samsung is one step ahead of the iPhone. However, although it seems that the photographs will look worse in the latter, it must be said that Apple has enviable computer processing of the photographs and that makes the results surprisingly good. In most sections we find equality, especially in the popular night mode, although perhaps the treatment of the portrait of the Galaxy looks a bit more refined, as it also gets far ahead with the zoom thanks to its two telephoto lenses that even reach x100 in digital zoom.
In video things change and that is that despite the advances of Samsung and this being a very capable device in video, we continue to have the iPhone as the main reference when it comes to video with a smartphone. Quality, stability and audio pickup are Apple’s main bastions in this area.
Price and devaluation in the market
Talking about the price of these devices is complicated depending on the moment you read us. The devaluation suffered by the Galaxy is remarkable, since we always find a multitude of offers for these starting devices and with the passage of the months it goes down in price. The iPhone 12 Pro Max for its part will remain that way until the arrival of its successor, since Apple does not lower its prices and neither are offers usually found every day in other stores. To start with, these are the prices offered by the companies in their respective stores:
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- 128 GB: 1,259 euros.
- 256 GB: 1,379 euros.
- 512 GB: 1,609 euros.
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- 128 GB and 12 GB of RAM: 1,259 euros.
- 256 GB and 12 GB of RAM: 1,309 euros
- 512 GB and 16 GB of RAM: 1,439 euros.
The base price of both terminals is the same, although the most expensive version in the end corresponds to the iPhone with more capacity. Perhaps Samsung is taking the lead with special promotions or discounts with purchases of accessories such as headphones. On the part of Apple we only find discounts with the Trade-in program through which you deliver your old iPhone and money is deducted from the price of the new one.
