Apple
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
$999Cheaper
Released 2024-09
Best Smartphones · head-to-head
Apple iPhone 16 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Apple iPhone 16 Pro is cheaper at $999. Every spec and price links to its source.
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
$1299.99
Released 2025-02
Which is better: the Apple iPhone 16 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra wins 4 of the 5 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 1. The Apple iPhone 16 Pro is the cheaper at $999. Get the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra for the stronger spec sheet, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro to spend less.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
Key specs, head to head
The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Apple iPhone 16 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $999 MSRP, 128GB | $1299.99 MSRP, 256GB (base config) |
| Brand | Apple | Samsung |
| Released | 2024-09 | 2025-02 |
| Display (in) | 6.3 | 6.9 |
| Display type | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X |
| Refresh (Hz) | 120 | 120 |
| Chipset | Apple A18 Pro | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy |
| RAM (GB) | 8 | 12 |
| Storage (GB) | 128 | 256 |
| Main camera (MP) | 48 | 200 |
| Battery (mAh) | 3582 | 5000 |
| Charge (W) | 25 | 45 |
| Weight (g) | 199 | 218 |
| OS | iOS 18 | Android 15 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Fiveg | Yes | Yes |
Sources — Apple iPhone 16 Pro: gsmarena.com (verified 2026-06-15). Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: gsmarena.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (10 of 13). Matching specs are omitted.
- Display (in): Apple iPhone 16 Pro 6.3 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 6.9
- Display type: Apple iPhone 16 Pro LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X
- Chipset: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Apple A18 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
- RAM (GB): Apple iPhone 16 Pro 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 12
- Storage (GB): Apple iPhone 16 Pro 128 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 256
- Main camera (MP): Apple iPhone 16 Pro 48 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 200
- Battery (mAh): Apple iPhone 16 Pro 3582 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 5000
- Charge (W): Apple iPhone 16 Pro 25 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 45
- Weight (g): Apple iPhone 16 Pro 199 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 218
- OS: Apple iPhone 16 Pro iOS 18 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Android 15
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Across three lab-testing outlets (GSMArena, Notebookcheck, Tom's Guide), the iPhone 16 Pro is a class-leading performer with excellent battery endurance, but testers agree its display brightness barely improved and its GPU trails the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Charging remains comparatively slow. No camera-quality benchmarks aggregated here. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Class-leading CPU performance / very high benchmark scores (A18 Pro); Excellent, class-leading battery life / endurance; Bright, accurate display measuring above stated typical brightness.
Flagged: Comparatively slow charging (~30W, full charge ~1.4-1.8h); GPU / graphics performance trails Galaxy S24 Ultra; Display brightness barely changed vs iPhone 15 Pro.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Two whitelisted lab testers (Tom's Guide, GSMArena) reviewed the exact Galaxy S25 Ultra. Both praise the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite speed, and Tom's Guide measured strong battery endurance (17h14m). Display measurements diverge by methodology. Both flag the slow 45W charging (~59 min to full); GSMArena calls the panel solid but not cutting-edge, while Tom's Guide rates the display excellent and brighter than the iPhone 16 Pro Max. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Fast overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite performance, one of the fastest phones tested; Excellent, bright display beating iPhone 16 Pro Max in Tom's Guide lab (1,860 nits); Strong battery endurance (17h14m Tom's Guide test).
Flagged: Slow 45W charging, ~59 minutes to full; Qi2 support lacks built-in magnets; needs a special case; Display is solid but not cutting-edge per spec / dims quickly at peak.