Who Has the Best Flagship?

With the introduction of the iPhone 16 Pro, you might be wondering whether to invest in the smaller iPhone or go ultra with Samsung’s flagship. Even though both phones offer top-tier hardware, there are quite a few differences that you should consider before making a decision..

With Bigger Dimensions Comes More Weight

Of the two smartphones, the iPhone 16 Pro offers a more comfortable form factor, especially for people who prefer one-handed usage. Apple’s smaller Pro iPhone measures is much smaller and marginally thinner than the gigantic S24 Ultra,

Even though you get a titanium enclosure on both phones (grade 5 on the iPhone and grade 2 on the S24 Ultra), the larger dimensions account for an additional 1.16oz (33g) on the S24 Ultra.

Color and finish also vary between the two smartphones. While the iPhone 16 Pro comes in four colors, including black, white, natural, and the new desert titanium, Samsung takes things up a notch by offering seven titanium-infused colors for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. These include gray, violet, yellow, black, green, blue, and orange.

It’s not just the phone’s exterior shell that differs in color, but the S Pen stylus that Samsung includes too.

The iPhone has rounded corners, while the S24 Ultra has a more boxy shape. As far as durability is concerned, the smartphone giants don’t leave any stone unturned. Apple, for one, equips the iPhone 16 Pro with its second-generation Ceramic Shield front glass, while Samsung goes over the top and includes the new Corning Gorilla Armor (on the front and back).

Both phones feature an IP68 dust and water resistance rating and a matte back panel.

Similar Screen Features but Different Sizes

Even though both phones feature excellent displays, they differ in a few key aspects. The iPhone 16 Pro has Apple’s 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display, which appears tiny in front of the massive 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen on the S24 Ultra. The screen on Samsung’s flagship is not just bigger but also sharper and brighter than the iPhone’s.

Even so, both phones support variable refresh rates up to 120Hz (called ProMotion display on the iPhone) and have an always-on mode. It’s worth highlighting that the iPhone 16 Pro’s screen can be toned down to one nit of brightness, making it easier for the eyes in pitch-dark environments. The S24 Ultra has an Adaptive Color Tone feature, which is similar to True Tone on the iPhone.

A18 Pro vs. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

This comparison would be incomplete without mentioning the powerful chipsets that power the iPhone 16 Pro and the Galaxy S24 Ultra. To begin with, the iPhone 16 Pro features the A18 Pro chip with a six-core CPU, a six-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Tech specs aside, the A18 Pro is the fastest chip on an iPhone and, by extension, one of the most powerful chips on smartphones.

In comparison, the Galaxy S24 Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, which features an eight-core CPU and the Adreno 750 GPU. And even though it is among the top chips on Android smartphones, it is no match for Apple’s latest processor. The A18 Pro is about 50% faster in single-core and 20% faster in multi-core Geekbench scores which, once again, establishes Apple’s supremacy in the mobile chipset market.

Nonetheless, both the processors feature hardware-accelerated ray tracing for rendering realistic lighting in 3D applications. While the S24 Ultra has a vapor chamber for cooling, the iPhone 16 Pro has a new heat dissipation mechanism that sustains peak performance for a longer time.

S24 Ultra Offers an Additional Zoom Lens

With the inclusion of the 5x telephoto camera that was previously exclusive to last years iPhone 15 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera setup feels complete. The phone can shoot regular pictures with the 48MP Fusion sensor, ultrawide angle (and macro) images with a new 48MP sensor, and telephoto photos with the 12MP periscope lens. Then, there’s a 12MP front camera for selfies or attending video calls.

Besides the new ultrawide camera, the iPhone 16 Pro also gets the ability to record 4K videos at 120 fps, a feature S24 Ultra already has. Furthermore, Apple has equipped all the iPhone 16 models with a new Camera Control button. Located below the power button, the Camera Control button allows instant access to the Camera app and makes capturing photos and videos easier. The button supports multiple pressure and touch-based inputs and lets you toggle between the lenses and camera features.

While the iPhone 16 Pro has a solid camera setup, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is no slouch either. The phone flaunts an incredible 200MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultrawide sensor, and two telephoto sensors (10MP and 50MP) that provide 3x and 5x optical zoom. Samsung’s handset provides more flexibility in terms of zoom range, allowing photographers to frame their shots the way they want, with Samsung’s 100x Space Zoom feature being particularly impressive.

The selfie camera on the Galaxy reaches 12MP and features optical image stabilization. With Galaxy AI, the S24 Ultra gets a few AI-based editing features. Further, the phone can record 8K videos at 30 fps, which isn’t possible on the iPhone. You can also use the S Pen as a remote shutter to capture selfies or record videos from a distance.

Both Flagships Offer Excellent Battery Life

Given that the A18 Pro chip is more power efficient than its predecessor, Apple has managed to add a few more hours of juice to the iPhone 16 Pro. Now, the handset is rated to last for up to 27 hours of offline and up to 22 hours of streamed video playback. In comparison, the S24 Ultra can provide up to 30 hours of video playback (wireless). Samsung’s flagship should, in theory, last longer.

Of course, real-world usage doesn’t always reflect manufacturer-quoted numbers but both devices should comfortably last the day under normal use.

Regarding charging speeds, the iPhone 16 Pro now supports 25W MagSafe charging (with a 30W or higher adapter), but unfortunately, the wired charging rates remain the same (about 26W). The iPhone also supports Qi2 wireless charging at 15W, a feature that’s missing on the Android counterpart. In comparison, the S24 Ultra offers a faster 45W wired and slower 15W wireless charging rate.

iOS 18 vs. One UI 6

Out of the box, the iPhone 16 Pro runs on iOS 18, Apple’s latest operating system that offers plenty of customization options. An upcoming update will also add Apple Intelligence, the company’s suite of AI-based features that will let users perform a variety of tasks, like generating content, summarizing emails, and having human conversations with Siri (and many more).

The Camera Button also lets you use Visual Intelligence, Apple’s response to Google Lens.

Team Samsung gets One UI 6.1.1, which unlocks all the new Galaxy AI features, including Call Assist, Chat Assist, Interpreter, Drawing Assist, Circle to Search, and Instant Slow-Mo. Compared to iOS, One UI offers additional customization and utility features. The Korean giant has also promised to provide seven major operating systems and security updates, which extend the phone’s life.

S24 Ultra Comes with More Storage at a Price

The iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 for the baseline variant with 128GB of storage. The S24 Ultra, on the other hand, is available at $1,299 for the baseline variant with 256GB of onboard storage.

In the end, whether you choose an iPhone 16 Pro or Galaxy S24 Ultra comes down to preference and priorities. The iPhone 16 Pro offers a compact form factor, a more powerful chip, and faster wireless charging. You also get to toy with the new Apple Intelligence, which will arrive later this year. If you really want a bigger iPhone, you could opt for the iPhone 16 Pro Max which is the same as the 16 Pro with a larger screen.

The S24 Ultra, on the other hand, is suitable for power users who consume a lot of content on their smartphone and can make use of the additional zoom lenses. Another selling point is the S Pen, which offers features like note-taking and a remote shutter.

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  Apple iPhone 16 Pro

  A version of Apple’s newest iPhone with a larger screen featuring a camera button, a programmable action button, and artificial intelligence features.

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  Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

  The new Galaxy S24 Ultra is Samsung’s high-end flagship phone. It features a titanium frame, a flat display with Gorilla Glass armor, and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC powering new Galaxy AI features.