Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Pixel 8 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: The big 3 flagships compared

Design and display

Starting with the exterior, none of these three phone models go crazy overboard with design, but instead feature sleek, minimalistic aesthetic looks. Through clever marketing and brand image building, they have also each managed to establish instant visual recognition for their rear camera modules. The simple yet iconic floating camera lenses immediately scream “Samsung!” to consumers, while the elongated horizontal camera bar is synonymous with the Pixel brand. And of course, the iPhone’s distinctive triple camera array arranged in a floral pattern is quintessentially Apple.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra colour options. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

However, there are some clear distinctions. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is designed to for stylus use and thus has a squarish design that maximises the screen real estate you get. The phone also features a massive 6.8-inch display, the biggest out of the three, and resultantly is the widest, thickest, and heaviest out of the three. Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have very similar dimensions with their 6.7-inch displays. Ultimately, the Pixel 8 Pro comes up on top in terms of in-hand comfort thanks to rounded edges and a weight of 213 grams vs the boxier and heavier design of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

In terms of materials, it’s worth noting that both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature ultra-sturdy titanium alloy frames, while the Pixel 8 Pro sticks with the more conventional but still durable aluminum composition. Titanium is well known for its unmatched strength, but in reality, the difference may not necessarily be noticeable during average everyday use.

For those who prioritise display size over all else, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the clear standout choice, as it offers the highest pixel density out of the three models, and can also blast out a downright dazzling peak brightness of up to 2600 nits.

Performance

Despite the Galaxy S24 Ultra being outfitted with one of the fastest mobile processors currently available, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it still can’t hold a candle to the power of the A17 Pro chip integrated into the iPhone 15 Pro Max. From synthetic benchmarks to real-world usage, the A17 Pro processor simply runs merciless laps around Qualcomm’s silicon, thanks in large part to Apple’s vertically integrated software and hardware optimisations from the chip level all the way up to the operating system.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max. (Image: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express)

The Google Tensor G3 utilised by the Pixel 8 Pro comes in a distant third place out of the three when it comes to processing muscle. In day-to-day use, you may not notice much of a difference, but when it comes to gaming, most developers still heavily prioritise optimisation for the iPhone and Qualcomm chipsets alone, often leaving any other processors with second-rate performance.

Battery

Despite packing in a noticeably smaller sized 4,441 mAh battery compared to the chunky 5,050 mAh and 5,000 mAh units found in the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra models respectively, the iPhone 15 Pro Max still manages to come out on top in terms of power efficiency and overall battery life. Although the S24 Ultra has not yet been independently tested, last year’s model suggests we can expect another extremely close matchup between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and S24 Ultra. The Pixel 8 Pro however is held back by its Tensor G3 chip which is known for running hotter than the competition and draining precious juice.

Photography

Calling a definitive winner here is a tough call, even though on paper the S24 Ultra appears to win when it comes to hardware specs, thanks in large part to its 200MP main lens. Samsung’s “Space Zoom” system on the S24 Ultra can even crop into an insane 100x zoom range. You’d be hard-pressed to find this unique zoom functionality on any other flagship phone sold in India today (with the exception perhaps being the Vivo X100).

Beyond this, for videography, the iPhone still remains king, while the Pixel 8 Pro seems more intent on being the jack-of-all-trades versatile camera system.

AI features

The tech industry is obsessed with generative AI. In fact, Samsung’s launch of the Galaxy S24 series was all about ‘Galaxy AI’. The S24 Ultra packs nifty AI camera tools like Generative Edit, which fills in background details using AI. Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 Pro sports a Magic Eraser to remove objects from photos and replace them with generated pixels. It also has Zoom Enhance to make zoomed shots more realistic.

The Pixel 8 Pro is known for its AI capabilities. (Image: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

The bottom line is that the S24 and Pixel 8 share similar numbers of AI photo tools. And with a cosy Samsung-Google partnership, the two phones with time could even pull features from each other. In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, despite its capable AI chip, has very few generative AI features. The iPhone does offer handy voice isolation for calls and new iOS transcription features. But compared to the S24 and Pixel 8, Apple is taking a more restrained approach to deploying generative AI in its devices.

Verdict

We never said it’d be an easy battle, so if toward the end you’re still confused, we don’t blame you. Just make a decision based on the key strengths of each phone and compare that with your priorities. The S24 Ultra stands out with its stylus-friendly design and massive, vibrant display. The iPhone 15 Pro Max dominates performance with its blazing A17 Pro chip. The Pixel 8 Pro powered by Google Tensor G3 lags slightly in gaming but excels at AI. Battery life is a close race, with a slight edge to the iPhone. For cameras, the S24 Ultra wows with its 200MP lens and crazy zoom, while the iPhone takes the video crown.