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Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked): Which one is worth it?

Side-by-side US MSRP bands, editorial scores, and strengths—then tune budget and priority to see which model fits your purchase.

S

Galaxy S22 Ultra

Samsung · 2022

$1,099–$1,609

Overall 83/100

Editorial estimateFull Galaxy S22 Ultra guide →
A

iPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked)

Apple · 2024

$1,199–$1,439

Overall 86/100

Official anchorFull iPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked) guide →

Quick verdicts (our rubric)

  • Best for camera

    Tie

  • Best for battery

    Tie

  • Best for performance

    iPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked)

  • Best value score

    Tie

  • Best overall rubric / for most people

    iPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked)

Which fits you?

Set budget and top priority—we score each phone with the same personalization rules as product pages.

Galaxy S22 Ultra

69

Depends on your priorities

$1,099–$1,609

iPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked)

69

Depends on your priorities

$1,199–$1,439

→ Dead heat for these settings—either could work.

Full comparison

SpecGalaxy S22 UltraiPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked)
Price band (US MSRP)$1,099–$1,609$1,199–$1,439
Release year20222024
Camera9/109/10
Battery8/108/10
Performance9/1010/10
Display9/1010/10
Value6/106/10
Overall score83/10086/100

Galaxy S22 Ultra — pros

  • Flagship-class performance
  • Excellent camera system for stills and video
  • Premium display and build quality

iPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked) — pros

  • Flagship-class performance
  • Excellent camera system for stills and video
  • Premium display and build quality

Galaxy S22 Ultra — cons

  • Price is high, so value depends heavily on budget and priorities

iPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked) — cons

  • Price is high, so value depends heavily on budget and priorities

Galaxy S22 Ultra — best for

  • Photography
  • Gaming
  • Power users

iPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked) — best for

  • Photography
  • Gaming
  • Power users

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