Samsung Galaxy S26 FE vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE scores 7.9 in our rating, and the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max scores 7.6. The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE leads in software support and value for money, while the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is ahead in display, performance and camera. At launch in the US, the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE cost $499.01 less ($699.99 vs $1,199). The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is the newer phone, announced Aug 27, 2026.
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Key differences
Why choose the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
- Bigger battery 4,900 mAh vs 4,422 mAh
- Lower launch price $699.99 vs $1,199
- Newer model Aug 27, 2026 vs Sep 12, 2023
- Lighter 193 g vs 221 g
- Thinner 7.4 mm vs 8.25 mm
- Higher-resolution video 8K@30 vs 4K@60
Why choose the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Longer optical zoom 5× vs 3×
- Brighter screen 2,000 nits vs 1,900 nits
- More storage 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB vs 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB
- Higher screen resolution 1290 × 2796 px vs 1080 × 2340 px
- Sharper display 460 ppi vs 385 ppi
- Adaptive (LTPO) refresh rate
PhoneRanked scores
Calculated from specs, relative to phones from the same year and price range. How we rate phones
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 FEApple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Overall
7.9
7.6
Display
7.5
8.2
Performance
7.3
7.6
Camera
8.0
8.3
Battery
5.8
5.9
Design
8.6
8.7
Software support
9.2
3.5
Value for money
5.5
4.7
Display
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 FEApple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Size
6.7 inches
6.7 inches
Type
OLED, Dynamic AMOLED 2X
OLED, Super Retina XDR
Resolution
1080 × 2340 px
1290 × 2796 px
Pixel density
385 ppi
460 ppi
Refresh rate
120 Hz
120 Hz
Adaptive refresh
✕ No
✓ Yes
Peak brightness
1,900 nits
2,000 nits
HDR
—
HDR10, Dolby Vision
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Ceramic Shield
Performance
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 FEApple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Process
3 nm
3 nm
Max CPU clock
3.3 GHz
—
GPU
Xclipse 950
Apple 6-core GPU
RAM
8 GB
8 GB
Storage
128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB
256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB
microSD slot
✕ No
✕ No
Cameras
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 FEApple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Main camera
50 MP, f/1.8
48 MP, f/1.78
Optical stabilization
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Ultrawide
12 MP
12 MP
Telephoto
8 MP, 3× optical
12 MP, 5× optical, periscope
Optical zoom
3×
5×
Rear cameras
3
3
Rear video
8K@30
4K@60
Front camera
12 MP
12 MP
Front video
—
4K@60
Battery and charging
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 FEApple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Capacity
4,900 mAh
4,422 mAh
Battery type
—
Li-Ion
Wired charging
45 W
—
Wireless charging
15 W
15 W
Reverse wireless
✓ Yes
✕ No
Charger in box
✕ No
✕ No
Design and build
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 FEApple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Dimensions
161.6 × 76.9 × 7.4 mm
159.9 × 76.7 × 8.25 mm
Thickness
7.4 mm
8.25 mm
Weight
193 g
221 g
Form factor
Bar
Bar
Frame
Aluminum
Titanium
Back
Glass
Glass
Water resistance
IP68
IP68
Fingerprint
Under-display optical
None
3D face unlock
✕ No
✓ Yes
SIM
—
eSIM only
Colors
Blueberry, Graphite, Pistachio
Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium
Connectivity and features
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 FEApple iPhone 15 Pro Max
5G
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6E
Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth
5.4
5.3
USB
—
USB-C 3.x
NFC
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
3.5 mm jack
✕ No
✕ No
Stereo speakers
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Satellite
✕ No
✓ Yes
IR blaster
✕ No
✕ No
Software
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 FEApple iPhone 15 Pro Max
OS at launch
Android 17
iOS 17
Interface
One UI 9
—
OS updates
7 years
—
Security updates
7 years
—
Launch and price
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S26 FEApple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Announced
Aug 27, 2026
Sep 12, 2023
Released
Sep 3, 2026
Sep 22, 2023
Status
Released
Discontinued
US launch price
$699.99
$1,199
Green marks the stronger value in a row. Specs come from official manufacturer data, cross-checked with established tech media; each phone page lists its sources. Report an error
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