Comparison · Phones · Desk research
Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Quick Answer
iPhone 18 Pro (Apple specs, accessed 2026-09-19) is the 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR Pro at 2622×1206, A20 Pro, USB-C, Action Button plus Camera Control, Typical use 24h / video 36h / streamed 33h, 211g, 71.9 × 150.0 × 8.75mm, iOS 27. US Galaxy S25 Ultra (samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-s25-ultra/) is Samsung’s 2025 Ultra still on the US site: 6.9-inch display, Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, 200MP Wide-Angle camera and 50MP Ultra Wide, built-in S Pen, 5000 mAh, up to 31 hours of video.
The verdict
Apple iPhone 18 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra — quote the two manufacturer sheets.
Why: Do not redo locked 16 Pro vs S25 Ultra. This B-side is 18 Pro. 18 Pro is A20 Pro, 6.3-inch 2622×1206, Typical use 24h / video 36h / streamed 33h, iOS 27. US S25 Ultra (samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-s25-ultra/, accessed 2026-09-19): 6.9-inch, Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, 200MP Wide-Angle plus 50MP Ultra Wide, built-in S Pen, 5000 mAh, up to 31 hours video, titanium frame, Gorilla Armor 2, IP68, One UI 7. Display resolution, refresh-rate numeral, and RAM are not on the US marketing excerpt — not invented here.
Buy Apple iPhone 18 Pro if
You want this year’s 6.3-inch iPhone Pro and Continuity with Mac / Apple Watch — and you do not need an S Pen.
Buy Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra if
You want leftover US S25 Ultra: 6.9-inch, built-in S Pen, Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, and Samsung’s 5000 mAh / 31-hour video claims.
Spec comparison
18 Pro from apple.com/iphone-18-pro/specs/. S25 Ultra from samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-s25-ultra/. Caption lock: 18 Pro vs US S25 Ultra.
| Spec | iPhone 18 Pro | Galaxy S25 Ultra (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.3-inch 2622×1206 at 460 ppi; ProMotion; Island; Always-On; 1000 / 1600 / 3000 nits | 6.9-inch (US FAQ). Resolution / Hz: not on the US marketing excerpt |
| Chip | A20 Pro; 7-core GPU; Dual 16-core Neural Engine | Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy |
| RAM | Not published by Apple | Not published on the US marketing excerpt |
| Rear cameras | 48MP Fusion Main variable aperture; 48MP UW; 48MP 4x/8x Telephoto | 200MP Wide-Angle; 50MP Ultra Wide (US). Zoom numerals beyond those names: not invented here |
| S Pen | No | Built-in (US FAQ) |
| Battery | Typical use 24h; video 36h; streamed 33h | 5000 mAh; up to 31 hours video |
| Build | Aluminum unibody; Ceramic Shield 2; 211g; 71.9 × 150.0 × 8.75mm | Titanium frame; Gorilla Armor 2; weight / mm: not on the excerpt we cited |
| Water | IP68 (6m / 30 min) | IP68 |
| OS | iOS 27 | Android / One UI 7 (US) |
| Port | USB-C | USB-C (implied by the charging / Galaxy stack; wired-watt row not treated as fact unless Samsung prints it on the live page) |
Three URLs, one leftover Ultra
- Locked: 16 Pro vs S25 Ultra.
- This page: 18 Pro vs S25 Ultra.
- Current: 18 Pro vs S26 Ultra.
Do not collapse them.
S Pen and size
Those are the Samsung reasons. 18 Pro is the 6.3-inch iOS Pro. Do not invent a 100× zoom war.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the locked 16 Pro vs S25 Ultra page?
No. That locked URL stays at /phones/iphone-16-pro-vs-samsung-galaxy-s25-ultra/. This slug is 18 Pro versus the same leftover Ultra.
Does S25 Ultra include an S Pen?
Yes. Samsung US FAQ: Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a built-in S Pen. 18 Pro does not.
What chip name does Samsung print?
Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (US page). Do not silently swap an Exynos name onto this caption.
What battery hours does Samsung print?
5000 mAh and up to 31 hours of video on the US page. 18 Pro: Typical use 24h / video 36h / streamed 33h. Different mode names — do not mash them into one winner hour.