I tested the iPhone 18 Pro Max's A20 Pro performance against the Galaxy S26 Ultra

Since their inception....🤣🤣🤣 That's a huge exaggeration. Modern Android flagships have matched and sometimes surpassed iPhones in app-opening speed and overall smoothness. If, in your rather narrow Apple-centred world, Apple is some kind of device saviour, let’s wait for the S27 Ultra to be released and then discuss again how ‘unreal’ the iPhone 19 Pro—or whatever Apple calls it—really performs

The debate over smartphone performance often ignores the importance of direct comparisons. When comparing devices like the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Galaxy S26 Ultra, we must look at their release windows fairly; the S26 Ultra launched in March 2026, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max in September, making this a legitimate head-to-head matchup. Time and again, Apple proves to be in a league of its own. I own several high-performance devices, including all ASUS ROG phones, and even those overclocked handsets cannot match the real-world speed and efficiency of the iPhone. My experience has been consistent: the iPhone 17 Pro Max outperformed my Fold 7, and the 18 Pro Max has completely demolished my Fold 8 Ultra. These aren't just benchmark numbers—they are the facts of daily usage.

I compare these devices head-to-head regardless of their release dates. It is not Apple’s fault that Samsung chooses to rely on Snapdragon chips while Apple produces its own, more advanced silicon. If you want a fair comparison, you have to look at the performance as it stands today, not based on when the devices hit the market.

You clearly have no idea what you’re talking about. Samsung isn’t using Snapdragon because Exynos is irrelevant. In the US, Qualcomm has a strong advantage through modem technology, carrier compatibility and long term commercial agreements, while Samsung continues developing and using its own Exynos platform in other markets. That is market pressure and business strategy not proof that Samsung cannot compete.

The Huawei situation was similar in principle. The official excuse was national security, but the sanctions also conveniently crippled one of the fastest-growing Chinese technology companies before it could become even more dominant in smartphones, 5G and semiconductor technology. Apple certainly benefited from Huawei being taken out of the race, even if that was never officially admitted.

So your personal test showing that an iPhone opened a few apps faster proves only that it opened those particular apps faster. It does not magically turn the iPhone into a completely different class of device. Try looking at the wider technology and geopolitical picture before presenting one app opening test as scientific evidence.

Nga do you have reading comprehension? You think I was glazing apple? I was only suggesting that if we're only comparing soc release date alone, then phones that released earlier like the xiaomi 17 lineup should be the direct comparison since it released just within a week of the iphone 17's.

And no, the s26 series are not the only phones to use a higher configuration, as the redmagic 11s pro uses the same exact core clock configuration.

Get your point about release times but the Samsung Snapdragon SOC has unique enhancements that were done specifically for Samsung beyondh. igher clock rates. The customized silicon includes a faster CPU, an improved GPU with enhanced ray-tracing, and a powerful NPU designed for on-device Galaxy AI processing. This is why it carries the name Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy.

I need and I have a performance car. The power that you can feel and use. For a Smartphone performance is good but not the most important thing. My phone have a 6660 battery, 66/88W charging power, two screens and make the same, even more things than 18pro Max. It is more compact and lighter but somehow have a 8+ inch screen only when you need it, and stylus suport, IP 69, really usable file manager... and have better price. And I don't use benchmarks , but I use a bigger and fast charging battery, a huge screen in a small body and and ... all day, every day!