iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra: Is the 17 Pro Max Still Worth Buying in 2026?
Is a discounted iPhone 17 Pro Max still worth buying over the Galaxy S26 Ultra? Battery, camera, charging and India prices compared after the iPhone 18 launch.
Part of our Phone and Laptop Brands Compared: The Complete Guide guide.
Apple discontinued the iPhone 17 Pro Max on September 9, 2026, the day the iPhone 18 Pro launched. But it has not disappeared. Remaining stock is still on sale at Flipkart, Amazon and other retailers, often at a discount, which raises a fair question: is a discounted iPhone 17 Pro Max still worth buying over the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
My answer: yes, for most people, as long as you are paying less than the S26 Ultra costs. In India it now does cost less, and it still beats the Samsung on battery life, camera quality and sustained performance. Buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra instead if you want the S Pen, the more flexible zoom, much faster charging, or seven years of guaranteed Android updates.
This article contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Top Tech Compare earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Quick Verdict
- Buy the discounted iPhone 17 Pro Max if you want the longest battery life, the more consistent camera and video, and Apple’s ecosystem, and you can get it for less than the S26 Ultra.
- Buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra if you want the S Pen, two telephoto cameras, 60W charging, the new Privacy Display, or the longest written update promise in phones.
- Skip both and buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max if you keep phones for five years or more and the extra money is not a stretch.
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra: Specs and Current Prices
If chip names like A19 Pro and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mean little to you, our explainers on Apple’s A-series chips and Snapdragon naming cover the basics.
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Discontinued by Apple Sept 9, 2026; sold while stock lasts | Current Samsung flagship |
| Chip | Apple A19 Pro (3nm) | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy (3nm) |
| RAM / storage | 12GB / 256GB to 2TB | 12GB or 16GB / 256GB to 1TB |
| Display | 6.9-inch OLED, 1320 x 2868, 1 to 120Hz | 6.9-inch OLED, 1440 x 3120, 1 to 120Hz, Privacy Display |
| Rear cameras | 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP 4x telephoto | 200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 50MP 5x periscope |
| Front camera | 18MP | 12MP |
| Battery | 4,823mAh (SIM model, sold in India) / 5,088mAh (eSIM-only model) | 5,000mAh |
| Charging | Wired fast charging (about 35W peak in testing), 25W MagSafe | 60W wired, 25W wireless |
| Stylus | No | S Pen built in |
| Weight / thickness | 233g / 8.8mm | 214g / 7.9mm |
| Water resistance | IP68 (6m for 30 min) | IP68 (1.5m for 30 min) |
| Launch price (US / India) | $1,199 / ₹1,49,900 | $1,299.99 / ₹1,39,999 |
| Price now, India (approx.) | About ₹1,40,900 to ₹1,47,900 on Flipkart | ₹1,54,999 (raised Sept 23, 2026) |
Prices were checked in late September 2026 and change often, especially around sales. Samsung raised Galaxy S26 prices in India by ₹15,000 on September 23, which flipped the price comparison: the discontinued iPhone is now the cheaper phone.
Check current prices: iPhone 17 Pro Max on Amazon.in and Galaxy S26 Ultra on Amazon.in.
Is the iPhone 17 Pro Max Still Worth Buying in 2026?
Being discontinued does not make a phone worse. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is only a year old, it ships with iOS 26 and is getting iOS 27, and Apple supports its Pro iPhones with software updates for many years. Your Apple warranty also starts on the day you buy it, not the day it was made, as long as you buy new from an authorised seller.
What has changed is the value equation. The phone is only worth buying now if it is cheaper than the alternatives. In India it is, by roughly ₹7,000 to ₹14,000 against the S26 Ultra and by ₹32,000 to ₹39,000 against the new iPhone 18 Pro Max (₹1,79,900). Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale, with early access from October 8, may push it lower still.
In the US the picture is different. Apple no longer sells it, so you are relying on carriers and retailers clearing stock, and the new iPhone 18 Pro Max costs $1,299, the same as the S26 Ultra. A 17 Pro Max only makes sense in the US if you find it well below $1,199.
iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra Battery Life: The iPhone Still Lasts Longer
This is the iPhone’s clearest win. In GSMArena’s standardised battery test, the iPhone 17 Pro Max scored an Active Use Score of 17 hours 58 minutes. The Galaxy S26 Ultra scored 16 hours 23 minutes, which GSMArena described as solid but behind Apple and the Chinese flagships.
That is about an hour and a half more from the iPhone in a typical mixed day. Both will get a normal user through a full day; heavy users will notice the iPhone’s extra headroom in the evening. Note that the iPhones sold in India are the physical-SIM version with the smaller 4,823mAh battery. GSMArena did not publish separate results for each variant.
Charging: Samsung Is Much Faster
Samsung wins this round easily. In GSMArena’s tests, the S26 Ultra’s 60W charging reached 51% in 15 minutes, 84% in 30 minutes and full in 43 minutes.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max, on a 67W USB-C charger, reached 47% in 20 minutes but took 1 hour 12 minutes to fill completely, peaking at around 35W. Both support 25W wireless charging. For more on what these watt numbers actually mean, see our charging speed explainer.
Performance: Samsung Wins Benchmarks, the iPhone Holds Speed Better
| Test (GSMArena) | iPhone 17 Pro Max | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 single-core | 3,891 | 3,781 |
| Geekbench 6 multi-core | 10,118 | 11,566 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme (graphics) | 6,010 | 7,744 |
On paper the S26 Ultra is faster: about 14% ahead in multi-core and 29% ahead in graphics. The iPhone has a slight single-core edge, which is what makes everyday apps feel quick.
The long-run story is different. GSMArena found the S26 Ultra’s CPU dropping below 50% of its peak performance during sustained stress testing, calling the throttling worse than the previous model. The iPhone 17 Pro Max held 88% CPU stability in its stress test. In practice, both are far faster than any app needs today. The difference shows up only in long gaming sessions, where the Samsung starts faster and the iPhone stays steadier.
Cameras: The iPhone Is More Consistent, the Galaxy Zooms Better
Megapixels are misleading here. The S26 Ultra’s 200MP main camera does not beat the iPhone’s 48MP main camera, because sensor size and processing matter more than pixel count (our camera sensor explainer explains why).
DXOMARK, which tests phone cameras under controlled conditions, scored the Galaxy S26 Ultra 157. The iPhone 17 Pro, which uses the same camera system as the Pro Max, scored 168. DXOMARK praised the Samsung’s white balance, dynamic range and improved low-light shots, but criticised exposure and colour instability, noise in indoor portraits and loss of fine detail in faces. The iPhone scored higher on texture (133 against 124) and noise.
Where the Galaxy fights back is zoom. It has two telephoto cameras, 3x and 5x, while the iPhone has one 4x telephoto. If you shoot concerts, sport or wildlife, the Samsung gives you more useful framing options. For video, reviewers continue to favour the iPhone for consistency and colour.
Display and Design
Both screens are excellent 6.9-inch OLED panels with adaptive 120Hz refresh rates. The Samsung’s is higher resolution and has an anti-reflective coating that GSMArena says improves outdoor visibility. It also adds a new Privacy Display that hides the screen from people beside you, though it halves brightness when switched on.
In GSMArena’s testing, the S26 Ultra reached 1,480 nits in auto mode against 1,000 nits for the iPhone, so the Samsung is easier to read in direct sunlight. The S26 Ultra is also lighter (214g against 233g) and thinner (7.9mm against 8.8mm), which you feel in daily use with phones this big.
Software, Updates and the S Pen
This is often the real decision. The iPhone runs iOS and works best with a Mac, AirPods and Apple Watch: AirDrop, iMessage, FaceTime and Handoff. The S26 Ultra runs One UI 8.5 on Android 16, works more openly with Windows PCs, and includes Galaxy AI features such as Circle to Search, Audio Eraser and natural-language photo editing.
Samsung promises seven major Android updates and seven years of security updates for the S26 Ultra. Apple does not publish a fixed number, though its Pro iPhones have historically received updates for many years. The S Pen is the Ultra’s unique feature: if you take handwritten notes, mark up PDFs or sketch, nothing on the iPhone replaces it.
See prices: iPhone 17 Pro Max on Amazon.in | Galaxy S26 Ultra on Amazon.in.
What About the iPhone 18 Pro Max?
Before buying an older iPhone, know what the new one adds. According to Apple, the iPhone 18 Pro Max has the 2nm A20 Pro chip with up to 40% better sustained performance, the first variable-aperture main camera on an iPhone (f/1.48 to f/4), up to 45 hours of video playback, and much faster wired charging (around 50% in 15 minutes). It is also heavier at 249g.
Those are real upgrades, especially the charging and battery. The question is whether they are worth about ₹32,000 to ₹39,000 more in India. If you keep a phone for four or five years, the newer chip and battery can justify the cost. If you upgrade every two to three years, a discounted 17 Pro Max gives you most of the experience for much less.
Which One Should You Buy?
- Existing iPhone users upgrading from an iPhone 14 or older: the discounted iPhone 17 Pro Max. It is a big upgrade at a much lower price than the 18 Pro Max.
- Android users who want the best Android phone: Galaxy S26 Ultra. The S Pen, zoom range and update promise are unmatched.
- Heavy users who are never near a charger: iPhone 17 Pro Max for the longer battery.
- People who are always short on time: Galaxy S26 Ultra, which charges to 84% in half an hour.
- Photographers: iPhone for the more natural, consistent photos and video; Galaxy if you zoom a lot.
- Buyers keeping a phone for 5+ years: iPhone 18 Pro Max, or the S26 Ultra for its seven-year update promise.
What to Check Before You Buy Discontinued Stock
- Buy from an authorised seller. Flipkart, Amazon (sold by an Apple-authorised seller), Croma, Reliance Digital, Vijay Sales or an Apple authorised reseller. Avoid listings that are vague about the seller.
- Make sure it is new, not refurbished. Refurbished and “renewed” units are sometimes listed close to new prices.
- Compare against the effective price, not the headline. Exchange and bank offers can make a deal look far cheaper than it is for you. An August Flipkart deal advertised an effective ₹98,300, but that needed an iPhone 16 trade-in worth ₹35,600 plus a bank card offer.
- Check the S26 Ultra variant. The 256GB and 512GB models have 12GB of RAM; only the 1TB model has 16GB.
- Do not overpay for old stock. If the 17 Pro Max is within a few thousand rupees of the S26 Ultra’s current price, or close to the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s, the newer phone is the better buy.
FAQ
Is the iPhone 17 Pro Max discontinued?
Yes. Apple stopped selling it on September 9, 2026, when the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max launched. Retailers and carriers are selling the remaining stock.
Will the iPhone 17 Pro Max still get iOS updates?
Yes. It launched with iOS 26 and is getting iOS 27. Apple does not publish a fixed support period, but its Pro models have historically been supported for many years.
Which has better battery life, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The iPhone. GSMArena measured 17 hours 58 minutes against 16 hours 23 minutes for the S26 Ultra. The Samsung charges much faster, though.
Which has the better camera?
Overall, the iPhone. DXOMARK scored the iPhone 17 Pro camera system 168 and the S26 Ultra 157. The S26 Ultra is better for zoom thanks to its two telephoto cameras.
Should I buy the iPhone 17 Pro Max or wait for a sale?
If you are in India, Flipkart’s Big Billion Days (early access from October 8) is worth waiting for. Stock of a discontinued model can run out, though, so do not wait too long for a specific colour or storage size.
Bottom Line
In the iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra matchup, a discounted iPhone 17 Pro Max is still worth buying in 2026, especially in India, where it now costs less. It lasts longer on a charge, takes more consistent photos and video, and holds its performance better under load. Choose the Galaxy S26 Ultra if you want the S Pen, better zoom, much faster charging or Android’s longest update promise. And if you plan to keep your next phone for five years, stretch to the iPhone 18 Pro Max instead of buying last year’s model.
Check the latest price: Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max on Amazon.in.
More background: what separates the standard, Pro and Pro Max iPhones, how Samsung’s Galaxy lines differ, and last year’s iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Sources
- The Apple Post: Apple discontinues iPhone 17 Pro series following iPhone 18 Pro launch
- GSMArena: Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max specifications
- GSMArena: iPhone 17 Pro Max review, lab tests (display, battery, charging)
- GSMArena: iPhone 17 Pro Max review, performance and stress tests
- GSMArena: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specifications
- GSMArena: Galaxy S26 Ultra review, lab tests (display, battery, charging)
- GSMArena: Galaxy S26 Ultra review, software and performance
- DXOMARK: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra camera test
- Ubergizmo: iPhone 17 Pro outperforms Galaxy S26 Ultra in DXOMARK camera testing
- 91mobiles: Samsung Galaxy S26 series price hike in India (effective Sept 23, 2026)
- PaisaWapas: Flipkart Big Billion Days 2026 iPhone prices
- Analytics Insight: iPhone 17 Pro Max Flipkart exchange deal (August 2026)
- Apple Newsroom (India): Apple debuts iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
- Tom’s Guide: iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max
