Samsung vs iPhone: Which is the better gaming smartphone?

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max were released in 2023, sparking a fresh Samsung vs iPhone debate for the title of best gaming smartphone. While the latter scores better overall, the former isn't far behind. However, this comparison is subjective based on the gaming experience because while the iPhone 15 Pro Max suits those who prefer playing competitively, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is great for those who enjoy story-based titles.

This article explains how these smartphones perform when it comes to gaming and will help you decide which one is your preference in this Samsung vs iPhone battle.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

Samsung vs iPhone: Specs

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Pro Max (Image via SuperSaf/YouTube)

Samsung's flagship smartphones and iPhones run on Android and iOS, respectively. Over the years, these smartphones have matured to the point that they offer similar gaming performances. Here are the specs of Samsung vs iPhone:

	Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra	iPhone 15 Pro Max
Display	6.8-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X with 120Hz	6.7-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED with 120Hz
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3	Apple A17 Pro
Cooling	Standard passive cooling	Passive cooling with a large vapor chamber
RAM and storage	12GB RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage	8GB RAM and up to 1TB of NVMe storage
Camera	200+10+50+12MP rear camera and 12MP selfie camera	48+12+12MP rear camera and 12MP selfie camera
Battery and charging	5000mAh battery with 45W wired fast charging and 15W fast wireless charging	4441mAh battery with 25W wired fast charging and 15W fast wireless charging

Samsung vs iPhone: Hardware

Display

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 6.8-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X with 120Hz, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED with 120Hz.

Both smartphones' displays are broadly similar, but Samsung has used a special coating in the display glass to make it significantly less reflective, and the result is noticeable. This gives the Galaxy S24 Ultra the edge.

Performance and cooling

iPhone 15 Pro running Death Stranding (Image via Apple || 505 Games || The Tech Playoffs/YouTube)

Both smartphones perform similarly in gaming. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is as good as the Apple A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The benchmarks indicate this Snapdragon chipset is slightly better than the Apple A17 Pro in gaming, but no game has taken advantage of that yet.

The games available on both platforms include PUBG, COD, Genshin Impact, and Black Desert Mobile, and they run more or less the same on both smartphones. However, some console games are iPhone-exclusive, such as Resident Evil: Village, Assassin's Creed Mirage, and Death Stranding; these are optimized for the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Then there's Apple Arcade, a subscription-based collection of exclusive fun games.

The last major difference between the two smartphones is the vapor chamber in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. This cooling system helps provide sustained peak gaming performance. So, you can play competitive games like PUBG Mobile or COD smoothly for hours. The lack of a vapor chamber cooling system in the iPhone 15 Pro Max causes it to throttle and hamper performance during long gaming sessions.

Samsung vs iPhone: Memory and storage

As shown in the specs, the RAM capacity of Samsung and iPhone differs. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphone has 12GB of RAM compared to 8GB in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but since they run on different platforms, it won't give Samsung any advantage. If the comparison was between two Android smartphones, it would have been a different case.

As for storage, both smartphones can be purchased with up to 1TB of storage. The base level for both is 256GB.

Also check out: ROG Phone 8 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro for gaming.

Samsung vs iPhone: Battery and charging

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Battery (Image via Samsung || BG TechLife/YouTube)

The battery and charging speeds of Samsung and iPhone are another set of factors you must consider. The Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphone has a larger battery. However, due to the iOS optimizations, the 15 Pro Max still wins in battery life tests.

Their charging capabilities, however, are contrasting. The Samsung smartphone's charging speed is 67% faster than the iPhone.

Note: The battery and charging test results are from the GSMArena team at YouTube.

Samsung vs iPhone: Which is the better gaming smartphone?

If you prefer story-based mobile games or console games like Death Stranding and Resident Evil 4: Remake, the iPhone 15 Pro is the better choice. iPhones are also great for competitive games, but their performance may deteriorate during long sessions, giving the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra the upper hand.

However, due to the iPhone's overall stellar performance, Apple Arcade, and availability of exclusive console games, it's the better gaming smartphone.