This was truly the fairest, the most impartial and the best comparison test I've seen between these two phones. Congratulations and thanks for such a fantastic and informative video👏👏🙏🙏
Changed from the pro 11 Max to the S21 ultra for the first time since the very first iPhone and have upgraded almost every year .I love the Samsung the look the screen and the general vast range of options it gives you .Apple are getting lazy and living on reputation and treating their customers as being gullible and excepting whatever they do.I love the way they make up names for their features.
I was going for a 5G upgrade. I was going for the ultra but opted for the Pro Max instead. Best choice I ever made. I have the A71 5G. The Pro gives a bigger view and also faster download. Really happy with my Pro Max.
The S21 Ultra CRUSHES the 12 pro Max in every way! I had both and ended up taking back the 12 Pro Max. It simply could NOT match the S21 Ultra. Besides...the 12 pro max is the same phone as the 11 pro Max except for the design.
@@9mmSurpressor It's a matter of preference. I had both and the S21 Ultra killed the Pro Max in my opinion. It's way faster, better cameras, better build, and smoother. 12 Pro Max is bulky, heavier, the intrusive notch(that no one has anymore) and it's boring. Apple gave you back the same phone from last year except with a few tweaks in the camera dept and a square build. Other than that it's the 11Pro Max....Period! But as I said...it's a matter of preference. The Galaxy gives you way more flexibility which is what I like. Plus the S21 Ultra looks more futuristic than the iPhone. Apple is stuck in the past.
@@hermanjackson6429 Fair enough, I’m not a big enough camera user to care about the camera in either phone to be honest. As well as for me it’s replacing my daily driver iPhone X I’ve had for years. Both the S21 Ultra and current iPhones are great phones. It’s personal preference though and I prefer iOS over android which, the only addition over the 11 I’m liking is MagSafe, even though it’s a very minor change.
@@9mmSurpressor Agree. I have the XS Max from 2 years ago and it still works fine, take great photos, and have the latest IOS update. So there was really no reason the keep the 12 pro Max. The XS Max is just as good and the S21 Ultra crushes it. As you said ...it's what eco system you like. I can deal with both. I have a MacBook Pro laptop. But some people are very loyal to Apple. I'm not loyal to any brand.
Thanks for another excellent review. Always polished, professional, interesting and thorough. I appreciate you taking the time to detail everything I want to know without me having to look into it myself.
I agree, this was a very detailed video. And it wasn't too much, it's like he got straight to the point but kept it very interesting. We need more reviewers like him, I'm subscribing.
True! I still wish you could access the control centre by swiping from the Home Screen though, rather than the top corner only. I know you could use reachability first to help, but even so
108 MP doesn't mean anything at face value like 8k, but you don't use it just for resolution alone; rather, you can catch way more detail and gives you way more freedom to frame/ reframe a shot in post. The sensor is also larger and has a thing called pixel binning which uses a cluster of 9 to act as one pixel theoretically allowing for similar results are larger pixels while being flexible to have tangible and visible gains in daylight with the 108mp mode. I'd also argue that iPhone photos aggressive HDR is not remotely realistic since it's too concerned with the background usually where shadow detail suffers for the sake of preserving details that's aren't as much of a priority resulting in a darker image. I don't like Samsung's brightening or highlight clipping, or even the over saturation of primary colors, but it still tends to he the most realistic despite this in general shots whereas iphones smooth out and add a beige tint to skin tones and make you look like you have a tan.
Yeah I agree, people don't realize 108mp is for cropping in post. And yes the iphones hdr is extremely aggressive, often times ruining and image. I've seen multiple tests and the cameras straight up take the same photo
Excellent detailed review. I’ve ordered the S21 after having an iPhone for last 5 yrs. Difficult decision but I feel that for that kind of money it should be packed with as many features as possible. And though it seems insignificant, the lack of a back button on the iPhone has been a constant annoyance.
wow thank you i didn't know this i was really thinking going iphone for the first time this video helped me knowing better about the difference but you killed it ill go for the S21 because didn't knew you don't have a back button on iphone. I could easily see myself get annoyed fast without that function
Thanks for this review. Really gave me a lot more reason to love my new s21 ultra! I also like iphone 12 pro max since my friend had one for me to check on. in overall productivity, i prefer the more versatile s21 ultra. Both phones are the greatest so far
Really appreciate the detailed review👌 S21 looks really tempting now, but as you mentioned the Apple ecosystem have been providing us with greater usability overall. Thank you.
I agree… I was an Android fan since the HTC EVO came out on Sprint. Literally the first 4” screen Android phone ever. Was using Android up until the Galaxy S5 and after 6 months the phone would lag when doing basic functions like texting. Never had issues like that on iOS as it seems their closed source OS seemed to give me a faster more stable experience. I do miss the higher resolution screens with Android though. Hopefully the iPhone 13 will do a major upgrade in screen resolution
One of the best review i have come across in recent times. I am From India and few days back i dropped in to a store and spent some times with both the phones and i had a slight preference for the Ultra 21, which after seeing your video proved right about my assessment. Now I can confidently go ahead and purchase Samsung phone. Thank you. By the way you deserve much better subscribers. I wish and hope, you will.
Damn my guy! I have just watched some of your videos an are hands down the most underrated tech youtuber. Your reviews an comparisons are so detailed, informative, and engaging. Props to you!
Good comparison however I’m going to be honest here. I’ve used both phones and they are both amazing in their own way. I feel like the s21 is a Swiss Army knife. Ecosystem aside, the s21 is just the better phone overall. The most important thing for me is reliability Battery and camera. Even though I think the s21 is the overall better phone I’d take the iPhone. Yes, the iPhone is boring, not really customizable and is VERY limited on what it can do. But what it can do, it does it well. If I want to take portrait shots, night shots, video and quick point and shoot the iPhone wins every time. The iPhone always has more detail in the photo every single time. It’s shutter speed is fast every. Single. Time. The blur on portrait shots better emulate a dslr. If I want a phone that I can count on it’s the iPhone. BUT...the zoom on s21 is insane. The iPhone just can’t compete with that. When I took our family road trip last summer I wish I had the s21 ultra. The zoom and macro would have come in handy so many times. What really ruined it for me was the s21 loses detail on portrait shots (main rear sensor not selfie) and shutter lag. When taking a portrait shot the s21 crops in digitally in the main sensor thus loses detail. STUPID.... also, when my kids are moving the shutter lag on the s21 is horrible. I sometimes completely lose my shot or the subject comes out blurry. If Samsung would stop using their over processed BS and quit over sharpening photos to compensate for their lack of detail it would be great.
Update: Samsung has fixed the crop on portrait mode. It looks much better. HOWEVER, when taking shots of moving subjects (kids, pets, etc) it always blurry. After several updates Samsung STILL can't fix shutter lag and takes blurry photos of moving subjects. My wife's old pixel 2 takes CLEAR photos of moving subjects and so did my iphone XR. As far as Samsung ecosystem goes, it's actually really good. I went all in with buds pro and the galaxy watch 3 and everything works seemlessly! Everything about this phone has been great except the camera shutter lag.
I'm apple fan and I use all iPhone from 2009 to 2020 But When I bought the Note 20 Ultra AND The S21 Ultra I saw the difference in technology and the speed of bringing technology Now I am using S21 Ultra And I'm happy with it 👍
I really liked the comparison. Its the best comparison video of the two flagships which i have seen so far.. Really appreciate your honest and detail review..
This was an extremely well done comparison. You spoke clearly, concisely and explained everything very well indeed. All whilst being as fair as possible. Thanks for the video, I've subscribed and look forward to more content from you.
Nice review thanks. I must have 120Hz after having it on my S20+. Picking up an iPhone is quite jarring on my eye's and those huge bezels and that notch is so dated. I will likely bare it all for iOS14 privacy features though. The Mi 10 Ultra is still one of the best phone's in many categories and has the best video stabilization of any phone.
@@MarvoloRiddle yeah it's just not built around your data though. The simple ability to deny clipboard access and cross app chatter is a big step forward. I accepted Android for what it was, a platform for Google to make money, to get a better device and save some money. The translation isn't the same anymore.
Thank you! 👊🏼 The music is actually a license-free track I pinched from the RU-vid Studio audio library. It's called 'ice-cream', and I just stuck it in the background to fill the void!
People always has complain on Samsung innovation, look how they respond now, 1080p screen, no Micro SD, no MST flagship with plastic back! Thanks to all youtube reviewers 🔥🔥🔥
Next time they will launch S22 Ultra with Flat 1080p+ display to match iPhone 13 Mega Ultra Max thanks to you 🖤🖤 And 12 MPIX of tiny sensor cameras plus no port and 5 years of software updates for $1500 🔥🔥
I own both. I've got to narrowly give it to the iPhone. I prefer the shots from the camera..especially indoors of my kids and pets. I consistently get better battery life on the iPhone as well. The flat panel and build quality in general is also better on the iPhone.
Iphone wins in terms of software support for me and value for money the samsung phones loose their value much faster than iPhones not to mention Apple supports iphones longer than android
There is simply NO comparison to the S21 Ultra. This is going to be the phone of the year....mark my words. Not the iPhone for sure. The 12 pro Max is the same as the 11 Pro max except for design. That's why 11 pro Max users didn't upgrade. It was the same phone...which is what Apple does EVERY year! Samsung gives you a NEW phone. Not the same phone with a few tweaks. But you Apple sheep will continue to buy and Apple is laughing all the way to the bank. When I purchased the S21 Ultra...I got the phone(after trade in ...which I got 700.00 ) the galaxy pro buds(200.00 value), galaxy smart tag, and a 1 year FREE of RU-vid music. All of this for FREE. Apple does not give you anything for FREE. Plus their trade in policy is NOT nearly as good. You will NEVER get 700.00 from Apple on a trade in....EVER!!! regardless of the GB variant.
@@insidetechltd you are welcome. Wow, just noticed that you actually got the Titanium color of the s21 ultra. Is it your 2nd unit? I saw from the last vid you were using the phantom black. Is the camera array still metal and what is the carbon fiber texture used? Just a skin?
Yes I got both! I wanted to get two similar colours for this comparison. Sorry, just confirming with a second Samsung source on the material since it's quite hard to tell. One source via samsung.com has 'confirmed' that it is real carbon fibre. I'm double checking with another source for confirmation and will edit this comment later. I'd be inclined to believe carbon fibre though - and it does seem very high quality!
@@insidetechltd nice. Thanks for the reply, been asking it for some guys but haven't received any confirmation or replies. So it's a lighter phone compared to the black one?
I know it's just the wrong video to comment on but it's your latest and I have just found your channel and I've been binge watching all of your earphone videos the last couple of days and I must say the quality you produce is insane. I just wanted to ask you in your opinion which are the best sound quality wireless earbuds as I am in the market for some and my budget is £300. I currently use my soundmagic wired earphones which I love but I need to lose the wire. Any advice would be appreciated and I have subscribed to your channel.👍
Thank you so much! 🙌🏼 Well i'm going to draw some final conclusions on this later in the year since i'm still testing. But purely based on sound quality, I think my current top two are Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 2, and Soundcore's Liberty 2 Pro (massively overlooked earbuds). I personally keep going back to the Liberty 2 Pro. So maybe have a look at those two to start with!
@@insidetechltd thanks for the reply I'll take a look and watch some reviews of liberty 2 pros which I had not considered. Looking on Amazon the Sony wf-1000x M3 are on offer for £150 Should I be considering them.
I think so! They sound really, really good. A little bit more bass-focussed than the other two (which a lot of people quite like). There's a big element of personal preference with music, so you've also got to pick based on the type of sound you like as well as the objective higher quality!
I do disagree with you on some points but some things are subjective as you've said a few times. The better phone overall would be the S21 Ultra but the iPhone could easily beat Samsung if they just pushed the flagship features onto their so-called "Pro" lineup and then with the optimization of IOS...... Things like a 120hz LTPO display with 500ppi 1440p resolution, a Smaller if no notch with thinner bezels display, and if they had the 2gen Ultra finger scanner I would have been sold right away with iPhone lol. Sad to see iPhone 12 pm not having a lot better battery when it doesn't even have 120hz or 1440p x) Design-wise if not for the Notch then overall I actually like the iPhone more but that notch kills the design right away. Software is so mixed for me, love the ecosystem of Apple/IOS but the freedom and everything you can do with Android and the sorting of notifications are just making the IOS seem boring overall other than the Airdrop and flow of IOS devices :3 So hard to pick these days ! ohhh and I love big phones but for me, the 12 pm is just way too WIDE whereas the Ultra is better IMO since it is easier to move to the top than to the side.
Honestly, the term 'Pro' really doesn't mean anything in the tech industry anymore! I feel like if the iPhone had the Ultra's display, then it would be the clear winner - it's just such an important part of the phone! It is really hard to pick, you're right. But at least we've got great competition in this space now. Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts!
"IPhone would be better of they changed this this & that" yeah well if is out of the question because they didn't. Still stuck with the notch & a lesser screen & a lesser refresh rate and charges slower. Shall I continue....
Thank you for the amazing review! Very in-depth and detailing every aspect of these two devices. I also found your iPhone 11 Pro vs 12 Pro video super helpful when I had to choose between the two (went for the 11 Pro). Keep up the good work! 👍
I have S21 Ultra, wife has iPhone 12Pro Max. Both great, greatest difference is customisation on the Samsung is endless, iPhone customisation is limited.
I use android and iOS back and forth, both were amazing, just depends on what you really need, but one thing I have realized, when I’m using android I usually find myself missing and wanting to go back to iOS, but when I’m using iOS I don’t feel like wanting to go back to android.
Usé ambos smartphones por 2 semanas, comparando conectividad, camaras y otras caracteristicas. Me decidí por el S21 Ultra, por las mismas razones que varios ya aquí mencionan. Soy un usuario de Apple también, tengo un Ipad Pro y es con seguridad la mejor tableta disponible ahora. Pero el S21 Ultra tiene algunas caracteristicas que superan ligeramente al Pro Max.
Thank you! 🙌🏼 It's an old iMac wallpaper! If you Google image search "mac colourful wallpaper" it should be the first option you get. I think what's shown in the video is the image cropped over to the right hand side
I love brighter photos with details and iPhone offers them. I prefer the iPhone even though I'm watching this on my S21 Ultral. The Ultra landscape or object photos are not brighter but it gets very bright on human face, but also lacks details.
Totally opposite to what I'm experiencing...the results are opposite in my situation...my s21 ultra always produces the more detailed and visually pleasing pictures than my buddy's I phone 12 pro max...the night mode is much more superior on the s21 ultra...however the portraits are better on the iPhone.. that's about the only "edge" the iPhone has over my s21 ultra...my buddy envies my s21 ultra every single time I take it out of my pocket🤣🤣
I've always been a user of Samsung products but this is the first time they've compromised so much I think on paper the iPhone is more appealing. No mst, no charger, no headphones, no headphone jack, no expandable storage. They removed too much at once in my opinion. At least the iPhone gives you guaranteed 5 years of software support.
Yeah they did remove quite a lot this year, and I know a lot of people don’t think the price cut justifies it. I talked about that stuff in the ultra review, shame really!
@@insidetechltd but Samsung is supporting their flagship phones up to 4yrs with 3 major updates and 1yr of security patches. So basically, the gap between iPhone and Samsung regarding software update support has lessen.
Well i checked out both phones (demo phones) and I felt impressed by the S21’s display.the only negative i felt is s21 ultra pricing is at par with iPhone 12 pro max prices,considering that Samsung phones depreciation is quite high compared to iPhones. And secondly copying your data especially WhatsApp from IOS to Android. Lastly support for Samsung phones lasts only 3-4 years.
I always think you should buy based on which phone will be best for you 'now', and that depreciation should be a secondary concern. But I understand that software support is important if you'll keep it a while, and Apple just announced 7 years of support with the latest OS - so I get it!
Samsung has more customisation , i love the fingerprint sensor better than having to look diretcly to the phone, 120 hz refresh rate its one the best features added to phones ever, always on display that i never disable, more versitile camera with all those pro modes and single take mode. I like more contrast in my photos, plus the samsung s21 ultra to me looks like a more modern phone. Being able to charge my galaxy buds from my phone its just so satisfying. So i like the s21 ultra better.
I am still confused as to why not many like the edge. It is one of the biggest selling points of galaxy phones. It just makes it looks so much more modern and makes it stand out from its competitors. Plus, it makes the functionality of the edge panel better and the problem of accidentally touching the screen does not exist snymore either. I find it very sad that the curved display is only available on the ultra phone this year and not all of them...
If you watch my S21+ review, you can see that the bezels are almost as thin with those phones, and they have flat panels. The bezels are thin here compared to the iPhone, but that’s because the iPhone’s are thick. Each to their own I guess! I personally don’t like it but I’m glad you and many others do!
@@Slicktune and 5g that sucks comparatively. This guy is in denial that he's firmly in the crApple ballpark despite some inexcusable and glaring missing features for upwards of 1,400
Thank you! Probably Google photos for cloud storage, and it's better for accessing across all my devices (iOS, PC, Mac or Android). But I prefer the Apple photos app for organisation on Mac and my iPhone, so it depends really!
Sorry guys no need a long explanation pro max is better than ultra that’s why I’m using pro max.. ios vs android you will notice the difference after a couple months of using.. durability as well
Indeedan in-depth review! I am a #teamiphone user but we cant deny the fact that s21 ultra is a beast. I have my 12 promax and at the same time note10+. I am happy with both phones. Camera /video wise, i think samsung phones need more catching up on the apple flagship!
@@ohyea2k How do you know hes considering the folder Samsung note in his opinion of camera? Flag ship the flagship today as it has been for some time is iPhone has better camera and video and well different people have different priorities I'm about to get involved in real estate so this is a no brainer for me! Its iPhone all the way! Also having learned that the iPhone is optimized one apps frequently used in real estate so once again iPhone all the way!!! Oh and by the way I have been using I song for the past 7 years I recently, one month ago, began using a Samsung note and I can't tell you how much worse the Samsung note is with voice recognition as I speak!!! I do admit that there appears to be a lot of flexibility with the android platform in contrast with The IOS platform Although I'm not certain how much of that flexibility I would ever use but perhaps, I would eventually use a lot of it but I will never know because I am going back to IOS. Incidentally I started out with smartphones with the note from Samsung! I absolutely love the S pen capability!But I do remember painfully remember the couple of times my android phone just died! Never ever have I had any issues in 7 years with my iPhone
@@ohyea2k i am referring on what i saw o the video not comparing the photo or vid i captured on my note10+ vs ip12 pm. Go watch the vid and ull understand what im talking about re the creators comparison.
Thanks for the video, one of the best I've seen, detailed and very well explained, I always use an iPhone every year the one that comes out and I'm thinking about whether to buy the s21 ultra, but I have several apple products, I don't know if to take the step again to try to use android with this s21 ultra, although there is not for example a watch like the apple watch with those functions,
That's really kind, thanks a lot! I think if you're in the ecosystem then the iPhone is the clear choice. But Google/Samsung are coming out with a new watch soon so maybe the rival ecosystems will catch up!
@@insidetechltd I do not pretend to be nice, it is that I really made a good video and very well explained, others give data and numbers that do not lead to anything. I could not resist and bought the s21 ultra, it is another thing to put base band configurations by odin etc, if you like tinkering and retouching the mobile it is better, iphone configure and use, but the photos in the s21 ultra many situations are quite darker and I do not like that, the 12 pro max makes them with more light, the s21 ultra as with a lot of contrast, I do not want to extend myself, thank you very much, do not respond to this message that I know you will be very busy, I am attentive to your new videos.
@@hermanjackson6429 I have bought the s21 ultra and I am doing tests with my 12 pro max, I like the photos of the 12 pro max clearer, I will continue progando, although it is a window to be able to configure the device as you want, use the fingerprint to unlock, what I do not see is a watch that competes with the apple watch.
@InsideTech Hello good sir, pardon me if I’m mistaken (new to your channel; great video) but isn’t the stainless steel frame on the iPhone more prone to scratches than the aluminum frame of the S21 Ultra? I always thought that aluminum is actually weaker but less prone to scratches overall, while stainless steel is stronger but more susceptible to scratches..? Thoughts? Thanks, Luka
Hello, and welcome to the channel! Great to have you here! 👊🏼 So steel is 'harder' than aluminium, and 'hardness' is a measure of a material's resistance to scratching. So the steel frames will be more scratch resistant than aluminium. I hope that clears it up!
I say bravo once again a vivid comparison with much details emphasis I know how hard it is to put up some of this video's but nevertheless you are doing a great job i noticed you don't compare one plus phones am really looking up to it. Secondly it can give the iPhone's and the Samsung run for their money when compared. so this version of your Samsung on this video was it Exynos chip set or snapdragon the colour also is unique I will like to get one like this.
That means a lot, thank you very much! I actually have compared OnePlus phones before! Last year's OnePlus 8 and Pro review is on the channel already. I didn't see a huge demand for the OnePlus 9 reviews this time so I decided not to review them. But, as always, if people want to see it...i'll do it! This was the Exynos model of the Ultra 👌🏼
@@insidetechltd I even forgot to mention it Oppo find x3 phones some other flagships and more also comparison of smart watches the top notch categories I will love to been seeing them on this channels it would be nice I take your honest opinion when it comes to tech and I tend to lean towards them when buying any gadget once again good work from you cheers pal.
IMO, the sound on Ultra 21 is much better than the Iphone 12 P.Max by huge margin. Used a headphoen to listen and more noise seems to be coming from the ip Pro max 12.
Actually, with Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung has reached the pinnacle of a modern smartphone technology and I'm not sure how will they better next year as this year's S21 Ultra is already better than good enough even for hardcore tech geeks / enthusiasts.
Someone please share your honest opinion: I want to upgrade either to S21U or 12 Pro Max from my 2 years old Note 10 Plus. I like N10+ very much. But hate curved screen, lagging Android updates, aging battery. And I don't use S Pen much. iPhone attracts me with flat screen, sturdy build, 5 year update policy, consistent photos and videos .. But i fear absence of many options like back navigation, limited gboard features (for voice typing regional language), lack of support for third party apps i use (Vanced RU-vid, stremio etc) I don't care unavailability of plethora of customisations and unnecessary features like zooooom and 120hz. Any thoughts please
Does the Samsung have a laminated display like iPhones? As a side note, as it's seen on 5:10 iPhone displays are more pleasing... Look at the whites on Samsung, it's either blueish or greenish
From what I've heard, magsafe works well for charging, but outside of that its basically just a gimmick as accessories will typically fall off in most cases from any kind of sliding force on the accessory. Would you say that its a fair thing to say that outside of charging, magsafe is ultimately just a gimmick? (I will admit having an easier time putting my phone on a wireless charger would be amazing)
I think that’s a fair assessment of the accessories, yes. But not of MagSafe. MagSafe makes charging and docking so much more convenient. It guarantees charging (no misalignments) and also allows faster charging. Docking your phone magnetically is super handy, so I’m definitely on board with the MagSafe concept
@@sonak8186 the stylus? Maybe unless you’re an aspiring mobile artist lol. The iPhone makes more sense for me seeing as everyone at my company has iPhones it makes for an easier time sending and receiving info and FaceTime is key for my job as I’m a plumber so FaceTiming my boss for any issues I have ect. Phones like everything else in life are subjective you like what you like.
Great review! I was wondering the background picture you used during the colour reproduction part of the review @ 5:27, any chance you can pass a download link? Love it.
Both of these phones are so fantastic! I’d consider to still purchase iPhone 13 Pro Max once it goes out. Im just really comfortable using iPhone and the apple ecosystem as a whole.
@@insidetechltd if you could review the Sony Xperia 1 iii that'll be awesome. Been waiting for that phone since 2 months now and it's release is delayed another month. I find it to be better than the ultra 21, looking forward to your review of it. Thanks in advance.
I had ordered this phone and will have it wednsday. Looking forward to try something new as I’ve been using iPhone since 2016. iPhone 6 and now the xs for 2 years. It looks like an amazing phone and I look forward to have xs collect dust for a while
In what world does one get a 10.5 hours screen in time with the S21 Ultra? The best I've seen is 5.5 hours with my personal device. And this is after the 2 week optimization period.
It depends how you use the phone! I can get over 15 h if I just leave it playing RU-vid videos on repeat all day. I bet you could smash the 5.5 h doing the same!
10.5 h is for typical day - that’s the stat most people will care about. I only mentioned the continuous loop to show that, if you can get 15 h, you should definitely be able to get more than 5.5 h under normal use 👌🏼
I rarely ever comment, but after watching many other videos about this comparison this is by far the most detailed, yet concise, and impartial video I have watched. It is also very relaxing to hear you narrating it. Thank you for this. It is exceptional. Well done. I am now a subscriber.