Apple iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy: who makes the best smartphones?

Apple and Samsung are the titans of the smartphone world, but which is the best brand to go for? We explore what separates the two.

Each year, Galaxy and iPhone compete with the latest features, camera technology and designs at the premium end of the market, with the best costing upwards of £1,000. It's now common to see multiple variations of these flagships, typically a standard model, a Plus or Pro version with enhanced features and/or a larger display, and the very top end, Ultra or Max. 

Choosing between them, and weighing up the benefits against more affordable phones by these brands, is no easy task, so we're here to help.

See our pick of the best phone and Sim deals, the best iPhone deals, or read our guide to the best mobile phones that aced our lab tests.

The best Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phones from Which? tests

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The Apple iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy S24 series

Apple iPhone 15 series

The Apple iPhone 15 is the brand's standard flagship phone in last year's range, released in September 2023. It has a 6.1-inch OLED display with a high 2,556 x 1,179-pixel resolution and the Dynamic Island feature. It has an upgraded 48Mp main camera with new features. The iPhone 15 Plus is the same phone but with a bigger 6.7-inch screen and larger battery to match.

The two Pro models - the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max - have a new titanium finish and are equipped with Apple's top-of-the-line cameras. But the finest zoom software is reserved for the priciest Pro Max. You can click through to buy any of the latest iPhones below. 

Find out if the Pro is worth the extra cash in our guide to the iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy S24 series

The standard model from Samsung's latest flagship range, the Samsung Galaxy S24, came out in January 2024. It looks similar to its predecessor with a few notable upgrades, such as new camera features, an upgraded processor and new recycled materials. However, the biggest upgrades are in its new built-in AI features. This includes new editing tools to get rid of people walking through your photos. You can use Live Translate to translate calls in real time or Chat Assist to change the tone of your phrase, like from 'casual' to 'professional'.  Find out what happened when we put the Samsung Galaxy S24 AI features to the test.

The Samsung Galaxy S24+ has a larger 6.6-inch OLED display and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has the most advanced cameras as well as a useful built-in stylus called the S-pen.

See how these highly anticipated phones performed in our tough tests:

• Samsung Galaxy S24 review
• Samsung Galaxy S24+ review
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

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iPhone SE

The iPhone SE is Apple's answer to a mid-range phone. In March 2022, Apple released the third SE model with a pleasant surprise – it's fuelled by the same powerful A15 Bionic Chip as in the iPhone 13, but it only has one rear camera lens and (by modern standards) a small screen (4.7 inches). 

Find out if this phone is for you in our iPhone SE 2022 review.

Samsung Galaxy A25

The A range is where you'll find Samsung's cheapest phones. One of the latest releases is the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G. It comes with a 6.5-inch screen with 2,340 x 1,080 resolution and three camera lenses with several settings and modes. Better yet, it has five years of security support guaranteed to December 2028, which gives you a lot of time for a handset that costs under £300.

Find out more in our Samsung Galaxy A25 5G review.

Apple iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy S

We narrow down some of the most important features and pit these two tech behemoths against each other.

Phone design

Apple iPhones have come a long way since the rounded, plastic-backed iPhone first released in 2007. Newer models now take on a sleeker glass and stainless-steel design that aims to turn heads. 

One distinguishing feature of iPhones is the 'notch' at the top – this houses the front camera and Face unlock sensor. This has become quite iconic, but it isn't on the newest iPhone 15 series. Instead, these have the new Dynamic Island notch that's separated from the top of the phone. It houses the front-facing camera, notifications and shortcuts to applications you're using.

Like Apple, Samsung's Galaxy smartphones have veered away from the plastic design. The S6 Edge was the first model to feature its innovative dual-edge display in 2015, and the range has evolved since with larger displays and thinner bezels. Samsung now uses subtler 'holepunch' front cameras – a small hole to house the lens, rather than a notch, which can make the display seem more immersive.

In both cases, expect some of the very latest screen technologies, with high resolutions, sharp images and accurate colours.

Screen size and resolution

Apple offers four versions of the iPhone 15. 

• iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro actually have the same size (6.1 inches) display and the same resolution – 2,556 x 1,179 pixels.
• iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max are larger, with a 6.7-inch screen and slightly different pixel-resolutions; 2796 x 1290 for the Plus and 2,794 x 1,290 for the Pro Max.

Samsung takes a slightly different approach. It's 'standard' S24 has a 6.2-inch display (2,340 x 1,080), and the S24+ bumps this to 6.7 inches (3,120 x 1,440). The S24 Ultra boasts a 6.8-inch display and 3,120 x 1,440-pixel resolution.

Display

The two brands have differing display types. The newest iPhones have a Super Retina XDR OLED display, while Samsung's new models come with Dynamic LTPO AMOLED displays.

AMOLED displays allow control over each individual pixel, which in theory produces better picture quality. AMOLEDs also have better overall power consumption than OLEDs, but can use more power when displaying brighter colours and aren’t as visible in sunlight as OLED displays.

One of the most important factors for many people is handset size, but bear in mind that with different screen to body ratios, physical dimensions are a better indicator of this than display size.

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Camera

Cameras are what drive demand for many high-end phones, and neither Apple or Samsung shirk their responsibilities when it comes to pushing the boundaries of technology.

Since the iPhone 12, Apple has continued to embrace the benefits of multiple lenses and includes a 48Mp wide and 12Mp ultrawide on the iPhone 15, but the this has the additional benefit of large sensors and 4K cinematic mode. The 15 Pro models adds an additional 12Mp telephoto lens and a time of flight (ToF) scanner to help improve photo effects. All four models also have a 12Mp selfie camera.

Samsung has a three-lens array on the standard S24 – a 50Mp wide, 10Mp telephoto and 12Mp ultrawide. This is the same as the S24+, but the Ultra gets a boost with a huge 200Mp wide-angle lens, 10Mp periscope telephoto lens, 10Mp telephoto lens and 12Mp ultrawide lens.

Samsung Galaxy loyalists can make use of Scene Optimiser to automatically adjust and improve scene quality when the camera recognises the object or scene in the frame. Modes include food, animals, greenery, beaches and sunsets. The latest AI-enhanced features give you more editing modes on the S24 series, and you can zoom in up to 100 times on the S24 Ultra.

Apple is no slouch in the camera department, either – it offers a range of useful and dramatic post-processing effects to enhance your photos. You'll find features such as Smart HDR – blending multiple photos for the best shot and the ability to change the depth of field of images after they’ve been taken.

Whichever of the two you choose, rest assured that both Apple and Samsung are right up there when it comes to some of the best and most advanced camera technology.

For more tips, see how to buy the best camera phone

Storage

Apple users have long dealt with the woes of running out of space on their phone. iPhones don’t come with a micro-SD card to expand internal storage, so you need to think about storage configuration before you buy. But you can also store pictures, videos and documents on iCloud. 

Samsung users are in the same position. Since the S21, they don't have micro-SD card slots to expand storage, but you have the option of the Samsung Cloud to store data.

Deciding how much you'll need before you buy is therefore important. The iPhone 15 and Samsung S24 start at 128GB capacity, which should be enough for most users. At the top end, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max go up to 1TB.

Operating system

Famous for its in-house expertise, Apple uses the iOS operating system, which is owned by the brand. This means the manufacturer has more control over producing updates, security patches and rolling these updates out to its devices than users of the Google Android operating system.

Samsung is the biggest smartphone brand in the world and the largest manufacturer running on the Android operating system. Samsung Galaxy devices are typically launched with the newest version of Android software. To optimise the use of its devices, Samsung has One UI, an operating system skin to overlay Android that offers a range of visual and functional improvements.

Value for money

When it comes to these two tech titans, the premium smartphone ranges sit very close to each other in price.

In 2018, the iPhone broke the £1,000 threshold for the first time, making it one of the most expensive smartphones ever made. If you're looking for a better deal, you'll need to opt for an older iPhone or the mid-range Apple iPhone SE 2022.

It has maintained a similar structure with the iPhone 15 range, but launch prices dropped slightly from the 14 series. At release, the iPhone 15 cost £799, the 15 Plus £899, the 15 Pro £999 and the Pro Max £1,199. 

Samsung’s Galaxy range is similar in price to Apple's main range of iPhones, but they have also dropped slightly since the S23 series. The Samsung Galaxy S24 cost £799 at launch, the S24+ £999 and the S32 Ultra an eye-watering £1,099.

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Other brands to consider

There's plenty of choice in the smartphone market beyond Samsung and Apple, and plenty of quality too. We regularly reveal Best Buys from rival brands.

Google

Google aims for quality over quantity – it has a limited range, but they're popular with budding smartphone photographers and those who appreciate timely operating system updates, as Google owns Android. Its flagship phones are cheaper than those from Apple and Samsung and they have a long security support policy. Browse our Google smartphone reviews to see if they tick the boxes elsewhere.

Xiaomi

If you're after a brand that provides value for money, look no further than Xiaomi. While it does produce high-end phones, it offers a wide range of cheap yet feature-packed models as well, and these have seriously impressed. It's capable of also producing a stinker, though, so read our Xiaomi reviews before you buy.

Other mobile phones

We've tested nearly 200 phones to bring you a definitive verdict on your next model. From old-hands Motorola - the popular budget-brand, to Sony - who focus on creating phones for serious gamers. We also review phones from the new kids on the block Nothing - with its unique phones designs, and Fairphone - which shouts about its eco-credentials over anything else. Browse all our mobile phone reviews to find your perfect model.

How we rate smartphones

Each and every mobile phone that passes through our lab is subjected to the same set of tough tests. This enables us to compare them and tell you which are worth the money. You can then avoid slow phones that take rubbish photos, and spend your money on a good-quality model that won't constantly need recharging instead.

We examine everything, including processor speed, screen and camera quality, battery life and call quality.

Our tests are unique. For example, when testing how quick each phone is, we don't just use the industry-standard speed tests, we also rate what it's like in everyday use. Our testers assess whether the phone is sluggish when swiping through menus and how quickly it opens webpages. All these factors enable us to generate our star ratings and give every phone a score.

Browse all our Samsung reviews and Apple iPhone reviews to see which models impressed us.