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WhichPhoneToBuy

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy A56

The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy A56 each come out ahead on 5 counts, so it comes down to which strengths matter to you.

Which should you buy?

Pick the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max for

  • Bigger screen: 6.9" vs 6.7"
  • Brighter display: 2,000 vs 1,200 nits peak
  • Optical zoom (5×), which the other lacks
  • More storage: up to 1 TB vs 256 GB
  • Better water resistance: IP68 vs IP67

Pick the Samsung Galaxy A56 for

  • Bigger battery: 5,000 vs 4,685 mAh (7% more)
  • Lighter: 198 g vs 227 g (29 g less)
  • Thinner: 7.4 mm vs 8.3 mm
  • More RAM: up to 12 GB vs 8 GB
  • Newer: launched March 2025

Size comparison

The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is 0.8 mm taller, 0.8 mm thicker and 29 g heavier than the Samsung Galaxy A56. Its screen is 0.2" larger.

  • Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max163 × 77.6 × 8.25 mm
  • Samsung Galaxy A56162.2 × 77.5 × 7.4 mm

Specs side by side

LaunchApple iPhone 16 Pro MaxSamsung Galaxy A56
AnnouncedSeptember 9, 20241March 2, 20251
ReleasedSeptember 20, 2024—
Launch price$1,199—
BodyApple iPhone 16 Pro MaxSamsung Galaxy A56
Size163 × 77.6 × 8.3 mm162.2 × 77.5 × 7.4 mm
Thickness8.3 mm7.4 mm (better)
Weight227 g198 g (better)
FrametitaniumSolid metal frame
Backtextured matte glassCorning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Water resistanceIP68 (better)IP67
ColoursBlack Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert TitaniumAwesome Pink, Awesome Graphite, Awesome Olive, Awesome Lightgray
DisplayApple iPhone 16 Pro MaxSamsung Galaxy A56
Size6.9"6.7"
TypeSuper Retina XDR OLEDSuper AMOLED
Resolution1320 × 2868 (better)1080 × 2340
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz
Peak brightness2,000 nits (better)1,200 nits?
ProtectionCeramic ShieldCorning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Performance and softwareApple iPhone 16 Pro MaxSamsung Galaxy A56
ChipsetA18 ProExynos 1580
CPU6-core (2 performance + 4 efficiency)Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz & 3x2.6 GHz & 4x1.9 GHz)1
Process—4 nm
Ships withiOSAndroid
OS updates—6 years (to Mar 2031)
Security updates—6 years (to Mar 2031)
MemoryApple iPhone 16 Pro MaxSamsung Galaxy A56
RAM8 GB8 GB / 12 GB (better)
Storage256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB (better)128 GB / 256 GB
Card slot—No1
CamerasApple iPhone 16 Pro MaxSamsung Galaxy A56
Rear48 MP Main, OIS 12 MP Telephoto (5× optical), OIS 48 MP Ultrawide50 MP Main, OIS 12 MP Ultrawide 5 MP Macro
Main camera48 MP50 MP
Optical zoom5× (better)None
Front12 MP12 MP
Video4K Dolby Vision at 120 fpsUHD 4K (3840 x 2160)@30fps
BatteryApple iPhone 16 Pro MaxSamsung Galaxy A56
Capacity4,685 mAh15,000 mAh (better)
Wired charging—45 W1
Wireless charging25 W—
ConnectivityApple iPhone 16 Pro MaxSamsung Galaxy A56
5GYesYes
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7 (802.11be)802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4GHz+5GHz
Bluetooth5.3Bluetooth v5.3
NFCYesYes
USBUSB-C, USB 3 (up to 10Gb/s)USB Type-C, USB 2.0
Headphone jack—No
eSIMYesYes
Satellite messagingYes—
FeaturesApple iPhone 16 Pro MaxSamsung Galaxy A56
Fingerprint—On-screen, optical1
Stereo speakers—Yes

Highlighted: the better value where one is clearly better. Sources for each phone are listed on the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy A56 pages.

Quick answers

Is the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max bigger than the Samsung Galaxy A56?
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is 0.8 mm taller, 0.8 mm thicker and 29 g heavier than the Samsung Galaxy A56. Its screen is 0.2" larger.
Which has the bigger battery, the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy A56?
The Samsung Galaxy A56 has the bigger battery: 5,000 mAh against 4,685 mAh. Real battery life also depends on the chip and screen.

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