iPhone 17 Pro Max vs S25 Ultra: Which Phone Stands Tougher?

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Apple switched to aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max this year, ensuring better heat transfer and various benefits compared to titanium or stainless steel. However, was this change also aimed at making these phones more durable? To explore this, PhoneBuff conducted a series of drop tests, comparing the iPhone 17 Pro Max with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which has a titanium alloy chassis.

Both aluminum and titanium have their advantages and disadvantages. The effectiveness depends on how and where each phone is dropped. Here are the results from six drop tests:

– **1-meter back drop**: The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s rear glass cracks slightly less than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which has a caved-in area around its telephoto camera. Samsung’s laser autofocus unit and both telephoto lenses also suffered damage.

– **1-meter corner drop**: The iPhone 17 Pro Max shows visible scuffs and a dent due to aluminum being more malleable than titanium alloy. Conversely, the Galaxy S25 Ultra remains undamaged from the corners.

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October 8, 2025

– **1-meter front drop**: The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s OLED screen cracks, affecting its front camera and causing lens flares. However, Face ID still functions well. The Galaxy S25 Ultra faces similar issues with its fingerprint sensor continuing to work.

– **1.5-meter back drop**: The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s unibody aluminum chassis protects the phone, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s rear camera lenses break completely. The Galaxy’s ultrawide-angle unit is shattered, and image quality from the viewfinder drops significantly. The sensors of the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s rear camera appear undamaged.

– **1.5-meter corner drop**: The iPhone 17 Pro Max’s orange paint job peels off, with its 1x camera losing focus. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S25 Ultra remains almost unscathed.

– **1.5-meter front drop**: Both phones sustain similar damage, resulting in a tie. Each material has its strengths and weaknesses depending on the side and angle of impact.

The test concluded with both flagships performing similarly across different drop tests. If Samsung switches to aluminum for the Galaxy S26 Ultra next year, it might adopt both the strengths and weaknesses of the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

News Source: [PhoneBuff](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV41TkYvQoE)