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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 7, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the flagship option here, and it absolutely crushes the Apple iPhone 13 in several key areas. The numbers tell the story: 5000mAh battery means up to 30 hours of video playback,. In real-world use, the S24 Ultra's 6.8-inch display and 120Hz refresh rate make everything from scrolling to gaming feel incredibly smooth. On the flip side, if you're looking for a reliable, budget-friendly phone, the iPhone 13 still holds its ground with a robust build and solid performance, but it's not the powerhouse that the Galaxy S24 Ultra is.
📱 Display: 6.8" vs 6.1"⚡ Refresh: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz🔋 Battery: 5000 mAh vs 3240 mAh
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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
★4.6
(3,377)•Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:7 generations of OS upgrades; 7 years of security updates (guaranteed until 2031)
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4nm; 8-core CPU: 1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4, 3x3.1GHz A720, 2x2.9GHz A720, 2x2.2GHz A520)
Graphics:Adreno 750 (1 GHz)
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Apple iPhone 13
★4.8
(818)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Typically 6+ years of OS updates from release (2021)
Processor:Apple A15 Bionic (5nm)
Graphics:Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
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Key spec differences
Only the specs that differ are shown here. Winners are highlighted when the data is clear.
Winner= clear advantage
Spec
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Apple iPhone 13
Display2 specs
Display SizeKey
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
6.8" (6.8" full rectangle; 6.8" accounting for rounded corners)Winner
Apple iPhone 13
6.1"
Refresh Rate
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Adaptive 1–120 HzWinner
Apple iPhone 13
60Hz
Performance3 specs
ProcessorKey
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4nm; 8-core CPU: 1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4, 3x3.1GHz A720, 2x2.9GHz A720, 2x2.2GHz A520)
Apple iPhone 13
Apple A15 Bionic (5nm)
RAMKey
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
12 GB (LPDDR5X)Winner
Apple iPhone 13
4GB LPDDR4X
Storage
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 4.0)Winner
Apple iPhone 13
128GB / 256GB / 512GB NVMe
Camera2 specs
Main CameraKey
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
200MP Wide (24 mm, f/1.7), 1/1.3" sensor, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OISWinner
Apple iPhone 13
12MP Wide, f/1.6, 26mm, 1.7µm, Sensor-shift OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF
Ultra-Wide Camera
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° FOV), Dual Pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Apple iPhone 13
12MP Ultrawide, f/2.4, 13mm, 120-degree FOV
Battery2 specs
Battery CapacityKey
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
5000 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 30 hours video playbackWinner
Apple iPhone 13
3,240mAh (approximate)
Wireless Charging
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (up to 15W); Wireless PowerShare (4.5W)
Apple iPhone 13
15W MagSafe Wireless / 7.5W Qi Wireless
Design2 specs
Weight
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
8.18 oz (232 g)
Apple iPhone 13
6.14 oz (174 g)Winner
Dimensions
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
6.39" x 3.11" x 0.34" (162.3 x 79.0 x 8.6 mm)
Apple iPhone 13
5.78 x 2.82 x 0.30 in (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm)
Software1 specs
Operating System
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Android
Apple iPhone 13
iOS
Connectivity1 specs
Connectivity
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (UWB); NFC
Apple iPhone 13
5G (Sub-6 GHz & mmWave), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, UWB
+Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Expand
Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Comparison: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
★4.6(3,377)Best Buy
Apple iPhone 13
★4.8(818)Best Buy
| Criterion | Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra | Apple iPhone 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.6(3,377)Best Buy | ★4.8(818)Best Buy |
Operating System | Android | iOS |
Software Support | 7 generations of OS upgrades; 7 years of security updates (guaranteed until 2031) | Typically 6+ years of OS updates from release (2021) |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4nm; 8-core CPU: 1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4, 3x3.1GHz A720, 2x2.9GHz A720, 2x2.2GHz A520) | Apple A15 Bionic (5nm) |
Graphics | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
RAM | 12 GB (LPDDR5X) | 4GB LPDDR4X |
Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 4.0) | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB NVMe |
Display Size | 6.8" (6.8" full rectangle; 6.8" accounting for rounded corners) | 6.1" |
Screen Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X (LTPO) | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision |
Resolution | 3120 x 1440 pixels (QHD+, 505 ppi) | 2532 x 1170 pixels (460 ppi) |
Refresh Rate | Adaptive 1–120 Hz | 60Hz |
Peak Brightness | 2600 nits peak (outdoor) | 800 nits (Typical) / 1,200 nits (HDR Peak) |
Main Camera | 200MP Wide (24 mm, f/1.7), 1/1.3" sensor, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS | 12MP Wide, f/1.6, 26mm, 1.7µm, Sensor-shift OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° FOV), Dual Pixel PDAF, Super Steady video | 12MP Ultrawide, f/2.4, 13mm, 120-degree FOV |
Telephoto Camera | 50MP Telephoto (111 mm, f/3.4), periscope lens, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom; 10MP Telephoto (67 mm, f/2.4), Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom | No (Not supported) |
Optical Zoom | 3x, 5x optical zoom; 2x, 10x optical-quality zoom (enabled by Adaptive Pixel sensor) | 2x Optical Zoom Out (0.5x to 1x) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 100x (Space Zoom) | Up to 5x |
Video Recording | 8K video at 24/30 fps; 4K at 30/60/120 fps; Slow motion 1080p at 240 fps | 4K @ 60fps (Dolby Vision HDR supported); Cinematic mode (1080p @ 30fps) |
Front Camera | 12MP Front (26 mm, f/2.2), Dual Pixel PDAF; 4K video at 30/60 fps | 12MP TrueDepth, f/2.2, 23mm, SL 3D (Biometrics) |
Battery | 5000 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 30 hours video playback | 3,240mAh (approximate) |
Wired Charging | USB-C; Up to 65% in ~30 minutes with 45W adapter and 5A USB-C cable (adapter sold separately) | 20W+ Fast Charging (50% in 30 min) via Lightning |
Wireless Charging | Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (up to 15W); Wireless PowerShare (4.5W) | 15W MagSafe Wireless / 7.5W Qi Wireless |
Connectivity | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (UWB); NFC | 5G (Sub-6 GHz & mmWave), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, UWB |
USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gb/s); DisplayPort 1.2 | Lightning Connector (USB 2.0 speeds) |
Durability | IP68 (up to 1.5 m freshwater for 30 min); Titanium frame (Grade 2); Gorilla Glass Armor front; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back | IP68 (Maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front |
Dimensions | 6.39" x 3.11" x 0.34" (162.3 x 79.0 x 8.6 mm) | 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.30 in (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm) |
Weight | 8.18 oz (232 g) | 6.14 oz (174 g) |
Biometrics | Ultrasonic Fingerprint (under display); Face recognition | Face ID |
Extras | Integrated S Pen (Bluetooth enabled); Galaxy AI (Circle to Search, Live Translate, Note Assist); Samsung DeX; Stereo speakers tuned by AKG | MagSafe ecosystem support, Stereo speakers, Dual eSIM support |
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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Rating:★4.6(3,377)Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:7 generations of OS upgrades; 7 years of security updates (guaranteed until 2031)
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4nm; 8-core CPU: 1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4, 3x3.1GHz A720, 2x2.9GHz A720, 2x2.2GHz A520)
Graphics:Adreno 750 (1 GHz)
RAM:12 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB (UFS 4.0)
Display Size:6.8" (6.8" full rectangle; 6.8" accounting for rounded corners)
Screen Type:Dynamic AMOLED 2X (LTPO)
Resolution:3120 x 1440 pixels (QHD+, 505 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Adaptive 1–120 Hz
Peak Brightness:2600 nits peak (outdoor)
Main Camera:200MP Wide (24 mm, f/1.7), 1/1.3" sensor, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° FOV), Dual Pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Telephoto Camera:50MP Telephoto (111 mm, f/3.4), periscope lens, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom; 10MP Telephoto (67 mm, f/2.4), Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
Optical Zoom:3x, 5x optical zoom; 2x, 10x optical-quality zoom (enabled by Adaptive Pixel sensor)
Digital Zoom:Up to 100x (Space Zoom)
Video Recording:8K video at 24/30 fps; 4K at 30/60/120 fps; Slow motion 1080p at 240 fps
Front Camera:12MP Front (26 mm, f/2.2), Dual Pixel PDAF; 4K video at 30/60 fps
Battery:5000 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 30 hours video playback
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 65% in ~30 minutes with 45W adapter and 5A USB-C cable (adapter sold separately)
Wireless Charging:Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (up to 15W); Wireless PowerShare (4.5W)
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (UWB); NFC
USB:USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gb/s); DisplayPort 1.2
Durability:IP68 (up to 1.5 m freshwater for 30 min); Titanium frame (Grade 2); Gorilla Glass Armor front; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back
Dimensions:6.39" x 3.11" x 0.34" (162.3 x 79.0 x 8.6 mm)
Weight:8.18 oz (232 g)
Biometrics:Ultrasonic Fingerprint (under display); Face recognition
Extras:Integrated S Pen (Bluetooth enabled); Galaxy AI (Circle to Search, Live Translate, Note Assist); Samsung DeX; Stereo speakers tuned by AKG
✓ Pros:
- • Exclusive Corning Gorilla Glass Armor significantly reduces reflections
- • Versatile quad-camera system with high-resolution 50MP 5x zoom
- • Integrated S Pen for productivity and creative tasks
- • Top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 'for Galaxy' performance with 12GB RAM standard
- • 7-year commitment for both OS and security updates
✗ Cons:
- • Large and heavy (232 g) with sharp corners that can dig into palms
- • 45W charging speed has plateaued compared to competitors
- • High starting price
- • Shutter lag can still be noticeable with moving subjects
- • No Qi2 wireless charging support (magnetic alignment)
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Apple iPhone 13
Rating:★4.8(818)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Typically 6+ years of OS updates from release (2021)
Processor:Apple A15 Bionic (5nm)
Graphics:Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
RAM:4GB LPDDR4X
Storage:128GB / 256GB / 512GB NVMe
Display Size:6.1"
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision
Resolution:2532 x 1170 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:60Hz
Peak Brightness:800 nits (Typical) / 1,200 nits (HDR Peak)
Main Camera:12MP Wide, f/1.6, 26mm, 1.7µm, Sensor-shift OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultrawide, f/2.4, 13mm, 120-degree FOV
Telephoto Camera:No (Not supported)
Optical Zoom:2x Optical Zoom Out (0.5x to 1x)
Digital Zoom:Up to 5x
Video Recording:4K @ 60fps (Dolby Vision HDR supported); Cinematic mode (1080p @ 30fps)
Front Camera:12MP TrueDepth, f/2.2, 23mm, SL 3D (Biometrics)
Battery:3,240mAh (approximate)
Wired Charging:20W+ Fast Charging (50% in 30 min) via Lightning
Wireless Charging:15W MagSafe Wireless / 7.5W Qi Wireless
Connectivity:5G (Sub-6 GHz & mmWave), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, UWB
USB:Lightning Connector (USB 2.0 speeds)
Durability:IP68 (Maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front
Dimensions:5.78 x 2.82 x 0.30 in (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65 mm)
Weight:6.14 oz (174 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:MagSafe ecosystem support, Stereo speakers, Dual eSIM support
✓ Pros:
- • Excellent build quality with Ceramic Shield and IP68 rating
- • Strong battery life for its size (beat many Android competitors at launch)
- • A15 Bionic chip remains highly capable for everyday tasks and gaming
- • High-quality video recording with Dolby Vision HDR
- • Compact and lightweight 6.1-inch form factor
✗ Cons:
- • Stuck on 60Hz refresh rate (Competitors offer 120Hz)
- • Uses proprietary Lightning port instead of universal USB-C
- • Charging speed is relatively slow (Max ~20-23W)
- • No telephoto lens for optical zoom
- • Cinematic Mode video is limited to 1080p (Pro models support 4K)
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Which one is better?
Grab the Apple iPhone 13 if you want something lighter and easier to handle at 6.14oz.
Who should buy each?
Choose the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra if: you need a stunning 200MP camera for photography, you play intensive games that benefit from 120Hz refresh, or you require all-day battery life for heavy use.
Choose the Apple iPhone 13 if: you want a compact phone that's easy to carry, you primarily use social media and casual apps, or you prefer a device with a proven software ecosystem and longevity. (6.1" display, 60 Hz refresh)
Conclusion
With the key differences outlined, the decision should be clearer. Both options deliver quality—choose the one that fits your priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra excels if you value exclusive corning gorilla glass armor significantly reduces reflections. Apple iPhone 13 is better if you prioritize excellent build quality with ceramic shield and ip68 rating. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
Affiliate disclosure
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