IPhone 18 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra: Which Flagship Is Quickest?

The iPhone 18 Pro Max has reclaimed the title of the fastest smartphone, beating the Galaxy S26 Ultra in a speed test published by PhoneBuff after 602 days. The comparison frames both as top-tier flagships, but the iPhone is said to hold an edge in processor-heavy and sustained workloads. The report attributes performance gains to Apple’s A20 Pro chip, including claims of a 20% faster CPU, a 40% faster GPU and a 50% increase in memory bandwidth. It also points to a redesigned vapor chamber cooling system with three times the previous surface area to reduce throttling. In head-to-head tasks, the iPhone leads in PDF text recognition, photo editing and app compilation, while the Galaxy favors video exporting and Instagram edits.