Head to head · New Zealand
iPhone 17 vs Samsung Galaxy S25: which flagship in NZ?
The Galaxy S25 is the cheaper phone and the smaller one, and for a lot of people that combination settles it — it is genuinely pocketable in a way the iPhone 17 is not, and Samsung now commits to seven years of updates, matching Apple stride for stride on the thing that used to be Apple's trump card. The iPhone answers with 256GB of storage as standard where the S25 charges you for it, better video recording, and resale value that holds up notably better in the New Zealand second-hand market. Neither is a bad phone. Buy the S25 if you want a compact Android and the lower price; buy the iPhone 17 if you are already inside Apple's ecosystem or you sell your phone on rather than keeping it forever.
Source·Retailer listings, read by a person·Reviewed AUG 2026·Method
Spec by spec
| Spec | Apple iPhone 17 (256GB) | Samsung Galaxy S25 (256GB) |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 256GB✓ | 256GB |
| Connectivity | 5G | 5G |
| Charging | USB-C, MagSafe | Wired and wireless |
| Water rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Colours | Black, White, Sage, Lavender, Mist Blue | Navy |
A tick marks the stronger spec on that row — not necessarily the one that matters to you.
Source·Manufacturer specification sheets·Reviewed AUG 2026·Method
Which one should you buy?
Buy the Apple iPhone 17 (256GB) if…
You are on iOS already, you shoot a lot of video, or you trade phones in every couple of years.
Prices & specsBuy the Samsung Galaxy S25 (256GB) if…
You want a compact Android flagship and the lower outright price.
Prices & specsCommon questions
Is the iPhone 17 really 256GB as standard?
Yes — that is the headline change this generation. The Galaxy S25 at the price we track is also 256GB, so on this particular pairing the storage is level; it is against 128GB phones that the iPhone 17 pulls ahead.
Which holds its value better in New Zealand?
iPhones, consistently. Over two years that gap typically narrows the real cost difference between these two more than the sticker price suggests.