Two of the best smartphones money can buy are without a doubt the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. But which has the advantage? Let’s investigate.The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max are head and shoulders above the competition when it comes to premium smartphones, with fast processors and cameras that can catch even the smallest details.So, if you’re considering upgrading your phone and can’t decide which one to buy, we’ll help you choose the best smartphone for your needs.
Design and Display: the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm; 234 grams
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm; 221 grams
With a few minor upgrades, both devices have a similar design to their forerunners. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a lighter fine-brushed titanium frame in place of the stainless steel in its predecessor, whereas the Galaxy S23 Ultra still has an aluminium frame. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is around 8% lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro Max thanks to this switch.
The 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display, slimmer bezels, and Dynamic Island, which grows when you receive alerts, are all features of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Featuring a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen, the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Putting away fancy brand names, both models include OLED displays with variable refresh rate technology that can reach 120Hz.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s display can reach 2,000 nits of brightness, compared to the S23 Ultra’s 1,750 nits, making the latter a little superior choice if you spend the most of your time outside.
By reducing the curvature and flattening the sides, Samsung has improved the S23 Ultra. The S23 Ultra has a far smaller hole-punch cutout than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which contributes to the device’s cleaner display and uninterrupted viewing experience.
Camera Configuration: the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: 200 MP f/1.7 primary; 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide; 10MP f/2.4 telephoto with 3x optical zoom; 10MP f/4.9 periscope telephoto with 10x optical zoom; Front: 12 MP f/2.2
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: 48MP f/1.8 primary, dual-pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; 12MP f/2.8 periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom; 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera; Front: 12MP f/1.9 camera
Without a question, the hardware of the camera has a big impact on most smartphone purchases. The 200 MP main camera of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is a first for Samsung mobile devices. It delivers images with exquisite detail, greater low-light capability, and an increased dynamic range. Check out the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra camera settings you need to adjust if you want to improve your picture.
The primary camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the same as its predecessor, but Apple has added a number of capabilities that enable it to take pictures with incredible detail. With options like 24mm, 28mm, or 35mm, you may now customise the default focal length of your primary camera.The iPhone has a modest advantage in optical image stabilisation, allowing for smoother video recording, despite the fact that both phones are capable of taking fantastic films. Two telephoto lenses with optical zooming capabilities (3x and 10x) are available on the S23 Ultra. This offers flexibility for many shooting situations, especially for close-up images. A periscope telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom is also present on the iPhone.
The S23 Ultra might be a better alternative if high megapixels and flexible zoom settings are important to you. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be ideal for you if you want cooler and more vibrant colours as well as optical image stabilisation.
Internal Hardware and Performance: the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2; 4nm process; Adreno 740 GPU
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: A17 Pro; 3nm process; 6-core GPU
Apple claims that the A17 Pro is up to 10% faster than its predecessor, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the first smartphone to feature a 3nm CPU. With a 20% faster GPU and hardware-accelerated ray tracing, as well as a two-fold increase in neural engine speed, it promises significant performance benefits.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Qualcomm chip, another effective and potent component of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, is also present. Samsung claims that the 4nm device has higher power efficiency than its predecessors while providing a 30% increase in CPU performance and a 40% increase in GPU performance.
According to MacRumor, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has 8GB of RAM while the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s standard model starts with 8GB of RAM and offers a 12GB type as an option. It’s important to note that earlier iPhone iterations have 6GB of RAM. Nevertheless, neither device compromises its performance when multitasking.
Although the iPhone 15 Pro Max is undoubtedly a better option for gamers, neither smartphone is likely to have any performance concerns in ordinary everyday use.
Battery Life and Charging: the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: 5000mAh battery; 45W fast wired charging; 15W wireless charging; 4.5W reverse wireless charging; 70% charge in 30 minutes
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: 4852mAh battery; 20W fast wired charging; 15W MagSafe wireless charging; 7.5W with Qi wireless charging; 50% charge in 30 minutes
Fortunately, neither the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra nor the iPhone 15 Pro Max should have a problem with battery life. According to reports, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a larger battery than its predecessor. Apple asserts that it can play videos for up to 29 hours, which is the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The S23 Ultra has the advantage when it comes to charging rates because it supports 45W wired charging. Sadly, Apple still only allows 20W of fast charging for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Additionally, the S23 Ultra enables Wireless PowerShare, which allows it to reverse wirelessly charge another phone, a Galaxy Watch, or Galaxy Buds, in contrast to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Switching from the Lighting port to USB-C is one of the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s most notable improvements. You can now use your iPhone to charge your Apple Watch or AirPods thanks to the USB-C upgrade.
Pricing and Storage Options: the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: $1,199 for 256GB; $1,379 for 512GB; $1619 for 1TB
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: $1,199 for 256GB; $1,399 for 512GB; $1,599 for 1TB
The base storage for the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max is both 256GB. Although the average user typically doesn’t require more storage than 256GB, you should consider this before choosing 512GB or 1TB for your smartphone.
The base edition of the Galaxy S23 Ultra costs $1,199, and the most expensive model costs $1,619. The base model of the iPhone 15 Pro Max costs $1,199, and the most expensive model costs $1,599. You can save a lot of money when buying your new smartphone because both manufacturers provide a trade-in deal.
Which Flagship Will You Choose?
In the end, the decision between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Galaxy S23 Ultra comes down to personal taste and requirements. With their amazing features, potent performance, and high-resolution cameras, both smartphones have elevated the bar.
You won’t regret buying the iPhone 15 Pro Max if you’ve been an Apple user for a while and feel like it’s time for an update. However, we advise purchasing the Galaxy S23 Ultra if you feel it’s time to try out a new platform.
