iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are the two most advanced smartphones from Apple and Samsung today. Both have beautiful designs, large screens, quality cameras, and powerful performance. So which one would be a better choice for you? Let’s compare the iPhone 14 Pro Max with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra through the following criteria.
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Price at launch
The iPhone 14 Pro Max launched in September 9 2022 with prices starting at $1,099 / £1,199 / AU$1,899 for the 128GB version. You can upgrade to 256GB or 512GB for $1,199 (£1,309 / AU$2,099), $1,399 (£1,529 / AU$2,419) and $1,599 (£1,749/AU$2,769) respectively. iPhone 14 Pro Max can be purchased on the official website of Apple or other reputable retailers.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra launches in February 2 2023 with prices starting at $1,199 / £1,249 / AU$1,949 for the 256GB version. You can upgrade to 512GB or 1TB for $1,379 / £1,399 / AU$2,249 and $1,619 / £1,599 / AU$2,649 respectively. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can also be purchased on the official website of Samsung or other reputable retailers.
Thus, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra costs about $100 more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max for the basic version. However, you also get twice as much storage and RAM as the iPhone 14 Pro Max. If you want to save money and don’t care about high internal storage, you can opt for the iPhone 14 Pro Max. If you want to experience Samsung’s most advanced technology and don’t mind spending a little more, you can choose the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Design and screens
| Criteria | iPhone 14 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Dimension | 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9mm | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9mm |
| Weight | 240g | 234g |
| Monitor | OLED | AMOLED |
| Screen size | 6.7 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Resolution | 1290 x 2796 | 1440 x 3088 |
| Scan frequency | 120Hz | From 1Hz to 120Hz |
| Maximum brightness | Unknown | 1750 nit |
| Dust resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra both have luxurious and solid designs. Both have metal frames and Gorilla Glass. Both are IP68 water and dust resistant.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is slightly larger than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but 6g lighter. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also has a screen 0.1 inches larger than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Both have OLED screens with a 120Hz refresh rate, but the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a higher resolution and higher maximum brightness. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also has the ability to adapt the refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz depending on the displayed content, helping to save battery life and provide a smooth experience.
One big difference between the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the S Pen. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has an S Pen stylus built into the body, allowing you to write, draw, and perform smart actions on the screen. The S Pen also has Bluetooth connectivity for remote control. The iPhone 14 Pro Max doesn’t have an S Pen stylus or any compatible stylus.
Camera
| Criteria | iPhone 14 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Rear camera | 48MP + 12MP + 12MP | 200MP + 12MP + 10MP + 10MP |
| Front camera | 12MP | 12MP |
| Optical zoom | 3x | 10x |
| Digital zoom | 15x | 100x |
| Video recording | 4K@60fps | 8K@30fps |
iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra both have high-quality cameras. Both have three rear cameras, of which the main camera of the iPhone 14 Pro Max is 48MP, and the main camera of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is 200MP. This is the camera with the largest sensor on smartphones today, allowing more light and detail to be captured.
In addition to the main camera, both have a 12MP wide-angle camera that allows you to capture a variety of landscapes and people in the frame. The wide-angle camera of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also has optical stabilization and dual autofocus, allowing you to take clear and stable photos.
Both have telephoto cameras so you can zoom close to distant objects, but the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has two telephoto cameras while the iPhone 14 Pro Max has only one. The telephoto camera of the iPhone 14 Pro Max allows you to 3x optical zoom or up to 15x digital zoom. The telephoto camera of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra allows you to 10x optical zoom or up to 100x digital zoom. Both telephoto cameras have optical stabilization so you don’t get blurred when zooming.
Finally, both have a 12MP front camera, allowing you to take selfies in high quality and record 4K 60fps video. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also has an autofocus laser camera to help the device focus quickly and accurately.
Performance
| Criteria | iPhone 14 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple A16 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 6GB | 8GB / 12GB |
| Internal memory | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
| Memory card slot | Not | Have |
| Connect | 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, Lightning | 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, USB-C |
iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra both have powerful and smooth performance. Both are equipped with today’s flagship processors, the Apple A16 Bionic and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Both of these processors are manufactured in a 4nm process and integrate a powerful GPU . This processor allows both to handle heavy tasks such as gaming or video editing with ease.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has more RAM than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is 8GB or 12GB depending on the version. The iPhone 14 Pro Max only has 6GB of RAM. However, this does not mean that the iPhone 14 Pro Max is slower than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, as iOS is optimized to work efficiently with lower RAM.
Both have high internal storage, up to 1TB. However, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also has a memory card slot so you can expand the storage even further. iPhone 14 Pro Max does not have a memory card slot.
Both support 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC connectivity. You can access high-speed internet, connect to other wireless devices, and make mobile payments with ease. However, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a more convenient USB-C port than the Lightning port of the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Battery and charging
| Criteria | iPhone 14 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4,323mAh | 5,000mAh |
| Time of use | About 11 hours | About 12 hours |
| Wired charging | 20W | 45W |
| Wireless charging | 15W | 15W |
| Reverse wireless charging | Have | Have |
iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra both have long-lasting batteries and support fast wireless and wired charging. Both have wireless reverse charging capabilities so you can charge other devices like headphones or smartwatches.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a higher battery capacity than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is 5,000mAh compared to 4,323mAh. This allows the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to last longer than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, about 12 hours compared to about 11 hours .
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra also supports faster wired charging than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is 45W versus 20W. You can fully charge the battery of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in about 70 minutes , while the iPhone 14 Pro Max takes about 90 minutes . However, you need to purchase a fast charger for both machines separately, since there is only a charging cable in the box.
Both support wireless charging with a maximum power of 15W. You can use compatible wireless charging devices to conveniently charge both machines.
Conclude
iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are both high-end smartphones and worth buying. Both have beautiful designs, large screens, quality cameras, and powerful performance. However, both also have their own strengths and weaknesses.
If you like iOS and want to experience the best Apple A16 Bionic processor, you can choose the iPhone 14 Pro Max. If you like Android and want a groundbreaking 200MP camera experience, you can opt for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
If you care about price and internal storage, you can opt for the iPhone 14 Pro Max as it is about $100 cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra for the basic version. If you are interested in RAM and memory card slots, you can opt for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra because it has higher RAM and a memory card slot.
If you care about size and weight, you can opt for the iPhone 14 Pro Max because it is slightly more compact and lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. If you care about screen resolution and brightness, you can opt for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra because it has a higher-end display.
If you are interested in optical and digital zoom, you can choose the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra because it has a longer zoom than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. If you are interested in ProRAW mode and Action mode for the camera, you can choose the iPhone 14 Pro Max because it has these features.
If you care about battery capacity and fast charging, you can choose the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra because it has a long-lasting battery and charges faster than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. If you are interested in the S Pen and USB-C stylus, you can choose the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra because it has a built-in S Pen stylus and a convenient USB-C port.
Ultimately, your choice depends on your personal preferences and needs. You can look at the above criteria to decide which phone suits you better.
