Two of the most advanced smartphones on the market will be compared in this article: the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max. These devices stand out from the competition because of their top-notch specifications and cutting-edge features. We will compare each device’s design, display, hardware, software, camera, battery life, and pricing to decide which one is better so you can choose the one that best meets your needs. For a detailed comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, read on if you’re not sure which of these phones is best for you.
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Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
| Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|
| Price: 1,27,999 | Price: 1,24,999 |
DISPLAY
The Super Retina XDR OLED display of the iPhone 14 Pro Max features a 6.7-inch diagonal, 1290 x 2796 pixel resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10 certification, Dolby Vision support, and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits. Face ID technology is utilized for 3D facial recognition instead of an in-display fingerprint reader.
On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X display boasts a 6.8-inch diagonal, 1440 x 3088-pixel resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ certification, and a peak brightness of 1,800 nits. The S23 Ultra is the only device with an in-display fingerprint reader for authentication and supports a pen.
| 6.7 inch | 6.8 inch |
| 120Hz HDR10 Dolby Vision LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
120Hz HDR10+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| Ceramic Shield glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
Body
The iPhone 14 Pro Max boasts a stylish and sleek design, featuring a stainless steel frame and glass back. Its display includes a Dynamic Island – a pill-shaped punch hole located at the center of the top portion of the screen that doubles as a secondary display for basic information while housing the hardware sensors for facial recognition and the front camera. The device is also IP68 certified for water and dust resistance up to a depth of 6 meters.
In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is also IP68 certified for water and dust resistance, with a premium glass design and metal frame. Its curved screen with minimal bezels creates a sleek and modern look, although the glass back design is less iconic than the iPhone.
| Weight: 240 g | 234 g |
| Stainless steel frame Glass front (Corning-made glass) Glass back (Corning-made glass) |
Aluminum frame Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2) Glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) |
IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
Performance
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is equipped with the Hexa-core Apple A16 Bionic chipset. Its operating system, iOS 16, is known for delivering seamless performance and a user-friendly interface.
On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is powered by the octa-core Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform. The device runs on Android 13 with Samsung’s custom One UI.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max performs better due to the superior optimization of iOS.
However, choosing between the two devices should also take into consideration personal preferences and familiarity with the operating system.
| iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 16.4 | Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | |
| Hexa-core (2×3.46 GHz Everest + 4×2.02 GHz Sawtooth) |
Octa-core (1×3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Adreno 740 |
| 6/128GB, 6/256GB, 6/512GB, 6/1TB | 8/256GB, 12/256GB, 12/512GB, 12/1TB |
Connectivity
| NFC | NFC |
| 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G | 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G |
| SIM1: Nano SIM2: Nano (Hybrid) |
SIM1: Nano SIM2: Nano (Hybrid) |
| NFC | NFC |
| Bluetooth: 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
GPS, GLONASS GALILEO, BDS |
| Lightning, USB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 dual-band, hotspot |
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
Camera
Both phones have an outstanding camera: which one is the best? It mostly depends on the scenario and it is definitely a tough fight.
Back Camera
| 48 MP f/1.78 (Main) | 200 MP 24mm, 1/1.3″, 0.6µm, Laser AF f/1.7 (Wide Angle) |
| 12 MP f/2.2 (Ultra Wide) | 10 MP 230mm, 1/3.52″, 1.12µm,10x optical zoom f/4.9 (Telephoto) |
| 12 MP f/1.78 (Telephoto) | 10 MP 70mm, 1/3.52″, 3x optical zoom f/2.4 (Telephoto) |
| NA | 12 MP 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, Super Steady video f/2.2 (Ultra Wide) |
| Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video- [email protected]/25/30/60fps, [email protected]/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, Cinematic mode ([email protected]/30fps), stereo sound rec. |
Video- [email protected]/30fps, [email protected]/60fps, [email protected]/60/240fps, [email protected], HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
Front Camera
| 12 MP f/1.9 with Retina Flash SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
12 MP 26mm, Dual Pixel PDAF f/2.2 (Wide Angle) with Screen Flash |
| HDR, Cinematic mode ([email protected]/30fps) | Dual video call, Auto-HDR, HDR10+ |
| [email protected]/25/30/60fps, [email protected]/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
[email protected]/60fps, [email protected] |
Other
iPhone 14 Pro Max has Face ID technology for 3D facial recognition instead of an in-display fingerprint reader. on the other hand, Galaxy S23 Ultra has an in-display fingerprint reader for authentication. Note that the S23 Ultra is the only one supporting a pen.
| Battery, Charger: 4323 mAh 29W Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 7.5W wireless (Qi) |
Battery, Charger: 5000 mAh 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Sensors: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
Sensors: Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Ultra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving) |
Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support |
| Color: Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple |
Color: Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition |
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