Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of the best smartphones of 2023. There’s a reason this is one of our favorite phones, mainly thanks to its versatile camera system, good battery life and excellent screen.
But there’s a new competitor in town: the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple’s new iPhone offers improved optical zoom capabilities that can challenge the Galaxy S23 Ultra. It also features a streamlined design using manufacturing materials that are designed to last. We put the iPhone 15 Pro Max in the ring with the Galaxy S23 Ultra, considering everything we know and what we’ve learned about them so far.
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: specifications
| iPhone 15 pro max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra | |
| Size | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25 mm | 157.7 x 78 x 8.9 mm |
| Weight | 221 grams | 234 grams |
| Screen size | 6.7″ OLED display with ProMotion (120Hz dynamic frequency) | 6.8″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X (120Hz dynamic frequency) |
| Screen resolution | Resolution 2796 x 1290 at 460 pixels per inch. | Resolution 3088 x 1440 at 500 ppi |
| OS | iOS 17 | Android 13 with One UI 5.1 |
| Storage | 2556 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| MicroSD card slot | No | No |
| One-touch payment services | Apple Pay | Google Pay, Samsung Pay. |
| CPU | Apple A17 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB, 12 GB |
| Cameras | Rear: Main 48 MP, ultra-wide-angle 12 MP and telephoto 12 MP.
Frontal: 12 MP |
Rear: main 200 MP with laser autofocus, ultra-wide-angle 12 MP and telephoto 10 MP.
Frontal: 12 MP |
| video | Rear: 4K at 24, 25, 30 or 60 fps, FHD up to 60 fps and slow motion.
Frontal: 4K@60fps |
Rear: 8K at 30 frames per second (frames per second), 4K at 60 fps, FHD at 120 fps and 960 fps for slow motion.
Frontal: 4K@60fps |
| Bluetooth | Yes, Bluetooth 5.3 | Yes, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Ports | USB-C | USB-C |
| Biometric systems | Face ID | Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor and facial recognition |
| Waterproof | IP68 | IP68 |
| Battery | N/A 20W charging wireless charger No reverse wireless charging. |
5000 mAh Super fast charging 2.0 with a power of 45 W. Fast wireless charging 2.0 Reverse wireless charging |
| App Store | Apple App Store | Google Play Store |
| Network support | 5G | 5G |
| Colors | Black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium and natural titanium. | Phantom black, cream, green and lavender |
| Price | From $1199 | From $1199 |
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: design and display
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The iPhone 15 Pro Max uses glass and titanium as design materials. For years, the iPhone Pro Max has been one of the heaviest phones on the market, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max sheds almost 20 grams and weighs just 221 grams. In contrast, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a glass and aluminum design, which is why it weighs 234 grams. Both smartphones are protected from water and dust according to the IP68 standard.
Moving forward, you’ll see the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch screen compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 6.8-inch screen. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a brighter display that can reach 2,000 nits, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra has 1,750 nits. Both smartphones support a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate and enough pixels on the screen to make content look sharp.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max had major ergonomic issues, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra was more comfortable to use in comparison. Apple says it has improved the ergonomics of the new iPhone with slightly curved edges. Additionally, the reduced weight will likely result in better hand feel. While the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers a fingerprint sensor for authentication, you get Face ID with the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: performance, battery life and charging
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is powered by Apple’s own A17 Pro chipset, manufactured using a 3nm process technology. It has a 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU, and a 16-core neural engine. Apple says you can play console games on your iPhone, which would be a first for any phone. Additionally, you get 256GB in the base variant, just like the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The Samsung flagship is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Galaxy chipset, which performed well in our review. We have not encountered any delays or stuttering Nowadays I use S23 Ultra. However, the GPU performance on the iPhone seems to be better. Both the smartphones offer three storage options: 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.
Apple didn’t make any major claims about battery life when it announced the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Some members of the Digital Trends team had a below-average experience with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, especially compared to the excellent battery life of the iPhone 13 Pro Max. While it has improved in recent months, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s battery life has improved, although not significantly. In contrast, the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers better battery life.
By the way, the Galaxy S23 Ultra charges faster – 45 W, compared to 20 W for the iPhone 15 Pro Max. You won’t find a charger in the box with either of these phones, but you’ll now be able to charge your new iPhone using any Android charging cable since the Lightning port has been replaced with USB-C.
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: cameras
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iPhone 15 pro max - 2.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has the most versatile camera of any smartphone. It features a 200MP main camera, two 10MP telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens. This is one of our favorite phones to take on vacation because of its vibrant colors and great zoom capabilities.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is taking part in the competition for the best Samsung phone with 5x optical zoom. Talking about the numbers, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a triple rear camera setup with a 48MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 12MP telephoto lens. HDR in photos has clearly improved with the new iPhones. You also get an updated portrait mode, where the phone captures depth data in every photo so you can turn a regular photo into a portrait in the Photos app.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra takes good video, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max does a better job. Plus, you can record videos on your new iPhone directly to external storage. On the front of both phones, you will see a 12-megapixel selfie camera.
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: Software and Updates
Apple typically offers six years of iOS updates for its phones. The iPhone 15 Pro Max comes with iOS 17 and you should receive updates until 2029. As for Samsung, the company has a 4+5 year update policy where the phone will receive four years of Android OS updates and five years of security patches. It will last you a year less than the iPhone.
As for the operating system, it is a personal choice on the part of the operating system. While iOS gives you the benefits of Apple’s ecosystem, we don’t like the fact that it doesn’t support multiple windows or pop-ups, which are available in Samsung’s One UI. However, you won’t have any major problems using iOS or Android.
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: features
Both phones have special features that we haven’t talked about yet. iPhone 15 Pro Max features Dynamic Island and Live Activity for an intuitive user experience. It also offers an action button that can be customized for specific tasks, which is also possible with the S23 Ultra’s side key.
On the other hand, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the only flagship phone with a built-in stylus, which is located inside the body of the smartphone. It’s really useful for taking selfies and also for taking notes. Oh, and you can take 100x zoom images and moon photos with the Galaxy S23 Ultra, something not yet possible on the iPhone.
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: price and availability
The 256GB iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra is now discounted after launching at the same $1,199 price.
Both smartphones are available at major retailers and mobile phone manufacturing companies. The new iPhone 15 Pro Max already went on sale on September 22 last year.
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: time to upgrade?
iPhone 15 Pro Max features an upgraded processor and a new telephoto lens for improved zoom capabilities, and also offers software updates for HDR and portrait photography. You also get a brighter screen and Dynamic Island. On the other hand, the Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a phone with a more versatile camera setup, S Pen support, moon photos, and better multitasking software.
If you already have a Galaxy S23 Ultra, there’s no point in buying the iPhone 15 Pro Max. But if you’ve been thinking about switching from Android to iOS, the new iPhone is a great opportunity to do so because it’s more than just an iterative upgrade.
Source: Digital Trends
