He iPhone 15 pro max from Apple is one of the best premium smartphone options. It offers the latest and greatest from Apple, including the new A17 Pro chip, a fantastic camera system, a lightweight titanium body, an action button, and USB-C charging. This is a great package.
But there’s no doubt about it: the iPhone 15 Pro Max is also quite expensive, with a starting price of $1,200. It’s also not your only option if you want the best smartphone on the market, especially if you’re not particularly interested in the Apple ecosystem.
Before you go out and buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max, here are five other phones you should consider instead.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The most obvious alternative to Apple’s high-end iPhone is Samsung with Galaxy S24 Ultra.
With the S24 Ultra, you get an even larger 6.8-inch 2X LTPO AMOLED display with every spec imaginable. It has a dynamic refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz, supports HDR10+, a resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels at 505 pixels per inch (ppi), and reaches a maximum brightness of 2600 nits. Just looking at the display, the S24 Ultra is already better than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which has a pixel density of just 460 pixels per inch and a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. The S24 Ultra’s screen also looks amazing in practice.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra also features one of the most impressive quad-camera systems yet. It has a 200MP main camera, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, a 50MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera. While the iPhone 15 Pro Max supports 5x optical zoom, the S24 Ultra goes beyond it with higher resolution and dual telephoto lenses that let you capture more detailed close-ups. Additionally, the 200MP main camera is simply one of the best on the market.
The S24 Ultra has other benefits as well. Inside, you have the latest Galaxy Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, optimized specifically for Galaxy devices. This means slightly overclocked processing speeds and better power efficiency. It also has 12GB of RAM paired with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, so performance is lightning fast and never lags.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 5,000mAh battery can easily last at least a day and a half with moderate to heavy use. It also charges at 45W wired charging speed and 15W wireless speed. There’s also 4.5W reverse wireless charging, which the iPhone 15 Pro Max doesn’t have.
Another big advantage of the Galaxy S24 Ultra is its integration with the S Pen, which is useful for navigating the device, drawing and taking notes. It can also be used as a remote control, which is great for things like a remote shutter button. iPhone 15 Pro Max? This has nothing to do with the S Pen.
While it’s not for everyone, the features Galaxy AI from Samsung are an excellent argument in favor of the S24 line. These features include useful things like Live Translation, Circle for searching, and even generative photo editing tools. Some other features aren’t as useful, like Chat Assist, but having the latest AI-powered tools can make life easier.
You’ll pay a pretty penny for the Galaxy S24 Ultra ($1,300 to be exact), but if you’re ready to take the plunge into the world of Android, it’s a great alternative to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
OnePlus 12
If you want something different from the Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy devices, OnePlus has great options for less money. This includes the company’s latest release, OnePlus 12.
The OnePlus 12 features a stunning 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED display with 510 PPI density and a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate. The display also features curved edges for an even more immersive experience. Of course, this means that you may experience accidental touches and actions due to the curved edges, but it just takes some getting used to.
OnePlus makes phones with impressive specs, and the OnePlus 12 is no exception. You have a chip inside Snapdragon 8 3rd generation, as well as 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on the storage option you choose. This is definitely more than the iPhone 15 Pro Max with 8GB of RAM, making the OnePlus 12 a clear performance beast.
If you want a great smartphone camera, the OnePlus 12 has that too. It has a 50MP main camera, a 64MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera. The selfie camera resolution is also 32MP, which is higher than most competitors. As if that weren’t enough, the OnePlus 12 features Hasselblad Color Adjustment to improve overall color profiles and white balance in photos for lifelike results.
Finally, the OnePlus 12 is incredibly reliable when it comes to battery life. The 5,400mAh battery can last for about two days, and it even supports 80W fast wired charging and 50W wireless charging. You get all this for a starting price of $800, which is $400 less than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
If you want a clean and simple Android phone without any additional UI tweaks, you should consider Google Pixel 8 Pro.
With Pixel devices, you get a pure Android experience similar to iOS. The Pixel 8 Pro uses Google’s custom Tensor G3 chip, delivering better performance and power efficiency than previous Pixel models. Although previous generations of the Tensor chip had overheating issues, these have been significantly reduced in the G3. Plus, with 12GB of RAM, it won’t have any problems with anything you throw at it.
The Pixel 8 Pro also has a fantastic camera. It features a 50MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 48MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. For selfies, there is a 10.5 MP front camera. While the Pixel 8 Pro may not be as tall as the S24 Ultra, it excels at capturing true-to-life photos. It’s hard to take a bad photo on a Pixel device, and that’s absolutely true of the Pixel 8 Pro.
The Pixel 8 Pro is also a good AI smartphone option. Do you want to remove unwanted objects in images or move people? The Magic Editor will help you. Need to call your cable company to speak with a customer service representative? The Pixel 8 Pro can make calls for you and hold your place in line until someone can talk to you.
Google released the Pixel 8 Pro for $999 last October, but it’s often discounted even less these days, making it a great option if you want a flagship phone that won’t break the bank on your wallet.
iPhone 15 pro
Okay, look: the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a great phone, and some people will always use Apple devices, but its size is a little… bulky. If this is your case, you might want to take a look at iPhone 15 pro less.
The iPhone 15 Pro offers almost the same features as the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It features an always-on 120Hz ProMotion display, an A17 Pro processor, 8GB of RAM, an action button, and USB-C charging. It also features a triple-lens camera system, so you can still take great photos and videos.
The main difference is that the iPhone 15 Pro has a much more manageable 6.1-inch screen that’s easier to use with one hand. The iPhone 15 Pro also doesn’t have the new tetraprism telephoto lens found on the Pro Max model, so it only offers 3x optical zoom instead of 5x. Also, since the iPhone 15 Pro is more compact, it has a smaller battery, so it won’t last as long as the Pro Max. But if you have a big battery with you, I’m sure you can handle it.
In the world of Android smartphones, there are many alternatives to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but if you want an iPhone, give the regular iPhone 15 Pro a chance. You’ll get most of the same features as the 15 Pro Max, it’ll be easier on you, and you’ll save some money in the process. What’s not to like about it?
iPhone 15 plus
If you really want a larger iPhone like the iPhone 15 Pro Max but want to save some money, consider iPhone 15 plus instead of.
With the iPhone 15 Plus, you still get a large 6.7-inch screen, although the Plus model is a regular OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate cap, and it’s not always on. However, you still have the big screen legacy and sometimes that’s what really matters. The iPhone 15 Plus has a larger battery, so it should last all day, if not for a while.
Apple gave the regular iPhone 15 models a big boost this year with the introduction of Dynamic Island, a 48MP main camera, and USB-C charging. The iPhone 15 Plus doesn’t have a telephoto lens, but it still has a great dual-camera system. And while it only features the A16 Bionic chip that debuted in the iPhone 14 Pro, it’s still a very fast and powerful chip that should be more than enough to handle your everyday tasks.
Although the iPhone 15 Plus doesn’t have a titanium design like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple has changed the rear glass. Instead of a glossy finish, Apple has switched to a new frosted glass with colored finishes. It’s much more comfortable to hold, doesn’t show fingerprints as much, and overall looks great. Although the colors are mostly muted, pink looks fantastic.
But the best part is that the iPhone 15 Plus starts at just $899. a lot of more affordable than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and you still get a big screen, long battery life, 48MP camera, Dynamic Island, iOS 17, and USB-C charging while saving you a few hundred dollars.
Source: Digital Trends
