Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

prologue

This article is part of a new series that briefly outlines how to compare some of the most popular smartphones head-to-head based on our review results. But it’s still original content that I hope will bring value to anyone looking for their next smartphone.

If you’re looking for a large, high-end smartphone in 2023, perhaps the most popular dilemma is between the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. The two big-screen smartphones have a lot of features, but the prices are also attractive to match.

You can compare full spec sheets and see our editors’ ratings below.

Whichever you choose, you’ll get the latest and greatest that each company has to offer. So let’s play them against each other and see if we can find a winner.

size comparison

The numbers speak for themselves, with the Galaxy S23 Ultra being the larger phone of the two. However, while the difference is within a few millimeters, the higher screen-to-body ratio makes for an absolutely larger display, so the screen area will increase slightly.

You can use the link below to compare the size of the two smartphones in 3D view.

Admittedly, both handsets are pretty cumbersome. They are large enough to make one-handed operation difficult.

However, the feel in hand is quite different. His blocky iPhone design and sharp steel edges aren’t the most comfortable grip, but they make up for a more secure grip. The S23 Ultra, on the other hand, is a bit slippery, but thanks to its rounded edges, it’s much more comfortable to use.

Display comparison

When it comes to display hardware, Samsung’s phones offer higher resolutions, larger diagonals and are curved on the sides for a more comfortable grip and gesture execution.

The Pro Max boasts fairly high brightness in both manual and automatic modes. It also beats the S23 Ultra’s HDR video standard with Dolby Vision, but the Galaxy has “settled” on HDR10+.

Both screens have excellent color accuracy as long as you select the appropriate color mode.

Most users will get a similar visual experience on either phone. Yes, the iPhone maxes out at 1,760 nits, so it might look a little better in direct sunlight, but the S23 Ultra’s 1,274 nits are also pretty respectable. Also, these numbers don’t mean that the iPhone will be about 40% brighter. That’s not how knitting works. The important thing is that in both cases you get a sufficiently bright display that provides a good viewing experience outdoors.

battery life

The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a much smaller battery pack, but the phone shows exceptional durability. Apple achieves this through numerous hardware and software optimizations, squeezing impressive screen-on runtime from a fairly small 4,323 mAh battery.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra, on the other hand, has a slightly higher overall score due to longer standby and call execution times. This is mostly due to the larger 5,000 mAh cell. Still, it lags behind the 14 Pro Max when it comes to video playback and browsing runtime.

charging speed

Frankly, neither of the two phones are particularly fast when it comes to charging, especially given the vast majority of Android phones that have come out in the last two years. The Galaxy S23 Ultra can reach up to 45W in Power Delivery when paired with a suitable charger, while the 14 Pro Max is capped at 27W (unofficial figure), but mileage depends on the charger you use. It depends on

The Galaxy S23 Ultra was well ahead of its rivals, reaching a full charge in less than an hour, and the 14 Pro Max running out of cells in just under two hours. In our 30-minute charge test, the S23 Ultra regained 68% of its juice, while the Pro Max only recovered 48% of its charge, so we brought them a little closer together.

speaker test

Both devices each have a pair of stereo loudspeakers and are pretty close when it comes to overall quality and loudness. There’s very little difference between the two handsets as they provide a great listening experience.

Still, we find the Galaxy S23 Ultra to have better sound quality. Vocals are clearer and tracks sound a bit flatter, catering to people who are more critical of their sound settings. It sounds. Sometimes it’s even unnecessary.

performance

The two smartphones run on completely different chipsets despite being built using the 4nm manufacturing node with similar power efficiency. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 tuned for Galaxy smartphones, while the 14 Pro Max uses Apple’s custom A16 Bionic chip.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has an unusual CPU configuration of 1+2+2+3 (1×3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex- A510). The Adreno 740 GPU handles GPU-intensive tasks.

The A16 Bionic chipset features a traditional 2+4 CPU configuration consisting of 2×3.46 GHz Everest + 4×2.02 GHz Sawtooth cores. A custom Apple GPU with 5 cores is used for graphics rendering.

The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 shows excellent GPU performance and even leads in combination scenarios such as AnTuTu 9. However, pure CPU-bound tests show the superiority of the Bionic A16 despite the hexa-core configuration. Measurably fast for single-core and multi-core workloads.

Ultimately, however, the two devices are powerful enough to smoothly run almost anything you can find in their respective app stores. It’s going to be pretty hard to tell which one is better for standard daily use. Our best guess is that you won’t notice a difference.

There is also a discussion of software optimization. Some users may find iOS more optimized and fluent than Samsung’s Android-based One UI. But in the end, not many people notice the difference. It mostly comes down to personal software preferences.

Both manufacturers have a similar number of major software updates in the future and have a pretty good track record of keeping their promises in that regard.

camera comparison

Camera comparisons are multifaceted and a bit tricky depending on your taste. Both phones take great shots and record really great video. Everything you would expect from a mobile phone seems subdued. But Samsung and Apple think differently about photography.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra camera sample: 0.6x • 1x • 3x • 10x

More samples and a detailed analysis can be found in our Galaxy S23 Ultra review.

Let’s just say Samsung’s processing style will likely appeal to the majority due to its vibrant aesthetic. . Samsung photos are definitely suitable for social media.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max camera sample: 0.6x • 1x • 2x • 3x

More samples and a detailed analysis can be found in our iPhone 14 Pro Max review.

The same applies to low light photos. For Samsung, the artificially added sharpness during processing makes it look like it was rendered on a computer. That’s not a bad thing at all, but some people might find it less attractive. In this case, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the more “natural” choice, literally and figuratively speaking.

Apple is a little more conservative in this regard. Still, it can be argued that Samsung can do both. The Expert RAW app is tailored for those who want to do their own post-processing and get the most out of the S23 Ultra’s camera hardware.

Get a glimpse of how the image comparison tool compares the image quality of the iPhone 14 Pro Max main camera and the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Here’s how the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s main camera compares to the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s video quality in our video comparison tool:

Image quality complications aside, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is objectively a more versatile camera phone. But the S23 Ultra has a 10x periscope camera, so it has an extra focal length.

Video recording is where the iPhone 14 Pro Max shines. Overall, video quality has improved, but the Galaxy S23 has a good value-for-money run when it comes to stability.

verdict

As is usually the case with Android and iOS phones, it all comes down to personal preference. The S23 Ultra stands out with an S Pen, an extra zoom camera, fast charging, and the iPhone relies on advanced Face ID for unlocking (which some people prefer). A software ecosystem compatible with dozens of other devices, it has arguably the best video recording capabilities on smartphones today.

If you’re a user looking to switch to Android, the S23 Ultra should definitely be at the top of your list. screen. Both companies have come a long way, and personal taste will be the determining factor.