Is iPhone 15 Pro Max or Galaxy S23 Ultra better?

So, if you are considering upgrading your phone and can't decide which one to buy, the following article will help you choose the best smartphone for your needs.

Design and display

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1. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm; 234 grams
2. iPhone 15 Pro Max : 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm; 221 grams

Both devices have a similar design to their predecessors, with some minor improvements. While the Galaxy S23 Ultra still has an aluminum frame, the iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a lighter, smooth titanium frame, replacing the stainless steel of its predecessor. This change makes the iPhone 15 Pro Max about 8% lighter than the 14 Pro Max.

iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display, thinner bezels, and Dynamic Island that expands when you receive an alert. Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen. Fancy brand terms aside, both models feature OLED panels with responsive refresh rate technology that can go up to 120Hz.

The S23 Ultra can deliver a peak brightness of up to 1,750 nits, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max's display can go up to 2,000 nits, making the latter a slightly better option if you spend most of your time outdoor space.

Samsung has perfected the S23 Ultra by minimizing curved edges and making them flatter. Unlike the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the S23 Ultra has a much smaller punch-hole cutout, giving the device a clearer display without disrupting your viewing experience.

Camera configuration

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1. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Main camera 200 MP f/1.7; 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide; 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom; 10MP f/4.9 telephoto periscope lens with 10x optical zoom; Front camera: 12 MP f/2.2
2. iPhone 15 Pro Max : 48MP f/1.8 primary, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; 12MP f/2.8 telephoto periscope lens with 5x optical zoom; 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera; Front camera: 12MP f/1.9

There is no doubt that camera hardware significantly influences most smartphone purchasing decisions. Galaxy S23 Ultra is the first Samsung phone with a 200MP main camera. It boasts images with impeccable detail, better low-light photography, and improved dynamic range. If you want to enhance your photography, check out the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra camera settings you need to change.

Although the main camera of the iPhone 15 Pro Max remains the same as its predecessor, Apple has introduced many features to take photos with impressive detail. You now have the option to personalize the main camera's default focal length, with choices including 24mm, 28mm or 35mm.

Both phones can shoot incredible videos, but the iPhone has a slight edge in terms of optical image stabilization, which makes video recording smoother. The S23 Ultra offers two telephoto lenses with optical zoom (3x and 10x). This provides flexibility for a variety of shooting situations, especially for zoomed shots. Similarly, the iPhone has a periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom.

If you value high resolution and flexible zoom options, the S23 Ultra may be a better choice. However, if you like fresher, more vivid colors and optical image stabilization, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be the perfect choice for you!

Internal hardware and performance

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1. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : Snapdragon 8 2nd generation; 4nm; Adreno 740 GPU
2. iPhone 15 Pro Max : A17 Pro; 3nm; 6-core GPU

iPhone 15 Pro Max is the first smartphone to use a 3nm chip and Apple claims the A17 Pro is up to 10% faster than its predecessor. It promises significant performance improvements, including a 20% faster GPU with hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing and a two-fold increase in neural engine speed.

Galaxy S23 Ultra is also equipped with an efficient and powerful Qualcomm chip, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. According to Samsung's claims, the 4nm chip helps increase CPU performance by 30% and improve GPU performance by 40%, while also delivering better performance. Better energy efficiency than its predecessors.

According to MacRumor's statement, the base version of the Galaxy S22 Ultra starts with 8GB of RAM and an optional 12GB variant is available, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max comes with 8GB of RAM. It's worth mentioning that previous iPhone models all had 6GB RAM. However, when it comes to multitasking, both devices deliver outstanding performance.

While the iPhone 15 Pro Max is definitely the better choice for gamers, you're unlikely to encounter any performance issues with either device during typical day-to-day use.

Battery life and charging capabilities

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1. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : 5000mAh battery; 45W wired fast charging; 15W wireless charging; 4.5W reverse wireless charging; Charge 70% in 30 minutes
2. iPhone 15 Pro Max : 4852mAh battery; 20W wired fast charging; MagSafe 15W wireless charging; 7.5W with Qi wireless charging; Charge 50% in 30 minutes

Luckily, battery life is not an issue on both the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. iPhone 15 Pro Max is said to have a larger battery than its predecessor. However, Apple claims it can handle up to 29 hours of video playback, on par with the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

When it comes to charging speed, the S23 Ultra has the edge thanks to its support for 45W wired charging. Unfortunately, Apple still limits fast charging to 20W on iPhone 15 Pro Max.

And unlike the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the S23 Ultra supports Wireless PowerShare, meaning it can reverse wirelessly charge another phone, Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Buds.

One of the most notable upgrades in the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the switch from Lightning port to USB-C. Thanks to the USB-C upgrade, you can now charge your Apple Watch or AirPods with your iPhone.

Pricing and storage options

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1. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra : $1,199 for 256GB; $1,379 for 512GB; $1619 for 1TB
2. iPhone 15 Pro Max : $1,199 for 256GB; $1,399 for 512GB; $1,599 for 1TB

Both the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max have a base storage capacity of 256GB. While 256GB tends to be more than enough for the average user, ask yourself how much storage you need on your smartphone before choosing 512GB or 1TB.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at $1,199 for the base version and goes up to $1,619. iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199 for the base version and goes up to $1,599.

Which flagship should I choose?

The choice between iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S23 Ultra ultimately comes down to personal preference and personal needs. Both devices have raised the bar with outstanding features, powerful performance and high-resolution cameras.

If you've been part of the Apple ecosystem for years and think it's time to upgrade, you won't regret buying the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, if you think it's time to switch to another platform, the article recommends you buy the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Lesley Montoya

Update 17 September 2023