iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Which Phone is Right for You?

After extensively comparing the two leading competitors, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max, side by side for many days, I will tell you which is the best right now! So, without further ado, let’s dive into the article that reveals the winner in the iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra showdown.

In this article, we’ll speculate on these two flagship models based on various factors such as design, materials, software, battery, charging, storage, RAM, performance, and more. Let’s dive right in without delay.

👉 iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Specifications Comparison

Before heading to a detailed comparison of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, let’s take a sneak peek at the specifications each of them comes with.

Specs	iPhone 15 Pro Max	Galaxy S23 Ultra
CPU	A17 Pro	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Storage	256GB, 512GB, 1TB	256GB, 512GB, 1TB
RAM	8GB	8GB, 12 GB
Display	6.7-inch OLED	6.8 inches OLED
Refresh rate	120Hz adaptive	120Hz adaptive
Size	6.29 x 3.02 x 0.32 inches	6.4 x 3.0 x 0.35 inches
Weight	7.8 ounces	8.2 ounces
Rear cameras	Main: 48MP, Ultrawide: 12MP, Telephoto: 12MP w/ 5x zoom	Main: 200MP, Ultrawide: 12MP, Telephoto: 10MP w/ 3x zoom 10x, telephoto: 10MP
Front camera	12MP	12MP
Battery	4,422 mAh	5,000 mAh
Charging	USB-C 25W wired MagSafe	USB-C 25W wired 15W wireless, Reverse wireless
Colors	Natural Titanium, Black Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium	Phantom Black, Lavender, Cream, Green
Price	$1,199 (base model)	$1,199 (base model)

👉 iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Design Comparison

The iPhone 15 Pro Max features an attractive, bezel-less design with cozy rounded corners. Notably, it has a sturdy titanium construction that replaces the stainless steel of the iPhone 14 Pro Max and provides strength and lightness in comparison to the aluminum of the S23 Ultra.

When talking about size, the iPhone 15 Pro Max measures 6.29 x 3.02 x 0.32 inches and weighs 7.8 ounces, making it more compact and lighter than the S23 Ultra, which comes in at 6.4 x 3.0 x 0.35 inches and 8.2 ounces. However, the S23 Ultra boasts a slightly larger display and includes a built-in S Pen.

Moreover, the screen of the S23 Ultra has curved edges, which I personally like despite the possibility of accidental touches on occasion. I can observe more clearly because of these curves, maximizing the use of my smartphone. Furthermore, while contrasting these two flagship cell phones, I prefer the Samsung’s smaller punch hole in the display to the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s Dynamic Island.

👉 iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Display Comparison

The iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S23 Ultra both have excellent OLED displays. The iPhone’s screen is slightly smaller at 6.7 inches compared to the Galaxy’s 6.8 inches, but they both offer vibrant colors and a 120Hz refresh rate. In my side-by-side test, I noticed that the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s screen was slightly brighter, reaching 1,500 nits in HDR content, whereas the Galaxy S23 Ultra reached 1,444 nits. Indoors, the 15 Pro Max appeared brighter, but Samsung’s adaptive brightness had an advantage in direct sunlight.

Regarding color accuracy, the Galaxy S23 Ultra performed better in sRGB and DCI-P3 tests, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s colors were more accurate in our Delta-E test. I appreciate that Samsung provides various color profiles, but when it comes to content viewing, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s screen appeared superior, with higher contrast and depth in subjects, as seen in the movie trailer.

Below, I’ve included the test results I conducted using both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung S23 Ultra in a table format for reference.

Specifications	iPhone 15 Pro Max	Galaxy S23 Ultra
Max brightness (HDR)	1,550 nits	1,444 nits
DCI-P3	84.5%	78% / 136.7 (Vivid)
Delta-E (lower is better)	0.14	0.3
sRGB	119%	112% / 193% (Vivid)

👉 iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Camera Comparison

When it comes to the cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung S23 Ultra, they each have their unique camera features. While the iPhone brings some cool camera upgrades, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, on the other hand, also boasts impressive specs, especially in terms of camera resolution.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max sticks with its impressive 48MP main camera from the previous model but has some cool enhancements. You can now customize default focal lengths and enjoy a new 24MP default photo size.

Plus, there are improvements to the Photonic Engine and Smart HDR. The big change is the addition of a 5.0X periscope camera for 120mm zoom. Apple’s updated Photonic Engine and enhanced HDR promise even better photos and depth data for portraits in regular photos. However, it falls short in zoom capabilities compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S23 Ultra wows with its massive 200MP camera featuring a large ISOCELL HP2 sensor. It can produce detailed 50MP photos in good light and 12.5MP photos in low-light conditions.

👉 iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Performance Comparison

Comparing the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max, both are speedy smartphones, but the iPhone takes the lead thanks to its A17 Pro chip. This chip is significant as the first 3nm phone processor with more transistors, boosting its performance.

Specifically, the iPhone 15 Pro Max scored an impressive 2,700 for single-core and 6,900 for multi-core on Geekbench, a renowned performance benchmark. In contrast, the Galaxy S23 Ultra lagged with a halved single-core speed and 34% slower multi-core speed.

Graphical performance was close. In the 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited test, the iPhone achieved 92 frames per second, while the Samsung managed 87 fps. However, the iPhone excelled in video editing, transcoding a 4K film to 1080p in just 24.5 seconds, 15 seconds faster than the S23 Ultra, showcasing its real-world capability.

👉 iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Battery Life Comparison

In my battery test, the iPhone 15 Pro Max outlasted the Galaxy S23 Ultra while web surfing on 5G at full brightness. The iPhone lasted an impressive 14 hours and 2 minutes. On the other hand, the Samsung flagship managed 13 hours and 9 minutes in 60Hz mode and 12 hours and 22 minutes in adaptive mode, which is the default setting and cannot be changed on the iPhone.

Interestingly, even though the Galaxy S23 Ultra couldn’t match the iPhone’s endurance, it had a faster charging capability. Using a 45W charger, the Samsung reached 57% battery in just 30 minutes. In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, with a 20W charger, only reached 41% in the same half-hour timeframe.

👉 iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Price and value

When it comes to the cost of Apple and Samsung’s flagship phones, both are quite expensive. The base model of the iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199 and includes 256GB of storage. There are alternatives for 512GB at $1,399 or a hefty 1TB at $1,599 if you need more storage.

Conversely, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra begins at $1,199 with 256GB of storage. If you want additional capacity, you may choose between 512GB at $1,379 and a whopping 1TB at $1,619.

👉 iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Special features and software

When comparing the smart features of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, it’s clear that the iPhone has an advantage.

The new Action Button integration is a game-changer for iPhone users. It allows for customization to launch specific features, although its functionality is somewhat limited at the moment. However, there’s optimism for future improvements. Additionally, the Dynamic Island feature looks cool and proves highly useful when using various apps. On the other hand, the standout feature of the S23 Ultra is its S Pen. Included with the device, it enables note-taking, sketching, and precise photo edits, making it a valuable tool. Another handy feature is multi-window, which allows running two applications simultaneously on the screen, making multitasking a breeze.

FAQs

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