Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max Comparison and Differences

Smartphone 1

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Smartphone 2

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Smartphone 3

Differences between Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max - Which to Choose?

Today, we're going to compare two of the hottest smartphones on the market - the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max. You might be wondering which one is better and which one you should choose. Don't worry; I'm here to help you make an informed decision! So, let's dive into the main differences between these two giants.

First, let's talk about the screen. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 1440 x 3088 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Pro Max sports a slightly smaller 6.7-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED screen with a resolution of 1290 x 2796 pixels and also a 120Hz refresh rate. So, if you're into watching videos or playing games on your phone, you might find the Galaxy S23 Ultra's larger and sharper screen more appealing.

Next up is the camera. The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a fantastic quad-camera setup with a whopping 200 MP primary sensor! It also includes three other cameras for telephoto, periscope telephoto, and ultrawide shots. The iPhone 14 Pro Max features a triple-camera system with a 48 MP primary sensor, a telephoto lens, and an ultrawide lens. Both phones have impressive camera capabilities, but the Galaxy S23 Ultra's 200 MP sensor might give you an edge if photography is your passion.

Now, let's discuss performance. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset with an octa-core CPU, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max comes with Apple's A16 Bionic chip and a hexa-core CPU. Although both phones are super fast, the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers more RAM options, with up to 12GB of RAM, compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max's 6GB of RAM. This means the Galaxy S23 Ultra might perform better when multitasking or running memory-intensive apps.

Battery life is another crucial aspect to consider. The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a 5000mAh battery and supports 45W fast charging, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 4323mAh battery with MagSafe fast wireless charging. While both phones will get you through the day, the Galaxy S23 Ultra's larger battery capacity might last longer, especially when using power-hungry apps or gaming.

In terms of storage, both smartphones offer multiple options, starting at 128GB and going up to 1TB. However, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra provides more RAM configurations, which can be helpful for heavy users. It's important to note that neither phone has a memory card slot, so you'll have to choose your storage size wisely.

Design and build quality are pretty similar for both devices, with glass fronts and backs, and sturdy frames. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra uses Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for added protection, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max has Ceramic Shield glass. Both phones are water and dust resistant, with the iPhone 14 Pro Max having a slightly higher resistance rating (up to 6m for 30 mins) compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra (up to 1.5m for 30 mins).

Lastly, the price. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at 1400 EUR, whereas the iPhone 14 Pro Max begins at 1499 EUR. Depending on your budget, you may find one more affordable than the other. However, it's essential to consider the features and performance you're getting for the price.

So, which one should you choose? It really depends on your personal preferences and priorities. If you're a fan of a larger and sharper screen, better battery life, more RAM options, and an exceptional camera, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra might be the phone for you. On the other hand, if you're an Apple enthusiast who values design, build quality, and seamless integration with other Apple devices, the iPhone 14 Pro Max could be your perfect match.

At the end of the day, both the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max are fantastic smartphones, and you can't go wrong with either choice. Think about what matters most to you and how you'll be using your phone daily, and you'll find the best option that suits your needs.


Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max Specs Comparison

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Common specs

Brand and model Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Rating (+21) (+5)
Release date 2023, February 01 2022, September 07
Dimensions (HxWxD) 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm | 6.43 x 6.43 x 3.07 in 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm | 6.33 x 6.33 x 3.06 in
Weight 234 g | 8.25 oz 240 g | 8.47 oz
Body Build Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame
Colors Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Lavender, Graphite, Sky Blue, Lime, Red, BMW M Edition Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
Battery 5000 mAh, Li-Ion, non-removable 4323 mAh, Li-Ion, non-removable
Approximate price 1400 EUR 1499 EUR

Screen

Technology Dynamic AMOLED 2X LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED
Touchscreen capacitive touchscreen capacitive touchscreen
Display colors 16M 16M
Screen size 6.8" inc 6.7" inc
Screen area 114.7 cm2 110.2 cm2
Screen format 19.5:9 (height:width)
Screen to body ratio 89.9% 88.3%
Screen resolution 1440 x 3088 px 1290 x 2796 px
Screen PPI /points per inch/ 500 PPI 460 PPI
Screen protection Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Ceramic Shield glass
Other specs - 120Hz
-HDR10+
-1750 nits (peak)
-1200 nits (HBM)
-Always-on display
- 120Hz
-HDR10
-Dolby Vision
-1000 nits (typ)
-2000 nits (HBM)
-Always-On display

Camera and Video

Rear camera, main 200 MP, Quad 48 MP, Triple
Camera specs -200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
-10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom
-10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
-12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
-48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS
-12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
-12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF
-TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Functions LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Video 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, Cinematic mode (4K@24/30fps), stereo sound rec.
DxOMark Main Score 140 146
DxOMark Photo 139 143
DxOMark Video 137 149
Front camera, selfie 12 MP, Single 12 MP, Single
Specifications 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF, OIS
SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Functions Dual video call, Auto-HDR, HDR10+ HDR, Cinematic mode (4K@24/30fps)
Video 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
DxOMark Selfie Score 141 145
DxOMark Photo 139 139
DxOMark Video 145 154

Performance

Operating system - OS Android 13, One UI 5.1 iOS 16
Chipset - Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) - Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm)
Processor CPU - Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) - Hexa-core (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth)
Graphics processor GPU Adreno 740 Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
External memory No No
Internal memory 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM

Benchmark

Antutu 10 Total 1530695 1442590
Antutu 10 CPU 377291 376051
Antutu 10 GPU 595608 470781
Antutu 10 Mem 286984 268247
Antutu 10 UX 377291 376051
Antutu 9 Total 1287951 973003
GeekBench 6 Single Core 1883 2544
GeekBench 6 Multi Core 4993 6464
GeekBench 6 OpenCL 8807
GeekBench 6 Vulkan 5815
GeekBench 6 Metal 22383
GeekBench 5 Single Core 1396 1872
GeekBench 5 Multi-Core 4882 5349

Communication and Connectivity

SIM card Nano-SIM and eSIMDual SIM (2 Nano-SIMs and eSIM, dual stand-by) Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and eSIM) or Dual eSIM - International
Dual eSIM with multiple numbers - USA
Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) - China
Network GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
Bands -2G - GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (Dual SIM model only) 
CDMA 800 / 1900 & TD-SCDMA
-3G - HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100  
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
-4G - LTE
-5G - SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
-2G - GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM) 
CDMA 800 / 1900
-3G - HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100  
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
-4G - LTE
-5G - SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
Speed HSPA, LTE-A (CA), 5G HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
GPRS Yes Yes
Edge Yes Yes
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
GPS GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO Yes, with dual-band A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
NFC Yes Yes
USB USB Type-C 3.2, USB On-The-Go Lightning, USB 2.0
Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP, LE 5.3, A2DP, LE
Harmful irradiation SAR - 1.12 W/kg (head) 0.92 W/kg (body)
SAR EU - 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.40 W/kg (body)
SAR - 1.15 W/kg (head) 1.07 W/kg (body)
SAR EU - 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body)

Music and Audio

Radio No No
Headphone jack No No
Others - 32-bit/384kHz audio
-Tuned by AKG

Other features

Sensors - Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer - Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Other extras
- Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support)
-Bixby natural language commands and dictation
-Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)
-Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
- Fast charging 45W, 65% in 30 min
-Power Delivery 3.0
-Wireless charging 15W (Qi/PMA)
-Reverse wireless charging 4.5W
- IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
-Stylus (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)

- Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
-Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving)
- Fast charging, 50% in 30 min (advertised)
-USB Power Delivery 2.0
-MagSafe fast wireless charging 15W
-Qi wireless charging 7.5W
- IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 mins)
-Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)

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