iPhone 14 Pro Max: How does the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra stack up against Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max?

The much-anticipated Samsung Galaxy S23 lineup, featuring three diverse models, was announced on February 1, 2023. The Android-based flagship series is pretty much a standout among today’s smartphones. However, fans may wonder about its stature against Apple’s latest iPhone 14 series, which was released in September 2022.

The premium models from both the series - Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max - are comparable in terms of price tags and performance levels. However, their specifications differ majorly, creating a dilemma for those who want to make a choice between them.

While the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max is already available for users to purchase, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will make its market debut on February 17. However, the erstwhile Galaxy Unpacked event has already revealed the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s important features.

Let’s take a look at how the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s features pose against Apple’s most premium flagship smartphone so far. This comparison will make it easier for consumers to decide between the two devices.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra features applaudable qualities that may beat Apple’s most premium flagship for good

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra features a powerful quad-camera setup, efficient battery life, and a potent Qualcomm processor, which is at par with Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max’s premium specifications. The S23 Ultra will start at $1199, while the 14 Pro Max’s base variant is priced at $1099.

Category	Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra	Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame, 234g	Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame, 240g
Display	6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 1750 nits (peak), 1440 x 3088 pixels (501 ppi)	6.7-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, 2000 nits (peak), 1290 x 2796 pixels (~460 ppi density)
Processor and RAM	Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm), 8GB/12GB DDR5X RAM variants	Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm), 6GB RAM
Main Camera	200 MP f/1.7, Wide Angle, Primary Camera(24 mm focal length, 1.31" sensor size, 0.6µm pixel size)12 MP f/2.2, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera(13 mm focal length, 2.55" sensor size, 1.4µm pixel size)10 MP f/2.4, Telephoto Camera(70 mm focal length, 3.52" sensor size, 1.12µm pixel size)10 MP f/4.9(230 mm focal length, 3.52" sensor size, 1.12µm pixel size)	48 MP f/1.78, Wide Angle, Primary Camera(24 mm focal length, 1.22µm pixel size)12 MP f/2.2, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera(13 mm focal length, 1.4µm pixel size)12 MP f/2.8, Telephoto Camera(77 mm focal length)
Front Camera	12 MP f/2.2, Wide Angle, Primary Camera(26 mm focal length)	12 MP f/1.9, Wide Angle, Primary Camera(23 mm focal length, 3.6" sensor size)
Battery	Li-Ion 5000 mAh, 45W wired, PD3.0, 10W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless	Li-Ion 4323 mAh, Wired, PD2.0, 15W wireless (MagSafe), 7.5W wireless (Qi)

Processor

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 4 nm chip. Apart from the octa-core processor, the phone also features a capable Adreno 740 GPU to support advanced graphical rendering.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max runs on a hexacore A16 Bionic chip (4 nm), which is the latest mobile processor from the tech giant, and Apple’s 5-core GPU for graphics. In the processor segment, both phones are expected to perform similarly, but the iPhone 14 Pro Max may take a slight upper hand due to its efficient A16 chip.

Display

The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s display is a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, which supports up to 120Hz refresh rate and delivers up to 1750 nits of brightness. The Always-On display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max features a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with Dolby Vision, which can deliver up to 2000 nits of brightness and supports up to 120Hz refresh rate. Unlike the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the 14 Pro Max’s Always On display comes with a more reliable Ceramic Shield glass for protection.

In the display segment, the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max features a slight advantage over the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. However, the difference may not be obvious to most users.

Back and front cameras

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has given iPhone fans a reason to worry by introducing a much larger main camera sensor than Apple’s latest flagship.

That said, it isn’t clear whether the 200MP wide camera on the S23 Ultra is enough to beat the iPhone 14 Pro’s 48MP wide, considering the latter’s historical dominance in this segment.

The S23 Ultra comes with a 200MP wide, a 10MP periscope telephoto, a 10 MP telephoto, and a 12 MP ultrawide sensor to complete its main camera setup. It also includes a 12MP wide sensor for its selfie camera.

The iPhone 14 Pro, on the other hand, comes with a triple-camera setup, featuring a modest 48MP wide, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 12MP telephoto sensor. It is also equipped with a TOF 3D LiDAR scanner sensor, a premium feature to have for AR fans.

The iPhone 14 Pro lacks the periscope telephoto sensor, which lets Galaxy users zoom into details like no other smartphone. Hence, the Galaxy S23 Ultra users will enjoy a 10x zoom over 14 Pro’s meager 3x zoom.

Battery

The iPhone 14 Pro Max was applauded for its massive improvement in battery management over its predecessors. However, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will still have a bigger battery - 5000 mAh over 4323 mAh. Furthermore, it also features a faster charging standard, as advertised.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is yet to be launched in the market and thus, most users are waiting for more details on its performance and overall verdict. However, it is expected to be at par if not better than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.