The ongoing rivalry between iPhone and Samsung has been reignited with the launch of Apple’s iPhone 15 series. Both top-of-the-line devices, the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, offer high-end features. So, you may wonder which one is superior. Below, we’ll compare the specs of the iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung S23 Ultra to know which flagship is better.
Specs – iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung S23 Ultra
Here’s an overview of the iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung S23 Ultra specs:
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra | |
| Dimensios | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm |
| Weight | 221g | 234g |
| Body | Corning Ceramic shield front and glass back with grade 5 titanium frame | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back with armor aluminum frame |
| SIM | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) and dual e-SIM support | Dual SIM with e-SIM support |
| Display | 6.7 inches, Super Retina XDR OLED display, 2796 x 1290 pixel at 460 ppi | 6.8 inches Dynamic AMOLED 2x display, 3088 x 1440 (Quad HD+) |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz 240Hz touch sampling rate in gaming mode |
| Brightness | 1000 nits (typical) 2000 nits (peak when sunny) | 1200 (HBM) 1750 (peak) |
| Chipset | Apple A17 Pro with 6-core CPU and 6-core GPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with Octa-core CPU and Adreno 740 GPU |
| OS | iOS 17 | Android 13 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB, 12GB |
| Capacity | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB UFS 4.0 |
| Camera | Rear: 48MP Main, 12MP Ultra Wide, and 12MP 2x Telephoto Front: 12MP | Rear: 200MP Main, 12MP Ultra Wide, 10MP telephoto Front: 12MP |
| Zoom | Optical zoom: 5x in 2x out 10 optical zoom range Digital zoom up to 25x | Optical zoom: 10x (3x for portraits) Digital zoom up to 100x |
| Video | 4K @ 24/25/30/60fps 1080p @ 25/30/60fps 720p @ 30fps Dolby Vision HDR 4K@ 60fps Pro Res up to 4K@60fps Slo-mo 1080p @120/240fps | 8K @ 24/30fps 4K @ 30/60fps 1080p @ 30/60/240fps Slo-mo FHD @ 240/960fps |
| Sensors | Face ID, LiDAR Scanner, Barometer, High dynamic range gyro, High-g accelerometer, Proximity sensory, Dual ambient light sensors | Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor |
| Biometrics | Face ID | Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor and Face Recognition |
| Battery | Li-Ion 4852 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 5000 mAh, non-removable |
| Audio and Video Playback | Up to 29 hours of video playback Up to 95 hours of audio playback | Up to 26 hours of video playback Up to 99 hours of audio playback |
| Charging speed | 20W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless | 45W |
| Splash, Water, and Dust Resistance | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 (max of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) |
| Colors | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium | Green, Cream, Phantom Black, Lavender |
| Warranty | 1-year manufacturer warranty | 1-year manufacturer warranty |
| Price | $1199.00 | $1199.99 |
Design – iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung S23 Ultra
First, let’s go with the external design; the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung S23 Galaxy have distinct features. The S23 Ultra has squared-off edges compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s rounded-off edges. However, they have nearly similar screen sizes and dimensions.
What’s different with the S23 regarding external design is its built-in stylus and SIM card tray at the bottom. The S Pen stylus is a significant advantage for the Samsung Galaxy S3 for note-taking and interacting with files and PDFs. Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Pro Max retained most of its predecessor’s features, except for the lightweight aerospace-titanium body.
Also, Apple has finally given up on the lightning port. So, both the S23 Ultra and the 15 Pro Max now sport a USB-C port. Aside from the port change, the iPhone Pro series has ditched the old ring/silent switch and replaced it with a customizable Action button. However, Samsung also has a functional power button.
Display – iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung S23 Ultra
Let’s now address Samsung S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Pro Max regarding display. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch OLED display, just a tad smaller than S23’s 6.8-inch AMOLED display. Besides, the resolution of the Apple device is 2796 x 1290 pixels at 460 ppi, while Samsung’s flagship product boasts 3058 x 1440 pixels at 500 ppi.
Also, the punch-hole design of the S23 Ultra provides more space. In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has adopted the Dynamic Island, which is interactive and useful. Also, Apple has made record-breaking thin bezels, adding more usable screen space.
The S23 Galaxy Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max have a 120Hz refresh rate that adjusts based on your screen activity. However, if you love playing graphics-intense games, S23 Ultra’s 240Hz refresh rate will make a difference. Besides, the iPhone has a slight edge with Face ID. You can unlock your device from multiple angles without physically touching it.
Performance – iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung S23 Ultra
Apple has again pushed the envelope with its latest Apple silicon, the A17 Pro. This SoC is designed specifically for the iPhone 15 Pro Max using TSMC’s cutting-edge 3nm node. It boasts an impressive 19 billion transistors, a 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU, and a 2x faster 16-core Neural Engine.
So, it delivers up to 10% swifter performance than A16 Bionic. Also, the chip incorporates a USB controller, elevating transfer speeds to an astounding 10GB per second. Besides, it’s capable of 4x faster ray tracing for better rendering while running graphics-heavy tasks. Because of this powerful GPU, it’s the first in the smartphone industry to run full versions of console games like Resident Evil 4.
Meanwhile, S23 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and is built on TSMC’s 4nm node. But in contrast to the iPhone, Samsung offers users two RAM options (8 and 12GB). It is the fastest mobile CPU for Android smartphones.
Here’s a GeekBench score comparison between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S23 Ultra:
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | Galaxy S23 Ultra | |
| Single-core | 2846 | 1964 |
| Multi-core | 7024 | 5215 |
Camera – iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
When comparing the iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung S23 Ultra, the camera is a significant factor in deciding which is better. Regarding these flagships, Samsung heavily beats Apple despite the significant upgrades. A 200MP primary camera and a 10MP telephoto with 10x optical zoom make S23 Ultra a formidable opponent.
Meanwhile, Apple has introduced a 5x optical zoom in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. But it doesn’t quite match the S23’s zoom capabilities, especially considering the S23’s specialized 3x zoom for those perfect portrait shots. And if we’re talking digital zoom, the S23 Ultra zooms in up to a whopping 100x, making the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 25x seem a tad modest.
Despite this, Apple says that the Pro camera system is equivalent to “seven camera lenses,” thanks to the advanced Photonic Engine. Conversely, the iPhone still has the upper hand on Samsung regarding video performance’s efficiency, consistency, and reliability.
Battery and charging
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max don’t heavily differ in battery life.
The iPhone impresses with up to 29 hours for video playback, while the S23 follows closely at 26 hours. As for audio playback, the iPhone delivers up to 95 hours, slightly overshadowed by the S23’s commendable 99 hours. However, the iPhone might have a slight edge in conserving battery life, given the A17 Pro chip’s efficiency.
On the other hand, when it comes to charging speeds, the S23 holds a distinct advantage. It offers a notably faster 45W charging than the iPhone, which takes an additional 40 minutes. Sadly, Apple’s Lightning connector caps the charging at 20W, even after transitioning to USB-C.
Price
The iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are closely matched in terms of pricing. Remarkably, their base models, each with 256GB of storage, are nearly identically priced. However, the S23 tends to be slightly more expensive as storage capacity increases.
For a more transparent comparison, see the table below:
| Storage options | iPhone 15 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| 256 GB | $1199 | $1199.99 |
| 512 GB | $1399 | $1379.99 |
| 1 TB | $1599 | $1619.99 |
Verdict – Which one is the best between iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung S23 Ultra?
In all honesty, both flagships bring their own set of pros and cons to the table. Ultimately, the best choice hinges on individual preferences. If top-tier photography and customization are your cup of tea, the Samsung Galaxy S23 might be your best bet. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max could be the way to go if you’re in the market for efficiency and security.
So, which one catches your eye? Let us know in the comments below!