Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: which is the best?

Top contenders include the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max. Two outstanding high-end smartphones that compete head-to-head to entice you (as long as you have the necessary budget). We examined the two gadgets side by side to see which was best for you.

The year 2023 began with a bang with the release of the Samsung S23 Ultra. Packed with power and ready to compete for the title of finest smartphone, Samsung’s new flagship will surely face off against Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max. Two excellent phones geared towards a demanding audience, with the right to nitpick considering the prices paid by the two makers. Which one is right for you? This comparison has some answers for you.

Before proceeding, please be aware that you can clearly read our comprehensive comments on each of the two opposing gadgets today:

• our review of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra  ;
• our test of the iPhone 14 Pro Max .

GALAXY S23 ULTRA AND IPHONE 14 PRO MAX SPECS

DESIGN: IN THE BIG LEAGUES

While discussing design, one of the most important details must be mentioned first. We’re talking about large smartphones here, whether it’s the Galaxy S23 Ultra or the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Do you prefer phones that are generally tiny in size, easy to use, and reasonably light? To be honest, you have nothing to do with this post; go your own way. The name “phablet” has (thankfully) gone out of favor for the time being, but these two gadgets may have qualified.

Their stature and weight speak for themselves:

• 78.1 x 163.4 x 8.9 mm and 233 grams for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra;
• 77,6 x 160,7 x 7,85 mm et 240 grammes pour l’iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Two precious artifacts that perfectly realize their colossal size. Despite these parallels, the opponents of this analogy do not share any Genetics. The Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts an industrial design with sharp corners and sharply flattened edges to increase grip. A huge rectangle that pays attention to detail with a little punch on the front. The four cameras (together with the laser focusing) appear to be combined individually at the back to form an attractive ” F “.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max takes a different stylistic approach, yet it is no less sophisticated. The corners are softened, yet the edges grow more straighter to fit in your palm. On the front, keep a watch out for the Dynamic Island, which substitutes the notch that has appeared on the front of all Apple handsets since the iPhone X. We shall return to this topic later. The Apple logo is falsely discreet at the back: it is still visible without being showy. Lastly, the triple camera is housed in a square, which breaks up the rear a little.

In both situations, the cellphones have good finishes, are made of durable materials, are waterproof, and so on. It’s a battle of flagships worthy of the title. Just the aroma shifts.

SCREEN: SAMSUNG QUALITY, EVEN AT APPLE

We might almost call the screen battle a contest between Samsung and Samsung. The South Korean conglomerate is provided via its Display subsidiary. This branch, however, also provides slabs to Apple. Suffice it to say that if you want high-quality OLED, you will be spoiled for options. The differences’ severity will never be an issue. Neither does the highest brightness. With HDR, we observed a peak of 1609 cd/m2 on the Galaxy S23 Ultra and 1883 cd/m2 on the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Every time, it’s massive. The legibility of the displayed text will never be an issue.

Do you enjoy watching movies on large screens? That’s great. The size of the two cellphones was discussed in the preceding section. Yet, this is required in order to provide considerable diagonals. Thus keep the following points in mind.

• iPhone 14 Pro Max: 6.7 inches (19.5:9), adaptive refresh rate (1-120 Hz), 2796 x 1290 pixels.
• Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: 6.8 inches (19.3:9), adaptive refresh rate (1 to 120 Hz), Full HD+ by default and capable of going up to QHD+ (3088 x 1440 pixels);

Nothing to complain about on a material level. Samsung and Apple, on the other hand, do not. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is calibrated by default in a display setting that ignores color integrity in favor of sublimating it to impress the retina. The iPhone 14 Pro Max takes a different approach: its display is closer to real-life tones, but it covers a smaller color palette than its competitor. Samsung is an artist, whereas Apple is a realist.

IOS INSPIRE ANDROID, ANDROID INSPIRE IOS

The fight between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro Max is also a clash between two operating systems. On one side, Android 13 is combined with the Samsung One UI 5.1 interface. On the other hand, there’s iOS 16, Apple’s baby. Nonetheless, it is fascinating to observe how much the two operating systems that we so despise are influenced by each other.

With the Galaxy S23 Ultra, you may thus create modes, similar to those found on iOS, to silence alerts from certain programs, for example. The lock screen becomes very customizable, similar to that of iPhones. Eventually, Android upgrades guaranteed for four generations with five years of security monitoring is a commendable commitment from Samsung… and necessary to get near to what Apple can provide (even if not everything is comparable to this point of view between the two systems).

In the iPhone 14 Pro Max, an Always On mode appears, while Android has had it for a long time. Expect widgets, the app drawer (called library on iOS), and more customizations in the future. So many things were, nevertheless, linked with Android.

So, what are the distinctions to be aware of? The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a S Pen pen, which is stored in a specific slot on the phone’s bottom edge. This tool may be quite useful for taking handwritten notes (even on a locked screen), doing precise photo editing, or drawing. It remains to be seen whether or not this is a selling factor for you.

Dynamic Island is clearly visible on the side of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The notch was replaced with a pill on the smartphone. This holds the front picture sensor and the Face ID system, but it also serves to display some useful information, such as a timer, step-by-step navigation, music player, sports results display, and so on. Other from that, iOS is still the ideal system if you own other Apple devices. Cupertino’s company is constantly mindful of its surroundings. You may feel claustrophobic at times, but your AirPods, Mac, and Apple Watch will operate flawlessly with your iPhone.

PHOTO: EXCELLENCE AGAINST EXCELLENCE

You should know right immediately that these two cellphones take outstanding images. They do not, however, use the same formula. The important term for the Galaxy S23 Ultra is flexibility, with a primary photo sensor of 200 Mpx and two telephoto lenses for optical magnifications of x3 and x10. The ultra-angle clearly rounds out the table. The iPhone 14 Pro Max, on the other hand, features a 48 Mpx primary sensor supplemented by an ultra-wide angle and a telephoto x3.

Generally, the Galaxy S23 Ultra loves slightly more intense colors to give the photographs a little more pop. This paw is more modest than in the past, but it is still apparent here and there. It’s lovely and pleasing to the eye, and we know how much our readers value this approach.

• Some photos taken with the Galaxy S23 Ultra :

• Some photos taken with the iPhone 14 Pro Max :

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is betting a bit more in the image’s center. It will, however, be more easily thrown off by strong dynamics, preferring to focus on what the phone deems to be the most essential in the scene.

Little details will make a difference in poor light. With the Galaxy S23 Ultra, photographs are more illuminated; on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, lens flare is best avoided.

• ZOOM

The Galaxy S23 Ultra will still score a few points in the zooms. The battle is reasonably matched on the x3, where Samsung’s smartphones, such as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, perform admirably.

• • X3 telephoto of Galaxy S23 Ultra :

• • Telephoto x3 of the iPhone 14 Pro Max :

• PORTRAITS

Another area where the changes are noticeable is in portrait mode. While the iPhone 14 Pro Max provides a very smooth and realistic bokeh, it lacks information on the outline. This option on the Galaxy S23 Ultra succeeds in being more exact… except in a few circumstances when the phone can expertly miss. Yet, while utilizing x3, the quality of this capability on Samsung’s phone should be highlighted. Here is where he is completely absorbed.

• VIDEO

Although this is becoming less and less true, the iPhone remains the smartphone video reference. The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s action mode is really excellent in terms of stability. Apart from that, the 4K to 30 or 60 FPS records with a classic shot are superb, whether in terms of color management, sound, or automated development.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is also quite good in this exercise; it just needs a few very little advancements on the issues made, especially so as not to betray oneself when attempting to stabilize a sudden movement. We cannot blame him for this; he is just up against the greatest in this field.

PERFORMANCE: SMALL CHIPS MAKE GIANTS

2023 is already shaping up to be a spectacular year for the high-end Android smartphone industry. Most of them should have the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inscribed in 4 nm, which already annihilates everything in its way. It is a breath of fresh air for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, since it allows us to forget the unpleasant and frustrating years of Exynos on European models. When compared to the previous generation, the difference is night and day: Snapdragon versus Exynos. But does this energy debauchery outweigh the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which was not the last to experiment with mechanics with its Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm as well)?

Benchmarks that we were able to run on the two devices show that the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a little edge in terms of gross power (due to a more modern processor). It’s difficult to say whether the change is truly felt. We have reached the point when fluidity will always be in order, nearly without heating. But, keep in mind that the chip selection has no bearing on power; the function of the SoC, as we shall see, is equally critical for autonomy.

DRUMS: MARATHON RUNNERS

The iPhone 14 Pro Max — and its 4323 mAh battery — had made autonomy one of its biggest virtues by the end of 2022. As a result, it is “simply remarkable,” according to our editor-in-chief, the great Manutou ( his name is Manu, we laugh well ). Unbeatable ? This was most likely the scenario in 2022. The Galaxy S23 Ultra, with its 5000 mAh battery, is not to be outdone. The transition to SD8 Gen 2 has done a lot of good on this front because the new chip is ideal for optimizing device longevity.

Even with fairly busy use chaining several apps, you may go two days without touching a socket on either side. Let us consider a little edge for Apple’s smartphone, which has already had the opportunity to demonstrate its competence a few months after its debut. When we publish this comparison, the Samsung champion is still relatively new, but he is well on his way to proving himself as a value as secure as his competition.

The two cellphones’ gigantic autonomy necessitates relegating load speed to the background, yet it remains an important requirement. The Galaxy S23 Ultra performs better in this category, since it can gather 45 W of power and reach 100% capacity in slightly over an hour. To reach the same position with the iPhone 14 Pro Max limited at 20 W (and in Lightning), you must wait 1h45. It’s useful to understand before making a decision.

NETWORKS AND COMMUNICATION: SMALL DETAILS

The 5G ? Obviously ! Nearly flawless call quality? Without a doubt! Bluetooth version 5.3, NFC, and Wi-Fi 6? Perfectly ! The two smartphones dominate the communication side basket. Remember that a few minor details may make a big impact.

Catching the 4G network may be more challenging for the iPhone 14 Pro Max when traveling underground. Apple, on the other hand, is somewhat ahead of satellite connectivity for emergency calls. Features that should see the light of day on the Galaxy S23 Ultra because it is a chip option. But, we must wait for Qualcomm’s deployment, followed by Samsung’s. That might take some time.

Lastly, the Galaxy S23 Ultra takes a step further for your home networks by being Wi-Fi 6E compatible, but Apple will most likely have to wait for the ‘iPhone 15’.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S23 ULTRA OR IPHONE 14 PRO MAX: WHICH ONE TO CHOOSE ?

It’s impossible to pick between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro Max! On either side, there is no shortage of talent. A streamlined and strong design, a fantastic screen, cutting-edge software, outstanding photo quality under various shooting settings, plenty of power, and flawless autonomy. This list of remedies is applicable to both devices.

To try to separate them, all of the operating systems might be mentioned above. A user who is accustomed to Apple and has the requisite cash would instinctively go for the iPhone 14 Pro Max to remain in this environment where everything is so simple to connect and upgrade for an extended period of time. Why would he go looking somewhere else? There are several factors to consider, beginning with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s improved picture versatility. There is also more raw power, S Pen stylus capacity, Wi-Fi 6E, and a load of up to 45 W.

Apple, on the other hand, will not let its loyal customers leave so easily and can rely on iOS functionalities that are certainly not very innovative, but devilishly well mastered and neat, video quality that is still above average, a Dynamic Island pill that may appeal to some, and a satellite connection that is already available. Impossible to select for you since, depending on your profile, just one of the little facts stated here might tip the scales one way or the other.

Even if none of this has convinced you, there is still the matter of cost. Expect to pay 1419 euros for the Galaxy S23 Ultra in its base version with 256 GB of storage.