I’ll tell you which is better right now after carefully contrasting the two top rivals, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max, side by side for many days. Let’s start with the article determining who won between the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

We’ll make assumptions about these two flagship models in this post based on various elements, including design, materials, software, battery, charging, storage, RAM, performance, and more. Let’s get started straight now.

Specifications – iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

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-C25W wiredMagSafe	USB-C25W wired15W wirelessReverse wireless
Colors	Natural Titanium,  Black Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium	Phantom Black, Lavender, Cream, Green
Price	$1,199 (base model)	$1,199 (base model)

Design comparison – Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Pro Max

So, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has this really cool design – sleek, with no bezels, and those corners? They’re all rounded and cozy, making it feel great in your hands. What’s neat is that it’s made of tough titanium, which is lighter and stronger compared to the stainless steel in the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the aluminum in the S23 Ultra.

Now, size-wise, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is smaller and lighter than the S23 Ultra. It measures 6.29 x 3.02 x 0.32 inches and weighs 7.8 ounces. The S23 Ultra is a bit bigger at 6.4 x 3.0 x 0.35 inches and 8.2 ounces. Also, the S23 Ultra has a tad larger display and even comes with a built-in S Pen.

I kind of like the curved edges on the S23 Ultra’s screen, even though there might be some accidental touches here and there. But those curves make everything look clearer, enhancing my smartphone experience. And you know what’s interesting? The S23 Ultra has this smaller punch hole in the display, which I prefer over the Dynamic Island feature on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Display – iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S23 Ultra have good OLED screens. The iPhone has a slightly smaller display, measuring 6.7 inches, while the Galaxy’s screen is a bit bigger at 6.8 inches. However, they both have beautiful colors and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate.

In my own little experiment where I compared them side by side, I noticed that the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s screen was a tad brighter. It hit 1,500 nits when showing HDR content, whereas the Galaxy S23 Ultra reached 1,444 nits. When I was indoors, the 15 Pro Max seemed to shine more, but I have to give it to Samsung – their adaptive brightness worked better when I was out in the sun.

Now, talking about color accuracy, the Galaxy S23 Ultra did better in tests for sRGB and DCI-P3. But the iPhone 15 Pro Max showed more precise colors when we did a Delta-E test.

I want to point out that Samsung has some different color options you can play with, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s screen looked better to me when it comes to watching stuff. It had stronger contrast, and the images seemed more in-depth, especially when I watched a movie trailer.

Below is a table showing the results from my little test using the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung S23 Ultra for your 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)

Cameras comparison – Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Pro Max

The cameras of the Samsung S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max each have particular features that set them apart from one another. The Galaxy S23 Ultra, on the other hand, also has amazing specifications, notably in terms of camera resolution, while the iPhone offers some intriguing photography enhancements.

The 48MP primary camera in the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the same as the previous model’s, but it has some cool upgrades. With the new 24MP default photo size, you can now modify the preset focus lengths.

Additionally, the Photonic Engine and Smart HDR have been improved. The major modification is the inclusion of a 120mm 5.0X periscope camera. Apple’s upgraded Photonic Engine and improved HDR promise even better images and depth information for portraiture in ordinary shots. Its zoom capabilities are inferior to those of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, though.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra, on the other hand, impresses with its impressive 200MP camera that uses a large ISOCELL HP2 sensor. It can take detailed 50MP images in bright light and in dim light and 12.5MP photos.

Performance – iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Let’s discuss the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. They’re both fast phones, but the iPhone is faster because of its special A17 Pro chip. This chip is a big deal because it’s the first phone chip made with tiny 3nm technology and many transistors, making the phone work better.

To show you how fast the iPhone is, we tested it with a famous Geekbench tool. It got an amazing score of 2,700 for doing one thing at a time and 6,900 for doing many things simultaneously. On the other hand, the Galaxy S23 Ultra didn’t do as well. It was only half as fast when doing one thing and 34% slower when doing many things together.

When it comes to making graphics look good, both phones did pretty similar. In a 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited test, the iPhone got 92 frames in one second, while the Samsung got 87 frames. So, they’re really close.

But here’s where the iPhone shines: making videos. We took a 4K movie and turned it into a 1080p video, and the iPhone did it in just 24.5 seconds. That’s 15 seconds faster than the S23 Ultra, which shows that the iPhone is a real champ for everyday stuff.

Special features and software – Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Pro Max

When you compare the smart features of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, it’s pretty clear that the iPhone has the upper hand.

The new Action Button integration is a real game-changer for iPhone users. It lets you personalize things so you can quickly access certain features. Right now, it has some limitations, but there’s hope it’ll get even better down the road. And there’s this cool thing called Dynamic Island that’s handy when using different apps.

Now, on the flip side, the standout feature of the S23 Ultra is its S Pen. It comes right in the package and lets you jot down notes, draw stuff, and make precise edits to your photos – a pretty helpful tool to have. They also have a feature called multi-window, which means you can run two apps on the screen at the same time. It makes doing multiple things at once a whole lot easier.

Battery life and charging – iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

During my battery test, I found that the iPhone 15 Pro Max stayed powered up longer than the Galaxy S23 Ultra when I surfed the web using 5G with the screen at its brightest setting.

The iPhone impressed me by lasting for a remarkable 14 hours and 2 minutes. On the other hand, the Samsung flagship managed to stay on for 13 hours and 9 minutes when in 60Hz mode and 12 hours and 22 minutes in adaptive mode, which is the default setting that you can’t change on the iPhone.

Interestingly, even though the Galaxy S23 Ultra couldn’t keep up with the iPhone in terms of battery life, it had a faster charging ability. With a 45W charger, the Samsung reached 57% battery in just half an hour. In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, using a 20W charger, only got up to 41% during the same 30-minute time frame.

Price and value – Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Pro Max

The flagship smartphones from Apple and Samsung are both fairly pricey. The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s basic model costs $1,199 and has 256GB of storage. If you want extra storage, there are options for 512GB for $1,399 and a substantial 1TB at $1,599 as well.

In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a starting price of $1,199 and 256GB of storage. If you need more storage space, you may select between 512GB ($1,379) and a massive 1TB ($1,619).

Decision time 🕒

Picking between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can be quite a puzzle. Each of these gadgets has its pros and cons. So, here’s all the info you might need to make up your mind, whether it’s about battery life, camera performance, or speed.

Ultimately, it all comes down to what you’re looking for and what suits you best. Remember that Apple and Samsung have their own fancy systems, so deciding between Android and iOS is another thing to ponder. I’d love to hear which one you’re leaning toward – drop a comment, and let’s chat about your choice!