iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Galaxy S23 Ultra: Currently, the Samsung S23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro Max are considered to be the most powerful phones in the world. However, determining which one is better is a matter of personal preference. We organized a super competitive league for these flagship beasts and believe me, it wasn’t easy for us to take the decision but we did it because there must be a winner.
Design Finish And Durability:
The overall designs of these phones have remained largely unchanged from previous years, with only minor differences. However, there are distinct differences in how they feel, with the iPhone exuding a more premium feel due to its stainless steel frame. It is worth noting that many people comment on the iPhone’s heavier weight compared to Samsung. Specifically, the 14 Pro Max weighs 8.47 ounces (240 grams), while the Galaxy S23 Ultra weighs 8.21 ounces (233 grams).
In terms of color options, Samsung offers more vibrant choices, but it’s recommended to use a phone cover due to the sharp edges that can make the screen more prone to cracking. Both phones are water-resistant, but Samsung has a slight advantage with up to 1.5 meters, compared to the iPhone’s 6 meters. Although both phones are durable, the extra water resistance and stainless steel frame give the 14 Pro Max the edge, so this point goes to Apple.
Camera And Video Recordings:
CAPTURING: After conducting extensive testing on both phones, I was surprised by the results. Let’s start with the cameras. Samsung truly delivered with the Ultra, featuring a 200-megapixel camera, whereas the iPhone 14 Pro Max only has a 48-megapixel camera.
The S23 Ultra allows you to zoom much further into your photos and capture incredible detail. Additionally, I personally prefer the color representation in Samsung shots, as opposed to the cooler tones in iPhone photos. The S23 Ultra also outperforms the iPhone in terms of zooming capabilities. While the iPhone can only zoom in up to 15 times, the S23 Ultra can zoom in up to 100 times, and the results speak for themselves.
Upon conducting extensive tests on both phones, I found that Samsung excels in low-light photography, displaying god-tier performance. While both phones perform exceptionally well, Samsung manages to capture more detail.
VIDEO RECORDINGS: In terms of video capabilities, the S23 Ultra can shoot up to 8K, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max is limited to 4K. Nevertheless, the iPhone’s image quality is impressive, and both phones offer reliable stabilization. Samsung can film selfie videos in 4K at 60 frames per second, while the iPhone is limited to 30 frames per second. However, I personally preferred the iPhone’s selfie video as it appeared more natural.
Now, both of these phones do amazingly well in this, but because we have to choose one over the other, this point is awarded to the Samsung S23 Ultra thanks to its cameras that have better specs and they actually do well.
Performance And Chipsets:
The Samsung Snapdragon chip and iPhone A16 Bionic chip ensure smooth day-to-day use and multitasking. However, Samsung took a bit longer to power on compared to the iPhone, lagging by only a few seconds. Despite this, Samsung’s cameras stand out for their versatility and exceptional performance, making it the winner in this comparison.
The same thing when opening up a game iPhone was just faster booting things up every time, but when it comes to actual gameplay you’ll hardly see a difference and they’re both pretty much identical.
And then surprisingly I imported the exact same 4K clip into both and exported them, and the Samsung actually rendered it much faster than the iPhone which was definitely interesting. so this point is awarded to the 14 Pro Max because overall it just feels faster and handles apps better.
Displays And Pixels:
Surprisingly, the pixels on these devices are actually superior to most TVs. It’s worth noting that Samsung, known for producing the world’s best displays, also manufactures displays for the iPhone 14s. Therefore, it’s not shocking that Samsung kept the top-notch screen for its own devices. However, the iPhone excels with its brightness level, reaching up to 2000 Nits. Yet, in my experience, the Samsung display appeared to be even better and brighter, possibly due to its display’s superior quality.
This year, the iPhone introduced the always-on display feature, which looks impressive and appeals to me more than Samsung’s outdated always-on display. However, the S23 Ultra display outshines the iPhone when it comes to movie-watching and general content consumption. Therefore, this point is awarded to Samsung.
Ecosystem:
The ecosystem is often overlooked when purchasing a phone, but it’s an important aspect to consider. Apple has been a leader in this area with their products seamlessly communicating with each other, such as with features like Universal Control and Handoff Mode. These allow for effortless transfer of files and media between your Apple devices.
Samsung also has a similar feature called Multi-Control, but it’s a bit limited. However, Samsung takes it a step further by allowing you to connect not only to your tablet, smartwatch, or Galaxy buds, but also to household appliances like washing machines, TVs, fridges, and even microwaves, which is pretty impressive.
Let’s not forget that Apple’s Find My network is connected to every other Apple product, allowing you to keep track of all your items. Airdrop is also one of my favorite Apple features because you can send files to so many different Apple devices in seconds.
Samsung has Quick Share, which can seem limited at times, but it’s becoming more and more like Airdrop. So, without a doubt, the 14 Pro Max gets this point. However, Apple should watch out because Samsung is catching up.
When it comes to security, the S23 Ultra has a ton of different lock options. The safest is password protection, where you can use letters and numbers to seriously secure your phone. You also get face unlock, which is quick and easy to use, as well as fingerprint ID that uses your own personal biometrics. However, believe it or not, none of those are as safe as iPhone’s Face ID.
On the one hand, it’s important to acknowledge that Apple’s Find My network is seamlessly integrated with all Apple products, enabling users to easily keep track of their belongings. One of the standout features of Apple products, in my opinion, is Airdrop – a tool that allows users to share files with multiple Apple devices in a matter of seconds.
While Samsung’s Quick Share may feel somewhat limited at times, it’s definitely improving and becoming more akin to Airdrop. That being said, Apple still has the edge in this category. However, Samsung is certainly making strides and giving Apple a run for its money.
In terms of security, the Samsung S23 Ultra offers several lock options, with password protection being the most secure as it allows for a combination of letters and numbers. Additionally, users can utilize face unlock or fingerprint ID – both of which are convenient and efficient. However, it’s worth noting that none of these measures are as secure as Apple’s Face ID.
The iPhone’s Face ID utilizes a TrueDepth camera to create a 3D model of the user’s face, making it an incredibly secure unlocking method. Not only can the phone be unlocked in complete darkness, but it also features a Lockdown mode that provides added protection against hackers.
While the Samsung S23 Ultra may offer more unlocking options, it’s hard to beat the level of security provided by the iPhone’s Face ID and Lockdown mode. Therefore, I agree that the point in this category goes to the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Battery Life And Charging Time:
These phones actually have really great battery life I was a bit disappointed in the 14 Pro-Max, only because last year’s 13 Pro’s battery just seemed to last longer. While the s23 Ultra had much bigger improvements over the previous s22 Ultra. When I charged both these phones with the same 45W charging brick the 23 Ultra took 1 hour and 10 minutes to fully charge whereas iPhone took almost double that, but regardless you’ll hardly see a difference in both these phones when it comes to battery drain.
At the end of a typical day, you can expect to have 30 to 40 percent of battery life remaining on the iPhone. However, in my experience, Samsung tends to have a slightly longer battery life. The difference may depend on the optimization of each phone for various apps. Nonetheless, a few minutes of difference in battery life seem insignificant to me. Despite almost identical battery life, the point is awarded to the S23 Ultra as the 2-hour charging time of the 14 Pro-Max lags behind the flagship market leaders.
Customizations And Features:
Simplicity: The iPhone makes turning on features like the flashlight and adjusting brightness incredibly easy. However, with Samsung, the process appears more complex, involving multiple steps such as opening quick settings, tapping and holding, and then adjusting the brightness. Although this may seem insignificant, it can make a significant difference in user experience.
Another example is accessing Wi-Fi passwords. Often, I need to input a password on other devices, such as my TV. With the iPhone, it’s effortless to retrieve the password. However, with Samsung, it’s not as straightforward.
While you can go to the Wi-Fi settings and open a QR code, it becomes challenging if the device cannot take a picture. Nevertheless, Samsung still has numerous pros, such as adjusting the home screen grid size, closing all applications with one click, and having a simple number pad at the top of the keyboard, which is absent on the iPhone.
But at the end of the day the 14 Pro Max, you hardly ever see lagging, freezing, or bugs it’s all just fluid and responsive. In my opinion, the system sounds on the iPhone, including the camera, airdrop, and system startup, add to the excellent user experience. Although Samsung has made significant progress, the iPhone 14 Pro Max seems a bit more polished, providing an additional edge. Therefore, the point is awarded to the iPhone.
Customization: Recently, something extraordinary happened when iPhone released the iOS 16 update, which provided better customization options than Samsung until Samsung released their One UI-5 update, which included even more customization than before.
It’s incredible how they both now offer an almost identical lock screen setup, allowing users to adjust clock fonts, colors, and gradients. This is great because we have more options. Samsung, however, takes it a step further, offering a color palette that enhances the theme’s appearance, which is really cool.
Samsung now offers some really cool battery widgets that allow you to monitor your device’s battery life closely. However, once again, it looks a bit familiar. Let’s not forget that with Samsung, you can also personalize the lock screen clock with stickers, GIFs, or pictures, set a custom cold screen background, and even have a live lock screen wallpaper. One of my favorite things is the jazzy keyboard which looks amazing.
Samsung still offers edge screen lighting notifications and different color flash screen notifications, which are both impressive. I don’t know why iPhone is so limited when it comes to customization. There is so much more Apple could do in that regard. Therefore, this point is awarded to Samsung.
Features: One of the distinctive features of Samsung devices, is the S Pen, which is not only unique but also incredibly useful, especially for the Ultra range. Another amazing feature is Samsung Dex, which is located under connected devices, allowing you to connect your phone to a display and essentially transform your phone into a computer. With Samsung Dex, you can even use your phone as a trackpad, connect a Bluetooth keyboard, and utilize more complex programs.
The 14 Pro Max offers some exclusive features such as Dynamic Island which took a notch problem and turned it into something pretty interesting, and car crash detection which has proven helpful to some users. Additionally, emergency satellite SOS is available in some countries, and the lidar sensor beside the camera is a useful tool not widely known. Furthermore, MagSafe is a handy charging solution that allows for some exciting accessories. However, these special features may not be utilized in daily routines as frequently as the S Pen and Samsung Dex, which provide significant and practical benefits. Therefore, this point is awarded to Samsung.
Price Comparison:
The score is now tied, and the next category to consider is price. At launch, the iPhone 14 Pro Max was priced at around $1100, while the Samsung S23 Ultra was priced at around $1200. While it may seem like the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the better choice due to its lower price, in reality, the S23 Ultra is the superior option due to Samsung’s impressive trade-in deals available in most countries. Check out the latest price of the iPhone 14 Pro Max Here>
For instance, at launch, customers could receive double the storage for the same price as their old phone. In some countries, customers were also offered various gifts, discounts on Samsung accessories, and even free streaming subscriptions.
When comparing the value for money, it’s clear that Samsung offers more value than Apple, even if the iPhone is slightly cheaper. Therefore, in terms of overall value, the S23 Ultra is the better phone of the two. Check out the latest price of the Galaxy S23 Ultra here>
