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Which is better: the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max?
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra VS Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max!
There are two brands that immediately come to mind when one thinks of the finest mobile devices that money can buy: Apple and Samsung. The iPhone and top Samsung phones have been competing head-to-head for several years now, pitting themselves against one another in terms of both hardware and software to see which can provide the best all-around package.
In the year 2023, the most recent smartphones from both manufacturers look like they will continue to compete with one another. We are already familiar with the iPhone 14 Pro Max to a certain extent. The model was launched in September 2022 and immediately became a huge hit with customers, to the point where there was a shortage just before Christmas.
The response offered by the Korean technology giants is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. A large handset that has high-end specifications and a hefty price tag to match are both hallmarks of this design. The S23 Ultra symbolises the finest example of Samsung’s phone manufacturing capabilities; however, the question remains whether or not it is superior to the Pro Max. Let’s find out.
Price Difference Between the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro Max
Let’s begin by discussing the price, which is widely regarded as the single most important characteristic of any handheld device. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a starting price of £1,199, which is equivalent to $1,099 and AU$1,899. This buys you 128 GB of storage capacity, which can be upgraded in 128 GB increments all the way up to a 1 TB model, which can be purchased for a total of £1,749, $1,599, or AU$2,769 respectively.
In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a starting price of £1,249, which is equivalent to $1,199 and AU$1,949. Nonetheless, their entry-level model begins with 256 GB of storage space. On a like-for-like basis, the Samsung has the advantage because a comparable 256GB iPhone costs £1,309, which is equivalent to $1,199 and AU$2,099. The model with the highest specifications and 1 terabyte of storage will set you back £1,599, which is equivalent to $1,619 and AU$2,649.
Design and Display Comparing the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
The design of the iPhone has become legendary by this point, having remained remarkably consistent in appearance ever since the iPhone 11 range was released in 2019. The cutout for the front-facing camera that is found on the iPhone 14 Pro Max is one difference that stands out. The Pro Max is one of the first smartphones to feature the Dynamic Island, which utilises a smaller, pill-shaped notch and employs software to animate notifications and alerts around it. Previously, smartphones used a notch with a size that varied from small to large.
The screen on the iPhone is an OLED panel with a resolution of Super Retina XDR and measures 6.7 inches in size. It has a resolution of 2796 by 1290 at 460 pixels per square inch, features Apple’s ProMotion responsive refresh rate for speeds up to as 120Hz, and has a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, making it suitable for viewing outside in bright sunlight.
The display on the S23 Ultra is slightly larger at 6.8 inches and is protected by the latest generation of Corning Gorilla Glass, Victus 2. Corning claims that their product can endure drops from twice the height of their leading competitors, so this should add an additional degree of durability to their product. This is mounted on top of an AMOLED panel that has a refresh rate of 120Hz and a maximum brightness of 1,750 nits.
At this point, the design of the Samsung Galaxy is just as recognisable as that of the Apple iPhone. This is especially true of the Ultra models, which have always stood out from their respective base models in a noticeable way. And despite the fact that the formula has been subtly reworked here, primarily on the edges, in which curves have indeed been redesigned for a more comfortable hold, it will feel very familiar to those who are fans of Samsung.
Camera Features Comparison: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
A four-sensor array constitutes the camera found on the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Alongside the primary sensor, which is a 48-megapixel wide-angle unit, are a twelve-megapixel ultrawide camera and two twelve-megapixel telephoto lenses. The camera has a dedicated macro mode, an optical zoom of 6 times, and a Portrait mode with enhanced functionality over how much the background is blurred.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the very first smartphone from Samsung to include a camera sensor with a resolution of 200 megapixels. This is surrounded by a pair of telephoto lenses with 10MP resolution and an ultrawide sensor with 12MP resolution on either side. You can snap pictures of the night sky using the brand-new Astro Hyperlapse mode, which also comes equipped with up to a 10x optical zoom, a Night Portrait mode, and an all-new mode called Night Portrait mode. The 200MP sensor, which has the ability to combine 16 individual pixels into a single larger pixel for improved low-light photography, is beneficial to night photography in general.
Both the iPhone and the Samsung have a front-facing camera that is 12 megapixels, and both are able to capture RAW images at 50 megapixels. The iPhone can shoot at 12 megapixels or 48 megapixels, while the Samsung can shoot at 50 megapixels.
Performance and Battery Life Comparing the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro Max
The Pro Max is driven by a processor designed by Apple called Silicon A16. The proprietary chip has a six-core central processing unit (CPU), with two performance cores as well as four efficiency cores. It also has a five-core graphics processing unit (GPU) and a sixteen-core neural engine, which are used for machine learning and artificial intelligence processes. The A16 was fabricated using a 4nm process, which, in comparison to its 5nm forerunner, should result in increased power and efficiency.
Apple does not provide information regarding the capabilities of their batteries, however they claim that the battery found in the Pro Max can support video playback for up to 29 hours. During our testing, we discovered that this was approximately accurate, and that after approximately 48 hours of life, usage levels returned to a more typical pattern.
In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is equipped with the most recent generation of the Snapdragon 8 processor. Close to the end in 2022, the new microprocessor was introduced, and like its predecessor, it was manufactured using a 4nm process. However, it offered roughly thirty percent more processing power than its predecessor.
The battery inside of the S23 Ultra is the same 5,000mAh battery that was found in the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. That battery was able to last for approximately 17 hours when we put it through our video playback test, and it lasted for well over a day when used normally.
Final decision should you choose; Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or iPhone 14 Pro Max?
There is no question about it: both of these smartphones are incredible, and selecting either one would not be a bad option. Which one is better for you will probably come to which operating system you've been using for the longest. Users who are already familiar with Apple products, such as an iPad, MacBook, or Apple Watch, will find greater utility in the iPhone, and conversely.
However, if I had to pick one phone based only on its specs, it would be the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. It's really similar, but the Samsung seems to provide a little bit more bang for the buck in a few key areas. Also, with the Galaxy S23 Ultra you can get some free goodies, which you don't get with the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
