Looking to Upgrade? Galaxy S24 Ultra Specs vs. S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max

Samsung unveiled the model new Galaxy S24 Ultra at its Unpacked occasion. If you are a Galaxy proprietor pondering of upgrading, you might marvel how this new flagship telephone compares to final yr’s Galaxy S23 Ultra (particularly since you could find the S23 Ultra for much less now that the S24 Ultra is on the market). Or, if you happen to’re making an attempt to determine between Samsung and Apple, you might be curious how the top-of-the-line S24 Ultra compares to the premium iPhone 15 Pro Max. Let’s break down the specs so you may get a greater concept of which telephone is best for you.
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Last yr’s S23 Ultra had a beginning value of $1,200 after its launch within the US and now begins at $875, whereas the brand new S24 Ultra begins at $1,300. The iPhone 15 Pro Max, however, begins at $1,200. So the bottom S24 Ultra is $100 greater than the bottom 15 Pro Max, and $100 greater than its predecessor was upon its launch. (See the chart under for UK and Australian pricing.)Read extra: Best Galaxy S24 Preorder Deals: Take $1,000 Off Samsung’s New Flagship With Early Financial savingsThe S24 Ultra has Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, which is designed to assist on-device AI processing. More particularly, the S24 Ultra has a collection of generative synthetic intelligence options, which the corporate calls “Galaxy AI.” You can, for instance, live-translate calls, flip movies shot at regular pace into slow-motion movies or take away undesirable shadows out of your photographs. CNET’s consultants will consider all of those AI options in our testing.  Watch this: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max (Flagship Phones Compared)
10:31 We additionally noticed AI picture enhancing instruments in Google’s Pixel 8 collection. There’s a Best Take characteristic, for instance, that permits you to swap your favourite facial features from a sequence of images into one other picture from the identical sequence the place you maybe do not like your expression as a lot.Read extra: Google Pixel 8’s ‘Best Take’ Levels Up AI-Enhanced PicturesThe S23 Ultra makes use of final yr’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. It would not have Galaxy AI but, however is anticipated to get it will definitely. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has Apple’s newest A17 Pro chip however would not at present have any generative AI picture enhancing instruments just like the Galaxy S24 Ultra or the Google Pixel 8 line. I’m to see if the iPhone will ever get options like these, particularly as a result of AI is such a buzzword proper now. The S23 Ultra runs on Android 13 which can get 4 years of software program and safety updates. The S24 Ultra runs on Android 14 which can assist 7 years of those updates. The 15 Pro Max runs on iOS 17, and whereas Apple would not disclose how lengthy it’s going to assist its telephones with software program updates, iOS 17 at present works on fashions relationship again to the 2018 iPhone XS and XR. Read extra: Best Phone to Buy for 2024The base S23 Ultra comes with 256GB of storage and both 8 or 12GB of RAM. You may improve to 512GB or 1TB storage choices, each with 12GB of RAM. The S24 Ultra comes with the identical storage choices, however all of them have 12GB of RAM. So Samsung has eradicated the 8GB RAM possibility on its base S24 Ultra mannequin. While Apple would not disclose the RAM on its iPhones, the 15 Pro Max comes with the identical storage choices because the S23 and S24 Ultra: 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.  This is the again of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. James Martin/CNETAll three of those telephones have a USB-C port, which is a giant deal as a result of all iPhones earlier than the iPhone 15 collection both had Lightning ports or 30-pin connectors. The S23 and S24 Ultra assist 45-watt quick charging, whereas the 15 Pro Max helps 27W quick charging. All three telephones provide wi-fi charging, however the Ultras additionally assist reverse wi-fi charging so you’ll be able to juice up different units from the again of those telephones. All three telephones include charging cables, however none of them embrace a charger brick within the field.The S23 and S24 Ultra have a 5,000-mAh battery. In her S23 Ultra overview, CNET’s Lisa Eadicicco discovered that after 12 hours of use (utilizing the telephone to take photographs and movies, test her electronic mail and socials and stream music), her battery was at 66%. The new mannequin is meant to have a stronger battery due to its new chip, so we look ahead to placing the S24 Ultra’s battery to the take a look at. Apple would not disclose battery capability, however says the 15 Pro Max has an “all-day battery life” with “up to 29 hours of video playback.” In his 15 Pro Max overview, CNET’s Patrick Holland discovered that after 15 hours of use, the telephone often had 20% to 25% battery left. The S23 and S24 Ultra each include the S Pen stylus which you could retailer contained in the telephone. I’d like to see one thing like this for the iPhone, nevertheless it would not exist for the time being. Maybe in the future. (Tim Cook, I hope you are studying this.) Both the S23 and S24 Ultra have built-in storage to deal with an S Pen stylus. John Kim/CNETThe S23 and S24 Ultra each have a 6.8-inch AMOLED show and a 1 to 120Hz variable refresh price that modifications based mostly on the way you’re utilizing your telephone. So if you happen to’re doing one thing with plenty of display motion, like taking part in a online game, the refresh price will improve. But if you happen to change to an exercise that does not take numerous motion, like studying an article, the refresh price will go down. The 15 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch OLED show and in addition has a variable refresh price of 1 to 120Hz. The S23 and S24 Ultra telephones do not have a notch. They simply have a hole-punch digital camera on the prime of the display. The 15 Pro Max does have a notch within the type of the Dynamic Island, a shape-shifting cutout that permits you to view updates from apps like Maps with no need to have them open. Watch this: Samsung Reveals Its New S24 Series Phones and Their AI Chops
06:47 As for the way these telephones will really feel in-hand, the S23 Ultra is 8.9 millimeters thick, the S24 Ultra is 8.6 millimeters thick and the 15 Pro Max is 8.25-millimeters thick. The S23 Ultra has an aluminum body and weighs 234 grams. The S24 Ultra and 15 Pro Max have titanium frames and weigh 233 grams and 221 grams, respectively. So the 23 Ultra is barely thicker and heavier than the S24 Ultra and 15 Pro Max, and it has an aluminum body (reasonably than titanium).The S23 and S24 Ultra cameras are related. Both telephones have a four-camera system with similar selfie, ultrawide, broad and 3x telephoto cameras. Each telephone additionally has one other telephoto digital camera for excessive distance photographs. The one on the S23 Ultra is 10 megapixels with a 10x optical zoom, whereas the one on the S24 Ultra is 50 megapixels with a 5x optical zoom. So the S23 and S24 Ultra cameras are mainly the identical aside from that new 50-megapixel, 5x telephoto digital camera, which is meant to take sharper zoom photographs.The iPhone 15 Pro Max, however, has a 3 digital camera system. There’s a 48-megapixel foremost digital camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide digital camera and a 12-megapixel telephoto digital camera with a 5x optical zoom. And to your selfies, there is a 12-megapixel entrance digital camera. So each the S24 Ultra and the 15 Pro Max have a 5x optical zoom, however the sensor on the S24 Ultra has the next decision. Stay tuned for our digital camera exams to see how the S24 Ultra digital camera performs in actual life, particularly in opposition to the 15 Pro Max. For extra on how the Galaxy S23 and S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max examine, try our specs chart under.Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Samsung Galaxy S24 UltraSamsung Galaxy S23 UltraApple iPhone 15 Pro Max Display dimension, tech, decision, refresh price, brightness 6.8-inch AMOLED; QHD+ decision; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.8-inch AMOLED; 3,088×1,440 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.7-inch OLED; 2,796×1,290 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh pricePixel density 501ppi500 ppi460 ppiDimensions (inches) 6.40 x 3.11 x 0.34 in6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in6.29 x 3.02 x 0.32 inDimensions (millimeters) 163 x 79 x 8.6 mm163.3 x 78 x 8.9 mm159.9 x 76.7 x 8.25 mmWeight (grams, ounces) 233 g (8.22 oz) 234 g (8.25 oz)221 g (7.81 oz)Mobile software program Android 14Android 13iOS 17Digital camera 200-megapixel (broad), 12-megapixel (ultrawide) 10-megapixel (3x telephoto) 50-megapixel (5x telephoto)200-megapixel (broad), 12-megapixel (ultrawide) 10-megapixel (3x telephoto) 10-megapixel (10x telephoto)48-megapixel (broad), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (5x telephoto)Front-facing digital camera 12-megapixel12-megapixel 12-megapixelVideo seize 8K8K4KProcessor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for GalaxyApple A17 ProStorage and RAM 12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB8GB RAM + 256GB; 12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB 256GB, 512GB, 1TB (RAM undisclosed)Expandable storage NoneNoneNoneBattery 5,000 mAh5,000 mAhUndisclosed; Apple claims as much as 29 hours of video playback (25 hours streamed)Fingerprint sensor Under showUnder displayNone (Face ID)Connector USB-CUSB-CUSB-CHeadphone jack NoneNoneNoneSpecial options Titanium body, 2,600-nit display; 7 years of OS and safety updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water resistance; wi-fi PowerShare to cost different units; built-in S Pen; UWB for locating different units; 45W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 75G (Sub6, mmWave); IP68 water resistance; wi-fi PowerShare to cost different units; built-in S Pen; 100x Space Zoom; 10x optical zoom; UWB for locating different units; 45W wired charging5G (Sub6, mmWave); Action Button, Always-On show, IP68 water resistance, MagSafe, Dynamic Island, 5x optical zoom (120mm equal), satellite tv for pc connectivity, eSIM, thread networking technologyUS value begins at $1,300 (256GB)$1,200 (256GB)$1,199 (256GB)UK value begins at £1,249 (256GB)£1,249 (256GB)£1,199 (256GB)Australia value begins at AU$2,199 (256GB)AU$1,949 (256GB)AU$2,199 (256GB) Editors’ observe: CNET is utilizing an AI engine to assist create some tales. For extra, see this publish.