New yr, new Galaxy
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is more likely to stay as a contender for greatest smartphone till the calendar flips into 2024. It has loads of cameras, a stunning show, and improved efficiency to go together with the built-in S Pen.
ForIncredible 200MP fundamental digicamBattery life is lastly on par with the iPhoneMore comfy to carry and useBuilt-in S Pen is improbableSamsung DeX is game-changingAgainstMore costlyNo upgrades to the charging speeds
Incredible {hardware}
iOS might not be everybody’s cup of tea, nevertheless it’s exhausting to argue with the extent of efficiency supplied by the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple is beginning to lag behind in images, and the telephone is likely to be a bit cumbersome to deal with, nevertheless it’s nonetheless simply the most effective smartphones that cash can purchase.
ForDynamic Island is exclusive and attention-grabbingThe greatest battery life in a smartphoneArguably the very best for cell videographyPremium construct high qualityIncredible processing energy and speedAgainstNo bodily SIM card slotExpensiveSame heavy and awkward designStuck at even slower charging speeds
Unless you end up one of many fancy new foldable telephones, all of the choices are primarily nonetheless the identical. This means slabs of glass with a metallic body, and loads of cameras to go round, no less than for the flagship telephones. This pattern continues with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max, as these are probably going to be the 2 hottest flagship units for many of 2023, no less than till the iPhone 15 Pro Max arrives. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Design and show Why you possibly can belief Android Central
Our knowledgeable reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services and products so you possibly can select the very best for you. Find out extra about how we check.(Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)The Galaxy S23 Ultra is utilizing a 6.8-inch AMOLED (3088 x 1440) show, whereas the iPhone 14 Pro Max comes with an everso-slightly smaller 6.7-inch OLED panel. It additionally ought to come as no shock that each of those units are outfitted with adaptive refresh charges between 1-120Hz, which additionally performs into the unimaginable battery life.On the floor, each the Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max look an identical to their predecessors, however there have been a few main modifications. Samsung remains to be utilizing the identical trypophobia-inducing digicam array on the again, together with a pinhole cutout for the selfie digicam. (Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich)But the place Samsung made one in all its largest modifications was within the severity of the curves discovered throughout the system. Starting with the display screen, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is 30% flatter than its predecessor, as Samsung goals to reply considerations about its premium flagship being too cumbersome to carry. This is nice information, particularly for individuals who usually take notes utilizing the built-in S Pen, as you’ll have extra floor space to work with, and don’t have to fret about accounting for the perimeters of the display screen as a lot. Samsung additionally flattened out the perimeters of the Galaxy S23 Ultra a bit, which can not seem to be a lot of a change till you really maintain one. Even with an almost-7-inch show, the telephone is now extra comfy to carry and when you’ll nonetheless probably need to seize the most effective Galaxy S23 Ultra circumstances, those that desire to go case-less could have a greater time.(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Apple, then again, has been sticking with the identical design that was launched again with the iPhone 12, invoking a little bit of nostalgia harkening again to the ultra-popular iPhone 4. This means flat edges and corners that dig themselves into your palms. And whereas rumors for the iPhone 15 lineup recommend Apple can be taking an analogous strategy to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the actual fact stays that utilizing an iPhone 14 Pro Max isn’t all that comfy. One space the place Apple did make a change is with the all-new Dynamic Island, taking a unique strategy to the selfie digicam altogether. Because the iPhone nonetheless depends on Face ID for biometrics, Apple couldn’t simply swap over to a pinhole digicam as we’ve seen from just about all the greatest Android telephones.(Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)Instead, it opted to depart the notch for the non-pro iPhone 14 fashions, integrating an attention-grabbing design alternative. Thankfully, Apple didn’t simply ditch the notch and slap an rectangular cutout on the high of the display screen. The Dynamic Island is definitely interactive, increasing to indicate issues just like the timer that you simply simply set or the album art work after closing Spotify.Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Performance and battery (Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Where the S23 Ultra is lastly in a position to match up is within the effectivity features offered by the all-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. Clock speeds have been improved throughout all the cores, making it even sooner than the “regular” Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 discovered within the OnePlus 11 and different recently-released flagship units. There’s additionally a brand new cooling system that Samsung has carried out, which tremendously reduces the quantity of warmth emitted, in flip, offering extra steady efficiency and battery life features.Apple’s A16 Bionic chip remains to be on the high of its class, when it comes to each smoothness and efficiency. The iPhone 14 Pro Max handily outperforms the Galaxy S23 Ultra in single-core Geekbench efficiency metrics, however the hole has positively been narrowed and it’s not fairly as massive when it comes to multi-core efficiency.(Image credit score: Android Central)Along with the improved efficiency features, the Galaxy S23 Ultra appears to deal with cell gaming fairly a bit higher than its predecessor, additionally matching up with what the iPhone 14 Pro Max can supply. In our comparability of the Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Pixel 7 Pro, Nick Sutrich discovered that the S23 Ultra “pushes a full 50 FPS with nary a dip in performance” whereas taking part in Fortnite.Swipe to scroll horizontallySpecSamsung Galaxy S23 UltraApple iPhone 14 Pro MaxChipsetSnapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy UnitsApple A16 BionicDisplay6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3088×1440, 120Hz adaptive refresh fee (1-120Hz) with 240Hz contact sampling, 1,750 nits peak brightness6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED (2796 x 1290), 120Hz adaptive refresh fee (1-120Hz), HDR10, 2000 nits peak brightnessMemory8 or 12GB6GBStorage256GB/512GB/1TB128GB/256GB/512GB/1tbMain rear digicam200MP, ƒ/1.748MP ƒ/1.8Telephoto digicam10MP, ƒ/2.4, 3x optical zoom12MP, ƒ/2.8, 3x optical zoomTelephoto digicam 210MP, ƒ/4.9, 10x optical zoom❌Ultra-wide angle digicam12MP, ƒ/2.212MP, ƒ/2.2Front Camera12MP, ƒ/2.212MP, ƒ/1.9Battery5,000mAh, 45W Fast Charging, 15W Wireless Charging, 5W reverse wi-fi charging4,323mAh, 20W wired charging, 15W wi-fi charging (MagSafe), 7.5W Qi wi-fi chargingSecurityUltrasonic in-screen fingerprint sensorFace ID w/ SL 3D depth/biometrics sensorConnectivityWi-Fi 6E, sub-6 and mmWave 5G, UWB, NFCWi-Fi 6, sub-6 and mmWave 5G, UWB, NFCS Pen✔️❌microSD card slot🚫🚫3.5mm headphone jack🚫🚫Dimensions163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9mmWeight234 g240 gColorsPhantom Black, Cream, Green, LavenderSpace Black, Silver, Gold, Deep PurpleProtection IP68, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 IP68, Ceramic Shield glassFor the primary time in arguably endlessly, Samsung’s newest Galaxy S23 Ultra might really go toe-to-toe with the iPhone in one of many largest metrics – battery life. We’re not going to get into the entire Android vs. iOS debate, as that’s been consistently performed out, however Apple’s largest iPhone usually takes residence the crown for the longest-lasting smartphone. (Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)Samsung determined to stay with a 5,000mAh battery within the Galaxy S23 Ultra whereas Apple makes use of a good 4,323mAh cell. But in battery assessments, the 14 Pro Max has been able to reaching two days of use on a single cost, and you would push it even additional when you allow Low Power Mode.At the time of this writing, we’re nonetheless engaged on our full Galaxy S23 Ultra overview, however Nick has already identified that the battery is “super impressive.” He’s in a position to simply get two days of battery life “several times,” one thing that merely was not doable on the Galaxy S22 Ultra with out principally leaving the telephone untouched. Battery life on the Galaxy S23 Ultra is legit. Super spectacular stuff. Only factor I needed it did was cost sooner, nevertheless it’s not “slow,” per se. pic.twitter.com/6d5YB8Ivh8February 10, 2023See moreAnother space the place each the Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max proceed to disappoint is within the charging speeds. While there are actually telephones that may attain 240W charging speeds, the S23 Ultra remains to be “stuck” at peak speeds of 45W, whereas Apple appears to have forgotten that telephones can safely cost previous 20W. No matter which telephone you resolve on, be prepared to attend awhile if it’s good to go from 0-100%. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Cameras for days (Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)It was fairly apparent when you watched Samsung’s most up-to-date Galaxy Unpacked occasion that there was lots of deal with the upgraded digicam system, pun supposed. That’s because of the introduction of a 200MP fundamental lens on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.And whereas that’s positively the star of the present, the Galaxy S23 Ultra can also be outfitted with three different rear-facing cameras. These embrace a 10MP 3x telephoto digicam, 10MP 10x telephoto digicam, and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. The secondary, tertiary, and quaternary cameras are principally unchanged from the Galaxy S22 Ultra, whereas the brand new 200MP lens has greater than 4 instances the variety of megapixels discovered within the iPhone 14 Pro Max.However, when you have been to return simply to the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the hole can be even larger, as Apple upgraded the principle sensor in its newest system to a 48MP wide-angle lens. Previously, Apple had a Google-like strategy to the cameras, implementing slightly-upgraded 12MP sensors yearly. (Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)In addition to providing a a lot better fundamental sensor, Samsung features a bonus because of having an additional rear digicam. The iPhone 14 Pro Max sticks with the “tried and true” triple digicam array, with the aforementioned 48MP fundamental lens, together with a 12MP ultrawide and a 12MP 3x telephoto sensor.Our Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max digicam comparability is coming quickly, however in the interim, it positively appears that Samsung’s telephone provides a lot better digicam high quality. However, that’s to not say that the iPhone is totally out of the race, as there are some nuances with regards to utilizing Samsung’s smartphone cameras which may trigger greater than a little bit of frustration. The largest one in all these is the shutter lag which has been an issue for years on the very best Samsung telephones. When you faucet the shutter button on the S23 Ultra whereas specializing in a stationary object, it’s not likely noticeable. But that tune instantly modifications when you’re attempting to take an image of an object that’s shifting. (Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Samsung is aware of that this is a matter, because it launched an all-new Camera Assistant module for Good Lock. When put in, customers have the power to allow “Quick tap shutter” which is able to “take pictures as soon as your finger touches the Shutter button instead of when you lift it off.” There are additionally “Capture Speed” settings that may be tweaked to enhance the shutter lag, however the finish outcomes don’t actually supply a considerable distinction and also you’ll should sacrifice picture high quality much more. Meanwhile, until you’re utilizing Apple ProRAW for taking photos on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, the picture is captured as quickly because the Shutter button is tapped. ProRAW is a bit totally different because it’s doing the identical factor that Samsung’s cameras are doing all the time, because it instantly begins processing the image. The drawback is that when you don’t care in regards to the processing and simply need, or want, to shortly seize one thing, there’s a great probability that you simply may miss it when utilizing the Galaxy S23 Ultra.Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: Which do you have to purchase? (Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich)When it involves deciding a “winner” between the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max, there actually isn’t one that’s higher than the opposite. Sacrifices should be made on both facet of the fence, corresponding to lacking out on Samsung’s wonderful DeX mode when you go for an iPhone. And when you go for the Galaxy S23 Ultra, then you definitely’ll miss out on Apple’s unimaginable Siri Shortcuts, together with understanding that your $1,100 smartphone will final get the newest iOS updates for the foreseeable future. Samsung has positively improved on the software program entrance, because the Galaxy S23 Ultra will proceed to be supported by safety patches till 2028. However, until one thing modifications within the close to future, main software program releases are “limited” to 3 years (2026). Trade-in offers however, each of those telephones are additionally fairly costly, with the bottom mannequin Galaxy S23 Ultra priced at $1,199, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max beginning at $1,099. However, there’s even a catch in that regard, as Samsung is just not providing the Galaxy S23 Ultra with 128GB of base storage. Meaning that in direct comparability, each of those telephones with 256GB of storage are equally matched.(Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)It seems as if Samsung working carefully with Qualcomm on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is already paying main dividends, closing the hole in efficiency. You’ll additionally get a built-in S Pen, a complete of 5 cameras, and all the luxuries we get pleasure from from the world of Android. Besides a couple of hiccups, the iPhone 14 Pro Max continues to supply one of the steady experiences on a smartphone, full with arguably the very best video recording and nonetheless the very best battery life. But then you definitely’ll should resolve whether or not it’s price getting into Apple’s “walled garden” and the whole lot that entails. Which now consists of the removing of a bodily SIM card tray in favor of going eSIM-only. The fact is, irrespective of the place you place your cash, you’ll find yourself with an unimaginable telephone that may final for years and is well-equipped for nearly the whole lot you possibly can throw at it.
The kitchen sink
If you need a non-folding smartphone that takes the “kitchen sink” strategy, the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the best way to go. It provides unimaginable battery life, wonderful cameras, and nonetheless consists of an S Pen.
It’s time for a design refresh
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max does the whole lot you’d count on from a flagship telephone. But even with the addition of Dynamic Island, it is time for Apple to make a telephone that is extra comfy to make use of.