Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: The battle of the titans

Samsung vs Apple, that has been the debate ever since both the companies first emerged as top rivals. Some of the rivalry has been quite over the top as both have famously mocked each other's products through billboards and advertisements. Now, it is Samsung’s turn to unveil its 2023 range of flagship smartphones.The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has just been unveiled at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event after months of rumours and speculations. Samsung Galaxy S23, Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra have all been launched as part of Samsung's 2023 flagship lineup.

But how does Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra hold up against Apple’s premium iPhone 14 Pro Max? Here’s the difference.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Chipset

This year's Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 while the iPhone 14 Pro Max gets Apple’s A16 Bionic under the hood. Both are top-of-the-line chipsets although the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset has 2 more cores and performs better in AnTuTu 9 scores. Yet these numbers are just on paper and real-world usage will determine which device comes out on top.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra features Real Time Ray-Tracing as well as Vapor Cooling Chamber to keep the device cool during intense gaming sessions, while Apple misses out on Vapor Cooling Chamber and utilizes graphite sheets to keep the device cool.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Display & Size

Display is one segment where the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra looks to have taken a leap, at least in terms of numbers. It features a 6.8-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 3088x1440 pixels and a pixel density of 500ppi. Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro Max features a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display with a resolution of 2796x1290 pixels at 460ppi.

Both devices get Variable Refresh Rate up to 120Hz with HDR10 support. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max are identical in terms of weight, weighing in at 234 grams and 240 grams respectively.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Cameras

Samsung has massively upgraded the primary sensor in its quad camera system this year. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra sees the megapixel count increase to 200MP. It also features new Adaptive Pixel Super HDR and Detail Enhancer technology. Apple has never been big on numbers and it gets a 48MP primary camera in a triple camera system. Despite having a lower megapixel count than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, iPhone 14 Pro Max remains one of the best camera smartphones in the market.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offers the ability to record 8K video recording whereas Apple is still stuck at 4K60 as the highest recording resolution.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 5000mAh battery compared to 4323mAh on the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Although the Galaxy S23 has a bigger battery on paper, only real world tests will reveal which device lasts longer. The iPhone does have a good battery management system even when its Always-on display is on.