Home > Smartphone comparison > Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 15 Pro Max – which one to choose?

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

74 out of 100
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
VS
83 out of 100
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy) that was released on February 1, 2023, against the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is powered by Apple A17 Pro and came out 7 months after. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Select the amount of RAM to evaluate performance and value for money more precisely
Memory
  1. Differences
  2. Review
  3. Specs
  4. Benchmarks
  5. Battery life
  6. Camera
  7. Comments (29)

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone
Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
  • The rear camera has a 10x optical zoom
  • Supports higher wattage charging (45W versus 23W)
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
  • 20% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (1762K versus 1467K)
  • CPU with a higher amount of cores (+2)
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • Shows 22% longer battery life (31:37 vs 26:01 hours)
  • Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
  • Delivers 40% higher peak brightness (1772 against 1266 nits)
  • 48% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 2974 and 2010 points
  • The phone is 7 months newer

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max crucial features
Display
Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness
Camera
Photo and video recording quality
Performance
CPU and memory performance (apps, system)
Gaming
Capabilities for playing modern games
Battery
Battery life, charging type and speed
Connectivity
Networks, ports, data transmission
DeviceFacts Score
Final comparison evaluation
Select your primary usage scenario to get a more accurate DeviceFacts Score
📱 Primary usage:

Value for money (Beta)

To get an accurate value-for-money index, update the default prices with actual prices from your country’s retailers (for the selected memory configs) and press the "Calculate" button.
Currency
8 / 256 GB
VS
8 / 256 GB
49.0
(Average)
Value Index
15.6
(Bad)

Tests and specifications

Comparison table of technical specifications and tests
Phone:
Galaxy S23 Ultra
vs
iPhone 15 Pro Max

Display

Type Dynamic AMOLED OLED
Size 6.8 inches 6.7 inches
Resolution 1440 x 3088 pixels 1290 x 2796 pixels
Aspect ratio 19.3:9 19.5:9
PPI 500 ppi 460 ppi
Refresh rate 120 Hz 120 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate Yes (24-120 Hz) Yes (1-120 Hz)
Max rated brightness 1200 nits 2000 nits
Max rated brightness in HDR 1750 nits 1600 nits
HDR support Yes, HDR10+ Yes, Dolby Vision
Touch sampling rate 240 Hz -
Screen protection Gorilla Glass Victus 2 -
Screen-to-body ratio 89.5% 89.8%
Display features - DCI-P3
- Always-On Display		 - DCI-P3
- Always-On Display
Display tests
RGB color space 96.9% 99.8%
PWM 240 Hz 240 Hz
Response time 2 ms 1 ms
Contrast ∞ Infinity ∞ Infinity
Peak brightness test (auto)
Galaxy S23 Ultra
1266 nits
iPhone 15 Pro Max +40%
1772 nits
Sources: NotebookCheck [3], [4]

Design and build

Height 163.4 mm (6.43 inches) 159.9 mm (6.3 inches)
Width 78.1 mm (3.07 inches) 76.7 mm (3.02 inches)
Thickness 8.9 mm (0.35 inches) 8.25 mm (0.32 inches)
Weight 233 g (8.22 oz) 221 g (7.8 oz)
Waterproof IP68 IP68
Advanced cooling Vapor chamber -
Rear material Glass Glass
Frame material Metal Metal
Colors White, Black, Gray, Blue, Green, Red, Purple White, Black, Silver, Blue
Fingerprint scanner Yes, in-display No
Screen-to-body ratio

Performance

Chipset specifications of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
SoC
Chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy Apple A17 Pro
Max clock 3360 MHz 3780 MHz
CPU cores 8 (1 + 2 + 2 + 3) 6 (2 + 4)
Architecture - 3 cores at 2 GHz: Cortex-A510
- 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-A710
- 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-A715
- 1 core at 3.2 GHz: Cortex-X3		 - 4 cores at 2.11 GHz: Sawtooth
- 2 cores at 3.78 GHz: Everest
L3 cache 8 MB -
Manufacturing TSMC TSMC
Lithography process 4 nanometers 3 nanometers
Neural processor (NPU) Hexagon Apple Neural Engine
GPU
Graphics Adreno 740 6 core Apple GPU
GPU shading units 1536 768
GPU clock 680 MHz 1398 MHz
FLOPS ~2089 GFLOPS ~2147.2 GFLOPS

Benchmarks

Benchmark comparison of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
Compute Score (GPU)
Compute Score (GPU) 9254 28374
Single-core score 2010 2974
Multi-core score 5245 7533
Sources: Geekbench [3], [4]
AnTuTu Benchmark 11
Galaxy S23 Ultra +20%
1762339
iPhone 15 Pro Max
1467470
CPU 556398 374357
GPU 445907 463612
Memory 285085 184670
UX 474949 444831
Total score 1762339 1467470
Samples [31 tests] [7 tests]
3DMark Steel Nomad Light
Stability 81% 71%
Graphics test 8 FPS 10 FPS
Graphics score 1098 1391
3DMark Solar Bay
Stability 77% 73%
Graphics test 20 FPS 23 FPS
Section 1 23 FPS 29 FPS
Section 2 20 FPS 23 FPS
Section 3 18 FPS 16 FPS
Graphics score 5383 6089
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
Stability 69% 63%
Graphics test 22 FPS 21 FPS
Graphics score 3723 3655
Sources: 3DMark [5], [6]
PCMark 3.0
Web score 17072 -
Video editing 7852 -
Photo editing 33655 -
Data manipulation 13329 -
Writing score 19857 -
Submit your benchmark results

Recent User Tests

The latest benchmark tests that have been submitted by users
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
DateBenchmarkResult
📘 2026-10-03 -> ThekinggoatAnTuTu 121914947
📘 2026-10-03 (Thekinggoat)Geekbench 7 CPU1471 / 4766
📘 2026-10-03 (Thekinggoat)AnTuTu 121914947
📘 2026-09-28 -> Saad_irqAnTuTu 121959121
📘 2026-09-23 (Horizon377)AnTuTu 121894819
Add View all (56)
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
DateBenchmarkResult
📘 2026-10-01 (Zabza)AnTuTu 111996792
📘 2026-09-28 (Kuan.28)AnTuTu 111752198
📘 2026-09-23 (podsolnuh)AnTuTu 111357765
📘 2026-09-11 (Zabza)AnTuTu 111599694
📘 2026-09-10 (elio)AnTuTu 111445771
Add View all (42)

Memory

RAM
RAM size 8 GB 8 GB
Memory type LPDDR5X LPDDR5
Memory clock 4200 MHz 3200 MHz
Channels 4 4
Storage
Storage size 256 GB 256 GB
Storage type UFS 4.0 NVMe
Memory card No No

Software

Operating system Android 13 (Can be upgraded to Android 16) iOS 17 (Can be upgraded to iOS 27)
ROM One UI 8.0 -
OS size 39.9 GB 17.6 GB
OS updates 4 years 7 years
Security updates 5 years 7 years

Battery

Capacity 5000 mAh 4441 mAh
Max charge power 45 W 23 W
Battery type Li-Ion Li-Ion
Replaceable No No
Wireless charging Yes (15 W) Yes (7.5 W)
Reverse charging Yes, (wireless) Yes
Bypass charging Yes No
Fast charging Yes (68% in 30 min) Yes (46% in 30 min)
Full charging time 0:59 hr 1:49 hr
Battery life tests
Web browsing 09:57 hr 12:36 hr
Watching video 15:38 hr 22:07 hr
Gaming 06:22 hr 06:58 hr
Standby 130 hr 139 hr
General battery life
Galaxy S23 Ultra
26:01 hr
iPhone 15 Pro Max +22%
31:37 hr
Add your battery life
Smartphones With Long Battery Life (139th and 32nd place)

Main camera

Matrix 200 megapixels 48 megapixels
Image resolution 16320 x 12240 8064 x 6048
Zoom Optical, 10x Optical, 5x
Flash LED Dual LED
Stabilization Optical Optical
8K video recording Up to 30FPS No
4K video recording Up to 60FPS Up to 60FPS
1080p video recording Up to 120FPS Up to 60FPS
Slow motion 960 FPS (1080p) 240 FPS (1080p)
Angle of widest lens 120° 120°
Lenses 1) Standard: 200 MP
2) Telephoto: 10 MP
3) Telephoto: 10 MP
4) Ultrawide: 12 MP
1) Standard: 48 MP
2) Telephoto: 12 MP
3) Ultrawide: 12 MP
4) Depth
Camera features - Bokeh mode
- Pro mode
- RAW support		 - Bokeh mode
- Pro mode
- RAW support
Standard lens
Image resolution 200 MP 48 MP
Aperture f/1.7 f/1.8
Focal length 23 mm 24 mm
Sensor Samsung ISOCELL HP2 Sony IMX803
Sensor size 1/1.3" (≈ 0.77 inch) 1/1.28" (≈ 0.78 inch)
Pixel size 0.64 micron 1.22 micron
Autofocus Laser autofocus Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel)
Stabilization Optical Optical
Telephoto lens
Image resolution 10 MP 12 MP
Aperture f/4.9 f/1.78 - 2.8
Focal length 230 mm 120 mm
Sensor Sony IMX754 Sony IMX913
Sensor size 1/3.52" (≈ 0.28 inch) 1/3.06" (≈ 0.33 inch)
Pixel size 1.12 micron 1.12 micron
Stabilization Optical Optical
Ultra-wide lens
Image resolution 12 MP 12 MP
Aperture f/2.2 f/2.2
Focal length 13 mm 13 mm
Sensor Sony IMX564 Sony IMX633
Sensor size 1/2.55" (≈ 0.39 inch) 1/2.55" (≈ 0.39 inch)
Pixel size 1.4 micron 1.4 micron
Stabilization Digital Digital

DxOMark main camera tests

Photo quality
Video quality
Generic main camera score
Bokeh 70 80
Preview 73 86
Zoom 141 142
Samples Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra from DxOMark Photo samples of Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max from DxOMark

Selfie camera

Megapixels 12 megapixels 12 megapixels
Image resolution 4000 x 3000 4032 x 3024
Aperture f/2.2 f/1.9
Focal length 26 mm 23 mm
Sensor Samsung S5K3LU Sony IMX714
Sensor size 1/3.24" (≈ 0.31 inch) 1/3.6" (≈ 0.28 inch)
Pixel size 1.12 micron 1.12 micron
Autofocus Phase autofocus Phase autofocus
Stabilization Digital Optical
Video resolution 2160p (4K) at 60 FPS 2160p (4K) at 60 FPS
Depth sensor (TOF 3D) No Yes
DxOMark front camera
Photo 139 145
Video 145 156

Connectivity

Wi-Fi standard Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Wi-Fi features - Dual Band
- Wi-Fi MiMO
- Wi-Fi Direct
- Wi-Fi Hotspot
- Wi-Fi Display		 - Dual Band
- Wi-Fi MiMO
- Wi-Fi Direct
- Wi-Fi Hotspot
- Wi-Fi Display
Bluetooth version 5.3 5.3
Bluetooth features LE LE
USB type USB Type-C USB Type-C
USB version 3.2 3.2
USB features - Charging
- USB-Storage mode
- OTG		 - Charging
- USB-Storage mode
- OTG
DisplayPort Yes, DP 1.2 Yes
GPS GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS, NAVIC
NFC* Yes Yes
Infrared port No No
Network
Number of SIM* 1 -
Type of SIM card Nano eSIM
Multi SIM mode Standby -
eSIM support* Yes Yes
Hybrid slot No No
LTE Cat* 20 20
5G support Yes Yes

Sound

Speakers Stereo Stereo
Headphone audio jack No No
FM radio No No
Dolby Atmos Yes Yes
Speakers test
Max loudness
Galaxy S23 Ultra
91.8 dB
iPhone 15 Pro Max +1%
92.3 dB

Other

Category Flagship Flagship
Announced February 2023 September 2023
Release date February 2023 September 2023
Launch price (MSRP) $1199 $1199
Successor - Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra - Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
SAR (head) 0.96 W/kg 0.98 W/kg
SAR (body) 1.4 W/kg 0.98 W/kg
Sensors - Hall-effect sensor
- Barometer
- Proximity sensor
- Gyroscope
- Accelerometer
- Ambient light sensor
- Compass
- Fingerprint		 - Barometer
- Proximity sensor
- Gyroscope
- Accelerometer
- Ambient light sensor
- Compass
- Face recognition sensor
Bundled charger Not included Not included
*Disclaimer! NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.

Conclusion

After analyzing all the data, we think that the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is definitely a better buy.

Cast your vote

So, which phone would you choose?
4658 (71.3%)
1872 (28.7%)
Total votes: 6530

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User opinions

You can share your opinion or ask a question in the comments below
🌐 Register your profile and become part of DeviceFacts community!
Avatar
Everton 🇧🇷 July 11, 2024 at 07:37 PM
I realized that there are a lot of people confused about how top-of-the-line cell phone comparisons work, many people think that the iPhone 14's competitor is the S23U but it's not the S22U, they think that the iPhone 15's competitor is the S24U, it's not the S23U, the Comparison between these cell phones is not made based on the date closest to launch. Furthermore, there is no point in making a comparison like this. S22U vs IPHONE 14 P.MAX pro Max is the same thing as competing in an endurance competition between a human and a concrete wall
+5 Reply
Avatar
Khaled June 21, 2024 at 12:26 PM
I believe the matter is, and as was, to fake people with marketing channels. If S23 Ultra went 200 boxes over the Max price on launch time, then would still think people may grab the Max? To many people, sadly to say, the more expensive the more beneficial and more prestigious, despite practicality and usability. Used both, but honestly, the Ultra gives me more space to productivity in on-the-go filming. This is not to say how easy peasy to handle bunch of tasks the Ultra.
+1 Reply
Avatar
Darkich December 28, 2023 at 08:32 PM
The S Pen is the most tragically underrated feature in the smartphone world, and this comparison confirms it.
+17 Reply
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Craig December 23, 2023 at 02:35 PM
The iPhone is my preferred choice. I used a Samsung s10 5G 512GB and while it's a very good phone, its battery life falls short in comparison to that of the iPhone 14 or 15. The reason I love the iPhone is for its superior cameras, excellent performance, great battery life, and advanced specs. However, they are often overpriced when compared to Samsung. For example, when comparing Samsung's s10 5G 512GB, its specs are only a slight step down from the S23 Ultra but a full 10 steps away from the iPhone.
+19 Reply
Avatar
Leo May 16, 2024 at 03:10 AM
You're seriously comparing an s10 to iphone 14/15? tha'ts 4-5 years launch gap. You just hiding your fanboyism to this comment.
+6 Reply
Avatar
Nihal November 24, 2023 at 06:31 PM
Comparing the iPhone 15 Pro Max to the S23 Ultra isn't quite fair, as the S24 Ultra is the iPhone 15 Pro Max's real competition. Despite this, the camera and display of the S23 Ultra are still superior.
+44 Reply
Avatar
Daine Ramos Quitco December 10, 2023 at 08:04 AM
It's astonishing to know that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, released months ago with a year-old chipset named "Snapdragon 8 Gen 2" from Qualcomm, still outperformed Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max in a 30-minute intensive workload battle!
+22 Reply
Avatar
Everton July 11, 2024 at 07:25 PM
Wrong, the iPhone 15 Pro Max competitor is actually the Galaxy S23U.
+5 Reply
Avatar
TheTechEnthusiastist December 15, 2024 at 06:34 PM
But both of the phones were launched in 2023 and comparing a phone that is 1 yr newer ain't fair at all?
0 Reply
Avatar
Nicky March 20, 2025 at 11:08 AM
TheTechEnthusiastist, 1 year newer? S23U have 7 months diffrence to the 15PM,but the S24U have 4 months diffrence to the 15PM,so 15PM is the one who is "1 year newer" To the S23U
+5 Reply
Avatar
SmgUk October 20, 2023 at 08:26 PM
A lot of people here obviously can't afford an iPhone.
+34 Reply
Avatar
Frozoken October 21, 2023 at 10:32 AM
U mean the iphone that's literally the exact same price and was previously cheaper than the s23 ultra?
+45 Reply
Avatar
Z4wanton October 24, 2023 at 08:25 AM
Frozoken, Dude, you're seriously mistaken. The iPhone 15 Max is priced significantly higher by $300 to $400 than the S23 Ultra. Performance-wise, the S23 Ultra seems to surpass it, with the exception of its camera quality. To the naked eye, the iPhone's camera quality is noticeably superior, I won't lie.
+11 Reply
Avatar
GTG October 30, 2023 at 12:28 AM
What's the point in paying more to get less when you could pay less to get more?
+13 Reply
Avatar
Kai November 15, 2023 at 04:18 PM
These individuals seem unable to accept that DeviceFacts declared the iPhone as the winner. It's pretty obvious, however, that you all are insecure.
+2 Reply
Avatar
ImMeNotYou October 5, 2023 at 06:42 AM
This is wacky. How do you have the displays even, when the S23 Ultra has a larger display, higher resolution, and smaller cut-out? I also disagree with giving the camera and battery categories to the iPhone.
+51 Reply
Avatar
Kai October 11, 2023 at 12:48 PM
Just use an iPhone and know. S23 ultra is a masterpiece but iPhone is better. Pro Maxes have been better for the past 3 years now.
+16 Reply
Avatar
Cid October 31, 2023 at 03:22 PM
Kai, It's only a matter of time before the S24 Ultra surpasses the iPhone 14 Pro Max, just as the S23 Ultra did. Don't just randomly claim that Pro Maxes are always superior.
+11 Reply
Avatar
Kai September 28, 2023 at 08:57 AM
It's ironic how people criticize iPhones every single year, and this year is no exception. Yet, many of these critics would still desire and might even end up buying an iPhone, while publicly favoring Samsung. If something excels, it should be acknowledged. iPhones consistently stand out in terms of build, performance, camera, and even battery life, although the difference from the S23U isn't vast.
+26 Reply
Avatar
Simone September 30, 2023 at 12:31 AM
Lol, I only have an iPhone 12 Pro Max because my girlfriend gifted it to me. I'd never purchase an Apple device on my own; they're exorbitantly priced and offer little value for the cost. The S23 Ultra not only competes but also outperforms phones that are several months newer. It's more affordable and delivers essentially the same performance. Just check the benchmarks and specs yourself. And don't get me started on its superior camera.
+38 Reply
Avatar
Simone September 30, 2023 at 12:34 AM
Gotta be honest, if iPhones were the same price and had Android (which is miles better operating system customizability ALONE) I would prob get it over Samsung, but regardless I wouldn't buy either, samsung just ended up going the same garbage route apple took years ago, by taking out a headphones jack, MicroSD slot, and changeable battery, you can also see way more people would rather get a Samsung than an iphone, you're a bit delusional man, apple deserves all the critics, at least Samsung's prices ARE HONEST and not over-priced for what they offer.
+18 Reply
Avatar
Simone September 30, 2023 at 12:43 AM
I genuinely have no interest in publicly supporting one brand and then secretly opting for another. As I've mentioned, I only own an iPhone 12 Pro Max because of my girlfriend. I've grown indifferent to the smartphone competition; my PC gaming satisfies most of my tech cravings. For all my other needs - mobile gaming, browsing, and the like - Android seems superior due to its vast customization options. Apple lags behind in this department, often adopting essential features only years later. It's ironic how Apple, despite its lesser value for money, is often perceived as the superior choice. Thankfully, we can rely on actual numbers for clarity. To be fair, the iPhone isn't subpar or even necessarily worse than the S23 Ultra. The real issue? It's priced almost 50% higher than its comparable Android rivals. Look, I'm done here. Let's engage in a discussion with real arguments rather than resorting to strawman tactics.
+10 Reply
Avatar
GTG October 30, 2023 at 12:30 AM
Ending up buying an iPhone might have made you stuck in the Apple system, but that doesn't mean it will be the same for everyone else.
+7 Reply
Avatar
GTG September 25, 2023 at 06:17 PM
It's interesting how the S23 Ultra still stands out seven months after its launch. While Samsung and Apple are major device rivals, I can assure you there are other devices that excel in specific specs, if not in most or all.
+18 Reply
Avatar
Polaben September 25, 2023 at 03:24 AM
The Samsung S23 Ultra holds its own against the 15 Pro Max. Just imagine when Samsung adds some enhancements to the S24 Ultra. I wonder how that comparison will pan out?
+31 Reply
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Mohammad September 23, 2023 at 09:35 PM
doesn't have an iPhone USB 3.2 he has USB 3.1 gen 2 10Gbit/s Not USB 3.2 because USB 3.2 speed 20Gbit/s s23 Ultra support WiFi 7 Needs updating One UI for support WiFi 7 and Tri-band And S-Pen And supports Ray tracing before 1 year.
+6 Reply
Avatar
NS7 September 14, 2023 at 02:01 PM
The price difference doesn't justify the cost of the upgrade. The 14 Pro Max is a better buy than the 15 Pro Max, but they're discontinuing it 😂☠️. The S23 Ultra still reigns supreme.
+47 Reply
Avatar
Esperanto September 13, 2023 at 11:22 AM
7 months older phone has better functionality :) Think how better the will be S24 Ultra in 4 months should be compared to ;)
+90 Reply
Avatar
Mohamed September 20, 2023 at 05:19 AM
The s23 ultra is enough, the s24 ultra will be superior to the 15 pro max.
+53 Reply
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