A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is less costly than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Although the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a great camera system, the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s camera offers slightly higher photo and video quality, more megapixels in the main camera, and additional features like a periscope camera for zoom. The S23 Ultra also boasts a brighter screen and a newer processor, which may offer better performance. Both have large screens, but the S23 Ultra's screen is slightly larger and has a curved edge. If battery life is crucial, both phones offer long battery life, with the S23 Ultra edging out slightly. The iPhone runs iOS while the S23 Ultra runs Android, so consider which operating system you prefer. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max has no clear advantages over the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Best in class for taking photos
- Very good for recording videos
- Best in class battery life
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
8.0
9.2
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has excellent overall camera quality, while the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max has very good overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts very good selfie quality, along with good versatility and solid low light performance. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, with its best-rated selfie score, also excels in camera versatility and features an excellent camera software experience, making it overall exceptional in taking photos.
Photo Quality
7.8
9.5
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes best in class photos, while the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max takes good photos.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra takes excellent photos partly because it offers better camera versatility with a high-end telephoto lens that includes 10x optical zoom, and its photos software experience is enhanced by features like HDR10+, contributing to its strong performance across various conditions including low light. In contrast, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max captures very good photos, bolstered by its own robust software that yields a high dynamic range and well-rated selfie quality, but lacks the same level of telephoto zoom and versatility found in the Ultra.
Video Quality
8.6
8.0
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra both have very good videos, though the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max takes somewhat better videos.
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max provides a very good video capturing experience across resolution, framerate, stabilization, dynamic range, low light performance, and mic quality. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra excels, offering an excellent video capturing experience with superior stabilization and dynamic range, as well as impressive low light performance.
Battery
9.6 Hours
10.4 Hours
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max has 9.6 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has 10.4 hours of battery life.
Cost
$639
$1,200
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max has a price of $639 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra costs $1,200.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Phone
Find your new phone
Key similarities
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max has a screen size of 6.7 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is 6.8 inches.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$639 | $1,200 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 24, 2021 | February 17, 2023 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.7" | 6.8" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2778 x 1284 | 3088 x 1440 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | Yes | Yes | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 458 | 501 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A15 | SD8G2 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 6 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.9/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 8.6/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto, Super Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 12 megapixels + OIS | 200 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.6 Hours | 10.4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 4352 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | Yes (4.5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.33" x 3.07" | 6.43" x 3.07" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 8.47 oz | 8.25 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 6e | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 270 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Alpine Green, Graphite, Sierra Blue, Gold, Silver | Green, Phantom Black, Cream, Lavender, Graphite | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Guide
Mark Spoonauer | March 2023
"The iPhone 13 Pro Max is that rare phone that gets a 5-star rating from us. You get blistering performance and a very responsive 120Hz display. Plus, the battery life is among the best we’ve seen from a 5G flagship. Some may simply prefer the iPhone 13 Pro because it’s smaller and lighter, as there are no other functional differences between the two handsets. But if you prefer a bigger screen, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is the closest thing to perfect you can get in a phone."
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
Ryan Haines | March 2023
"The Galaxy S23 Ultra doesn’t just want a place at the top right now; it expects to stay there. Samsung’s excellent update commitment and connectivity standards will keep its flagship feeling fresh for years to come, and the high-end materials will put up with more than their share of wear and tear. It might be more than most users need in terms of size, power, and cost, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a glaring weakness."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
About Samsung
Samsung is one of the most recognizable names in the smartphone industry, standing as the undisputed best-selling brand of Android smartphones in the United States for many years now. Samsung is known for offering a variety of smartphones in all available price points, as well as for implementing cutting-edge technology and innovative features in their flagship devices, ones that often shape the market going forward. The company offers its own unique spin on Android, called One UI, which focuses on offering a multitude of features and is heavily customizable, according to user preference.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Phone guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. Apple iPhone 13
VS
Compare Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. Apple iPhone 14
VS
Compare Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
VS
Compare Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
VS
Compare Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
VS
Compare Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Sony Xperia 1 V
VS
FAQs
FAQs about phones
Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
8
Proprietary Phones ratings developed
151,800
Recommendations made
86,020
Consumer hours saved
About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
Featured in
