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The time has come to compare the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max. The Galaxy S22 Ultra actually launched quite recently. These are two heavyweight smartphones from their respective manufacturers. They’re the best Samsung and Apple have to offer, and are quite expensive at the same time. These two phones don’t have that much in common, other than the fact they’re both large and powerful.
We’ll compare the two phones across a number of categories, right after we list their specifications. After we do that, we’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery packs, cameras, and audio performance. Both of these phones have a lot to offer, but they do it in considerably different ways. That being said, let’s kick off the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max comparison.
Specs
| Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max | |
| Screen size | 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (120Hz adaptive refresh rate, LTPO) | 6.7-inch OLED ProMotion flat display (120Hz adaptive refresh rate) |
| Screen resolution | 3080 x 1440 | 2778 x 1284 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Samsung Exynos 2200 | Apple A15 Bionic |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB (LPDDR5) | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB, non-expandable | 128GB/256GB/512GB (NVMe); non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 108MP (f/1.8 aperture, OIS, 0.8um pixel size. Produces 12MP images with 2.4um pixel size) 12MP (ultrawide, Dual Pixel AF, 120-degree FoV, f/2.2 aperture, 1.4um pixel size) 10MP (telephoto, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, f/2.4 aperture, 1.12um pixel size, 70mm lens, optical zoom 3x) 10MP (telephoto, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, f/4.9 aperture, 1.22um pixel size, 230mm lens, 10x optical zoom, 100x Space Zoom) |
12MP (f/1.5 aperture, 1.9um pixel size, sensor-shift OIS, dual pixel PDAF) 12MP (telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 77mm lens, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom) 12 MP (f/1.8 aperture, 13mm lens, 120-degree FoV) TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Front cameras | 40MP (f/2.2 aperture, 80-degree FoV, 0.7um pixel size, PDAF) | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 23mm wide-angle lens) |
| Battery | 5,000mAh, non-removable, 45W wired charging, 15W Qi wireless charging, 5W Wireless PowerShare | 4,373mAh, non-removable, 20W wired charging, 7.5W/15W wireless charging |
| Dimensions | 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7mm |
| Weight | 228/229 grams | 240 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, Lightning |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner (ultrasonic) | Advanced facial scanning |
| OS | Android 12 One UI 4.1 |
iOS 15 |
| Price | $1,199.99 | $1,099 |
| Buy | Samsung | Apple |
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: Design
Both of these phones look quite premium, and both are made out of metal and glass. They do look quite a bit different, and the same goes for the in-hand feel. The iPhone 13 Pro Max has sharper edges all around, as it features flat sides all around its body. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a flat top and bottom parts, but the sides are extremely curved, as curved as they can be, basically.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra cuts in your hand less when you hold it, but both of these phones are quite heavy. The S22 Ultra weighs 228/229 grams, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max weighs 240 grams. Both smartphones are also really tall and wide, while they’re not exactly thick. Both, however, are very slippery, so using a case may not be a bad idea. That’s not surprising considering they’re made out of metal and glass.
You’ll notice that they look a lot different as well. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a tiny display camera hole, which is centered, paired with a curved display, and thin bezels. The iPhone 13 Pro Max includes a flat display, and a really pronounced display notch at the top. Its bezels are thin, though. The rear-facing cameras do sit in the same spot, but they do look different from the design standpoint. The two companies also used considerably different hardware here. It is also worth noting that the Galaxy S22 Ultra has an S Pen silo at the bottom, towards the right side. Yes, the S Pen is included. Both phones feel really premium in the hand, but may be too large and heavy for some.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: Display
The Galaxy S22 Ultra features a 6.8-inch QHD+ (3088 x 1440) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. That is a curved panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s an LTPO display that goes from 10 to 120Hz in regards to refresh rate. It does support HDR10+ content, and it has a peak brightness of 1,750 nits. This display is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus+, and we’re looking at 500 PPI here.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max, on the other hand, includes a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. This is a 2778 x 1284 display with 120Hz refresh rate support. It does support HDR10 content, and also Dolby Vision. This display has a peak brightness of 1,200 nits, and it is flat. It is protected by scratch-resistant ceramic glass, and we’re looking at 458 PPI here.
Both of these displays are gorgeous, to say the least. Samsung’s is better on paper, in some aspects, but truth be said, in use, you’ll be more than happy with both. Apple did a great job tuning its panel, and both displays will be more than bright enough in all scenarios. In direct sunlight, though, the Galaxy S22 Ultra does have an edge. They’re both plenty responsive, have great viewing angles, and their colors pop. The blacks are deep, and there’s really not much you can complain about here. These are some of the best displays in the market.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra comes in two SoC variants. One model is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, while the other comes with the Exynos 2200 SoC. You can choose between them, as specific markets got specific models, and that’s it. The device also includes 8GB or 12GB of RAM, depending on which you opt for. The iPhone 13 Pro Max, on the other hand, is fueled by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, and comes with 6GB of RAM on the inside.
We’re looking at two different OS’ here, of course, Android and iOS. Both phones perform really well, though. They can run through anything you throw at them. They open and close apps really fast, they’re great for multimedia consumption, taking pictures, and so on. When it comes to gaming, both perform great, though the Galaxy S22 Ultra does get a bit warmer. They can both run basically anything you throw at them, and that includes graphically-intensive games, and whatnot.
We didn’t notice any noticeable throttling on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, though it does get a bit warmer than we’d like while gaming. This is something Samsung may further optimize via updates. The performance is top notch in both cases, which is not surprising considering these are some of the most popular flagship offerings on the market at the moment.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra features a 5,000mAh battery. The iPhone 13 Pro Max, on the flip side, has a 4,352mAh battery. Do note that iOS handles battery consumption differently, though, so this difference doesn’t really mean much. It is worth noting that both smartphones offer great battery life, above average. We’re still testing the Galaxy S22 Ultra battery life, but the initial impressions are quite good.
Based on what we’ve seen thus far, though, the iPhone 13 Pro Max will still offer better battery life. Apple’s largest smartphone has been ruling the charts in terms of battery life since it launched, as it can really offer amazing numbers, depending on your usage. For most of you, both of these phones will be able to last for a full day even if you’re a true power user. Your mileage will be different than ours, so I don’t want to get into exact numbers. Your usage, app load, cell reception, and many more aspects will affect your results, of course.
When it comes to charging, both phones offer wired and wireless charging. The Galaxy S22 Ultra supports 45W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 5W Wireless PowerShare (reverse wireless charging). The iPhone 13 Pro Max supports 27W wired charging, 15W wireless charging (MagSafe), and 7.5W Qi wireless charging. Do note that neither phone comes with a charger.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: Cameras
Both of these phones have quite powerful cameras, though the results surprised us a bit. The Galaxy S22 Ultra proved to be a true camera smartphone powerhouse. The Galaxy S22 Ultra features four cameras on the back, and one on the front, led by a 108-megapixel main snapper. The iPhone 13 Pro Max has three 12-megapixel cameras on the back, in addition to its selfie camera.
The images these two phones provide are considerably different in comparison. The Galaxy S22 Ultra shots are more contrasty (and a bit darker because of it), while the blacks are quite deep. Those blacks tend to look a bit too bright on the iPhone 13 Pro Max in comparison, while the images can look a bit washed out when compared as well. The vast majority of images taken on the Galaxy S22 Ultra looked sharper, while it also did better when it comes to moving objects. It also has an upper hand when it comes to portrait shots, as it does a better job with recognizing hair, and even individual hairs.
In low light, it offered better color and white balance in most shots, even though sometimes the Galaxy S22 Ultra shots in low light looked unnatural. Both suffer from lens flares in low light. The iPhone 13 Pro Max still has an upper hand in the video department, while it also managed to do better in terms of macro shots, as it can get a lot closer to the subject. The Galaxy S22 Ultra tends to do better with zoomed-in shots due to better camera hardware. Even when the subject is very far away the Galaxy S22 Ultra does a good job, presuming there’s plenty of light available. Ultrawide cameras are good on both phones.
Audio
Both devices have stereo speakers, and both sets are really good. They’re both loud enough, and also sharp enough. The distortion is barely noticeable at the highest of volumes, and the soundstage is wide enough. You’ll even get some bass from both sets of speakers, which is good.
A 3.5mm headphone jack is not a part of either package. You can either utilize the Type-C port, or connect your headphones via Bluetooth. Whichever you end up choosing, you’ll get good sound output.