iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: Which Should You Buy?

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the most specced out iPhone on the market. Its rival is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra which is the most significant and boldest smartphone from Samsung. These are also some of the most expensive phones you can buy now. Each year, the best iPhone 14 Pro Max is compared to the best Samsung Galaxies. Let’s do that again with the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Galaxy S22 Ultra are the greatest smartphones with top-of-the-line specs such as flagship cameras, display, battery, and much more. Plus, both smartphones are also priced pretty similarly. But how are they different and which one should you buy?

iPhone 14 Pro Max Overview

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is powered by the new A16 Bionic, has the brightest display on a smartphone, one the best battery life on any smartphone, a 48MP primary camera, and Dynamic Island. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has some unique features too. These include the new Crash Detection feature and SOS via Satellite. The new display also enables Always-On Display on the Pro iPhones. It is the best iPhone 14 Pro Max ever.

Galaxy S22 Ultra Overview

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is the latest flagship smartphone from Samsung. It has a 6.8-inch Quad HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and has 12GB of RAM. In addition, the phone has a 108MP primary camera, 100X Zoom, built-in S Pen support, and the power of One UI. Plus, it’s got a large battery and has five years of assured software support. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is a powerful and capable smartphone that offers a great user experience.

So which one to choose? Let’s find out with this head-to-head comparison.

iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: Full Comparison

6.7-inch OLED vs 6.8-inch OLED screen with 1-120Hz variable refresh rate.
Face ID vs Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner
Dynamic Island vs Punch hole
Galaxy S22 Ultra has an S Pen
Galaxy S22 Ultra has 100X Zoom
iPhone 14 Pro Max has better video
27W vs 45W fast-charging
iPhone 14 Pro Max has a longer-lasting battery

1. Design

The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a new pill-shaped cut-out for the front camera and the Face ID sensors. Apple calls it Dynamic Island. Apple has very smartly used the ugly-looking pill-shaped cut-out for some functionality to make it seem appealing. Dynamic Island is an interactive UI element that changes according to your apps. It can be used to glance at the timer, access music controls, voice recording status, and much more. The display is also flat, and the body has flat stainless steel sides. The notch is gone and is now replaced by Dynamic Island.On the flip side, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a tiny punch hole for the front camera, which looks more modern than a long, large pill. Plus, the large display is curved, and the side frame is made of aluminium. The Galaxy S22 Ultra is also wider than the iPhone 14 Pro Max. One unique feature of the Galaxy S22 Ultra is that it has a built-in stylus called the S Pen. The S Pen is stored and charged within the phone and can be used to control the phone with air gestures and action buttons.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max and Galaxy S22 Ultra are certified to be IP68 water and dust-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about accidental water or dust with either of the phones. Moreover, the iPhone 14 Pro Max still uses the proprietary lightning connector for charging, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra uses a USB-C port. However, iPhone 14 Pro Max might be switching to USB-C very soon, perhaps with the iPhone 15 Ultra.

2. Display

Regarding the display, the iPhone 14 Pro Max takes the win. It has a large 6.7-inch 120Hz screen with a resolution of 1290p and a brightness of up to 2000 nits. On the other hand, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a slightly larger 6.8-inch 120Hz resolution of 1440p and a peak brightness of 1750 nits. In addition, both screens support the latest LTPO technology that has a variable refresh between 1Hz-120Hz. This tech enables a more efficient Always-On Display.

However, the OLED technology of the iPhone 14 Pro Max is superior. The iPhone 14 Pro Max uses the latest M12 generation OLED panel, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra uses the last generation M11 panel. While the iPhone 14 Pro Max takes the lead, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is no behind. It has a higher resolution, a curved display that feels more premium, and a less intrusive punch-hole camera.

The Always-On Display on the iPhone 14 Pro Max differs from what we’ve been used to on Android and even the Apple Watch. The Always-On Display on the iPhone 14 Pro Max is an extra dim version of the lock screen. Plus, there is no customization for it. Your lock screen is your Always-On Display. Regardless, on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the Always-On Display is more practical and traditional. You can customize and add widgets to the Always-On Display on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

3. Biometrics

The iPhone 14 Pro Max uses Face ID for biometrics. The Face ID sensors seem to be the same as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. However, Face ID now works in the landscape too. As for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, you get an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication. You can also use face authentication, which is not as secure as Apple’s Face ID. This is because it uses a standard picture-based recognition, unlike Apple’s IR-based recognition.

4. Performance

Now let’s get to the most exciting part of this comparison— performance. The iPhone 14 Pro Max comes with the latest Apple A16 Bionic, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the US and India (Exynos 2200 in Europe).

A16 Bionic vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

During the keynote, Apple claimed the three-year-old A13 Bionic is faster than the nearest competitor. This nearest competitor could be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. However, real-world performance is very different.Undoubtedly, the A16 Bionic is the fastest chip in any smartphone. It has a faster GPU which results in better graphics performance when gaming. It is also built on TSMC’s 4nm fabrication process as opposed to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which is based on Samsung’s 4nm fabrication process. For those unaware, TSMC’s fabrication process is superior to Samsung’s. This makes the A16 Bionic more efficient than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.

While the A16 is the fastest chip in any smartphone, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is not slow either. It performs exceptionally well on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Benchmarks

On GeekBench 5, the iPhone 14 Pro Max scores significantly higher than the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It scores 1884 in single-core performance and 5491 in multi-core performance. The scores of the Galaxy S22 Ultra are way less, with 1157 and 3307 with single-core and multi-core performance, respectively. The A16 Bionic performs 56% and 39% better in single-core and multi-core performance, respectively. Do note that GeekBench only tests the CPU performance of a chipset.

As per Phonearena, on 3DMark Extreme (High), the iPhone 14 Pro Max scores 3382 while the Galaxy S22 Ultra scores 2203, which is a huge difference. Moreover, the difference remains somewhat the same on 3DMark Extreme (Low), with the iPhone 14 Pro Max scoring 2327 and the Galaxy S22 Ultra scoring 1624. For those unaware, 3DMark Extreme is designed to test the GPU performance of a chipset.

When it comes to AnTuTu, the comparison does not make sense, as AnTuTu works differently on iOS and Android. Therefore, we wish not to include that.

5. RAM and Storage

The iPhone 14 Pro Max still has the same 6GB RAM as the iPhone 14 Pro Max 13 Pro Max. On the flip side, the Galaxy S22 Ultra offers 8GB RAM on the base model and 12GB on the highest-end model. Both perform very well in multitasking. As for storage, both smartphones offer four storage variants— 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. Neither of the smartphones supports a microSD card, so keep that in mind when making your purchase.

6. Software

The iPhone 14 Pro Max runs on the latest iOS 16 and will likely receive 5 to 6 years of software support. Samsung is also not behind. Samsung has promised four years of major Android updates and five years of security updates for the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It currently runs on One UI 4.1.1 based on Android 12L and will receive One UI 5.0 based on Android 13 very soon.

7. Camera

The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a better and bigger camera sensor and better video, but the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a zoom that remains unmatched. Both phones have one of the best camera systems on any smartphone, but which one is better?

iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: Camera Differences

Primary camera: 48MP (24mm) vs 108MP (23mm)
Ultra-wide camera: 12MP on both
Telephoto lens: 12MP with 3X optical zoom vs 10MP with 3X optical zoom
10X periscope lens only on the Galaxy S22 Ultra

The iPhone 14 Pro Max now uses a 48MP sensor for the primary camera, a massive jump from the 12MP on the 13 Pro Max. On the flip side, the Galaxy S22 Ultra uses a 108MP sensor for the primary camera, which was also on the S21 Ultra and the S20 Ultra.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max takes fantastic photos and videos, but the 10X periscope lens on the Galaxy S22 Ultra is unmatched. In addition, the Galaxy S22 Ultra can zoom in 100X with digital zoom. Samsung has been improving the zoom experience on the Galaxy S22 Ultra S series every year. It is undeniably the best zoom experience on any smartphone. Nevertheless, the iPhone 14 Pro Max maxes out at 3X optical and 10X digital zoom.

However, Apple also offers stand-out features that the Galaxy S22 Ultra doesn’t. These features include Photographic Styles, 4K Cinematic Mode, ProRAW, and more.

Main Camera

The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a slightly larger primary sensor than the one on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Also, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a slightly wider 23mm field of view as opposed to the 24mm field of view. However, this does not translate to any advantage for either. Everything comes down to post-processing.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max captures better detail, clarity, and highlights with the larger sensor. The Galaxy S22 Ultra also performs neck-to-neck with the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The Galaxy S22 Ultra performs better in some scenarios, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max in others. The HDR is still inferior on the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, however, still has a better dynamic range (HDR). Whichever phone you get, you can be sure that you are getting one of the best cameras on any smartphone.

Ultra-wide Camera

Apple has also upgraded the ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is 3X better than the 13 Pro Max. Both phones perform similarly on the ultra-wide camera. The macro mode on the iPhone 14 Pro Max has also been improved significantly. As a result, the iPhone 14 Pro Max can shoot better macro shots than the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Zoom

The iPhone 14 Pro Max has 2X and 3X optical and digital zoom up to 10X. This may seem a lot until you hear about the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has 3X optical zoom, 10X periscope, and 100X digital zoom. The Galaxy S22 Ultra clearly takes the win in this regard.

Portrait Mode

Samsung has had the best portrait mode on any smartphone for years now. However, the iPhone 14 Pro Max seems to be coming closer now. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has an improved 3X zoom camera for portraits, which performs better than the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Plus, the shutter lag is two times lesser on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, making it easier to take portraits of moving subjects like pets. The portrait mode is equally good on phones.

Front Camera

The front cameras on the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Galaxy S22 Ultra are the best cameras on any smartphone. In addition, the iPhone 14 Pro Max now has autofocus on the front camera as well. But how does this compare to the Galaxy S22 Ultra?

The selfie video on the iPhone 14 Pro Max is just superior. It takes better and cleaner video in bright light and even low light. The video quality is also superior in third-party apps like Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram. On the other hand, Samsung feels a bit dull when compared to Apple.

However, the Galaxy S22 Ultra takes the win regarding selfies (photos). It performs slightly better than the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Video

In terms of video, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has better clarity and detail when shooting 4K video. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, of course, can also shoot in 8K. Apple now offers to shoot Cinematic Mode in 4K at 24fps or 30 fps, while Samsung still sticks to 1080p. Also, Apple introduced the new Action Mode that offers gimbal-like stabilization at 2.8K resolution. Samsung’s similar Ultra Steady feature is capped at 1080p.

Samsung also has fun features like the director’s view, 4K video in 10X zoom, Bluetooth camera controls with the S Pen, and much more.

Night Mode

The iPhone 14 Pro Max performs exceptionally well in low light. All the new lenses have an improved low light performance. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has better clarity, while the Samsung has better brightness. A new flash on the iPhone 14 Pro Max adjusts its light based on the scenarios.

8. Battery and Charging

The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery, which is a pretty huge one. On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 4,323mAh battery. However, the iPhone 14 Pro Max does better in battery life despite having a smaller battery. As per a test conducted by XEETECHCARE, the Galaxy S22 Ultra lasts about 9.5 hours, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max lasts about 11+ hours on a single charge. So no matter which one you pick, you will get fantastic battery life.

On the charging front, Samsung has a significant advantage. It charges at 45W, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max charges at 27W. Both smartphones do not include a charger in the box. As a result, the iPhone 14 Pro Max takes around 2 hours to get a full charge, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra takes only half of that.

Both smartphones support wireless charging. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has MagSafe, which charges the phone magnetically. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has reverse wireless charging, which you can use to charge your wireless earbuds.

Summary

The iPhone 14 Pro Max has better performance, better display, more extended software support, better video, and longer battery life. It also has unique features like Satellite Connectivity, Dynamic Island, and Crash Detection.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra has an S Pen, faster charging, a periscope lens with 100X zoom, better HDR and selfies, and five years of software support.

Which One Should You Buy?

Well, everything comes down to your preference. If you want a smartphone that has a reliable camera, long-term software support, and excellent battery life, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is for you. However, if you want a powerful smartphone with free (free as in freedom) and customizable software, faster charging, a fingerprint scanner, and long-range zoom, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is for you.

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