Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Which is right for you?
The smartphone market feels smaller than ever, especially in the United States. With companies like LG and HTC out of the game, and startups likeNothingandOSOMfloundering to get their devices in the hands of consumers, most consumers really only have two choices worth considering: Samsung or Apple. Ecosystem lock-in is powerful, but while it might seem like everyone has their set allegiances on smartphone brands, it couldn’t be further from the truth. For many iPhone users, Samsung’s slick marketing and S Pen support is a powerful allure away from the world of blue bubbles — and, of course, the same is true for Apple as well.
Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultrais one of themost powerful Android flagship phonesyou can buy today, going head-to-head and toe-to-toe with the iPhone 13 Pro Max. If you’re unsure which you should buy, don’t worry — we think there’s a clear winner here.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
iPhone 13 Pro Max
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200
Apple A15 Bionic
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
6.8” QHD+ (1440x3200, 20:9) LTPO 120Hz
6.7" Super Retina XDR (1284 x 2778, 19.5:9), 120Hz
5,000mAh, up to 45W fast charging, up to 15W wireless charging
4,352mAh, up to 27W fast charging, up to 15W wireless charging with MagSafe
Rear Cameras
108MP f/1.8 primary, OIS and PDAF; 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (120° FoV); 10MP f/2.4 3x optical zoom sensor with OIS; 10MP f/4.9 10x optical zoom with OIS; 100x digital zoom
12 MP, f/1.5 primary, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.8 telephoto, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.8 120˚ ultrawide, PDAF
Front Camera
40MP f/2.2 with autofocus
12 MP, f/2.2
Connectivity
5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, Ultra-Wideband
5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, Ultra-Wideband
Dimensions
163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm, 229g, IP68 certified
160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7 mm, 240g, IP68 certified
One UI 4.1/Android 12
Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green, and Burgundy
Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue
Starting at$1,200
Starting at$1,100
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Design and hardware
If you’re out shopping for a phone, it’s possible to’t beat the premium hardware offered by these two phones. Apple has long dominated this space, basically defining what “high-end hardware” means since the iPhone 4 launched in 2010. Those same squared edges from a decade ago made for a somewhat divisive return in 2020 with the iPhone 12 series, and not much has changed for the iPhone 13.
Apple has yet to switch away from its infamous notch, though it has made it slightly narrower — not that iOS takes advantage of this extra space. Broadly speaking, this is still the same glass-and-stainless-steel sandwich we’ve all grown to expect from the company, for better or worse.
Samsung’s latest Galaxy S22 Ultra also builds on the design legacy of previous phones, butnotlast year’s S21 Ultra. Instead, you’ll have to look all the way back to 2020’s Note20 Ultra to spot its lineage. The two phones are nearly identical, down to the S Pen slot and the curved rails on both sides of the display. Yes, this phone is the Note successor you’ve been dreaming of for nearly two years — it’s just using a different name.
While Apple has largely limited its flagship phones to a couple of safe colors, Samsung went all out this year for the S22 Ultra. In addition to white, black, green, and burgundy, the company offers red, sky blue, and graphite as web exclusives. That’s seven different colorways to choose from, making it one of the most personable flagships we’ve seen in years. It’s not quite up to the level of Samsung’s ownGalaxy Z Flip3 Bespoke Edition, but outside of customized phones, it’s hard to beat.
At the end of the day, both phones are refinements on what’s come before. Apple and Samsung completely rule the hardware landscape right now, without much competition in their way. If smartphone design has stagnated, you can at least be sure you’re getting top-notch materials and build quality.
When it comes to pure specs, it’s really an apples and oranges comparison — pun mostly intended. The iPhone 13 Pro Max runs on Apple’s A15 Bionic chipset, featuring excellent performance for apps and games alike. It’s hard to argue with how powerful the company’s custom silicon has become, both in daily use and raw benchmarks. That said, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 used by Samsung in most regions is no slouch. Although it’s no longer the newest processor from Qualcomm — the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 now holds that title — it’s still a great chip, modern in every way. Realistically, unless yougenuinelycare about numbers, you’re getting excellent performance from each phone no matter what.
The S22 Ultra includes more RAM in both of its configurations — 8 or 12GB, versus only 6GB in the iPhone 13 Pro Max — though Apple and Samsung each feature up to 1TB of storage on their respective flagships. Truly, these are the current champs of the smartphone world when it comes to performance.
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Display
If you’re picking between these phones based on the display alone, you’re in for a treat. The Galaxy S22 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max feature two of the biggest, baddest, and boldest screens available right now.
For its latest release, Samsung uses a gorgeous 6.8-inch 1440p display that can only be described as “industry-leading.” Our review called it the best screen ever seen on a smartphone. With a 120Hz refresh rate, everything feels smooth, fluid, and fast. A peak brightness of 1,750 nits guarantees you can see everything in direct sunlight, while Samsung’s OLED panel delivers true blacks and eye-popping colors. If you’re looking for the best display possible on a smartphone, this is the device to get.
That said, Apple’s screen technology isn’t far behind — partially because of Samsung’s status as a dominant panel supplier for other phone manufacturers. The 6.7-inch “Super Retina XDR” might sound like a mouthful, but it’s a truly fantastic screen. Its 1284 x 2778 resolution isn’t all that far behind the S22 Ultra, and for the first time on an iPhone, it sports a 120Hz refresh rate. Finally, iOS can feel as smooth as recent Android phones. Typical max brightness levels out around 1,000 nits, though HDR content gets boosted as high as 1,200 nits.
Although the S22 Ultra lacks the facial recognition hardware that is now ubiquitous with the iPhone, it benefits by minimizing intrusion in the display. Samsung opted not to use an under-display camera for its latest flagship — probably because they aren’t ready for primetime. Still, the hole punch cutout is small and easy to ignore, especially after a couple of days. Apple’s notch still removes a sizable part of the display, though that’s the trade-off required for Face ID. For some, it might be worth it. Others will likely want to steer clear of that black bar altogether.
Overall, you really can’t go wrong with either display here. With Apple finally catching up to the competition on high refresh rates, it’s truly a toss-up between two fantastic screens. After all, what really matters is the software shown on them.
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Software
For many of AP’s readers, this section alone determines their choice. We tend to prefer Android around these parts for obvious reasons, and Android 12 is its best yet. The Galaxy S22 Ultra ships withOne UI 4.1, and aside from a few nitpicks, we’rebig fans of the current software. It has its quirks — especially when it comes to the setup process — but it’s as good as it’s ever been. While Samsung’s implementation of Material You could use some work, there’s plenty to like. Improved widgets, Google Messages support, and all of the S Pen tricks in the world help make for a fantastic experience.
Where Samsung hasreallyraised the bar is in its software updates. Not only does the company routinely beat Google to the punch on security patches by more than a week, but it’s nowpromising four major OS upgrades for its recent flagships— including the S22 Ultra. Despite launching just four months after the Pixel 6, Samsung’s latest device is set to get Android 16, something Google’s 2021 series is not guaranteed to receive. Count in five years of security patches, and the S22 Ultra’s sky-high price is suddenly a whole lot easier to swallow.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 13 Pro Max runs iOS 15, complete with all of the good and bad elements that have made Apple’s mobile platform so popular. On the plus side, you’ll gain access to exclusive elements like the App Store — which still has some big name apps and games you can’t get on Android — and iMessage, a vital communication tool if you live in the US. iOS has, in general, opened up some of those gated walls over the last few years. From the addition of a file manager to widgets on the home screen, it’s come a long way. That said, for most experienced Android users, the restrictions and limits of Apple’s devices are simply too constraining. If you’re the type of person who loves to swap launchers, get your apps from third-party storefronts, or — God forbid — install a custom ROM, you’ll want to stay far away from the world of iOS.
Of course, since both of these devices were released, bothAndroid 13and iOS 16 have been shown off to the public. Google’s annual update is chock-full of changes at a system level, though after last year’s major redesign, it’s relatively limited for user-facing features. As we update this guide,One UI 5 is nearing a beta launch,which should give us a better idea of what to expect from Samsung’s changes to Android 13. It’s possible One UI 5 ends up as a bigger, more substantive update to the S22 Ultra than Android 13 on its own.
Meanwhile, iOS 16 is, in many ways, a Samsung-fication of iOS —especially on the lock screen. Good Lock fans will feel right at home with Apple’s new highly-customizable lock screen on iOS 16. Font choices, color options, and a neat background/foreground gimmick all reinvent the classic iOS lock screen in new, unexpected ways. Lock screen widgets are also here, a feature Google once had in the days of Android 4.x. Finally, Apple has found a way to fix notifications on iOS — by simply hiding them from view. There’s always next year, we suppose.
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Camera
These days, the best in mobile photography really comes from three companies: Google, Samsung, and Apple. And while thePixel 6 Promight retain its crown as the best point-and-shoot camera on the market, you could’t beat the pro-level power and flexibility offered by the S22 Ultra. It starts with the sheer amount of hardware offered here, as Samsung has includedfourlenses on the back:
That’s a lot of lenses, and for the most part,they all produce excellent shots. The primary sensor produces 12MPbinned shotswith fantastic color and detail. The two optical zoom lenses feature new sensors this year, offering a 3x lens and a 10x periscope. While they aren’t up to the quality level offered by the primary sensor, they’re big improvements over the S21 Ultra.
At this point, the iPhone’s stovetop-esque triple camera lineup is well known — it’s certainly been memed to death online. Here’s what it’s working with, hardware-wise:
It’s comparable to the S22 Ultra, though unsurprisingly, the additional 10x periscope lens sets Samsung’s hardware over the top here. The one thing the iPhonedoesbeat the competition on, however, is video recording. While Samsung beats Apple in hardware — it’s capable of recording in 8K at 24 FPS, compared to 4K at 60 FPS on the iPhone — its software tricks and processing powers take the cake. ProRes video is pretty impressive, as is the ability to create a rack focus effect for a cinematic feel. Sure, you probably won’t be shooting next year’s Best Picture winner on an iPhone — unless you’re Steven Soderbergh, I guess — but it’s still some pretty neat technology.
For a lot of buyers, the camera performance is going to come down to personal preference, not tech specs alone. Samsung and Apple both employ custom photo processing to enhance their images, and which looks better to your eye will be entirely subjective.
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Battery life
With a massive 5,000mAh battery inside, it should come as no surprise the S22 Ultra has solid battery life. Still, that massive display takes up plenty of juice. Our reviewer found his phone lasted about 24 hours on a charge, with six hours of screen time. It’s hard to complain about, but if it’s still not good enough for you, the 45W charging makes topping up throughout the day a breeze — evenif there’s some weirdness surrounding speeds.
Whenever Apple redesigns the iPhone, battery life usually takes a hit before it rockets back in future refinements. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is no exception, building a 4,352mAh battery inside the stainless steel chassis. It might sound small — especially compared to the massive cells we see in Android phones these days — but this is the largest capacity battery Apple has ever put inside an iPhone to date. All-day battery life is a guarantee, and it should get you well into day two before it finally shuts down.
If you ignore the operating systems powering them, the Galaxy S22 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max are more similar than you’d expect. Gorgeous metal builds, a multitude of camera options, incredible displays worthy of streaming movies to your heart’s content — it’s all here. That said, it should come as no surprise that we think the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the best choice between these two devices, especially if you’re looking for thebest 5G phone.
From the advantages presented by Android over iOS — better notifications, a more open app ecosystem, Assistant support, and so much more — to the S Pen that makes this particular phone a productivity dream, Samsung’s top-tier flagship for 2022 remains a device worth buying. Months after launch, it’s easy to get for just under $1,000, saving hundreds of dollars over both its launch price and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. If you’re looking for a flagship smartphone right now, this is the one to get.
Buy Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
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This article is sponsored by Total Wireless.
