iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: key differences to expect – PhoneArena | Hot Mobile Press

introduction

Suppose you want the biggest and worst phone in the world and you really don’t care if it runs on iOS or Android? Well, chances are these two devices are at the top of your wish list: the upcoming Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max and the currently available Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Both are a perfect match: they’re big, they’ve got huge batteries, they’ve got excellent cameras… in other words, these are just the worst phones on the planet!

Well, that’s what we want to find out here, but first, let’s take a look at the…

Design and display quality

Want a wider phone with an S Pen? Or a narrower one with rounded corners?

Speaking of design, these two are premium through and through: they’re both solid together, but also different. The Galaxy has a wider aspect ratio than the average phone and sharp corners that look distinct but make it a little less comfortable in your pocket. On the other hand, the iPhone is rumored to be moving to a slightly taller aspect ratio and have more rounded edges. And in terms of materials, both are glass and metal sandwiches, with an aluminum frame on the Galaxy while the iPhone’s center is heavier stainless steel.

The Galaxy charges via a USB-C connector, while the iPhone sticks to its proprietary Apple Lightning connector (the iPhone 15 could switch to USB-C, though).

Also, you shouldn’t wonder what’s in the box, or rather, what’s NOT in the box. Both have no charger, they only come with charging cable but not with the charging brick that you would have to buy separately.

You get a slightly different screen size: 6.7 inches on the iPhone and 6.8 inches on the Galaxy, so the S22 Ultra actually has a larger screen real estate. It also has the slightly higher resolution of 1440p versus 1284p on the iPhone, not a huge difference but worth mentioning nonetheless.

And of course, on the iPhone you have the new i-shaped Face ID system that really stands out, while the Galaxy comes with a much more discreet punch-hole design for the front camera.

Technically, both are OLED displays that get super bright and both support HDR video.

The Galaxy also has a dynamic refresh rate that modulates between 1Hz and 120Hz, and the iPhone is rumored to be adding the same feature (the previous 13 Pro Max model came with a 10-120Hz screen).

Don’t forget that the Galaxy also comes with an S Pen for quickly taking notes or drawing sketches. It’s a boon for artists and those who enjoy using it, even if it’s not for everyone.

performance and software

Apple silicon is evolving to remain the fastest in the industry

Under the hood, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is expected to debut the brand new Apple A16 Bionic chip, while the Galaxy will be based on a Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor (outside the US, Galaxy models will be powered by a different chip). , the Exynos 2200 manufactured by Samsung).

Even compared to the 2021 iPhone 13 Pro Max, the Galaxy can’t quite match the performance of the Apple silicon, and we expect further gains from the A16. Rumors suggest that the A16 will be based on the more advanced 4nm process, which should help improve performance and efficiency.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is rumored to stick with 6GB of RAM (LPDDR5) as well, while the Galaxy will be offered with 8GB in the base model, while a beefed-up version is also available with 12GB of RAM.

In terms of storage, both phones start at 128GB and then you can scale up to 256GB, 512GB and even 1TB for the most demanding users. Neither phone supports expandable storage (no microSD card slot on either), so keep that in mind.

camera

The iPhone brings a larger camera sensor but doesn’t have an answer to the Galaxy’s 10x zoom

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the first in years that’s expected to get a higher-resolution sensor for the main camera, and that’s very exciting. Apple is rumored to be using a new 48-megapixel sensor for the main camera, a change from the current 12-megapixel sensor. On the other hand, Samsung has been using an even higher-resolution 108-megapixel sensor for the main camera for several years.

Here’s a quick recap of the camera specs on the iPhone vs Galaxy:

Apple has a few standout camera features like Photographic Styles that you won’t find on the Galaxy.

On the video front, the Galaxy has been supporting 8K video for a number of years, and this could be the year the iPhone catches up as the new 48MP sensor allows for 8K video capture for the first time. We have yet to see.

We’re also expecting improvements to Cinema Mode, Apple’s feature that blurs the background in videos but had some issues with artifacts and was only available at 1080p resolution.

Audio quality and haptics

The Galaxy S22 Ultra has average-sounding speakers, and that’s an area where Samsung could definitely improve. We don’t yet know if the 14 Pro Max can improve on the 13 Pro Max speakers, but these were some of the best we’ve heard, with deeper bass than a typical smartphone and a richer sound profile.

Unfortunately, none of these phones have a headphone jack.

When it comes to haptic feedback, both have a nice and sharp vibration motor, but we’d still give Apple a slight edge in that one area.

Battery life and charging

Both have large batteries, but only one has the longer battery life

With a massive 5,000mAh battery inside, you’d expect the Galaxy S22 Ultra to easily outlast iPhone counterparts that don’t even reach a 4,400mAh capacity. And we do expect the iPhone 14 Pro Max to stick with a 4,400mAh battery. However, this may not be the case at all.

Of course, we’ll have to await our independent battery benchmarks to get a clear idea of ​​battery life, but we expect the iPhone to have longer battery life than the Galaxy.

On the charging side, the Galaxy supports speeds of up to 45W, while the iPhone reaches up to 27W. And there is indeed a big difference in how quickly these two charge, as the Galaxy takes just over an hour to fully charge while the iPhone charges in almost twice the time! It took almost 2 hours for a full charge.

Interestingly, it’s the Galaxy that lets you use its charge to give to a third-party device via reverse wireless charging. Activate the feature, place something like a smartwatch or compatible wireless buds on the phone and they’ll miraculously charge, a trick the iPhone can’t do.

specification comparison

The information in the table above is based on leaks and rumors and is neither final nor official.

Summary and Final Verdict

So let’s summarize! The iPhone offers the following benefits: a faster chip, slightly longer software support, the iOS ecosystem, plus expectedly longer battery life and superior video quality, while the Galaxy just gives you a ton of extra features like an S Pen, faster charging, long-range telephoto camera, and that just adds up to the solid fundamentals.

Which one should you choose?

Well, our advice is to pay attention to what you value most in a phone. Does it have a free and open platform? Go for the galaxy. Is it just the sheer power and battery life in a slightly less huge phone? Get the iPhone.

So which one would you choose? And is there anything the other manufacturer can do to convince you to ever switch sides?