Samsung Galaxy S23/Ultra is up against the new iPhone 15 Pro/Max

The much anticipated iPhone 15 series, which includes the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max, was unveiled at the Wonderlust Apple 2023 event in California on September 12, 2023. The newly launched iPhone 15 series seems to be challenging the Galaxy S23 Android smartphones. The Galaxy S23 series was launched in the first quarter of 2023 (February 1, 2023) with the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The two big companies in the tech world, who’ve been competing for a long time, have been improving their best devices compared to the ones they made before. They’ve made some small changes to how they look (although Apple has been a bit bolder), and they’ve made them work even faster. So, let’s compare the top phones from Apple and Samsung in another classic “which is better, Android or iPhone?” showdown.

Design & Display:

• iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max: New Titanium Frame with Ceramic Shield
• Galaxy S23 and S23 Ultra: Gorilla Glass Victus 2 with an aluminum frame

The screens on these phones are pretty much the same as the ones on the previous models. They have 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR ProMotion displays with really high pixel density (around 460 pixels per inch), super bright screens that go up to 2000 nits, and they can change how fast they refresh from 1 Hz to 120 Hz. They also have that thing at the top called the Dynamic Island, which has the front camera and the sensors for Face ID, which is how you unlock iPhones.

Now, let’s talk about the screens on the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra. They’re a bit different. The Galaxy S23 has a 6.1-inch screen, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a bigger 6.8-inch screen. The Ultra one is fancier because it’s got an LTPO display, which can also change how fast it refreshes from 1 Hz to 120 Hz, and it’s super sharp with QHD+ resolution. The regular S23 has a screen that goes from 48 Hz to 120 Hz and has FHD+ resolution. Both phones have the front camera in the middle of the screen, and you can unlock them with your fingerprint, which is hidden under the display.

As far as design is concerned, however, Samsung has chosen a way forward for the entire range, launching a fairly minimal concept: alternating flat surfaces, fitting curves, and cameras protruding individually from the rear body. It must also be said that the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a screen with laterally curved edges, an aspect th at cannot be judged positively or negatively since subjectivity intervenes.

Performance: Apple A17 Pro vs. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for the Galaxy

First, let’s talk about performance. All four of these devices are really fast and can handle whatever you throw at them. There’s an interesting detail that connects the chips (the brains) inside the latest iPhones and Samsung phones: they’re both made by a company called TSMC. The Apple A17 Pro, which powers the iPhone 15 Pro, is a real powerhouse. It’s made using a fancy 3nm production process, and it has a six-core CPU, a six-core GPU, and a sixteen-core neural engine, along with 8 GB of RAM. According to Apple, the A17 Pro is about 10% faster on the CPU (the brainy part) and 20% faster on the GPU (for graphics) compared to the older A16 Bionic chip, which was already pretty good.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra have the most powerful chip you can find in Android phones right now: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 from Qualcomm. It’s even more powerful on the Galaxy S23 in some versions. The regular S23 has 8GB of RAM, and on the S23 Ultra, it can go up to 12GB, depending on the version you choose.

Photography Section:

• iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max
  • 48MP (f/1.8) main sensor with dual-pixel PDAF and sensor-shift OIS
  • 12MP (f/2.2) Ultra-Wide Angle Sensor with Dual Pixel PDAF and 120° Viewing Angle
  • 12MP telephoto sensor (f/2.8) with OIS for 3x optical zoom (only on the 15 Pro)
  • 12MP periscopic telephoto lens (f/2.8) with 3D sensor-shift OIS for 5x optical zoom (only on the 15 Pro Max)
  • 3D ToF Sensor (LiDAR Scanner)
• Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra
  • 200MP main sensor (f/1.7) with PDAF, laser AF, and OIS (S23 Ultra only)
  • 50MP (f/1.8) main sensor with dual-pixel PDAF and OIS (S23 only)
  • 12MP (f/2.2) Ultra-Wide Angle Sensor with 120° Viewing Angle
  • 10MP (f/2.4) telephoto sensor with PDAF and OIS for 3x optical zoom
  • 10MP periscopic telephoto lens (f/4.9) with Dual Pixel PDAF and OPIS for 10x optical zoom (S23 Ultra only)

Samsung One UI and Apple iOS

Samsung makes Android more unique with its One UI interface. It gives you extra features and lets you personalize your phone. Right now, the Galaxy S23 phones are getting ready to update to One UI 6.0, which is based on Android 14. The update is getting closer, maybe in a few weeks or a couple of months.

On the other hand, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, as well as the younger models, will come with iOS 17. It’s more customizable and open, especially because the European Union wanted it that way. It’s basically an improved version of the previous iOS. But the choice of operating system is really a personal thing. Some people like one, and some people like the other.

Pricing:

Now, let’s talk about the prices. The new iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max turned out to be a bit cheaper than people thought. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra have been on the market for more than six months. You can find them at lower prices, especially when there are deals and discounts from Samsung. Here are the official list prices for all four models:

iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

• iPhone 15 Pro
  • 128GB – $999
  • 256GB – $1099
  • 512GB – $1299
  • 1TB – $1499
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • 256GB – $1199
  • 512GB – $1399
  • 1TB – $1599

Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Ultra

• Galaxy S23
  • 128GB – $700
  • 256GB – $760
• Galaxy S23 Ultra
  • 256GB – $1200
  • 512GB – $1380
  • 1TB – $1620