iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Galaxy S23 Ultra
Short answer: the Galaxy S23 Ultra is the stronger phone on paper: a newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a 200MP camera with 10x periscope zoom, a QHD+ screen, a 5000 mAh battery, 45W charging, the S Pen and longer software support. The iPhone 13 Pro Max still offers excellent video, a smooth 120Hz ProMotion screen, long battery life and iOS, usually at a lower cost as a used Non PTA unit.
Updated 11 November 2026
Design and build
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a flat stainless steel frame, matte glass back and Ceramic Shield front. It weighs 240 g and is 7.65 mm thick. The S23 Ultra uses an Armor Aluminium frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, a gently curved screen and a built-in S Pen. It weighs 234 g and is 8.9 mm thick. Both are IP68.
Both are big, heavy phones. The iPhone feels like a polished slab; the Samsung is boxier and has the S Pen for notes and signatures.
Display
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 6.7 inch Super Retina XDR OLED at 1284 x 2778 with ProMotion 10-120Hz, 1000 nits typical and 1200 nits HDR peak. The S23 Ultra has a 6.8 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X at QHD+ (1440 x 3088), 1-120Hz, with up to 1750 nits peak.
Both are smooth at 120Hz. The Samsung is sharper and brighter, which helps outdoors in strong summer sun.
Performance and chipset
The iPhone 13 Pro Max uses the A15 Bionic (5 nm) with a 5-core GPU. The S23 Ultra uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4 nm) with an Adreno 740 GPU in every market, so there is no Exynos version to worry about.
Both run any app and game smoothly. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is newer and very efficient, and it handles heavy PUBG sessions at high settings well without heating badly.
Cameras
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 12MP main with sensor-shift OIS, 12MP ultra-wide with macro and 12MP 3x telephoto, plus LiDAR. The S23 Ultra has a 200MP main with OIS, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP 3x telephoto and 10MP 10x periscope.
For zoom and fine detail the Samsung leads easily, and its 10x lens is great for events and travel. For video, the iPhone is more natural and stable, with ProRes and Cinematic mode. The S23 Ultra can record 8K 30fps. Both front cameras are 12MP.
Battery and charging
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 4352 mAh battery with 20W wired, 15W MagSafe and 7.5W Qi charging over Lightning. The S23 Ultra has a 5000 mAh battery with 45W wired, 15W wireless and reverse wireless charging over USB-C.
Both last a full day. The Samsung charges much faster. On a used iPhone, check battery health first; see our iPhone battery health guide (iPhone Battery Health: How to Check It and What Is Normal).
Specs side by side
- Chipset: A15 Bionic vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- Display: 6.7 inch 120Hz OLED vs 6.8 inch QHD+ 120Hz AMOLED
- Peak brightness: 1200 nits vs 1750 nits
- Main camera: 12MP vs 200MP
- Zoom: 3x telephoto vs 3x + 10x periscope
- Battery: 4352 mAh vs 5000 mAh
- Charging: 20W wired, 15W MagSafe vs 45W wired, 15W wireless
- Port: Lightning vs USB-C 3.2
- Stylus: none vs S Pen built in
- Weight: 240 g vs 234 g
- Launch software: iOS 15 vs Android 13, One UI 5.1
Software and updates
The iPhone 13 Pro Max launched with iOS 15 and still runs current iOS in 2026, but it does not support Apple Intelligence. The S23 Ultra launched with Android 13 and Samsung promised four Android upgrades and five years of security updates, so it will be supported for longer. It also received Galaxy AI features such as Circle to Search.
Non PTA and SIM notes in Pakistan
Our iPhone 13 Pro Max units are used Non PTA phones with original IMEIs, checked before dispatch, with 100% battery health shown on the page. Our Galaxy S23 Ultra stock is Non Custom box pack. A Non PTA phone is not registered with PTA's DIRBS, so a local SIM works only for a limited time unless you register it and pay the PTA tax. Wi-Fi and all features work normally. Read what Non PTA means (What Is a Non PTA Mobile? Everything You Should Know).
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a nano-SIM plus eSIM. The S23 Ultra has nano-SIM plus eSIM, with dual nano-SIM on some variants. Every order comes with a 7-day checking warranty.
Who should buy which
Buy the Galaxy S23 Ultra if you want big zoom, the S Pen, faster charging, USB-C and longer updates.
Buy the iPhone 13 Pro Max if you prefer iOS, shoot lots of video, want strong resale value or want a Pro Max at a lower cost. For the newer iPhone rival, see Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max (Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max).
