Samsung Galaxy S23 / Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Samsung Galaxy S23: Galaxy S23 (2023); 8 GB RAM, 128 or 256 GB (options vary by market). The Galaxy S23+, S23 Ultra and S23 FE are separate models.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max: 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max; 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB. The UK model supports nano-SIM and eSIM. The 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Plus are separate.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy S23Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Release year20232022
Display6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 48–120 Hz Super Smooth refresh; 1750 nits; 240 Hz touch sampling in Game Mode

The refresh rate varies between 48 and 120 Hz depending on content. Vision Booster adjusts the picture to stay readable in bright light. The size is measured as a full rectangle; the visible area is smaller.

Samsung		6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2796 × 1290 pixels, 460 ppi; ProMotion adaptive refresh up to 120 Hz, Always-On, Dynamic Island; 1,000 nits typical, 1,600 HDR peak, 2,000 nits outdoor peak

ProMotion rises to 120 Hz during motion and drops on static images, balancing smoothness and battery; this is what lets the lock screen stay always on. Dynamic Island uses the front-camera cutout as an area for notifications and activities.

Apple
Cover glassCorning Gorilla Glass Victus 2

According to Samsung, the S23 series is the first S series to use Victus 2 glass.

Samsung		—
ProcessorSnapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy

Samsung introduced this version as a Snapdragon optimised for Galaxy and exclusive to the S23 series at launch.

Samsung		—
Memory and storage8 GB RAM; 128 GB or 256 GB

Usable space is lower because of preloaded software.

Samsung		—
Rear cameras50 MP Wide (F1.8, 85°), 12 MP Ultra Wide (F2.2, 120°), 10 MP Telephoto (3x optical, F2.4, 36°)

The telephoto gives 3x optical zoom; zoom beyond that is digital.

Samsung		48 MP Main (24 mm, ƒ/1.78, second-generation sensor-shift OIS), 12 MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, ƒ/2.2, 120°), 12 MP 3× Telephoto (77 mm, ƒ/2.8, OIS); LiDAR scanner

The main camera also provides a 12 MP 2× telephoto image by using the center of the sensor; the total optical zoom range is 6×. LiDAR measures depth for night portraits and focusing. Apple ProRAW allows DNG capture.

Apple
Front camera12 MP (F2.2, 80°) Samsung12 MP TrueDepth, ƒ/1.9, autofocus; Face ID

Front-camera autofocus arrived with this generation.

Apple
Battery3900 mAh (typical); rated minimum 3785 mAh

The typical value is the average from third-party lab tests; the rated value is the minimum capacity across battery samples.

Samsung		—
ChargingWired: about 50% in around 30 minutes with a 25 W adapter and 3 A USB‑C cable; Fast Wireless Charging 2.0; Wireless PowerShare

The adapter is sold separately. Wired charging is compatible with QC2.0 and AFC. PowerShare needs the battery above 30% to charge another device.

Samsung		—
Operating systemAndroid 13 with One UI 5.1 at launch

Samsung promised four Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates for the S23 series; timing varies by model and market.

Samsung		—
Connectivity5G, LTE, Wi‑Fi 6E, Wi‑Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.3

Wi‑Fi 6E needs a router with 6 GHz support; availability varies by market and provider.

Samsung		—
Water resistanceIP68 (up to 1.5 m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes)

Samsung does not advise beach or pool use.

Samsung		—
SecuritySamsung Knox and Knox Vault Samsung—
Size and weight70.9 × 146.3 × 7.6 mm; 168 g Samsung160.7 × 77.6 × 7.85 mm; 240 g Apple
Chip—A16 Bionic; 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency), 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine Apple
Storage—128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB

On the 128 GB model ProRes video is limited to 1080p at 30 fps.

Apple
Video—4K at 24/25/30/60 fps; Dolby Vision HDR up to 4K 60 fps; Cinematic mode 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode 2.8K at 60 fps; ProRes up to 4K 30 fps

Action mode stabilizes video shot while walking or running without a gimbal.

Apple
Safety features—Emergency SOS via satellite, Crash Detection

Emergency SOS via satellite works only in countries Apple supports and where there is no mobile or Wi‑Fi coverage.

Apple
Durability and build—IP68 (up to 30 minutes at 6 metres); Ceramic Shield front, textured matte glass back, stainless steel frame Apple
Connectivity and location—5G (sub-6 GHz), Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) 2×2, Bluetooth 5.3, Ultra Wideband, NFC; precision dual-frequency GPS

Dual-frequency GPS improves location accuracy among tall buildings.

Apple
Battery and charging—Lithium-ion; up to 29 hours of video; 15 W wireless with MagSafe, 7.5 W with Qi; 50% in 35 minutes with a 20 W adapter; Lightning port

No adapter is included in the box.

Apple
Software—Compatible with iOS 27

It is on the compatible-models list in Apple’s iOS 27.2 user guide.

Apple