With the recent launch of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, many tech enthusiasts are eager to see how it stacks up against other industry giants. While iPhones are renowned for their cameras, Google Pixel’s latest offering, the Pixel 7 Pro, is giving it a run for its money. In the world of mobile phones, Samsung has long been the arch-rival of the iPhone. So here, we will compare these titans of the mobile phone industry: iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro.
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Let’s begin with the Design!
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Body & Design
In terms of design, these phones are like snowflakes — no two are alike. The iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a Titanium body, which is both stronger and lighter compared to the aluminum bodies of the others. When it comes to overall design, the iPhone stands out with its curvy aesthetics. The Google Pixel also has some subtle curves, while Samsung’s phone features a more boxy shape. Design is subjective, and it all boils down to personal preference.
Turning to their backs, the iPhone showcases its iconic three-camera module and a matte glass finish. The Pixel comes with a sleek and wide camera module. Meanwhile, Samsung’s phone stands out with in-body cameras.
The Pixel 7 Pro is the lightest, followed by the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
| Specifications | iPhone 15 Pro Max | Google Pixel 7 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Dimensions | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm | 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm | 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm |
| Weight | 221g | 212 g | 234 g |
| Build & Protection | Titanium, Ceramic Shield front, Textured matte glass back Rated IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) under IEC standard 60529 | Glass front & back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | Glass front & back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
| Colors | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium & Natural Titanium | Obsidian, Snow & Hazel | Green, Phantom Black, Lavender & Cream |
Samsung S23 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Display
When it comes to display size, there isn’t much difference. The iPhone and Pixel both feature 6.7-inch screens, while the Galaxy has a slightly larger 6.8-inch display. In terms of quality, all three shine, but the Google Pixel takes the lead with the highest pixel density.
The iPhone scores a point with its Dynamic Island pill-shaped notch, which brings some cool features. It also offers higher peak brightness, making its screen more visible in outdoor conditions.
| Specifications | iPhone 15 Pro Max | Google Pixel 7 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Display Size | 6.7‑inch | 6.7 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Resolution | 1290 x 2796 pixels (~460 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels (~512 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels (~500 ppi density) |
| Display type | Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM) & 1500 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM) & 1750 nits (peak) |
| Display Features | Haptic Touch, Always-on display & Dynamic Island (Pill Shape Notch) | Always-on display | Always-on display |
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: Camera
This is where many people eagerly anticipate seeing how these titans compete. In terms of primary camera pixel count, Samsung leads with a whopping 200MP, followed by Google Pixel’s 50 megapixels and the iPhone’s 48 megapixels. However, pixel count doesn’t always tell the full story, as many have reported that Google Pixel 7 Pro’s 50MP camera produces better results in most conditions compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 200MP camera. And, of course, we are well aware of the iPhone’s fantastic camera capabilities.
When it comes to other cameras, Samsung appears to be the winner on paper, thanks to its 10x optical zoom periscopic lens. Before the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s arrival, the Pixel 7 Pro had an edge with its 5x telephoto lens, but now the iPhone also boasts a 5x optical zoom camera (though with lower pixel count).
Samsung excels in video features with up to 8K video recording and impressive slow-motion at 960 frames per second. However, in terms of video quality, the iPhone and Google Pixel take the lead and compete head-to-head.
The iPhone’s selfie camera is highly regarded, but customer reviews will tell us more about the new model. Both the Pixel and Galaxy come with decent selfie cameras, but the Google Pixel stands out with its ultrawide selfie camera.
| Specifications | iPhone 15 Pro Max | Google Pixel 7 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Rear cameras | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Main Camera | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31″, 1.2µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS | 200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3″, 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS |
| Telephoto Camera | 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS & 5x optical zoom (Digital zoom up to 25x) | 48 MP, f/3.5, 120mm (telephoto), 1/2.55″, 0.7µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS & 5x optical zoom | 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS & 3x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide Camera | 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF | 12 MP, f/2.2, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9″, 1.25µm, AF | 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Periscope | No | No | 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52″, 1.12µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom |
| Rear camera video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps & 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps |
| Rear camera features | Sensor-shift OIS10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR, Cinematic mode LED flash (True Tone Adaptive) | gyro-EIS, OIS,10-bit HDR Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama | HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EISLED flash, 2 auto-HDR, panorama |
| Selfie / front camera | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6″Depth / biometrics sensor, SL 3D | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1″, 1.22µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide) Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Selfie / front camera video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps 1080p@25/30/60/120fps | 4K@30/60fps 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps 1080p@30fps |
Who Performs the Best? iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra
We cannot expect any of these devices to have performance issues (at least for some years), as they are all flagship phones. However, the most efficient among them appears to be the iPhone due to Apple’s A17 Pro chipset, thanks to its 3nm fabrication process. The Google Pixel 7 Pro comes equipped with the Google Tensor chipset, which is among the best in the market. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, also ranks top among Qualcomm’s offerings.
Now, when it comes to memory speed, the iPhone 15 Pro Max takes the lead with its NVMe storage type. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra follows with a UFS 4.0 storage type, which is faster than the UFS 3.1 of the Google Pixel 7 Pro.
In terms of overall performance, the iPhone has the edge, followed by Samsung’s phone, while Google’s Pixel lags slightly in this regard.
| Specifications | iPhone 15 Pro Max | Google Pixel 7 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| OS | iOS 17 | Android 13 | Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Chipset | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) | Google Tensor G2 (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| CPU | 6‑core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores | Octa-core (2×2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2×2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1×3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| GPU | 6‑core GPU (16‑core Neural Engine) | Mali-G710 MP7 | Adreno 740 |
| Storage/Memory & RAM | 256GB, 500GB & 1TB | 8GB RAM & 128GB/256GB Storage 12GB RAM & 128GB/256GB/512GB Storage | 12GB RAM & 512GB Storage |
| Storage/Memory Type | NVMe | UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 |
Features
When you look at the features of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Samsung S23 Ultra, and Google Pixel 7 Pro, you will notice that each of them packs a ton of cool features. The iPhone stands out with features like Satellite Connectivity (Emergency SOS), Face ID, UWB2 support, and the introduction of a USB Type-C 3.0 port. Samsung’s phone boasts Samsung DeX, S-Pen, and some other unique features. However, Google’s phone offers a stock Android experience without any special additions.
| Name | iPhone 15 Pro Max | Google Pixel 7 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Sound | Stereo Speakers | Stereo Speakers | Stereo Speakers |
| Connectivity | Satellite Connectivity (Emergency SOS) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, GPS (including QZSS) & USB Type-C 3.0 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, GPS & USB Type-C 3.2 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, GPS & USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer Ultra Wideband 2 (UWB2) support | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer & Ultra Wideband 1 (UWB1) support | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support |
Battery & Charging
In the battery and charging department, Samsung takes the trophy thanks to its large battery similar to Pixel 7 Pro but faster charging support compared to the others. Interestingly, many were expecting the iPhone 15 Pro Max to have better fast charging support with the introduction of the USB Type-C 3.0 Port, but that’s not the case.
| Name | iPhone 15 Pro Max | Google Pixel 7 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| Battery | Lithium‑Ion | Li-Ion 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Charging | Fast charging, 50% in 30 min (advertised) with USB Power Delivery 2.0 MagSafe wireless charging 15W Qi magnetic fast wireless charging 7.5W | 23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised) 23W wireless Reverse wireless | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min (advertised) 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless |
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung S23 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: Price Comparison
The pricing of the iPhone 15 and Google Pixel 7 Pro in Pakistan is still uncertain, factoring in taxes and duties, as they haven’t been officially launched. Let’s explore the global pricing of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Google Pixel 7 Pro, converting them directly into PKR. As the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is officially available, its official price is mentioned here.
| iPhone 15 Pro Max(Approximate & Without PTA Taxes) | Google Pixel 7 Pro(Approximate & Without PTA Taxes) | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
| 128GB: $649 (Rs.190,000) | ||
| 256GB: $1199 (Rs.360,000) | 256GB: $749 (Rs.220,000) | |
| 512GB: $1399 (Rs.420,000) | 512GB: $849 (Rs.250,000) | 12GB/512GB: Rs.560,000 (Official) |
| 1TB: $1599 (Rs.480,000) |
Note: The prices of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Google Pixel 7 Pro in Rupees are approximate and based on the current dollar rate. Actual prices will be higher after adding PTA taxes. You will likely spot the iPhone 15 Pro Max on OLX shortly after its global launch.
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Final Verdict
Alright, let’s analyze these smartphone giants! The iPhone 15 Pro Max certainly shines in the camera department, performance, display brilliance (in bright outdoor lighting), and even has some fancy extras like Dynamic Island notch and emergency satellite connectivity. But, be ready to dig deep into your pockets for it, and that’s before the taxman rings the doorbell.
Turning our attention to the Samsung S23 Ultra, it is a performance beast, loaded with an array of features, has impressive camera zoom capabilities, S-Pen, and better fast charging support. However, it doesn’t hold back on the price either.
Now, let’s talk about the Google Pixel 7 Pro, the lighter option. It delivers that clean Android experience, gives the iPhone’s camera a run for its money, offers a sharper display, and won’t break the bank.
We have covered the key factors for your decision between the iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung S23 Ultra vs. and Google Pixel 7 Pro. Now, it’s your turn to choose the one that fits your needs and budget.
So, what’s it gonna be? Which of these heavyweights gets your vote? Share your thoughts below!
Photos credits: Apple, Samsung & Google
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