The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra delivers a big and beautiful display, a built-in S Pen and very good cameras for a premium price. But the battery life could be better.
For
- Faster S Pen built in
- Super bright display
- Cameras good in low light
- Sleek design
Against
- Pricey
- Relatively short battery life
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is a stellar big-screen phone with great performance from its A15 Bionic chip, a 120Hz ProMotion display and stellar battery life. The cameras are top-notch with Cinematic mode video.
For
- Stellar cameras
- Superior performance
- Cinematic video mode
- Bright display
- Excellent battery life
Against
- Could use faster charging
Editor's note: The iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are the two newest top-end flagships for Apple and Samsung. See our iPhone 14 Pro Max review and Galaxy S23 Ultra review, and our Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max face-off.
A Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max face-off is just what you need if you're trying to decide between two of the best phones money can buy. And it's not an easy call to make, as each phone has its own set of strengths and special features that stand out.
As you'll see in our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review, Samsung's 6.8-inch beast of a device delivers one of the best displays we've ever tested along with much improved cameras. But the biggest addition is a built-in S Pen. (Speaking of ultra devices woiith an S Pen, we also have five reasons to buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and two reasons to skip it.). As a result, you'll pay a pretty penny for the S22 Ultra, with a starting price of $1,199.
Our iPhone 13 Pro Max review shows it's the very best iPhone available, offering a vivid 6.7-inch OLED display and powerful cameras of its own, including a compelling new Cinematic mode for video. Plus, its A15 Bionic chip is blazingly fast and you get great battery life.
So which phone is best for you? Our in-depth Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max comparison is here to answer that question. (We've also got a Galaxy S22 vs. iPhone 13 face-off that compares the two less-expensive base models.)
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: Specs
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Starting price | $1,199 | $1,099 |
| Screen size | 6.7 inches (3080 x 1440) | 6.1 inches (2778 x 1284) |
| Refresh rate | 1Hz-120Hz adaptive | 10Hz-120Hz adaptive |
| CPU | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (US); Exynos 2200 (K) | A15 Bionic |
| RAM | 8GB, 12GB | 6GB (based on teardowns) |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Rear cameras | 108MP (f/1.8) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 2 10MP telephoto (f/4.9) with 10x and 3x optical zoom | 12MP main (f/1.6), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.4), 12MP telephoto (f/2.8) with 3x optical zoom |
| Front camera | 40MP (f/2.2) | 12MP (f/2.2) |
| Battery size | 5,000 mAh | 4,352 mAh (based on teardowns) |
| Charging speeds | 45W wired, 15W wireless | 20W wired; 15W wireless |
| Size | 6.4 x 3.1 x 0.4 inches | 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.3 inches |
| Weight | 8.1 ounces | 8.5 ounces |
| Colors | Black, white, green, burgundy | Graphite, gold, silver, blue |
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra starts at $1,099, which is $100 more than the iPhone 13 Pro Max. You get 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage to start, and it costs $100 more to jump up to 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage. The 512GB and 1TB models cost $1,399 and $1,599, respectively.
Note that you can jump up to the 12GB/256GB model for free during the Galaxy S22 pre-order period (until February 24), and there are some great Galaxy S22 deals out there that includes the Ultra.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at a lower $1,099 for 128GB of storage. (Apple doesn't list the amount of RAM but it's believed to be 6GB.) The 256GB model costs $1,199, while the 512GB costs $1,399 and the 1TB model is $1,599.
They are both super premium phones, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max is a better value because of its lower starting price.
Winner: iPhone 13 Pro Max
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Design
Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra just looks and feels sleeker than the iPhone 13 Pro Max, and it starts with a camera array that's more flush with the design. The iPhone's lenses are arranged in a more chunky block on the back of the device.
Another point in Samsung's favor is that it doesn't have a notch on its display. Yes, the iPhone 13 Pro Max's notch is smaller than before, but it's still more distracting than the punch hole on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
However, while the slightly curved display on the S22 Ultra is more eye-catching, it can sometimes make typing and moving the cursor more tricky than it needs to be. The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a flat display, which makes it a bit easier to use and hold.
Measuring 6.4 x 3.1 x 0.4 inches and weighing 8.1 ounces, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is taller but lighter than the iPhone 13 Pro Mac, which comes in at 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.3 inches and 8.5 ounces.
Winner: Galaxy S22 Ultra
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Display
The AMOLED displays on the Galaxy S22 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max are both stunning, and you can't go wrong with either phone. But I give the edge to Samsung's phone for a couple of reasons.
First, the S22 Ultra shined a bit brighter in our testing, reaching 1,359 nits. The iPhone 13 Pro Max maxed out at 1,038 nits. In addition, the Galaxy S22 Ultra's panel covered more of both the sRGB color gamut (137.5%) and more demanding DCI-P3 color space (97.4%), compared to 109.3%/77.4% for the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Apple's panel does have an advantage in terms of color accuracy though, as it turned in a Delta-E score of 0.21, where 0 is perfect. The S22 Ultra was slightly worse at 0.25.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Max brightness | 1,359 nits | 1,038 nits |
| sRGB color gamut | 137.5% | 109.3% |
| DCI-P3 color gamut | 97.4% | 77.4% |
| Delta-E color accuracy (lower is better) | 0.25 | 0.21 |
I also like that the Galaxy S22 Ultra gives you an option to pick the type of color profile you want (Natural or Vivid), as I prefer the latter when watching videos.
Winner: Galaxy S22 Ultra
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Cameras
The Galaxy S22 Ultra enters this fight with a 108MP main camera with a larger sensor than the S21 Ultra that's designed to let in more light. And it's complemented by a 12MP ultrawide lens and dual 10MP telephoto lenses that give you up to 10x optical zoom and 100x Space Zoom.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max packs a trio of 12MP lenses that include main, ultrawide and telephoto shooters. Apple also increased the size of the main sensor to let in more light. The iPhone 13 Pro Max supports just 3x optical zoom though.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max starts strong this shot of chrysanthemum flowers taken indoors. You can make out more details in the petals on the right side, while the S22 Ultra seems to struggle with this close-up shot.
When it comes to Night mode shots, the Galaxy S22 Ultra delivered a brighter and crisper image here than the iPhone 13 Pro Max. You can more easily make out the bushes, mulch and the snow.
In this Night Mode photo of a bar cart I'd say it's a draw between the two phones. The Galaxy S22 Ultra's image is brighter and reveals the decorations on the right, but the glasses and Kettle One bottle in the background look clearer on the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The S22 Ultra's shot has a yellowish tinge to it.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra offers improved portraits with a AI Stereo Depth Map feature that better separates subject from the background, but the overall image quality in this shot isn't quite as good as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. While I like the warm tone in the Samsung shot, my face and shirt look brighter and crisper on the iPhone.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max wins with this shot of fruit at a grocery store. The pears have a more natural hue, while the colors are a oversaturated on the S22 Ultra. Same thing goes for the oranges on the right.
This selfie comparison isn't an easy call. I prefer the more evenly lit shot the Galaxy S22 Ultra provides with its 40MP front camera, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max's shot is a bit brighter while offering more detail in my jacket.
Winner: iPhone 13 Pro Max
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Video
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is capable of recording video up to 8K at 24fps, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max maxes out at 4K and 60 fps. However, only the iPhone offers a Cinematic mode for video that provides a rack focus effect; and it automatically switches subjects based on who is speaking. The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a portrait video mode, but it's not as smart. An Auto Framing feature lets Samsung's phone track up to 10 people, keeping them in focus.
So what about video quality? I took both phones to capture this fountain in midtown Manhattan and used the 4K setting.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra benefits here in that it lets you zoom up to 10x, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max is limited to 3x. So I can get closer to the water with the Samsung. The blue sky and clouds look crystal clear as I pan up, but once I pan down the green plants on the right of the frame look washed out in the sun. Not so with the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
With the iPhone 13 Pro Max clip, I prefer the look of the water, which looks clearer when played back at full screen. And I can make out small details a bit better, such as the 1251 on the banner and the lettering on the food trucks. However, I noticed more distortion when panning quickly with the iPhone than with the S22 Ultra.
Winner: Draw
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Performance
The Galaxy S22 Ultra packs the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, which delivers a notable performance increase, especially when it comes to graphics. But it's still a step behind the iPhone 13 Pro Max and its A15 Bionic chip on various tests.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Galaxy S22 Ultra | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Geekbench 5 (single / multicore) | 1240 / 3392 | 1720 / 4549 |
| Geekbench ML TensorFlow Lite (CPU / GPU / NPU) | 434/ 2039 / 3132 | 915 / 1587 / 2663 |
| Adobe Premiere Rush (Mins:Secs) | 0:47 | 0:25 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited (Score / FPS) | 9984 / 59.8 fps | 11,418 / 68 fps |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme (Score / FPS) | 2346 / 14 | 3075 / 18 |
On synthetic benchmarks like Geekbench 5, the Galaxy S22 Ultra trails the iPhone 13 Pro Max in both the single- and multi-core tests. On 3DMark Wild Life, the Galaxy S22 Ultra delivered a silky smooth 59.8 frames per second, which is a big jump from the 34 fps on the S21 Ultra. Still, the iPhone 13 Pro Max turned in a higher score.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra took 47 seconds to transcode a 4K clip to 1080p, which again is an improvement over the S21 Ultra but still slower than the 25-second mark from the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Still, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is a powerful phone, and it actually feels a bit faster when switching between apps and closing apps.
Winner: iPhone 13 Pro Max
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Battery life and charging
The Galaxy S22 Ultra's 5,000 mAh battery did not last as long as we hoped in our testing. On the Tom's Guide battery test, which involves continuous web surfing at 150 nits of screen brightness, the S22 Ultra's best result was 10 hours and 18 minutes, and that was with the phones adaptive refresh rate turned off. The iPhone 13 Pro Max lasted nearly 2 hours longer at 12:16, which places it on our best phone battery life list.
Still, the Galaxy S22 Ultra offers faster 45W charging, compared to 20W for the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It's the difference between getting to 50% capacity in 20 minutes vs. 30 minutes.
See our in-depth Galaxy S22 Ultra battery life results summary to see how it stacks up with other phones.
Winner: iPhone 13 Pro Max
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Software and special features
The Galaxy S22 Ultra's top special feature is easily the integrated S Pen. It's not only built in to the phone, you get much smoother performance than the last Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. There's 70% less latency, which means that taking notes and drawing feels even more responsive.
Another cool special feature for the Galaxy S22 Ultra is what you can do with Google Duo. During a call, you can share your entire screen, so you can watch videos with others in YouTube and other apps. (To be fair, Apple's FaceTime supports that feature with iOS 15.)
For the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the main special feature is Cinematic mode, which delivers a bokeh effect for video and leverages AI to switch the focus to the right subject in the frame based on who is being more active. You can also manually switch focus between subjects on the fly.
Winner: Galaxy S22 Ultra
Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: Verdict
This Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max face-off shows that both of these phones are stellar, and you can tell by how close the final score is. Only 3 points separate these two handsets. But as you can see in our iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S22 Ultra face-off, Apple widened the gap again.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Galaxy S22 Ultra | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Price and value (10) | 7 | 8 |
| Design (10) | 9 | 8 |
| Display (15) | 15 | 14 |
| Cameras (20) | 17 | 19 |
| Video (10) | 9 | 9 |
| Performance (10) | 8 | 10 |
| Battery life and charging (20) | 17 | 19 |
| Special features (5) | 5 | 3 |
| Total score | 87 | 90 |
Based on this comparison I'd say the iPhone 13 Pro Max has an edge because of its significantly longer battery life, faster performance and better image quality in a number of comparisons. Samsung's cameras are getting better, but they're not quite iPhone beaters.
However, Samsung has the edge in terms of the design, display quality and the versatility of its cameras, especially low light performance and more powerful zoom. The Galaxy S22 Ultra also features an S Pen, if that's a perk you would find useful.
Overall, the iPhone 13 Pro Max narrowly wins this contest but the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the best premium Android phone money can buy for a reason.
