Which one is better 13 Pro Max or S22 Ultra?

Looking to buy a high-quality handset? You’re in the right place. The iPhone 13 Pro Max and Samsung S22 Ultra are two heavyweights in the smartphone division, offering superb cameras, speedy processing, and fantastic features. But who is the undisputed champion? That’s where we can help.

We’ll compare and contrast everything from functionality to camera focus, displays to designs. Ready to dive into the details? Let’s start with round 1.

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Related blog: Tech Rivals Apple Vs Samsung

Size and design

The S22 Ultra measures 163 x 77.9 x 8.9mm, while the 13 Pro Max is slightly smaller at 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65mm. The Samsung is taller and broader than the 13 Pro, but Apple’s flagship series is slimmer, fitting comfortably in hand. It also weighs 9g more than the S22 Ultra at 239g. But let’s not nit-pick—both phones are bulky, as you might expect with everything that’s going on underneath (more on that later).

The S22 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max both deliver knockout blows to similarly-priced phones where design is concerned. The former features a stunning all-screen front, complemented by a neat selfie snapper, a smooth aluminium build, and five cameras to the reverse. There’s also room for the S Pen stylus holder, which smartly pops out when pressed from the underside.

The 13 Pro Max oozes space-age tech, sporting curved edges, a larger notch, and an industrial steel build. A triangle of rear cameras has split opinion among Apple fans, but we think they look great.  

Although both handsets are IP68 certified (protecting from dust and water), the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s water resistance is slightly better, managing depths of 6m for 30 mins. In any case, you’ll have robust screen shielding: the S22 Ultra is wrapped in Gorilla Glass Victus+ front and back, while the 13 Pro Max has a strong steel exterior bolstered by Apple’s Ceramic Shield.

There’s a suite of colours to choose from, too. The Samsung 22 Ultra is sold in Phantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, and Sky Blue. Choose the 13 Pro Max, and you’ll get the choice of Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, or Alpine Green.

 

iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Samsung S22 Ultra dimensions: 

	iPhone 13 Pro Max	Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Height	160.8mm	163.3mm
Width	78.1mm	77.9mm
Depth	7.7mm	8.9 mm
Weight	240 g	228 g

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Verdict: If you’re accident-prone, choose the iPhone 13 Pro Max for added protection.

 

Display

The Galaxy S22 Ultra’s display is sharper, bigger, and brighter. It features a gigantic 6-inch, 3200 x 1440 (QHD+) AMOLED screen that’s noticeably more imposing than Apple’s 2778 x 1284 resolution.

It can also reach up to 1,750 nits (550 more than the 13 Pro Max), which in layman’s terms means more luminosity and brighter playback.

Both screens max out at a 120Hz refresh rate, making scrolling super smooth when switching between applications. The S22 Ultra scales down to 1hz, though, whereas the 13 Pro Max can only manage 10Hz. So, it’s easier to save on battery life with Samsung.

 

S22 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max display comparison:

iPhone 13 Pro Max Display: 

• Type: Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
• Size: 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
• Resolution: 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
• Protection: Scratch-resistant ceramic glass, oleophobic coating, wide colour gamut, true-tone

Samsung S22 Ultra Display:

• Type: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak)
• Size: 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~90.2% screen-to-body ratio
• Resolution: 1440 x 3088 pixels (~500 ppi density)
• Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, always-on display

Verdict: The S22 Ultra takes the win with its dazzling display.

 

Camera

The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a similar snapper set-up to its predecessor, offering a quad-camera system fitted with a 108MP wide camera at its core.

10MP sensors capture 3x and 10x zoomed shots with superb precision and clarity, while the mammoth 108MP sensor boasts pixels that are 1.23 times brighter than the S21. This new-and-improved function, combined with Samsung’s Multi-Frame Processing, offers sharp images whether you’re snapping during the day or at night. The S22 Ultra also features a 40MP selfie snapper, offering clarity when video calling.

In contrast, the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a triple-camera system with Wide, Ultra-Wide, and Telephoto lenses that peak at 12MP. These lenses boast a brilliant aperture range, edging picture performance in low light conditions. A Macro mode also lets you take incredibly detailed shots from as close as 2cm.

But the Pro Max can’t compete with the S22 Ultra’s zoom function. Its AI Stereo Depth Map feature also steps up portrait performance, allowing you to separate subjects from the background.

Video-wise, the 13 Pro produces excellent footage courtesy of 4K 60p functionality. Its Cinematic Mode lets you shift focus between subjects, while ProRes mode (available exclusively for 256GB capacity) provides enhanced tone, colour, and motion. Sensor-shift technology allows you to maintain control of your subject(s) when shooting.

But again, the S22 Ultra raises the bar, this time with 8K video recording. Samsung’s ‘Portrait Video’ also lets you shift subject focus. What it does lack, however, is the custom controls of the 13 Pro Max.

	iPhone 13 Pro Max	Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Dual	12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)	108 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55”, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Features	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Video	4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, Cinematic mode, stereo sound rec.	8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS

Verdict: When you create a 108MP camera, there’s not much chance for the competition. The Samsung S22 Ultra wins the camera round.

 

Specs, performance, and battery life

If you’re after a fast phone, both handsets deliver. The S22 Ultra is the quickest Galaxy ever with a 4nm processor and 12GB RAM (available on 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB variants), offering twice as much speed as the S21s. It also has Samsung’s One UI 4, offering a broader range of customisation, emojis, GIFs, and enhanced security.

But, arguably, the S22 Ultra’s biggest quirk is the S Pen stylus, allowing users to write and draw. It’s remarkably responsive, swiftly transforming your scribbles into cleanly typed notes. Although these e-pens are historically gimmicky, this isn’t the case here.

Where the S22 perhaps doesn’t compete with the 13 Pro Max is on processing power, however. The uber-fast handset is powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic Chip, which, when paired with a 5-core GPU, delivers lightning-fast usability whether you’re scrolling, gaming, or multitasking.

You’ll also gain access to Apple’s iOS operating system. Known to divide opinion, we’re going stick our necks on the line and argue it offers a more user-friendly experience than Android. You’ll also have access to games before Android, advanced privacy, and many Apple-only apps.

Last but not least—battery life. The Samsung S22 Ultra is charged with a 5000mAh battery, similar to the S21 Ultra. This should give you a full day of heavy use and can charge up to 50% in under 20 minutes. But the 13 Pro has stepped up its game —providing two and half hours more battery life than the 12 Pro Max’s lifespan.

	iPhone 13 Pro Max	Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Chipset	Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)	Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - Europe
CPU	Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard	Octa-core (1x2.8 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A510) - Europe
GPU	Apple GPU (5-core graphics)	Xclipse 920 - Europe
Battery type	Li-Ion 4352 mAh, non-removable (16.75 Wh)	Li-Ion 5000 mAh, non-removable
Charging	Fast charging (27W, unofficial rating), 50% in 30 min (advertised) USB Power Delivery 2.0 MagSafe wireless charging 15W Qi magnetic fast wireless charging 7.5W	Fast charging 45W USB Power Delivery 3.0 Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W Reverse wireless charging 4.5W

Verdict: Faster processing and more battery - the iPhone 13 Pro Max wins this round.

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Conclusion

It’s decision time. For us, we’d argue the iPhone 13 Pro Max offers users faster processing, longer battery life, and several nifty video features. However, we can’t discount Samsung’s stunning display and brilliant zoom game. One thing is sure, though—with both handsets, you’ll get a premium handset at the top of the phone chain.

Check out our refurbished phones page for top-notch handsets at low prices. You can save further by selling your iPhone or Samsung to us and putting the cash towards your next handset!