iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: what we know so far
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is currently the king on the Android hill: with a gorgeous screen, powerful performance and a long-range zoom camera, it seems to have it all at a price that is actually not too crazy.
- iPhone to be wider and a bit heavier, while Galaxy is narrower and easier to grip
- 120Hz OLED screens on both
- Apple A15 processor vs Snapdragon 888 on Galaxy
- 6GB RAM on iPhone vs 12GB RAM on Galaxy
- No periscope zoom camera on iPhone
- Big improvement in battery size on iPhone at 4,352mAh, Galaxy has a 5,000mAh battery
- New Matte Black and Bronze color options for iPhone (not certain)
Display and Design
Finally with 120Hz ProMotion!
Samsung has been the leader in display quality in the past few years and the iPhone actually uses a Samsung-made OLED display panel.
So with the iPhone 13 Pro Max, Apple is playing a bit of a catch up. It is bringing one of the most exciting new features that debuted on a Galaxy in… 2020, and that was the 120Hz fast refresh rate. The screen size and resolution are expected to remain the same as last year: you will get a 6.7-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 1284 x 2778 pixels, compared to the same size screen but at a slightly higher, 1440p resolution on the Galaxy.
Biometrics
Face ID on the iPhone vs fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy
Early rumors projected that the iPhone 13 Pro Max will get a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, but it now seems that move is delayed for 2022, if it happens at all. This means that we will still have Face ID to unlock the iPhone and the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner for security on the Galaxy.
Cameras
S21 Ultra has the zoom advantage, but the iPhone steps up what the main camera can do
The iPhone 13 Pro Max might be a big upgrade when it comes to battery capacity and other features, but it’s not quite the camera revolution some people hoped for. It comes with the same triple camera as on the previous model and that compares to a more versatile, 4-camera setup on the Galaxy. Both phones have main and ultra-wide cameras, but while the iPhone only has a single zoom lens at 2.5X zoom, the Galaxy comes with two zoom lenses, one at 3X zoom and another one at 10X zoom, giving it far more range when zooming.
- 6-element lens construction for the ultra-wide camera
- faster, f/1.8 aperture for the ultra-wide camera for better low-light shots
- overall software improvements
We don’t yet have any substantial camera leaks beyond this, so we’re yet to see how this plays out in actual photos. However, what we do know is that Apple is planning to catch up on one of the signature features on Android: portrait video! This, much like portrait mode for photos, blurs the background but it just happens in real time for video and it will definitely come in handy when you are vlogging or recording some tutorials on your phone.
Other new features on the iPhone 13 Pro Max include a possible astrophotography mode, but rumors about that are sketchy.
Performance comparison: Apple A15 vs Snapdragon 888
Apple has the lead in performance in the smartphone space, and the new Apple A15 Bionic chip in the iPhone 13 Pro Max is expected to once again be the fastest in the industry. The Galaxy comes equipped with the top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip for the US model, while international S21 Ultra models come with a very slightly slower Samsung-made Exynos 2100 processor.
This article will be updated whenever new information about the A15 surfaces.
Battery and Charging
The biggest upgrade to iPhone battery life
While all iPhone 13 models are expected to receive some form of a battery boost, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is said to get not only a small improvement, it’s expected to get a much, much bigger battery.
So at the end of the day, we expect the iPhone 13 Pro Max to deliver a bit of a battery life revolution and actually last quite a bit longer than the Galaxy, but of course we have to put this to the test.
On the charger front… well, don’t expect a charger in the box… on either one! Both Apple and Samsung will charge you an additional $20 bucks for a fast charger. Unfortunately, neither of these two phones supports quite the impressive charging speeds: at 20W, the iPhone takes nearly 2 hours for a full charge, while the Galaxy is much faster at a bit more than 1 hour, but neither are close to the 30-minute charging times we see on phones from brands like OnePlus.
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: Specs Comparison
And here is a detailed specs comparison between the iPhone 13 Pro Max and Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Keep in mind that the specs below are based on rumors, leaks and expectations, so they may change in the final device.
iPhone 13 Pro Max | Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
---|---|---|
Size and Weight | around 160.84 x 78.09 x around 8 mm, heavier than 230g | 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm, 229g weight |
Display | 6.7″ OLED, 120Hz Pro Motion 1284 x 2778 pixels |
6.7″ OLED, 120Hz Adaptive 1440 x 3200 pixels |
Processor | Apple A15 Bionic | Snapdragon 888 in United States Exynos 2100 for rest of world |
RAM | 6GB | 12GB |
Storage | 128G / 256G / 512GB, non expandable | 128G / 256G / 512GB, non expandable |
Cameras | 12MP wide camera 12MP ultra-wide camera with faster, f/1.8 aperture 12MP 2.5X zoom camera |
108MP main camera 12MP ultra-wide camera, f/2.2 10MP 3X zoom camera 10MP 10X zoom periscope camera |
Battery size | 4,352mAh | 5,000mAh |
Charging speeds | 20W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless | 25W wired, 15W wireless |
Prices | starting from $1,100 | starting from $1,200 |
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