The just lately unveiled Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely borrows from the very best of the Galaxy Be aware and Extremely traces, however is it sufficient to unseat the iPhone 13 Professional Max as the highest high-end flagship in the marketplace? The Galaxy S22 Extremely vs. the iPhone 13 Professional Max is the query that might be on the minds of many searching for flagship smartphone nirvana this yr, so let’s determine which comes out on prime.
The Galaxy S22 Extremely gives some options that Apple fails to match with the built-in S Pen, an unbelievable 10x zoom and 45W quick charging. Apple naturally has some aces up its sleeve with an f/1.5 wide-angle and f/1.8 ultra-wide digital camera which can be the envy of the remainder of the smartphone world and powering all of it is Apple’s unmatched A15 Bionic processor.
Whereas these titanic telephones provide some clear benefits over each other in sure classes, it’s hashing out the gray areas that can assist us discover the reply to who wins within the face-off of the Galaxy S22 Extremely vs. iPhone 13 Professional Max.
Table of Contents
Galaxy S22 Extremely vs. iPhone 13 Professional Max: value and worth
The Galaxy S22 Extremely begins at $1,199 for the 128GB mannequin with 8GB of RAM. Upgrading to 256GB, 512GB or 1TB for $1,299, $1,399 and $1,599 respectively additionally bumps you as much as 12GB of RAM.
The iPhone 13 Professional Max begins at $1,099 for a 128GB mannequin with 6GB of RAM. You’ll be able to improve to 256GB, 512GB or a brand new 1TB possibility. It’s an additional $100 for the 256GB mannequin, which is important for the brand new ProRes video function if you’re a cellular cinematographer. Add one other $200 for the 512GB and 1TB choices, maxing the telephone out at $1,599.
Through the pre-order interval for the Galaxy S22 Extremely (by way of February 24) you get a free improve to the subsequent storage tier, making the 256GB mannequin simply $1,199, matching up precisely with the iPhone 13 Professional Max pricing. Nonetheless, it’s not honest to issue that in the long run for this class, so for maybe the primary time ever, the worth and worth win goes to an iPhone.
Winner: iPhone 13 Professional Max
Galaxy S22 Extremely vs. iPhone 13 Professional Max: design
Each of those telephones boast a singular look and whereas the tide of boring slabs has ebbed barely within the final couple of years, it’s nonetheless a welcome sight. The iPhone 13 Professional Max follows the squared-off aesthetic Apple introduced again with the iPhone 12, whereas the Galaxy S22 Extremely provides us the Galaxy Be aware 20 Extremely redux.
The S22 Extremely is only a bit shorter than the Be aware 20 Extremely resulting from its 6.8-inch show (versus 6.9-inch), however it’s in any other case a useless ringer from most angles for what I stated was a “beautiful smartphone” once I reviewed it in 2020 and time hasn’t modified {that a} bit. The curved edges of the S22 Extremely really feel unbelievable when holding the telephone and the flat prime and backside distinction properly for added visible enchantment. The burgundy matte end on the again of the telephone is opulent. My one qualm in regards to the S22 Extremely design is the uncovered digital camera lenses on the again. It’s going to take extra time with the telephone to see if it bothers me, however I really feel like it might be a step again from the Contour Lower Digicam housing Samsung launched final yr.
The iPhone 13 Professional Max design doesn’t have fairly the identical flourish. Nonetheless, it’s unmistakable for some other telephone and the glass and stainless-steel end unquestionably give it the premium aesthetic you’d hope for on a $1,100+ telephone. The notch stays the bane of the iPhone design. Do you cease noticing it? Sure, you do. Does that make it much less ugly? Completely not.
Each of those telephones are behemoths. The iPhone 13 Professional Max is general smaller at 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.3 inches in comparison with 6.4 x 3 x 0.35 inches for the Galaxy S22 Extremely. Nonetheless, the S22 Extremely is barely narrower and lighter at 8.1 ounces to the 13 Professional Max’s 8.5 ounces.
The Galaxy S22 Extremely takes this one. The curved edges, narrower physique and lighter weight make it a extra snug machine to make use of and whereas each designs are beautiful in their very own proper, the S22 Extremely has a sure opulence to its design that the iPhone 13 Professional Max can’t match.
Winner: Galaxy S22 Extremely
Galaxy S22 Extremely vs. iPhone 13 Professional Max: show
The iPhone 13 Professional Max encompasses a 6.7-inch Tremendous Retina XDR OLED show with ProMotion and a 2778 x 1284-pixel decision. The Galaxy S22 Extremely 1-ups it at 6.8 inches, however the Dynamic AMOLED 2X show buries it relating to decision at WQHD+ (3200 x 1440). Samsung additionally claims the adaptive refresh fee crown, scaling from 1Hz to 120Hz, in comparison with the iPhone’s 10Hz as much as 120Hz vary.
Samsung’s different large declare with the S22 Extremely show is a leap to an unbelievable 1,750 nits of peak brightness; if true, that will dramatically outperform the 837 peak brightness for the iPhone 13 Professional Max. We’re operating the Galaxy S22 Extremely by way of our gamut of coloration, accuracy and brightness testing and can replace this part as soon as that’s full.
Whereas the iPhone could discover a strategy to win this one, it’s uncertain that Samsung is just not challenged within the cellular show area. Because of this Apple and plenty of of Samsung’s high-end opponents use Samsung shows. Primarily based on its observe file and the benefits we already comprehend it has, the win goes to the Galaxy S22 Extremely.
Winner: Galaxy S22 Extremely
Galaxy S22 Extremely vs. iPhone 13 Professional Max: efficiency
The Galaxy S22 Extremely is the primary telephone to launch within the U.S. with the brand new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. We’re nonetheless within the testing course of for our assessment, so that you’ll have to return for the ultimate ruling on this one. With that stated, there’s roughly the identical likelihood of it beating the A15 Bionic within the iPhone 13 Professional Max as me being struck by lightning in my basement as I sort this…nope, I’m protected and so is the A15 Bionic’s dominance. Regardless of providing double the iPhone 13 Professional Max’s RAM (12GB vs. 6GB), there’s simply no strategy to outmuscle Apple’s chips in the intervening time.
Nonetheless, as I’ve made it clear in my final a number of opinions, flagship telephones are extra highly effective than we want them to be at the moment. After roughly 24 hours with the Galaxy S22 Extremely, I can confidently state that you simply aren’t going to give you a job that it might’t deal with. Evidently, that goes double for the iPhone 13 Professional Max. Load it up with Google Chrome tabs, change between dozens of apps whereas watching picture-in-picture movies or max out the settings on PUBG or Genshin Impression and also you gained’t get a dropped body.
There are some restricted situations the place you continue to see a distinction at the moment. The iPhone 13 Professional Max delivers unbelievable video processing speeds, cruising by way of our Adobe Premiere Rush video modifying take a look at in 25.1 seconds. Whereas once more, we don’t have the outcomes from the Galaxy S22 Extremely but, its predecessor accomplished that job in 1 minute and three seconds; the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is an enchancment, nevertheless it’s not going to shave the end result by greater than half.
The extra related issue is long-term efficiency. All of that additional headroom that the iPhone 13 Professional Max has with the A15 Bionic ought to hold the telephone chugging alongside fortunately for years. The Galaxy S22 Extremely gained’t be slowing to a crawl in a few years both, however there’s no query it should present its age sooner. If you happen to improve your telephone as soon as each 4-5 years or extra, that’s price contemplating.
Whereas each telephones provide wonderful efficiency: the iPhone 13 Professional Max retains its efficiency crown.
Winner: iPhone 13 Professional Max
iPhone 13 Professional Max vs. Galaxy S21 Extremely: battery life and charging
Huge telephones ought to include large batteries and neither disappoints on this regard. The Galaxy S22 Extremely has the scale edge with a 5,000 mAh battery in comparison with the 4,352 mAh battery within the iPhone 13 Professional Max. Nonetheless, we’re nonetheless testing the Galaxy S22 Extremely to see whether or not that bodily benefit ends in superior battery life.
It will likely be a problem for Samsung because the iPhone 13 Professional Max gives the longest-lasting battery of any iPhone. In our Laptop computer Magazine battery take a look at, it managed 12 hours and 16 minutes of steady net browsing on 5G with the display screen set to 150 nits of brightness.
Whereas we await the outcomes, charging is a way more cut-and-dry matter with Samsung stepping up its sport this yr with help for 45W quick charging, obliterating the paltry 23-27W that the iPhone 13 Professional Max gives. Whereas the smaller battery within the iPhone 13 Professional Max means this gained’t imply half the charging time for the Galaxy S22 Extremely, there’s no query it is a win for Samsung.
Each telephones help wi-fi charging with Qi compatibility and Apple’s proprietary MagSafe charging. Speeds are significantly slower, topping out at 15W, however as a wi-fi charging convert that has littered his home with Qi charging stands and pucks, I discover the comfort to be definitely worth the pace trade-off for each day use.
Till the lab and real-world take a look at outcomes for the Galaxy S22 Extremely are available in, it is a draw because the Galaxy S22 Extremely has a big charging benefit, however I don’t like its possibilities to outlast the iPhone 13 Professional Max on a cost.
Winner: Draw
Galaxy S22 Extremely vs. iPhone 13 Professional Max: cameras
Whereas the Galaxy S22 Extremely had a number of updates to its {hardware}, the rear digital camera array stays the identical. Whereas it was unquestionably among the best digital camera setups of 2021 and stays a powerful contender, the iPhone 13 Professional Max made important strikes final yr that spell bother for the S22 Extremely once we take these two out for testing.
The truth that all 4 iPhone 13 Professional Max sensors are simply 12MP could sound disappointing, however don’t let that idiot you; they’re a number of the greatest sensors in the marketplace. The wide-angle is the quickest we’ve seen at f/1.5 and the ultra-wide at f/1.8 is on par with Samsung’s main and that of many different flagships. The telephoto was the one combined improve for the 13 Professional Max with a leap to a 3x optical zoom, up from 2.5x, however a considerably precipitous drop to an f/2.8 aperture from f/2.0. The front-facing digital camera at f/2.2 stays among the best within the trade for portrait selfies, because of the additional depth-sensing tech within the notch. Sensor-shift optical picture stabilization enhances what would already be spectacular low-light efficiency from these sensors.
The Galaxy S22 Extremely actually is a replica and paste of the S21 Extremely cameras. That outlandish 108MP wide-angle sensor at f/1.8, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor at f/2.2, a 10MP 3x telephoto at f/2.4, and a 10MP telephoto at f/4.9 digital camera. Turning to the entrance, you could have the scarily sharp 40MP front-facing digital camera at f/2.2. When it comes to attain and flexibility, even a yr later, nothing touches these sensors, however until you want that attain, there’s no query the iPhone 13 Professional Max has the spec benefit.
An necessary observe right here is that till we’ve achieved extra in depth testing with the Galaxy S22 Extremely digital camera, we gained’t know what influence the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 has had on its picture processing. Computational pictures might be extra necessary than the {hardware} itself; have a look at how lengthy Google propped up the weak Pixel cameras with its software program, with enhanced AI and ML within the new processor Samsung could have leveled up with out touching the digital camera sensors.
Whereas there’s something extremely satisfying in regards to the insanity of a 10x (100x digital) zoom on a telephone, the win ought to simply go to the iPhone 13 Professional Max. Its benefits in low mild with its main and ultra-wide usually tend to ship some images that you’d have missed on the S22 Extremely than the added telephoto attain.
Winner: iPhone 13 Professional Max
iPhone 13 Professional Max vs. Galaxy S21 Extremely: software program
As per common, this gained’t be a dialogue of iOS versus Android; every one has its benefits and drawbacks. Adapting to at least one or the opposite can take every week or two and there are some lock-in elements like iMessage that make switching a problem, however general there are extra similarities than variations to the working methods.
iOS 15 did carry some fascinating new options to the iPhone, together with releasing one earlier lock-in function, FaceTime, now accessible to Home windows or Android customers. Notification controls have been additionally expanded tremendously and enhancements to Apple Maps, and the brand new extra sturdy Images app makes it a stronger competitor for Google Images. Whereas the Galaxy S22 Extremely makes use of Samsung’s One UI 4.1 overlay on Android 12, it comes with most of the identical advantages, together with a visible overhaul, the brand new notification panel, privateness updates and a bunch of helpful additions like common search.
Samsung does have a number of notable software program options that might sway some energy customers. The primary is the S Pen help; if you need a stylus along with your telephone, then this dialog is throughout. One other potential game-changer for some is Samsung’s DeX mode which primarily turns your telephone right into a laptop computer substitute. The latter is likely one of the few options that truly makes use of the entire pent-up energy accessible on this superphone.
Maybe the most important differentiator in software program between these telephones stays help. Whereas Apple doesn’t have a selected help dedication, it constantly gives no less than 5 to six years of help for its flagship telephones.The Galaxy S22 Extremely, by comparability, will get 4 main Android updates and 4 years of safety updates. Whereas Google’s Pixel receives an additional yr of safety updates, Samsung now leads the Android market in main OS updates.
I’m calling this class a draw. Whereas Apple nonetheless has the help lead, at 4 years, Samsung has mitigated that benefit and a few of Samsung’s extra superior software program options like DeX eclipse something the iPhone can provide.
Winner: Draw
Galaxy S22 Extremely vs. iPhone 13 Professional Max: Outlook
Samsung would possibly ship this one into time beyond regulation if it delivers sturdy battery life in our testing and suggestions that class in its favor, however for now, the iPhone 13 Professional Max takes the slight edge on this face-off with three classes to Samsung’s two.
Apart from Samsung’s show win and Apple’s digital camera victory, these classes are all extraordinarily shut amongst these telephones. IOS versus Android could determine it for you if you’re already closely invested in both, however each telephones are phenomenal from a {hardware} standpoint.
The Galaxy S22 Extremely gives some distinctive options like its S Pen, DeX and that unbelievable telephoto attain that make it an intriguing possibility for anybody uninterested in the identical outdated smartphone options, regardless of how effectively achieved. The iPhone 13 Professional Max for its half could be those self same outdated smartphone options nevertheless it’s achieved higher than anybody else is doing it. For now, no less than the 13 Professional Max continues its reign as “the brand new king of smartphones.”