Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

70 out of 100

VS

63 out of 100

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.1-inch Samsung Galaxy S23 (with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy) that was released on February 1, 2023, against the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max, which is powered by Apple A14 Bionic and came out 2 years and 4 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Select the amount of RAM to evaluate performance and value for money more precisely

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S23

Higher display refresh rate – 120 Hz
Modern USB Type-C port
Delivers 39% higher peak brightness (1209 against 872 nits)
Newer Bluetooth version (v5.3)
The rear camera has a 3x optical zoom
Fingerprint scanner
Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
28% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (1712K versus 1342K)
Has 33% more RAM: 8GB versus 6GB
Better grip in hands – the body is 7.2 mm narrower
The phone is 2 years and 4 months newer

Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

Has a 0.6 inch larger screen size

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy S23 and Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Galaxy S23

80

Type	Dynamic AMOLED	OLED
Size	6.1 inches	6.7 inches
Resolution	1080 x 2340 pixels	1284 x 2778 pixels
Aspect ratio	19.5:9	19.5:9
PPI	425 ppi	458 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz	60 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	Yes (24-120 Hz)	No
Max rated brightness	1200 nits	800 nits
Max rated brightness in HDR	1750 nits	-
HDR support	Yes, HDR10+	Yes, Dolby Vision
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass Victus 2	-
Screen-to-body ratio	88%	87.7%
Display features	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display	- DCI-P3

RGB color space	98.9%	99.4%
PWM	240 Hz	238 Hz
Response time	1 ms	8 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	146.3 mm (5.76 inches)	160.8 mm (6.33 inches)
Width	70.9 mm (2.79 inches)	78.1 mm (3.07 inches)
Thickness	7.6 mm (0.3 inches)	7.4 mm (0.29 inches)
Weight	168 g (5.93 oz)	226 g (7.97 oz)
Waterproof	IP68	IP68
Advanced cooling	Vapor chamber	-
Rear material	Glass	Glass
Frame material	Metal	Metal
Colors	White, Black, Gray, Green, Purple, Yellow	Silver, Gold, Gray, Blue
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, in-display	No

Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy	Apple A14 Bionic
Max clock	3360 MHz	3100 MHz
CPU cores	8 (1 + 2 + 2 + 3)	6 (2 + 4)
Architecture	- 3 cores at 2 GHz: Cortex-A510 - 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-A710 - 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-A715 - 1 core at 3.2 GHz: Cortex-X3	- 4 cores at 1.8 GHz: Icestorm - 2 cores at 3.1 GHz: Firestorm
L3 cache	8 MB	-
Manufacturing	TSMC	TSMC
Lithography process	4 nanometers	5 nanometers
Neural processor (NPU)	Hexagon	Apple Neural Engine

Graphics	Adreno 740	Apple GPU
GPU shading units	1536	256
GPU clock	680 MHz	1278 MHz
FLOPS	~2089 GFLOPS	~654.3 GFLOPS

Compute Score (GPU)	9410	16481
Single-core score	1987	1551
Multi-core score	5171	4870

CPU	587063	385467
GPU	434955	320972
Memory	275390	167663
UX	414985	468241
Total score	1712393	1342343
Samples	[29 tests]	[5 tests]

Stability	73%	74%
Graphics test	20 FPS	11 FPS
Section 1	23 FPS	14 FPS
Section 2	20 FPS	11 FPS
Section 3	18 FPS	8 FPS
Graphics score	5348	2861

Stability	61%	71%
Graphics test	21 FPS	13 FPS
Graphics score	3669	2317

Web score	15188	-
Video editing	7873	-
Photo editing	33939	-
Data manipulation	12935	-
Writing score	19390	-

Date	Benchmark	Result
📘 2026-09-09 -> Rafarobbie22	AnTuTu	1708074
📘 2026-09-09 (Rafa)	AnTuTu	1708074
📘 2026-08-09 (Sevin)	AnTuTu	1700056
📘 2026-08-02 (Trouble)	Battery life	SOT 6:42 / 16:34
📘 2026-07-24 (nemesistech)	AnTuTu	1684546

Date	Benchmark	Result
📘 2026-06-15 (hungph)	AnTuTu	1342343
📘 2026-06-09 (Khang)	GeekBench CPU	1159 / 3300
📘 2026-03-13 (DNHK)	AnTuTu	1376823
📘 2026-03-13 (Naw)	AnTuTu	1279989
📘 2026-02-07 -> Idk.34	AnTuTu	1286092

RAM
RAM size	8 GB	6 GB
Memory type	LPDDR5X	LPDDR4X
Channels	4	2

Storage
Storage size	128 GB	128 GB
Storage type	UFS 4.0	NVMe
Memory card	No	No

Operating system	Android 13 (Can be upgraded to Android 16)	iOS 14.1 (Can be upgraded to iOS 26.5)
ROM	One UI 8.0	-
OS size	29.7 GB	16 GB
OS updates	4 years	-
Security updates	5 years	-

Capacity	3900 mAh	3687 mAh
Max charge power	25 W	20 W
Battery type	Li-Ion	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes (10 W)	Yes (7.5 W)
Reverse charging	Yes, (wireless)	No
Bypass charging	Yes	No
Fast charging	Yes (57% in 30 min)	Yes (55% in 30 min)
Full charging time	1:16 hr	1:32 hr

Web browsing	08:12 hr	08:35 hr
Watching video	13:41 hr	13:38 hr
Gaming	05:20 hr	05:29 hr
Standby	109 hr	116 hr

Matrix	50 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	8160 x 6120	4032 x 3024
Zoom	Optical, 3x	Optical, 2.5x
Flash	LED	Dual LED
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
8K video recording	Up to 30FPS	No
4K video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
1080p video recording	Up to 120FPS	Up to 60FPS
Slow motion	960 FPS (1080p)	240 FPS (1080p)
Angle of widest lens	120°	120°
Lenses	1) Standard: 50 MP 2) Telephoto: 10 MP 3) Ultrawide: 12 MP	1) Standard: 12 MP 2) Telephoto: 12 MP 3) Ultrawide: 12 MP 4) Depth
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support

Image resolution	50 MP	12 MP
Aperture	f/1.8	f/1.6
Focal length	23 mm	26 mm
Sensor	Samsung S5KGN3	Sony IMX603
Sensor size	1/1.57" (≈ 0.64 inch)	1/1.9" (≈ 0.53 inch)
Pixel size	1 micron	1.7 micron
Autofocus	Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel)	Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel)
Stabilization	Optical	Optical

Image resolution	10 MP	12 MP
Aperture	f/2.4	f/2.2
Focal length	70 mm	65 mm
Sensor	Samsung S5K3K1	Sony IMX613
Sensor size	1/3.94" (≈ 0.25 inch)	1/3.4" (≈ 0.29 inch)
Pixel size	1 micron	1 micron
Stabilization	Optical	Optical

Bokeh	70	70
Preview	72	80
Zoom	126	115
Samples	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S23 from DxOMark	Photo samples of Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max from DxOMark

Megapixels	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	4000 x 3000	4290 x 2800
Aperture	f/2.2	f/2.2
Focal length	26 mm	23 mm
Sensor	Samsung S5K3LU	Sony IMX514
Sensor size	1/3.24" (≈ 0.31 inch)	1/3.6" (≈ 0.28 inch)
Pixel size	1.12 micron	1 micron
Autofocus	Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel)	No
Stabilization	Digital	Digital
Video resolution	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS
Depth sensor (TOF 3D)	No	Yes

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Wi-Fi features	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display
Bluetooth version	5.3	5
Bluetooth features	LE	LE, A2DP
USB type	USB Type-C	No
USB version	3.2	-
USB features	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG	- Charging - USB-Storage mode
DisplayPort	Yes, DP 1.2	-
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS
NFC*	Yes	Yes
Infrared port	No	No

Number of SIM*	1	1
Type of SIM card	Nano	Nano
Multi SIM mode	Standby	-
eSIM support*	Yes	Yes
Hybrid slot	No	No
LTE Cat*	20	18
5G support	Yes	Yes

Samsung Galaxy S23 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

Key differences

Review

Value for money (Beta)

Tests and specifications

Display

Design and build

Performance

Benchmarks

Recent User Tests

Memory

Software

Battery

Main camera

DxOMark main camera tests

Selfie camera

Connectivity

Sound

Other

Conclusion

Cast your vote

Related comparisons

User opinions

Speakers	Stereo	Stereo
Headphone audio jack	No	No
FM radio	No	No
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes

Category	Flagship	Flagship
Announced	February 2023	October 2020
Release date	February 2023	November 2020
Launch price (MSRP)	$799	$1100
Successor	- Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus (Snapdragon)	- Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
SAR (head)	0.96 W/kg	0.99 W/kg
SAR (body)	1.3 W/kg	0.99 W/kg
Sensors	- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint	- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Face recognition sensor
Bundled charger	Not included	-