Google Pixel 8 Pro vs. IPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra – Which is better?

High-end smartphones are part of our daily lives, whether for professional use or to use as a work tool. Therefore, it is important to know how to choose the most appropriate one according to your needs, since they require a higher investment than other types of devices. In this article we want to help you, and to do so, we have compared the performance of three of the most powerful smartphones of the moment: Google Pixel 8 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Apple, Samsung and Google are the three main technology companies competing to lead the consumer electronics podium, and, with smartphones, more specifically. In addition, we have focused on the three most recent and complete mobile phones from each brand, between which there are some key differences. One of them is the type of processor they incorporate, since the data processing speed and, in general terms, the overall performance of the smartphone depends on it.

The set of cameras, as well as the technological functionalities that accompany them, are another of the differentiating elements between the three mobile phones. In this sense, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra still cannot find a rival that matches the excellent photographic quality of its quadruple camera. On the other hand, the three smartphones have approximately the same screen size, and are also very similar in terms of technological and connectivity features, such as the use of NFC or the sensors they have.

To see it in more detail, we encourage you to read our in-depth review. Let’s go there!

Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Iphone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – Comparison Table

In the following table, we summarize the characteristics that define the three high-end smartphones that star in this review. This way, it will be easier for you to choose which one to stay with:

(Swipe the table to see all the content)

Each smartphone has its own design

It is no secret that Apple, Google and Samsung are iconic brands and, as such, they imbue their style into the aesthetics of the smartphones they market. Come on, it’s very easy to distinguish which is the Google Pixel, which is the iPhone and which is the Samsung. This last one , the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, is the largest of the three, and also the one that weighs the most, although it is apparently the one with the thinnest bezel. It is also the one that is available in the greatest variety of colors, and has the rear cameras arranged in a vertical linear fashion.

For its part, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the smallest in terms of dimensions, and maintains the same aesthetic line as other iPhones. The cameras, in this case, are located forming a square, and have a more marked bezel. To distinguish it from the rest of the models in the iPhone 15 range, the Pro Max can only be purchased in a titanium color variant, which gives it a more select touch. The Google Pixel 8 Pro maintains the horizontal rear strip that we already saw in the model 7, and that is where the cameras are located. In this case, you can choose between three colors that are more different from each other than the options offered by the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

It should be noted that all three have the same degree of resistance to external agents, IP68, which indicates that they have the same tolerance to water and dust.

Does the screen change?

The truth is that it changes very little, both in size and technology, although it is advisable to note certain nuances. When it comes to size, Google and Apple smartphones have a 6.7-inch screen, which becomes 6.8 inches on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. As you can see, a minimal difference.

If we talk about the type of screen they have, all of them have OLED or AMOLED technology, which guarantees the highest possible quality of brightness outdoors. What’s more, their maximum peak brightness ranges around 2,000 nits, so you will be able to see the screen without a problem even when there is a lot of outside light. Each brand gives its own touch of originality to the technologies, and this is what makes us see that in the Google Pixel 8 Pro there is a Super Actua screen (brighter than that of the Pixel 7 Pro), or that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra features Dynamic AMOLED.

The processor, one of the biggest differences

Of course, each smartphone has its own processor, and among these three that we are analyzing, none of them match. The Google Pixel 8 Pro is the one with the least advanced processor of the three, although we must say that the G3 version has significantly improved performance compared to the G2. However, it falls flat next to the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. 

We recognize that the Pixel 8 Pro has an advantage over its two rivals when it comes to the operating system, and that is that it is a smartphone that guarantees all operating system and security updates for 7 years. But when it comes to performance and processing speed, Samsung and Apple clearly lead.

Battery performance and fast charging

Battery life is another concern that users have when choosing a smartphone, and, although it depends a lot on how much we know how to optimize it, we can compare some objective data. If we look at the capacity of each of the batteries, we see that, in all three cases, they are around 5000 mAh.

Now, they do not last the same even if they are used under the same conditions. The Google Pixel 8 Pro claims that it can last more than 24 hours, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max predicts more than 29 hours of battery life, approximately. Neither of them reaches this duration as long as we use each smartphone.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has better optimization of autonomy, and it is easier to stretch it for longer. As for fast charging, it is also the one with the most powerful charger, 45 watts, which makes it charge a little faster than its two rivals.

Cameras, another hallmark

The set of cameras constitutes another of the fundamental pieces in any smartphone, and, here, there are two large groups, we could say. On the one hand, the Google Pixel 8 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have a main camera of about 48-50 MP, along with an ultra-wide angle and a telephoto lens. The Google Pixel 8 Pro has the 48 MP ultra-wide angle, compared to the 12 MP of the iPhone, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max has two variants of the telephoto camera, to compensate.

For its part, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra moves away from these two models with a 200 MP main camera, flanked by a 12 MP angle camera, and two 10 MP zoom cameras each. In practice, the differences may be more noticeable if you are a professional photographer or are used to taking photos and videos in a more complex environment, because any of the three achieve excellent quality images. In addition, they have a very similar front camera.

Sensors and connectivity

Now, we talk about the set of sensors that each smartphone has, which is the same, just with some small variations. For example, Apple has decided to eliminate the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, while Google and Samsung smartphones do have this unlocking method. Instead, all three can be unlocked using facial recognition, and also support NFC technology for contactless payments.

From a connectivity point of view, there are no big changes either, and all three support Bluetooth and WiFi (the Google Pixel 8 Pro supports WiFi 7 because it is newer). In addition, they have a dual SIM card, have stereo speakers and have the spatial audio function to improve the audiovisual experience.

Which high-end smartphone do we choose?

We reach the end of the comparison with a question: which high-end smartphone is worth the most of the three? The easy answer is that it depends. First, you have to compare the price they have. In this case, all three exceed 1,000 euros (they may vary depending on seasonal offers), and that is why we consider them high-end. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the most expensive of the three, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 Pro are more even.

From the point of view of functionality and innovation, the decision would depend on which aspect we pay more attention to. For example, in photographic quality, so far, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the one that convinces us the most, because the quality achieved by its main camera is difficult to match. In terms of processor performance, the iPhone 15 Pro Max surpasses its two rivals, since the processor is one of Apple’s clearest strengths, and it shows in this update.

In short, any of the three phones are a sure hit if you are looking for a super advanced and high-end smartphone. Think about which one best meets your needs and choose. That easy!