Smartphone heavyweight champions clash! S24 Ultra, Pixel 8 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max compared
The Galaxy S24 Ultra, Samsung’s newest flagship, is now available. If you’re pondering which top-tier phone to purchase, the current market offers exceptional options. The Galaxy S24 Ultra, Pixel 8 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max stand out as three highly desirable handsets.
Yet, the abundance of choices makes decision-making more challenging. This article will guide you in making the right selection.
Design and display
Beginning with the exterior, none of these three phone models opt for extravagant designs; instead, they showcase sleek, minimalistic aesthetics. Through strategic marketing and brand image cultivation, each has successfully created instant visual recognition for their rear camera modules. The uncluttered yet distinctive floating camera lenses unmistakably identify them as “Samsung!” to consumers, the elongated horizontal camera bar is a hallmark of the Pixel brand, and Apple’s quintessential iPhone features a distinctive triple camera array arranged in a floral pattern.
Nonetheless, notable differences exist. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is specifically designed for stylus use, showcasing a square design that optimizes screen real estate. With its expansive 6.8-inch display, it holds the title for the largest screen among the three, resulting in being the widest, thickest, and heaviest. In contrast, the Pixel 8 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max share very similar dimensions with their 6.7-inch displays. Ultimately, the Pixel 8 Pro takes the lead in terms of in-hand comfort, thanks to its rounded edges and a weight of 213 grams, contrasting with the boxier and heavier design of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Concerning materials, it’s essential to highlight that both the Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max boast ultra-sturdy titanium alloy frames, whereas the Pixel 8 Pro adheres to the more conventional yet still robust aluminum composition. Titanium is renowned for its unparalleled strength, though in practical terms, the distinction might not be readily noticeable in typical daily usage.
Performance
While the Galaxy S24 Ultra boasts the cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, one of the fastest mobile processors, it pales in comparison to the potency of the A17 Pro chip embedded in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Whether in synthetic benchmarks or real-world applications, the A17 Pro processor consistently outpaces Qualcomm’s silicon, primarily due to Apple’s vertically integrated software and hardware optimizations spanning from the chip level to the operating system.
The processing power of the Pixel 8 Pro’s Google Tensor G3 falls significantly behind the other two contenders. While everyday usage may not reveal substantial differences, gaming experiences tend to favor optimization for iPhones and Qualcomm chipsets. This preference often results in subpar performance for devices equipped with other processors, placing the Pixel 8 Pro in a distant third place in terms of processing muscle.
Battery
Despite featuring a notably smaller 4,441 mAh battery in comparison to the more substantial 5,050 mAh and 5,000 mAh units present in the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra models, respectively, the iPhone 15 Pro Max still excels in power efficiency and overall battery life. While independent testing for the S24 Ultra is pending, last year’s model indicates that we can anticipate another closely contested matchup between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and S24 Ultra. However, the Pixel 8 Pro faces limitations due to its Tensor G3 chip, known for running hotter than its counterparts and depleting battery life more rapidly.
Photography
Declaring a clear victor is challenging, despite the S24 Ultra seemingly leading in hardware specifications, primarily due to its impressive 200MP main lens. The S24 Ultra boasts Samsung’s noteworthy “Space Zoom” system, allowing an incredible 100x zoom range. This distinctive zoom feature is hard to come by on other flagship phones available in India today, with the possible exception of the Vivo X100.
AI features
Generative AI has become a focal point in the tech industry, exemplified by Samsung’s emphasis on ‘Galaxy AI’ during the launch of the Galaxy S24 series. The S24 Ultra introduces clever AI camera features like Generative Edit, leveraging AI to fill in background details. On the other hand, the Pixel 8 Pro features a Magic Eraser, capable of removing objects from photos and replacing them with generated pixels. Additionally, it incorporates Zoom Enhance to enhance the realism of zoomed shots.
In essence, the S24 and Pixel 8 have comparable sets of AI photo tools. Given the close partnership between Samsung and Google, these two phones may even exchange features over time. On the flip side, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, despite its proficient AI chip, lacks a significant number of generative AI features. While it provides useful features like voice isolation for calls and new iOS transcription capabilities, Apple, in comparison to the S24 and Pixel 8, adopts a more cautious strategy in implementing generative AI in its devices.
Verdict
Acknowledging that this isn’t an easy decision, if you find yourself still perplexed towards the end, we understand. Base your choice on each phone’s key strengths and align them with your priorities. The S24 Ultra stands out with its stylus-friendly design and expansive, vibrant display. The iPhone 15 Pro Max dominates in performance, driven by its impressive A17 Pro chip. The Pixel 8 Pro, fueled by the Google Tensor G3, may lag slightly in gaming but excels in AI capabilities. Battery life is a close race, with a slight advantage for the iPhone. In terms of cameras, the S24 Ultra impresses with its 200MP lens and remarkable zoom, while the iPhone takes the lead in video capabilities.