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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 7, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerApple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
You're looking at two powerhouse phones: the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE. In real-world usage, the iPhone's battery lasts up to 39 hours of video playback, which is perfect for long trips or binge-watching sessions. Meanwhile, the S23 FE offers solid features like a dedicated 3x optical zoom lens. If you're all about photography, the iPhone's triple 48MP cameras with 8x optical zoom will blow you away, especially for those Instagram shots in bright sunlight.
📱 Display: 6.9" vs 6.4"🔋 Battery: 5088 mAh vs 4500 mAh⚖️ Weight: 8.22 oz vs 7.37 oz
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
★4.8
(126)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
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Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
★4.8
(13)•Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:4 generations of OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) — *Note: US/Canada model specific*
Graphics:Adreno 730
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Key spec differences
Only the specs that differ are shown here. Winners are highlighted when the data is clear.
Winner= clear advantage
Spec
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Display2 specs
Display SizeKey
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
6.9" (6.86" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)Winner
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
6.4"
Refresh Rate
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz)
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
60Hz / 120Hz (Adaptive)
Performance3 specs
ProcessorKey
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) — *Note: US/Canada model specific*
RAMKey
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
12 GB (LPDDR5X)Winner
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
8GB
Storage
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB (NVMe)Winner
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
128GB / 256GB (No microSD expansion)
Camera2 specs
Main CameraKey
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
48MP Fusion Main (24 mm, f/1.78), 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for 24MP and 48MP super-high-resolution photos
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
50MP, f/1.8, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAFWinner
Ultra-Wide Camera
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
48MP Fusion Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
12MP, f/2.2, 123-degree FOV
Battery2 specs
Battery CapacityKey
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
5088 mAh (Li-ion, eSIM model); Up to 39 hours video playback (35 hours streamed)Winner
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
4,500mAh (Typical)
Wireless Charging
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
15W Fast Wireless Charging; Wireless PowerShare (Reverse)
Design2 specs
Weight
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
8.22 oz (233 g)
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
7.37 oz (209 g)Winner
Dimensions
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
6.43" x 3.07" x 0.34" (163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm)
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
6.22 x 3.01 x 0.32 in (158.0 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm)
Software1 specs
Operating System
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
iOS
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Android
Connectivity1 specs
Connectivity
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
5G (Sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC
+Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Expand
Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Comparison: Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
★4.8(126)Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
★4.8(13)Best Buy
| Criterion | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.8(126)Best Buy | ★4.8(13)Best Buy |
Operating System | iOS | Android |
Software Support | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades | 4 generations of OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates |
Processor | Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) — *Note: US/Canada model specific* |
Graphics | Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro) | Adreno 730 |
RAM | 12 GB (LPDDR5X) | 8GB |
Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB (NVMe) | 128GB / 256GB (No microSD expansion) |
Display Size | 6.9" (6.86" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) | 6.4" |
Screen Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 1,450 nits (Peak) |
Resolution | 2868 x 1320 pixels (460 ppi) | 2340 x 1080 (FHD+) |
Refresh Rate | Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz) | 60Hz / 120Hz (Adaptive) |
Peak Brightness | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum | 1,450 nits (Peak) |
Main Camera | 48MP Fusion Main (24 mm, f/1.78), 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for 24MP and 48MP super-high-resolution photos | 50MP, f/1.8, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography | 12MP, f/2.2, 123-degree FOV |
Telephoto Camera | 48MP Fusion Telephoto (100 mm, f/2.8), tetraprism design, 3D sensor-shift OIS, autofocus; enables 12MP optical-quality 8x zoom (200 mm equivalent) | 8MP, f/2.4, OIS, 3x Optical Zoom |
Optical Zoom | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x optical-quality zoom steps (16x optical zoom range) | 3x Optical Zoom |
Digital Zoom | Up to 40x | Up to 30x |
Video Recording | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps (Fusion Main); ProRes up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | 8K @ 24fps; 4K @ 30/60fps |
Front Camera | 18MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps | 10MP, f/2.4 |
Battery | 5088 mAh (Li-ion, eSIM model); Up to 39 hours video playback (35 hours streamed) | 4,500mAh (Typical) |
Wired Charging | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher | 25W Super Fast Charging (Adapter sold separately) |
Wireless Charging | MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W | 15W Fast Wireless Charging; Wireless PowerShare (Reverse) |
Connectivity | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode | 5G (Sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC |
USB | USB-C connector with USB 3 speeds (up to 10 Gb/s); Native DisplayPort output | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 |
Durability | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Ceramic Shield back; Aerospace-grade aluminum unibody (with internal vapor chamber) | IP68 (Water/Dust Resistant); Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (Front & Back) |
Dimensions | 6.43" x 3.07" x 0.34" (163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm) | 6.22 x 3.01 x 0.32 in (158.0 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm) |
Weight | 8.22 oz (233 g) | 7.37 oz (209 g) |
Biometrics | Face ID | Optical under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock |
Extras | Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Always-On display; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite | Samsung DeX, Stereo speakers, Samsung Knox |
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Rating:★4.8(126)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
RAM:12 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.9" (6.86" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2868 x 1320 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz)
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum
Main Camera:48MP Fusion Main (24 mm, f/1.78), 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for 24MP and 48MP super-high-resolution photos
Ultra-Wide Camera:48MP Fusion Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography
Telephoto Camera:48MP Fusion Telephoto (100 mm, f/2.8), tetraprism design, 3D sensor-shift OIS, autofocus; enables 12MP optical-quality 8x zoom (200 mm equivalent)
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x optical-quality zoom steps (16x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 40x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps (Fusion Main); ProRes up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
Front Camera:18MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:5088 mAh (Li-ion, eSIM model); Up to 39 hours video playback (35 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 3 speeds (up to 10 Gb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Ceramic Shield back; Aerospace-grade aluminum unibody (with internal vapor chamber)
Dimensions:6.43" x 3.07" x 0.34" (163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm)
Weight:8.22 oz (233 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Always-On display; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
✓ Pros:
- • Brightest iPhone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor)
- • Triple 48MP camera system with 8x optical-quality zoom
- • A19 Pro chip with 12GB RAM and vapor chamber cooling for sustained performance
- • Excellent battery life (up to 39 hours video playback)
- • Faster 40W wired charging and 25W wireless charging
✗ Cons:
- • Large and heavy form factor (233 g)
- • Fastest charging speeds require purchasing a 40W+ adapter separately
- • No physical SIM tray (eSIM only in US)
- • Expensive starting price
- • Camera bump is significantly larger due to new tetraprism lens
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Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Rating:★4.8(13)Best Buy
Operating System:Android
Software Support:4 generations of OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) — *Note: US/Canada model specific*
Graphics:Adreno 730
RAM:8GB
Storage:128GB / 256GB (No microSD expansion)
Display Size:6.4"
Screen Type:Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 1,450 nits (Peak)
Resolution:2340 x 1080 (FHD+)
Refresh Rate:60Hz / 120Hz (Adaptive)
Peak Brightness:1,450 nits (Peak)
Main Camera:50MP, f/1.8, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP, f/2.2, 123-degree FOV
Telephoto Camera:8MP, f/2.4, OIS, 3x Optical Zoom
Optical Zoom:3x Optical Zoom
Digital Zoom:Up to 30x
Video Recording:8K @ 24fps; 4K @ 30/60fps
Front Camera:10MP, f/2.4
Battery:4,500mAh (Typical)
Wired Charging:25W Super Fast Charging (Adapter sold separately)
Wireless Charging:15W Fast Wireless Charging; Wireless PowerShare (Reverse)
Connectivity:5G (Sub-6/mmWave), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC
USB:USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1
Durability:IP68 (Water/Dust Resistant); Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (Front & Back)
Dimensions:6.22 x 3.01 x 0.32 in (158.0 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm)
Weight:7.37 oz (209 g)
Biometrics:Optical under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock
Extras:Samsung DeX, Stereo speakers, Samsung Knox
✓ Pros:
- • Dedicated 3x optical telephoto lens (rare in this price bracket)
- • Premium build with IP68 rating and aluminum frame
- • Bright 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (1,450 nits)
- • Full flagship software experience including Samsung DeX
- • Guaranteed long-term software support (4 OS updates)
✗ Cons:
- • Significantly thicker bezels compared to standard S23
- • Uses older Gorilla Glass 5 (vs. Victus 2 on S23)
- • Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset can be less power-efficient than Gen 2
- • Optical fingerprint sensor is slower than the Ultrasonic sensor on S23
- • Charging speed capped at 25W
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Which one is better?
Key specs: Display: 6.9" vs 6.4" and Battery: 5088 mAh vs 4500 mAh.
Who should buy each?
Choose the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max if: you want the best camera with 8x optical zoom, need extended battery life with up to 39 hours of video, or prioritize display quality with a peak brightness of 3000 nits.
Choose the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE if: you prefer a lighter phone at 7.37oz, want a dedicated optical telephoto lens for versatile photography, or are looking for a more budget-friendly premium option.
Conclusion
We hope this comparison helps you buy with confidence. Both products are dependable; the right one depends on how you will use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max excels if you value brightest iphone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor). Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is better if you prioritize dedicated 3x optical telephoto lens (rare in this price bracket). Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
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