Galaxy S23 Ultra (Unlocked) vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Which one is worth it?
Side-by-side US MSRP bands, editorial scores, and strengths—then tune budget and priority to see which model fits your purchase.
S
Galaxy S23 Ultra (Unlocked)
Samsung · 2023
$1,199–$1,499
Overall 87/100
Official anchorFull Galaxy S23 Ultra (Unlocked) guide →A
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple · 2025
$1,199–$1,724
Overall 88/100
Official anchorFull iPhone 17 Pro Max guide →Quick verdicts (our rubric)
- Best for camera
Galaxy S23 Ultra (Unlocked)
- Best for battery
iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Best for performance
Tie
- Best value score
Tie
- Best overall rubric / for most people
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Which fits you?
Set budget and top priority—we score each phone with the same personalization rules as product pages.
Galaxy S23 Ultra (Unlocked)
69
Depends on your priorities
$1,199–$1,499
iPhone 17 Pro Max
69
Depends on your priorities
$1,199–$1,724
→ Dead heat for these settings—either could work.
Full comparison
| Spec | Galaxy S23 Ultra (Unlocked) | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Price band (US MSRP) | $1,199–$1,499 | $1,199–$1,724 |
| Release year | 2023 | 2025 |
| Camera | 10/10 | 9/10 |
| Battery | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Performance | 10/10 | 10/10 |
| Display | 9/10 | 10/10 |
| Value | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Overall score | 87/100 | 88/100 |
Galaxy S23 Ultra (Unlocked) — pros
- • Flagship-class performance
- • Excellent camera system for stills and video
- • Premium display and build quality
iPhone 17 Pro Max — pros
- • Flagship-class performance
- • Excellent camera system for stills and video
- • Premium display and build quality
Galaxy S23 Ultra (Unlocked) — cons
- • Price is high, so value depends heavily on budget and priorities
iPhone 17 Pro Max — cons
- • Price is high, so value depends heavily on budget and priorities
Galaxy S23 Ultra (Unlocked) — best for
- • Photography
- • Gaming
- • Power users
iPhone 17 Pro Max — best for
- • Photography
- • Gaming
- • Power users
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