Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max dominates with its cutting-edge A16 Bionic processor, delivering significantly faster performance than the Galaxy Note 10+'s aging Snapdragon 855. Display quality heavily favors Apple: the 120Hz Super Retina XDR OLED produces 2000 nits peak brightness versus Samsung's 1200 nits, with superior refresh rate smoothness. Camera performance is comparable overall, though Apple's 48MP main sensor with Dolby Vision 4K video edges out Samsung's versatile 12MP setup with its ultrawide strength. Battery life slightly favors Samsung at 4300mAh versus 4323mAh, but Apple's faster 27W charging outpaces Samsung's 45W advantage. Software relevance heavily matters here: iOS 16 receives current support while Note 10+ runs outdated Android 9. At the same price point, the iPhone 14 Pro Max offers superior longevity, flagship performance, and display technology. Samsung's stylus integration and expandable storage appeal to niche users, but Apple's overall package justifies its position.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max if…
- →First iPhone with Dynamic Island
- →New 48 MP main camera with ProRAW
- →Always-on display introduced
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ if…
- →S Pen with air gesture controls and Bluetooth LE
- →Gorgeous 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display
- →45W super fast charging for rapid top-ups
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Pros
- First iPhone with Dynamic Island
- New 48 MP main camera with ProRAW
- Always-on display introduced
- Excellent battery life
- Bright 2000-nit ProMotion display
Cons
- Heavy at 240 g
- Still uses Lightning instead of USB-C
- Expensive flagship pricing
- Slow charging speeds
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Pros
- S Pen with air gesture controls and Bluetooth LE
- Gorgeous 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display
- 45W super fast charging for rapid top-ups
- 12 GB RAM handles multitasking effortlessly
- Versatile quad-camera system with ToF depth sensor
Cons
- 60Hz display when competitors were moving to high refresh rates
- No headphone jack — a first for the Note series
- Exynos variant has weaker GPU performance than Snapdragon
- Glass back is slippery and fragile without a case
- Samsung software updates have ended
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 16 | Android 9 (One UI 1.5) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 240 g | 196 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass front and back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.85 mm | 162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 10 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision | 4K@60fps, Super Steady |
| Telephoto | 12 MP 3x | 12 MP, f/2.1, 2x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 16 MP, f/2.2 |
| Depth | — | VGA ToF 3D sensor |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4323 mAh | 4300 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, LTPO | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2796 x 1290 | 3040 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 2000 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core) | Adreno 640 / Mali-G76 MP12 |
| Chipset | Apple A16 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9825 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.1 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.0 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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