Which flagship should you buy?

Apple revealed the iPhone 14 series during a media event in late 2022. This time around, we expectedly got four variants: two regular models and two Pro editions. Starting at $1,099, the iPhone 14 Pro Max happens to be the highest-end model of that year. It features the largest smartphone display and fastest mobile processor that Apple has ever released. Meanwhile, on the Samsung side of things, there’s the $1,799 Galaxy Z Fold 4, which folds as its name suggests. It doesn’t feature the newest and best internals, but it makes up for that with its unique form factor.

The common factor between the two smartphones is that they’re the most expensive models the respective companies have to offer in 2022. So, assuming you’re on a flexible budget, which luxury phone should you buy?

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  Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

  The iPhone 14 Pro Max is Apple’s biggest and best smartphone, and in typical Apple fashion, it is both a powerhouse and an endurance beast.

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  Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

  The Galaxy Z Fold 4 brings back all the great things about the Fold 3, plus a much better camera system, a slightly wider outside screen, and smarter software.

iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Pricing and availability

The Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max is available to purchase in Space Black, Silver, Gold, and Deep Purple. It starts at $1,099 for the 128GB model in the U.S., and the pricing increases for the 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB variants accordingly. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is available in Beige, Phantom Black, Graygreen, and Burgundy. The 256GB model starts at $1,799 in the U.S., and its pricing goes further up for the 512GB and 1TB variants. Both phones are available at their respective manufacturers’ websites and at third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

Specifications: Various strengths, different weaknesses

Design: Innovation vs familiarity

These are two very differently designed phones, and while which one you prefer is subjective, we can still break it down. Starting with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, its body hasn’t changed much when compared to its predecessor. On the back side, you’ve got a textured matte glass layer with a centered Apple logo. Towards the top left corner, you get an even larger camera bump featuring the wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses. There’s not much to look at on the back side, as the phone features a clean, minimalist design.

Flipping the phone over, we are welcomed by a stunning edge-to-edge display featuring the all-new Dynamic Island. For those unfamiliar, this pill-shaped cutout displays timely information, such as Live Activities and Now Playing music. It’s divisive, but it is definitely an upgrade from the notorious notch and gives the phone a higher-end look.

Moving on to the sides, you get a stainless steel frame. While it’s solid and premium-looking, it’s a fingerprint magnet that weighs a lot. You get the typical volume buttons, ring/silent switch, speaker grills, and the ancient Lightning port. This time around, though, U.S. models don’t get a physical SIM card tray.

Moving on to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. This phone relies on an aluminum build rather than a stainless steel one, allowing it to weigh almost the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max despite its larger size and folding mechanism. On the back side, you get three camera lenses stacked vertically in the top left corner. Looking at the right half of the device, we see the cover display featuring a camera cutout in the top middle. Flipping the device over reveals a gigantic screen that you can fold in half.

So which device wins this battle? Both phones feature four different finishes to pick from and offer relatively sleek designs but are for very different people. In terms of innovation and compared to others in the foldable scene, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the obvious winner. In terms of build quality and durability, the iPhone 14 Pro Max wins.

Display: One folds, one doesn’t

Nowadays, displays really matter on smartphones. We take stunning shots with our advanced cameras, scroll through endless, high-quality video feeds, and catch up with our favorite series on the go.

Spoiler alert: this round is a win for Samsung. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers two screens, a cover, and a foldable, large inner display. With the former being 6.2 inches and the latter 7.6 inches, users have the freedom to pick between the two screens based on their needs. If you’re just texting, then the smaller cover screen works just fine. However, if you’re doodling with your S Pen Pro or watching videos, then the inner display makes more sense with its 120Hz refresh rate.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 14 Pro Max offers a 6.7-inch display. This falls somewhere between the inner and cover screens of the Z Fold 4. It is gorgeous, with vibrant, accurate colors and a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s one of the best Apple has ever made. However, unlike the Z Fold 4, it doesn’t support a first-party stylus like the Apple Pencil. In Apple’s defense, though, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a significantly brighter screen with a higher resolution. So while it lacks the innovation included in the Galaxy Z Fold 4, it offers a higher-end, more durable screen.

If you don’t need more than a 6.7-inch screen, then the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the right choice. If you find it too limiting, then the Samsung foldable is the one to pick. Ultimately, both devices have sharp resolutions, support 120Hz refresh rates, and will provide what you’d expect them to. I would expect the folding display to start showing creases down the road, though.

Performance: Can’t compare Apples to Snapdragons

When we buy a high-end smartphone, we expect a lag-free experience. The great news is that both the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 pack mighty processors that should perform remarkably for years. Benchmarks won’t really matter when it comes to most users because both chipsets are powerful enough for the average tasks we perform on our devices. Though, if you do care about that, Apple’s A16 Bionic chip scores higher in single-core, multi-core, graphics, and overall tests against the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. So while the iPhone is faster and technically the winner of this round, benchmarks aren’t what you should be looking at here.

The operating system is more relevant to you as a user since it’s what you’ll interact with at all times. So if you own other Apple products or don’t mind the limitations of iOS, then the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the one to pick. Similarly, if you prefer Android OS, then you’re bound to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. If you don’t have an OS preference, consider other aspects, such as needing or not wanting a foldable device.

Cameras: Apple has mastered the video format

In this era, most people don’t go around carrying dedicated cameras anymore. Instead, we rely on our phone’s lenses. The good news is that the camera systems on both the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Galaxy Z Fold 4 are highly capable. However, Apple wins for being superior in the rear video department and for the technologies included in the TrueDepth front-facing camera.

If you peek at the camera sections in the specs table above, you will notice that both phones have very similar camera setups. On the back, you get triple camera systems with wide/main, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses. However, Apple has been really standing out with its video prowess recently. The iPhone 14 Pro Max supports Cinematic Mode, which allows you to focus on a certain subject and blur out the rest. The mind-blowing aspect is it allows you to change the subject in focus after the video is shot using no third-party apps. You just pick the subject with a single click, and voila! Another handy video feature is Action Mode, which allows you to stabilize the footage. These two modes, in particular stand out when comparing the two camera systems. Otherwise, you get similar sets of features on both phones, like Portrait Mode, Night Mode, and more.

Though, in the Samsung department, you get 8K video recording support, which beats the iPhone 4K cap. Nonetheless, this isn’t necessarily a meaningful pro for the Galaxy Z Fold 4, as 4K resolutions are more than high enough to store animated memories without consuming a crazy amount of storage. Apart from 8K video, you get portrait video support, single take, hyperlapse, slo-mo, etc. And as an added bonus, you get to use the cover display as a preview screen before shooting with the rear camera system.

In the front-facing camera department, Apple also dominates for having the TrueDepth camera system. This allows you to 3D-map your face for photographic lighting effects and to securely authenticate through Face ID. Note that Face ID works in pitch-black environments since it depends on IR blaster and dot projector to scan your face, rather than taking a regular selfie of you. Speaking of authentication, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 includes a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, which is absent on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Battery: The iPhone 14 Pro Max is stingy

With both phones packing all-day battery lives, let’s shift our attention to more important aspects revolving around charging. This round is a win for Samsung because the Galaxy Z Fold 4 can charge faster and, more importantly, includes reverse wireless charging support.

For those unfamiliar with reverse wireless charging, it turns your compatible smartphone into a Qi wireless charging pad. This way, you can place any Qi-enabled device or accessory on the phone to charge. This is ideal for those who want to charge their earbuds or smartwatch on the go. As of 2022, Apple still hasn’t released a single device with reverse wireless charging support. Considering this technology has been available on some popular smartphones for years now, it’s unacceptable for Apple to ignore it in 2022.

In the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s defense, it includes MagSafe charging support, which is a big deal. I used to suffer with regular Qi charging on previous phones. Now, I just bring my iPhone close to the MagSafe charging stand, and it floats there, allowing me to use it comfortably. Typical Qi stands would disconnect whenever my previous phones would move a little. On top of that, MagSafe doubles as an accessory attachment. So, for example, my case attaches to my iPhone magnetically, and my MagSafe Wallet then attaches to my MagSafe-enabled protective case.

Nonetheless, this round is a win for the Z Fold 4 for charging faster, having a USB Type-C port, and supporting reverse-wireless charging.

iPhone 14 Pro Max vs Galaxy Z Fold 4: Which should you buy?

As our breakdown reflects, the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Galaxy Z Fold 4 shine in different areas. If your budget doesn’t reach the whopping $1,799 starting price of the Galaxy Z Fold 4, then the iPhone 14 Pro Max is your only option. Similarly, if you’re not willing to tolerate and use iOS, then the Samsung phone is the one to pick.

If the budget is flexible and you’re OS-agnostic, then you have to weigh the displays, cameras, and battery technologies. If you’re strictly looking for a phablet or a device that supports reverse wireless charging, then the Samsung foldable is the one to go for. Otherwise, if you seek superior cameras, then Apple’s iPhone is the winner. If you don’t care about any of these matters, then I would recommend the iPhone 14 Pro Max because it is more durable, has a lower price tag, and will hold up for years to come.

Which of these two 2022 flagship phones will you buy, and why? Let us know in the comments section below.