Summary
phones you should buy instead .. When it comes to high-end smartphones, Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max is among the best options. With the new A17 Pro processor, an amazing camera system, a lightweight titanium shell, the Action button, and USB-C charging, it gives the best of what Apple has to offer. It’s an excellent bundle.
phones you should buy instead
Without a question, however, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is also quite costly, with a $1,200 starting price. If you want the greatest smartphone available, you have other options as well, particularly if you’re not too engrossed in the Apple ecosystem.
Here are five additional phones you may want to consider purchasing before you purchase the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the most evident competitor to Apple’s flagship iPhone.
You get an even bigger 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED 2X display with every feature you could want with the S24 Ultra. It supports HDR10+, with a dynamic refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz, a resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels at 505 pixels per inch (ppi), and a maximum brightness of 2,600 nits. With just 460 ppi and a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s display pales in comparison to the S24 Ultra’s. The S24 Ultra’s display likewise seems really amazing in real life.
Additionally, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has one of the best quad-camera setups available. The primary camera is 200 megapixels, there is a 10 megapixel telephoto lens with a 3x optical zoom, a 50 megapixel telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom, and a 12 megapixel ultrawide lens. With its two telephoto lenses and greater resolution, the S24 Ultra outperforms the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which has a 5x optical zoom. This leads to closer, more detailed photos. Furthermore, a 200MP primary shooter is among the greatest available.
The S24 Ultra has other benefits as well. The newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset, designed specifically for Galaxy smartphones, is located within. Better power efficiency and somewhat faster processing speeds are the results of this. Along with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, you also get 12GB RAM, so performance is lightning-fast and never misses a beat.
With moderate to heavy use, the 5,000mAh battery of the Galaxy S24 Ultra may easily last at least 1.5 days. Additionally, it charges at 15W wirelessly and 45W wiredly. Furthermore, it has 4.5W reverse wireless charging, which the iPhone 15 Pro Max lacks.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s incorporation of the S Pen, which is useful for navigating the smartphone, drawing, and taking notes, is another significant benefit. Moreover, it functions as a remote control, which is quite practical for items like a remote shutter button. The 15 Pro Max iPhone? Nothing about it is similar to the S Pen.
Samsung’s Galaxy AI features are a major selling point for the S24 series, despite the fact that they’re not for everyone. These functionalities include Circle to Search, Live Translation, and even generative picture editing capabilities. Having the newest AI-powered tools might make life simpler, but certain features, like Chat Assist, aren’t as helpful.
The Galaxy S24 Ultra costs a hefty buck ($1,300, to be precise), but if you don’t mind taking a chance on Android, it’s a fantastic substitute for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
OnePlus 12
For a lower price, OnePlus offers several excellent alternatives to the widely available Samsung Galaxy or Apple iPhone models. This includes the OnePlus 12, the business’ most recent offering.
The 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED display on the OnePlus 12 is stunning, with a dynamic refresh rate of 120Hz and 510 ppi density. For an even more realistic experience, the display also has curved edges. Naturally, this means that sometimes, you could accidentally touch or do anything because of the curved edges; it simply takes some getting used to.
The OnePlus 12 is another of OnePlus’s phones with amazing specifications. Depending on the storage option you choose, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU and 12GB or 16GB of RAM are located within. With this being more than the 8GB RAM of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the OnePlus 12 is unquestionably a performance beast.
The OnePlus 12 has an excellent smartphone camera as well. It contains three cameras: a 48MP ultrawide, a 64MP telephoto with a 3x optical zoom, and a 50MP primary camera. Additionally, the selfie camera has 32MP resolution, which is more than most of the competitors. The OnePlus 12 also has Hasselblad color tuning for improved overall color profiles and realistic-looking white balance in photographs.
Last but not least, the OnePlus 12’s battery life is quite durable. With its 50W wireless charging capability and 80W cable speed charging, the 5,400mAh battery can easily last two days. The finest aspect? For a starting price of $800, which is $400 cheaper than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, you can have all of that.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is a good option if you’re looking for a vanilla Android phone that is uncomplicated and clear without any further UI customizations.
You get a full stock Android experience—much like iOS—with Pixel smartphones. Utilizing Google’s own Tensor G3 technology, the Pixel 8 Pro outperforms its predecessors in terms of performance and battery economy. Although overheating problems have plagued earlier Tensor chip generations, they have significantly decreased with the G3. It also doesn’t have any problems with whatever you throw at it thanks to its 12GB RAM.
The hardware for the Pixel 8 Pro’s camera is likewise excellent. A 48MP ultrawide camera, a 50MP primary camera, and a 48MP telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom are included. Its 10.5MP front-facing camera is great for taking selfies. The Pixel 8 Pro does a great job of taking realistic, true-to-life photographs, even if its quality may not be as good as the S24 Ultra. With a Pixel device, taking a lousy shot is difficult, and the Pixel 8 Pro is no exception.
Another excellent option for a smartphone with AI intelligence is the Pixel 8 Pro. Do you wish to reposition individuals or take out undesired things from your photos? The Magic Editor will take care of you. Do you need to contact your cable provider to speak with a customer support agent? When a person becomes available to speak with you, the Pixel 8 Pro may place the call on your behalf and keep your place in line.
The Pixel 8 Pro, which Google first released in October of last year for $999, is now often available for much less, making it an excellent option for anyone looking for a premium phone that won’t break the bank.
iPhone 15 Pro
Let’s face it: the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a fantastic phone, and some people would never switch to a non-Apple product, but that size is a little bit… awkward. You may want to look at the smaller iPhone 15 Pro if that describes you.
Most of the features offered by the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are identical. It has an A17 Pro CPU, an Action button, 8GB RAM, a 120Hz ProMotion always-on display, and USB-C charging. You can still shoot excellent pictures and films with it since it also includes a triple-lens camera system.
The primary difference is that the 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro is far more manageable and convenient to operate with one hand. The iPhone 15 Pro can only achieve 3x optical zoom instead of 5x as it lacks the new tetraprism telephoto lens found in the Pro Max variant. The iPhone 15 Pro won’t last as long as the Pro Max since it is more compact and has a smaller battery. You should be able to handle things just well, however, assuming you have a good battery pack with you.
There are plenty of iPhone 15 Pro Max substitutes available for Android smartphones, but if you’re in the market for an iPhone, consider the standard iPhone 15 Pro. It will be gentler on your hands, come with some savings, and have most of the same features as the 15 Pro Max. What could be wrong with that?
iPhone 15 Plus
Consider the iPhone 15 Plus in place of the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max if you’d want to save some cash.
The big 6.7-inch display is still there on the iPhone 15 Plus, but it is an ordinary OLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate cap that isn’t constantly on. You still have a big screen, however, and sometimes that’s what counts most. Because of its bigger battery, the iPhone 15 Plus should last you the whole day and then some.
This year, Apple added USB-C charging, a 48MP primary camera, and the Dynamic Island to the standard iPhone 15 models, giving them a significant upgrade. Despite lacking a telephoto lens, the iPhone 15 Plus has an excellent dual camera setup. Even with the A16 Bionic processor, which made its debut with the iPhone 14 Pro, it is still a highly quick and potent CPU that should be more than sufficient for completing your everyday duties.
Apple altered the rear glass of the iPhone 15 Plus even though it lacks the titanium look of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple has replaced its glossy glass surface with a new frosted matte coating that is imbued with color. It looks extremely good overall, is much more pleasant to grip, and doesn’t collect fingerprints as much. The pink one looks amazing, even if the colors are generally subdued.
The iPhone 15 Plus’s $899 starting price is its greatest feature, however. Compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, this one is much more reasonable, and you’ll still save a few hundred dollars and enjoy features like a huge display, extended battery life, a 48MP camera, the Dynamic Island, iOS 17, and USB-C charging.