Xiaomi 13 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: The Ultimate Flagship Showdown

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max represent the pinnacle of smartphone technology. Both boast impressive specs, stunning designs, and powerful features, but which one truly deserves the crown? This comprehensive comparison dives deep into every aspect, from camera capabilities to battery life, to help you make the right choice.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra offers unparalleled camera versatility and blazing-fast charging, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max excels in seamless iOS integration and consistently excellent performance. The Xiaomi wins on value and camera features, but the iPhone's ecosystem and ease of use are compelling.

PHONES
Phone Names Xiaomi 13 Ultra Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2894, A2896
5G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2894, A2896
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2895
Launch
Announced2023, April 182022, September 07
StatusAvailable. Released 2023, April 21Available. Released 2022, September 16
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), eco leather back, aluminum frameGlass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions163.2 x 74.6 x 9.1 mm (6.43 x 2.94 x 0.36 in)160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm (6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China)
Weight227 g (8.01 oz)240 g (8.47 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass VictusCeramic Shield glass
Resolution1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density)1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)
Size6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1300 nits (HBM), 2600 nits (peak)LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM)
 -Always-On display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)Hexa-core (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 740Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSAndroid 13, upgradable to Android 14, HyperOSiOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM
 UFS 4.0NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lenses, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, 67mm filter ring holder (optional)Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Quad50 MP, f/1.9 or f/4.0, 23mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 1.6µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/1.8, 75mm (telephoto), 1/2.51", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3.2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/3.0, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.51", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/1.8, 12mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.51", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D, (depth)-
Single-12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF, OIS (unconfirmed) SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple-48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Video8K@24fps, 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480/960/1920fps, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision HDR 10-bit rec. (4K@60fps, 1080p)4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR
Single32 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio-
Comms
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive5.3, A2DP, LE
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort, OTGLightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometerFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 Virtual proximity sensingUltra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving)
Battery
Charging90W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 35 min 50W wireless, 100% in 49 min 10W reverse wirelessWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Ion 4323 mAh (16.68 Wh)
Misc
ColorsBlack, Olive Green, White, Orange, Yellow, BlueSpace Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
Models2304FPN6DC, 2304FPN6DGA2894, A2651, A2893, A2895, A2896, iphone15,3
Price€ 797.98 / $ 389.69€ 530.79 / $ 489.81 / £ 446.75
SAR-1.15 W/kg (head)     1.07 W/kg (body)
SAR EU0.99 W/kg (head)     1.00 W/kg (body)0.99 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 121h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -24.3 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 955884 (v9) GeekBench: 5423 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Xiaomi 13 Ultra

  • Exceptional camera versatility
  • Blazing-fast 90W charging
  • Excellent value for money
  • Customizable Android experience
  • Bright and vibrant display

  • MIUI software can be bloated
  • Wireless charging is slower
  • Less polished ecosystem compared to iOS

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

  • Seamless iOS integration
  • Consistently excellent performance
  • Superior video recording
  • Premium build quality
  • Strong resale value

  • Slower charging speeds
  • Limited customization options
  • Higher price point
  • MagSafe accessories required for optimal wireless charging

Display Comparison

Both phones feature exceptional displays. The iPhone 14 Pro Max boasts a higher peak brightness of 1760 nits, offering superior visibility in direct sunlight. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra's 1207 nits are still impressive, and its contrast ratio is excellent. The iPhone's 'Infinite' contrast ratio is a marketing term, but the overall visual experience is top-tier on both.

Camera Comparison

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra's camera system is its standout feature, offering a versatile array of lenses including a 1-inch sensor. It excels in low-light photography and provides incredible zoom capabilities. The iPhone 14 Pro Max's camera is consistently excellent, producing natural-looking photos and videos. While the iPhone's video recording is arguably superior, the Xiaomi offers more creative control and flexibility.

Performance

The Apple A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 14 Pro Max remains a performance powerhouse, delivering incredibly smooth and responsive performance. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is also incredibly fast, and the octa-core CPU handles demanding tasks with ease. While benchmarks might show slight advantages for the iPhone, real-world performance is remarkably similar.

Battery Life

The iPhone 14 Pro Max demonstrates exceptional battery endurance, achieving an impressive 121h endurance rating. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra's endurance rating is 108h, still very good, but slightly behind. The Xiaomi's 90W wired charging is significantly faster than the iPhone's, reaching 100% in just 35 minutes, while the iPhone takes longer.

Buying Guide

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is ideal for photography enthusiasts and those seeking maximum value and customization options. The Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max is perfect for users deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem, prioritizing ease of use, and demanding consistently reliable performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which phone has better video quality?
The iPhone 14 Pro Max generally produces slightly better video quality due to Apple's advanced video processing and stabilization.
❓ Is the Xiaomi 13 Ultra worth it if I'm not a photography enthusiast?
While the camera is a highlight, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra offers excellent performance and value, making it a compelling choice even for casual users.