Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs ZTE Axon 40 Ultra: The iPhone 13 Pro Max from Apple with its notch is one of the best phones in 2022 and it features a very powerful chipset. The Axon 40 Ultra from ZTE with its full-screen and under-display camera tech is the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 phone in 2022 to feature this UDC tech. So, is the big notch iPhone 13 Pro Max better than the fulls-screen Axon 40 Ultra.
In this post, I’ll compare the specs of the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs ZTE Axon 40 Ultra side-by-side to help you know which is better. At the end of this post, you will know which of these phones you should buy and why.
See Also: ZTE Axon 40 Ultra vs vivo X80 Pro: Which is better
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Specs
| Specs | iPhone 13 Pro Max | Axon 40 Ultra |
| Display | 6.7-inch, 120Hz | 6.8-inch, 120Hz |
| RAM | 6GB | 12/16GB |
| Storage | 128GB-1TB | 256GB-1TB |
| Back Camera | 12 + 12 + 12MP | 64 + 64 + 64MP |
| Front Camera | 12MP + SL 3D | 16MP |
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Software | Apple iOS 15 | Android 12 |
| Battery | 4,352mAh (27W) | 5,000mAh (65W) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | N/A |
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Axon 40 Ultra: Display, Build, and Design
The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra comes with a 6.8-inches AMOLED display while the iPhone 13 Pro Max comes with a slightly smaller 6.7-inches Super Retina XDR OLED display. Aside from the display size, another difference between both phones is that the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a big cut-out notch on the top of the screen while the Axon 40 Ultra gives you access to a full display with its under-display camera.
Both phones have support for 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and 1B colors. The display of the Axon 40 Ultra is brighter even under direct sunlight (it has 1500 nit while the iPhone has 1200 nit). The designs of both phones are also very different. On the front, you get a full-screen display on the ZTE phone while the Apple iPhone has a cut-out notch on the front.
The rear camera modules of both phones are also very different. Another noticeable difference is that the screen of the Axon 40 Ultra is curved on both edges while the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max has a flat screen with sharp edges. Choosing between these two screens comes down to user preference (I prefer a flat-screen phone though).
The build qualities of both smartphones are similar. Both phones have a Glass front (Gorilla Glass) and glass back (Gorilla Glass) but the iPhone 13 Pro Max takes it up a notch with a stainless steel frame. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is also more durable because it is water and dustproof and has Scratch-resistant ceramic glass plus an oleophobic coating.
While the Axon 40 Ultra gives you access to enjoy using the full screen, it’s not as durable as the iPhone 13 Pro Max. As per color and smooth display, both phones produce the same quality.
See Also: ZTE Axon 40 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Which is the best Ultra
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Axon 40 Ultra: Photography and Videography
When it comes to photography and videography, both smartphones are really good but one gives you more options. The camera combination of the Axon 40 Ultra is 64MP primary camera, 64MP periscope telephoto, 64MP ultra-wide lens, and a 16MP selfie camera. While the camera combination of the iPhone 13 Pro Max is 12MP primary camera, 12MP telephoto lens, 12MP ultra-wide lens, TOF 3D LiDAR scanner, and a 12MP selfie camera paired with SL 3D depth/biometrics sensor.
The Axon 40 Ultra is a good camera smartphone and has some impressive camera features. But it still trails the iPhone 13 Pro Max when it comes to photography and videography. When taking photos, the colors and edge detection from the iPhone 13 Pro Max is better than what you get from the Axon 40 Ultra. Even in lowlight conditions and night photography, the iPhone 13 Pro Max takes better shots.
As per videography, the iPhone 13 Pro Max has more features. Features such as ProRes, Cinematic mode, and sensor-shift OIS are available in the Apple iPhone. The iPhone also comes with better stabilization features when shooting videos.
See Also: Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs vivo X80 Pro: which is better
Performance | Storage | RAM | 5G
Axon 40 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max are 5G smartphones. But both phones have different performances and this is not surprising because both phones have different chipsets. The Axon 40 Ultra features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 from Qualcomm while the iPhone 13 Pro Max uses the A15 Bionic chip from Apple.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has better performance because of its more powerful chipset which has a faster CPU and a more powerful 5-core Apple GPU. When playing games with both phones, you won’t initially notice any difference but after a while, you will. This is because you’ll notice a performance drop in the ZTE phone but the iPhone can keep its cool for a longer time.
Running AnTuTu, Geekbench, and 3D Wild Life tests on the Axon 40 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max gives us the following results
| Tests | iPhone 13 Pro Max | Axon 40 Ultra |
| AnTuTu Score | 796570 | 935380 |
| GB5 Single Core | 1742 | 1211 |
| GB5 Multi-Core | 4881 | 3206 |
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is better at handling graphics intensive-tasks better than the Axon 40 Ultra. Note that the Axon 40 Ultra is as powerful as the iPhone but its performance drops faster than the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra has a minimum of 8GB of RAM (maximum RAM is 16GB) and a minimum of 256GB of storage. The iPhone 13 Pro Max has just 6GB of RAM. Both phones have storage options up to 1TB. None of these phones have space for storage expansion via a microSD card slot.
See Also: OPPO Find X5 Pro vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: Which is better
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Axon 40 Ultra: Software
The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra boots MyOS 12 based on Android 12 out of the box. ZTE promises three years of major software updates and monthly security patches for the smartphone. iPhone 13 Pro Max boots Apple iOS 15 out of the box. Apple promises at least five years of major software updates and monthly security updates for this iPhone.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a better software update policy. Five years from its release date, the iPhone 13 Pro Max will still be able to install fresh updates.
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Axon 40 Ultra: Battery
The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is powered by a 5,000mAh battery while the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is powered by a 4352mAh battery. Axon 40 Ultra has support for a 65W fast charge while iPhone 13 Pro Max has support for a 27W fast charge.
Although the Axon 40 Ultra has a bigger battery, the battery of the iPhone 13 Pro Max lasts longer. You can get about 7 hours of use from the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra but the iPhone 13 Pro Max can give you up to 10 hours of use (intensive use).
See Also: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: Which is better
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs ZTE Axon 40 Ultra: Price
The price of the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra with 8 + 256GB storage option is $899 while the 8 + 128GB storage option of the iPhone 13 Pro Max is priced at $1,099. The Apple iPhone is about $200 more expensive (see table below for discounted price on both phones).
Buy ZTE Axon 40 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max
| Axon 40 Ultra | Price | iPhone 13 Pro Max | Price |
| Buy on Giztop | $849 | Buy on Gazelle | $1,069 |
| Buy on Amazon | $1,147 |
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs ZTE Axon 40 Ultra: Verdict
So, between the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra and the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max which is better? The iPhone 13 Pro Max is better because it offers more perks but is it the device you should buy?
If you buy the Axon 40 Ultra, you get access to a full screen, colorful display, good cameras, a powerful chipset, and a faster charge solution. But, the iPhone 13 Pro gives you a better chipset, better durability, better camera, long-lasting battery, and better software update plan for long-term use.
For an extra 200 bucks, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is not bad at all. But not everyone will have the much and that is why the Axon 40 Ultra is also a good buy. So, if you’re deciding between the iPhone 13 Pro and Axon 40 Ultra which to buy, I’ll advise you to buy the iPhone 13 Pro Max if you have the money else go for the Axon 40 Ultra.
So, if I’m to score both smartphones, I’ll score the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra (47%) and the iPhone 13 Pro Max (53%). The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is more durable, has a better chipset, has better cameras, and has a better software update plan.
