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iPhone 12 Pro Max vs iPhone 12 Pro: The Big Guns Face Off!
The most-anticipated flagship smartphone of 2020 has arrived. Of course, I’m talking about the iPhone 12 Pro series–the flagship of flagships. Together the series includes the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
However, while the “Max” in the name is a clear giveaway that the iPhone 12 Pro Max has the bigger screen, is there any other difference between the two devices? Let’s dive in and take a look.
iPhone 12 Pro Max vs iPhone 12 Pro Quick Comparison
Design
- iPhone 12 Pro Max – The iPhone 12 Pro Max features a glass and surgical-grade stainless steel body. Its glass is referred to as Ceramic Shield, which means it’s 4x more drop-resistant than previous iPhone glass.
- iPhone 12 Pro – The iPhone 12 Pro also features a glass and surgical-grade stainless steel body. It also has Ceramic Shield glass, which means it’s 4x more drop-resistant than previous iPhone glass.
Winner? Draw – Both iPhones have the exact glass and surgical-grade stainless steel industrial design. They also both come in pacific blue, gold, graphite, or silver models.
MORE: iPhone 12 Dimensions Guide: New Models = NEW SIZES!
Displays
- iPhone 12 Pro Max – The iPhone 12 Pro Max features an OLED Super Retina SDR display that is 6.7in and has a 2778 x 1284-pixel resolution.
- iPhone 12 Pro – The iPhone 12 Pro features an OLED Super Retina SDR display that is 6.1in and has a 2532 x 1160-pixel resolution.
Winner? Draw – While the Pro Max has the bigger display, technically, the display tech on each phone is identical.
CPU/Processor
- iPhone 12 Pro Max – the iPhone 12 Pro Max features the A14 Bionic chipset.
- iPhone 12 Pro – the iPhone 12 Pro features the A14 Bionic chipset.
Winner? Draw – Both use the exact same A14 Bionic chipset.
Camera
- iPhone 12 Pro Max – The iPhone 12 Pro Max features a 12MP selfie camera. On the rear camera you get a triple-lens 12MP setup with a wide, ultra wide, and telephoto lens and 2.5x optical zoom in and 2x optical zoom out.
- iPhone 12 Pro – The iPhone 12 Pro features a 12MP selfie camera. On the rear camera you get a triple-lens 12MP setup with a wide, ultra wide, and telephoto lens and 2x optical zoom in and 2x optical zoom out.
Winner? iPhone 12 Pro Max – ThePro Max has the technically better camera setup thanks to its 5x total optical zoom, versus the 4x total optical zoom found in the regular Pro.
Storage Options
- iPhone 12 Pro Max – 128, 256, or 512GB
- iPhone 12 Pro – 128, 256, or 512GB
MORE: How To Set Up Your New iPhone 12 – There’s TWO Ways To Do It!
Battery Life
- iPhone 12 Pro Max – The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s battery will get you about 20 hours of battery life. It features wireless charging with MagSafe tech.
- iPhone 12 Pro – The iPhone 12 Pro’s battery will get you about 17 hours of battery life. It features wireless charging with MagSafe tech, too.
Winner? iPhone 12 Pro – You get an extra three hours of battery life.
Price
- iPhone 12 Pro Max – The 6.7in iPhone 12 Pro Max costs $1099 (128GB) and $1199 (256GB) and $1399 (512GB).
- iPhone 12 Pro – The 6.1in iPhone 12 Pro costs $999 (128GB) and $1099 (256GB) and $1299 (512GB).
Verdict?
From a technical perspective, the massive beast that is the iPhone 12 Pro Max wins here. That’s due to its superior camera tech. Not only does it feature better optical zooming, but the rear camera on the Pro Max also offers the better ƒ/2.2 aperture on the telephoto lens and a digital zoom up to 12x (versus 10x on the Pro).
However, camera and larger display aside, both the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the iPhone 12 Pro are the exact same phones. That means that what will most likely sway your decision is the psychical size of the Pro and the Pro Max.
If you don’t mind the massive size, go for the Pro Max because you get the best camera on an iPhone possible. However, if the smaller Pro is more your style, you really won’t be losing that much in the camera department.
MORE: Which iPhone Is Waterproof? A Quick Overview…
iPhone 12 Pro Max vs iPhone 12 Pro: Specs
Here are the specs for the iPhone 12 Pro Max:
- Display: 6.7in OLED Super Retina SDR display with a 2778 x 1284-pixel resolution
- Dimensions: 160.8 mm x 78.1 mm x 7.4 mm
- Weight: 228 grams
- Storage: 128, 256, or 512GB
- Processors: A14 Bionic chip
- Front camera: 12MP FaceTime HD camera
- Rear camera: 12 MP Ultra Wide, 12MP Wide, and 12MP Telephoto. 2.5x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out. LiDAR Scanner.
- Battery: Up to 20 hours (video playback)
- Other: 5G, Face ID, NFC, wireless charging, IP68 waterproof (6m)
And here are the specs for the iPhone 12 Pro:
- Display: 6.1in OLED Super Retina SDR display with a 2532 x 1160-pixel resolution
- Dimensions: 146.7 mm x 71.5 mm x 7.4 mm
- Weight: 189 grams
- Storage: 128, 256, or 512GB
- Processors: A14 Bionic chip
- Front camera: 12MP FaceTime HD camera
- Rear camera: 12 MP Ultra Wide, 12MP Wide, and 12MP Telephoto. 2x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out. LiDAR Scanner.
- Battery: Up to 17 hours (video playback)
- Other: 5G, Face ID, NFC, wireless charging, IP68 waterproof (6m)
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