iPhone 12 vs iPhone 12 Pro Max

vs
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Starting from $177.71
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iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 12 Pro Max Starting from $385.00
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How they compare

Customer reviews

iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Pro Max
Average
4.1/5
(1197)
3.9/5
(479)

Design

iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Pro Max
Width 71.5 mm 78.1 mm
Height 147.7 mm 160.8 mm
Weight 164 g 228 g
Thickness 7.4 mm 7.4 mm
Volume 78.15 cm³ 92.93 cm³

Screen

iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Pro Max
Resolution 1170 x 2532 px 1284 x 2778 px
Density 460 ppi 458 ppi
Size 6.1 inches 6.7 inches

Battery

iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Pro Max
Battery capacity 2815 mAh* 3687 mAh*
Removable battery No No
Wireless charging Yes Yes
Fast charging Yes Yes
Ultra power saving mode Yes Yes

*Refurbished devices sold on Back Market offer at least 85% of this maximum charge capacity.

Performance

iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Pro Max
Maximum storage 256 GB 512 GB
Number of processor cores 6 6
External memory slot No No
RAM capacity 4 GB 6 GB
5G support Yes Yes
LTE support Yes Yes

Camera

iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Pro Max
Front camera resolution 12 MP 12 MP
Main camera resolution 12 MP 12 MP
Multi lens Yes Yes
Optical zoom Yes Yes
Flash Yes Yes
Optical stabilization Yes Yes
Slow motion video Yes Yes
Main camera video resolution 2160 px 2160 px

Audio

iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Pro Max
Stereo speakers Yes Yes
3.5mm jack socket No No
Radio No No
Number of microphones 2 2

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iPhone 12 vs iPhone 12 Pro Max Comparison

If you’ve already decided to upgrade to the iPhone 12 series, maybe you’re not so sure which model you should get. Let’s take a look at the standard iPhone 12 and see how it compares to the top model in the series: the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Camera

You won’t find a huge difference in camera performance between models of almost any iPhone series. The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro Max both have rear main cameras with 12 MP and 4032 x 3024 px resolution. The main difference is the additional telephoto lens on the Pro Max, which supports better zoom capabilities than the standard iPhone 12.

Battery

Battery life is probably one of the main considerations for upgrading from the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The standard model gives you 2815 mAh capacity, while the Pro Max upgrade has 3687 mAh. Since both models run the same processor, this increased capacity actually makes a difference and the average user might experience a few hours more of usage time during a full charge for the 12 Pro Max. Aside from that, both models still offer fast and wireless charging capabilities.

Display

Users who enjoy a bigger screen on their iPhone are likely going to prefer the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The standard iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch display screen, but the Pro Max is going to feel significantly bigger in hand, measuring 6.7-inches. Along with that, you’ll also find better quality on the Pro Max with 1284 x 2778 px resolution compared to 1170 x 2532 px resolution on the iPhone 12.

Storage Options

If you need the most storage out of your smartphone, then you’ll likely need to consider the 12 Pro Max which has options up to 512 GB. The standard iPhone 12 only offers up to 256 GB, but that’s still usually enough for the average user.

Processor

Both devices feature Apple’s A14 Bionic chipset with six CPU cores running at 3GHz speed and run on the iOS 14 operating system out of box. However, you do get a slight advantage with the Pro Max, which features 6 GB of RAM capacity, while the standard iPhone 12 only has 4 GB.


Overall, choosing between the standard iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro Max mostly comes down to preference. Users who like a bigger phone with more storage and better battery life are going to prefer the 12 Pro Max. However, both phones perform very similarly and the average user will likely not notice much of a performance difference from every day use, so if you’re looking to get the most out of your budget, then stick with the iPhone 12.

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