iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro Max: Which one to buy?

Apple introduced four new iPhone models to refresh its range. Among them, two premium solutions stand out: iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The latest flagships from the Apple brand bring many new features, but what sets these two references apart? Which one best suits your needs? The answers to these questions are in this comparison.

iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max spec sheet

Looking at the technical specifications, it seems that there is very little difference between the two smartphones. But if we dig into the details, we still see significant differences between the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

The compact size of the iPhone 12 Pro or the large format of the iPhone 12 Pro Max?

Design-wise, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are similar. Same notch on the front that houses the front photo sensor and Face ID 3D scanners, similar border size, straight edges, same photo block in the upper left corner on the back… Exactly for the materials used, with the Ceramic protection Shield for the Tile (four Anti-drop layers compared to the old generation iPhone times more durable), matte textured glass on the back and a stainless steel frame. Even the colors are the same: silver, gold, graphite gray and blue for both models. Not surprisingly, there are no 3.5mm jacks for audio on either side. IP68 certification (to a depth of 6 meters for a maximum of 30 minutes) water and dust resistance is available on the Pro, as is the Pro Max.

Finally, the two devices are distinguished by their dimensions and weights. Compact format enthusiasts will appreciate the iPhone 12 Pro, which offers a similar size to the iPhone 12, namely 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm. The iPhone 12 Pro Max measures 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4mm, making it more difficult to hold in one hand and fit in a pocket. At 228 grams, the Max version is significantly heavier than the iPhone 12 Pro’s 189 grams.

Only screen size differs between iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

Both devices are OLED Super Retina XDR display panel, sharing almost the same features: HDR compatibility, True Tone, wide color gamut (P3), Haptic Touch, 2,000,000:1 contrast (standard), 800 nits (standard) or 1,200 nits (HDR) maximum brightness, finger Trace-resistant oleophobic coating, simultaneous display of multiple languages ​​and character sets. There’s also a 60Hz refresh rate, with Apple finally delaying the arrival of 120Hz in its products for a year to give itself time to address autonomy concerns.

The diagonal of the iPhone 12 Pro Max reaches 6.7 inches, while the iPhone 12 Pro is content with the same 6.1 inches as the iPhone 12. This is the main difference in size between the two models. The screen is up to you. Choose the maneuverability of a mobile phone with a screen slightly larger than 6 inches or the viewing comfort offered by a larger surface. Apple adjusted the definition so that the two devices offer roughly the same resolution: 2532 x 1170 pixels, or 460 pixels per inch for iPhone 12 Pro and 2778 x 1284 pixels or 458 pixels per inch for the Pro Max version.

thunderous performances

All new iPhones are equipped with the same SoC;A14 Bionic Manufactured using the 5nm etching process. This chip allows you to take advantage of the performance boost without consuming more energy and draining the battery. The A14 Bionic in the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max is the most powerful SoC in the mobile market today, both smartphones are extremely fast for any task they can perform. They’re also 5G compatible (sub-6GHz frequencies in France only, mmWave reserved for the United States).

The chip also includes a next-generation Neural Engine that further powers AI and machine learning-related capabilities. Apple evokes 80% performance increase Compared to iPhone 11’s A13. When it comes to RAM, the Cupertino company has agreed to a 6GB switch to RAM from 4GB for the iPhone 12 or iPhone 11 Pro last year. However, there is no change between iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Even the storage is the same with three possible configuration options: 128, 256 and 512 GB. You can forget about memory expansion via microSD card, there are no empty slots in the Pro like the Pro Max.

Better autonomy for iPhone 12 Pro Max

This year, Apple has shrunk the size of the batteries, despite the energy consumption of 5G. The American group relies on software optimizations and its new low-power chip to maintain good autonomy. iPhone 12 Pro is thus a small 2815mAh batteryLike the iPhone 12. Fortunately the Max version is a 3687mAh higher capacityneeded to power the big screen.

In terms of battery life, Apple announced up to 17 hours of video playback, up to 11 hours of video streaming and up to 65 hours of audio playback for the iPhone 12 Pro. The Max model performs slightly better for these three activities, with 20, 12 and 80 hours of battery life respectively.

For charging, no difference, both models are one 20W wired charging. Please note that the charger is not included in the box, so it must be purchased separately from Apple or a third party. To take advantage of this type of charging power, be sure to invest in a charger that supports at least 20W.

iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max benefit from MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W. However, you still need to purchase a compatible wireless charger, which is not included with the smartphone. It comes with a system of adjustment magnets that make it easy to place the smartphone in the best position on the charging mat to save energy and charge the iPhone faster.

Wireless charging using the more traditional Qi standard is also available, but only up to 7.5W. No reverse charging on Pro or Pro Max.

photography professionals

In the photo, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max appear to be the most impressive compared to the iPhone 12. They are equipped with a triple sensor created this way: a 12 MP main module and f / 1.6 aperture , 12 MP , f/2.4 ultra wide angle (120°) sensor and 12 MP telephoto lens (f/2.0 for iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone f/2.2 for the 12 Pro Max). The iPhone 12 Pro allows up to 4x optical zoom compared to up to 5x optical zoom for the Max model, and this also benefits from a slightly more impressive digital zoom (up to 12x compared to up to 10x on the Pro) ). New this year, the iPhone Pro also features a 3D Lidar scanner on the back that improves bokeh effects, depth management and augmented reality features.

make a note Very interesting main sensor of the iPhone 12 Pro Max and its large 1.7μm pixels, 47% larger than those of the iPhone 12 Pro. A feature that makes it excellent at capturing light and therefore in low light conditions.

Feature-wise, Night Mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3 with Scene Detection, Burst Mode, Auto Image Stabilization and more are also available on iPhone 12 Pro. More so than on the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Both support brand new image format Apple ProRAW, an enhanced RAW version that lets you edit footage without affecting their quality. They also offer HDR video recording at up to 60 frames per second and 4K with Dolby Vision. 120 or 240 frames per second slow motion mode and cinema-quality video stabilization are offered.

iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max prices

Inevitably, the Max version is more expensive, here are all the prices:

• iPhone 12 Pro (128/256/512GB): 1159€ / 1279€ / 1509€
• iPhone 12 Pro Max (128/256/512GB): 1259€ / 1379€ / 1609€

So we are a 100 euro difference For every variant between Pro and Pro Max.

So, iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 12 Pro Max?

With better autonomy than the iPhone 12 Pro and a slight hint of photography, the iPhone 12 Pro Max (bit by bit) at a price of 100 euros more seems like a more interesting proposition. If you’re hesitating between the two models, you’re certainly not close to this price difference.

But the real choice about the format of the device. If you prefer a more compact smartphone, the iPhone 12 Pro is for you. If you want a comfortable diagonal screen befitting Android mobiles, turn to the iPhone 12 Pro Max.