iPhone 14 Plus vs iPhone 12 Pro Max: A Detailed Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone 14 Plus offers a slightly better battery life and a brighter display. However, the iPhone 12 Pro Max still holds its own with a powerful processor and excellent camera capabilities, especially considering its often lower price point now. The 14 Plus is the better choice for battery focused users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPhone 14 Plus | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 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 - A2886, A2888 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2342 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2886, A2888 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2342 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2887 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2410, A2411, A2412 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, September 07 | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, October 07 | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.8 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.31 in) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in) |
| 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) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 203 g (7.16 oz) | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Ceramic Shield glass | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1 | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM |
| NVMe | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | - |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 65mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Ultra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving) | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update |
| Type | Li-Ion 4323 mAh (16.68 Wh) | Li-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Midnight, Purple, Starlight, Blue, Red, Yellow | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue |
| Models | A2886, A2632, A2885, A2888, A2887, iphone14,8 | A2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4 |
| Price | € 391.58 / $ 329.97 / £ 335.00 | $ 328.00 / C$ 549.75 / £ 270.67 / € 339.00 |
| SAR | 1.14 W/kg (head) 1.15 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 599.99 |
| 256GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 728.45 |
| 512GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 886.67 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 627.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 102h | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.7 LUFS (Very good) | -23.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 797976 (v9) GeekBench: 4582 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Apple iPhone 14 Plus
- Longer battery life
- Brighter display
- Modern design
- Improved image processing
- No telephoto lens
- Slightly more expensive (typically)
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Excellent camera system with telephoto lens
- Powerful A14 Bionic chip
- Often available at a lower price
- Premium build quality
- Shorter battery life
- Older design
- Slightly less bright display
Display Comparison
The iPhone 14 Plus takes a slight edge here. While both offer excellent color accuracy and clarity, the 14 Plus boasts a measured peak brightness of 797 nits compared to the 12 Pro Max's 822 nits. The difference is minimal in everyday use, but noticeable in direct sunlight. Both have 'Infinite' contrast ratios, a nominal value indicating excellent contrast.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature excellent camera systems. The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a triple-lens setup with a telephoto lens for optical zoom, which the 14 Plus lacks. The iPhone 14 Plus benefits from improved image processing and low-light performance. Overall, both deliver stunning photos and videos, but the 12 Pro Max's telephoto lens provides more versatility.
Performance
The iPhone 12 Pro Max's A14 Bionic chip remains remarkably capable, handling demanding tasks and games with ease. The iPhone 14 Plus's A15 Bionic offers a modest performance boost, particularly in graphics-intensive applications. However, for most users, the difference won't be dramatically noticeable. Both phones offer smooth and responsive performance.
Battery Life
The iPhone 14 Plus shines in battery life, achieving an impressive endurance rating of 102 hours, compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max's 95 hours. This translates to significantly longer usage between charges, making the 14 Plus a winner for power users.
Buying Guide
The iPhone 14 Plus is ideal for users prioritizing long battery life, a larger screen for media consumption, and a modern design. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is a great option for those seeking a premium experience with a powerful camera and processor, especially if budget is a concern and you don't need the absolute latest features.