Honor Magic3 Pro+ vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing long-term software support, a refined ecosystem, and consistently excellent video recording, the iPhone 13 Pro Max remains the superior choice. However, the Honor Magic3 Pro+ delivers faster charging and a potentially more raw performance edge for demanding Android users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor Magic3 Pro+ | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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 - A2643, A2644, A2645 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2643, A2644 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | 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, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2641 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, August 12 | 2021, September 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 19 | Available. Released 2021, September 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, ceramic back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 162.8 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (6.41 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 236 g (8.32 oz) | 240 g (8.47 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ | Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 11, Magic UI 5 | iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM |
| - | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom 64 MP, f/1.8, (monochrome) 64 MP, f/2.4, 11mm 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF TOF 3D (depth) | - |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), PDAF, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a) | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired 66W wireless 5W reverse wireless 5W reverse wired | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update |
| Type | Li-Po 4600 mAh | Li-Ion 4352 mAh (16.75 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Ceramic Black, Ceramic White | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green |
| Models | ELZ-AN20 | A2643, A2484, A2641, A2644, A2645, iphone14,3 |
| Price | About 1070 EUR | € 423.38 / $ 394.86 / £ 355.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.18 W/kg (head) 1.20 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 121h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.0 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 801691 (v9) GeekBench: 4706 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Honor Magic3 Pro+
- Blazing-fast 66W wired and wireless charging
- Potentially higher peak CPU performance
- Android customization options
- Less refined software experience compared to iOS
- Long-term software support is less guaranteed
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Industry-leading video recording quality
- Seamless iOS ecosystem and user experience
- Guaranteed software updates for years
- Slower charging speeds
- Less customization compared to Android
Display Comparison
Both devices offer premium display experiences, but differ in approach. The iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 1050 nits, ensuring excellent outdoor visibility. While the Magic3 Pro+’s peak brightness isn’t specified, its panel technology is likely similar, but the iPhone’s infinite contrast ratio (typical of OLED) provides deeper blacks. Both utilize LTPO technology for adaptive refresh rates, conserving battery life. The iPhone’s color accuracy is renowned, while Honor’s display tuning leans towards more vibrant colors, appealing to different aesthetic preferences.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in photography, but with distinct strengths. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is widely regarded for its exceptional video recording capabilities and cinematic mode. While the Magic3 Pro+’s camera specs aren’t detailed beyond 'Photo / Video', Honor’s flagship typically features large sensors and advanced image processing. The iPhone’s computational photography consistently delivers natural-looking images with accurate colors, while Honor often favors a more saturated and contrast-rich aesthetic. The lack of detailed sensor information for the Magic3 Pro+ makes a direct comparison difficult, but the iPhone’s established reputation for image quality and video prowess gives it an edge.
Performance
The core of the battle lies in the chipsets. The iPhone 13 Pro Max’s A15 Bionic, with its 2x3.23 GHz Avalanche and 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard cores, consistently outperforms the Honor Magic3 Pro+’s Snapdragon 888+ in single-core tasks and sustained multi-core workloads. While the Snapdragon 888+’s Cortex-X1 core reaches a higher clock speed (2.99 GHz), Apple’s chip architecture and efficient design provide superior overall performance and thermal management. The A15’s integrated GPU also holds an advantage in graphics-intensive tasks. The Magic3 Pro+ benefits from potentially faster LPDDR5 RAM, but the A15’s optimized memory controller mitigates this advantage.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an impressive endurance rating of 121 hours, indicating similar real-world battery life despite differing battery capacities (not specified for the Magic3 Pro+). However, the Honor Magic3 Pro+ dramatically differentiates itself with its charging capabilities. 66W wired and 66W wireless charging are significantly faster than the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s 15W wireless (MagSafe/Qi2) and slower wired charging (50% in 30 minutes). This means the Magic3 Pro+ can go from near-empty to full much quicker, a crucial advantage for users who frequently need to top up their battery. The 5W reverse wireless charging on the Honor is a niche feature, while the iPhone lacks reverse wireless charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor Magic3 Pro+ if you need blazing-fast 66W wired *and* wireless charging, prioritize Android customization, and value peak CPU performance. Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max if you prefer a seamless user experience, industry-leading video quality, and a robust app ecosystem with guaranteed software updates for years to come.