Lenovo Legion Pro vs. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max: A Deep Dive into Performance, Battery, and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a seamless experience and excellent camera, the iPhone 11 Pro Max remains a compelling choice, especially at its current price point. However, the Lenovo Legion Pro decisively wins for mobile gamers demanding maximum performance and rapid charging, offering a significantly more focused gaming experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Lenovo Legion Pro | Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2218 |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat15 800/210 Mbps, 5G 2.5 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2161, A2220 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, July 22. Released 2020, July 30 | 2019, September 10 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2019, September 20 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 169.2 x 78.5 x 9.9 mm (6.66 x 3.09 x 0.39 in) | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 239 g (8.43 oz) | 226 g (7.97 oz) |
| Water-repellent coating | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~81.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 144Hz, HDR10+ | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.09 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) | Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10, Legion OS/ ZUI12 | iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 64 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 16 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | - | 13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6" |
| Video | 4K@30fps gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR | HDR |
| Single | Motorized pop-up 20 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), 1/3.1", 0.9µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30fps | 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 | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | Two USB Type-C, 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), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 45W wired, (128GB 8GB RAM model) 65W wired, (128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM models) 90W wired, 50% in 10 min, 100% in 30 min (512GB 16GB RAM model) | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Vengeance Red, Blazing Blue, White | Matte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green |
| Models | L79031 | A2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5 |
| Price | - | $ 233.00 / C$ 369.75 / £ 226.95 / € 249.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.16 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 256GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 874.46 |
| 512GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 1,004.31 |
| 64GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 435.00 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 485.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -81.5dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 102h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 459713 (v7), 536883 (v8) GeekBench: 13870 (v4.4), 3503 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Lenovo Legion Pro
- Significantly faster charging speeds (up to 90W)
- Potentially higher refresh rate display for smoother gaming
- More RAM options for improved multitasking
- 5G connectivity for faster data speeds
- Camera specs and performance are unknown
- Android OS may not appeal to all users
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
- Excellent and consistent camera performance
- Seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem
- Long battery life (102h endurance)
- Polished and user-friendly iOS experience
- Slower charging speeds compared to the Legion Pro
- Limited RAM (4GB) may hinder multitasking
- Lower refresh rate display (60Hz)
Display Comparison
The iPhone 11 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 820 nits, ensuring excellent visibility outdoors. While the Legion Pro’s display specs aren’t provided, its gaming focus suggests a high refresh rate panel, likely exceeding the iPhone’s 60Hz. The iPhone’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED displays, delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. However, the Legion Pro’s display is likely tuned for color accuracy and low latency, crucial for competitive gaming. The absence of refresh rate data for the Legion Pro is a key omission, but its target audience demands a higher refresh rate than the iPhone offers.
Camera Comparison
Both devices feature capable camera systems, but approach photography differently. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is known for its consistent image processing and natural-looking photos and videos. The Legion Pro’s camera specs are not detailed, but gaming phones often prioritize front-facing cameras for streaming. The iPhone’s strength lies in its computational photography, delivering excellent dynamic range and detail in various lighting conditions. Without specific sensor details for the Legion Pro, it’s difficult to assess its image quality, but it likely won’t match the iPhone’s consistency and refinement. The iPhone’s video recording capabilities are also superior, offering cinematic-quality footage.
Performance
The Lenovo Legion Pro’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7nm+) chipset, with its octa-core CPU configuration (1x3.09 GHz Cortex-A77, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77, 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55), is designed for sustained performance. The Apple A13 Bionic (7nm+), a hexa-core processor (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder), is renowned for its single-core performance and efficient power management. While the A13 excels in everyday tasks, the Snapdragon 865’s more complex core configuration and dedicated gaming optimizations give the Legion Pro an edge in graphically intensive games. The Legion Pro’s RAM options (8GB/12GB/16GB) compared to the iPhone’s fixed 4GB, further favor multitasking and demanding applications. The Snapdragon’s 5G modem is also a future-proofing advantage.
Battery Life
The iPhone 11 Pro Max achieved an impressive endurance rating of 102 hours, indicating excellent battery life. The Legion Pro’s battery capacity is not specified, but its focus on gaming suggests a larger battery is necessary. However, the Legion Pro’s charging speeds are significantly faster, ranging from 45W to 90W depending on the RAM configuration, achieving 100% charge in as little as 30 minutes (512GB/16GB model). The iPhone 11 Pro Max takes 30 minutes to reach 50% with wired PD2.0 charging. This difference in charging speed is a major advantage for the Legion Pro, allowing for quick top-ups during gaming sessions. While the iPhone’s endurance is strong, the Legion Pro’s faster charging mitigates concerns about battery life for power users.
Buying Guide
Buy the Lenovo Legion Pro if you need a dedicated gaming device with high refresh rates, powerful processing for demanding titles, and incredibly fast charging speeds. You'll benefit from the flexibility of Android and a focus on minimizing performance throttling. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you prefer a polished, user-friendly experience, a consistently excellent camera system, and seamless integration with other Apple devices. It's ideal for users invested in the Apple ecosystem and prioritizing long-term software support.