LG Leon vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: A David vs. Goliath Battle

The smartphone landscape is vast, ranging from affordable options to premium flagships. This comparison pits the ultra-budget LG Leon against the top-tier Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max, highlighting the stark differences and helping you determine which device best suits your needs and budget. Prepare for a significant contrast!
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The iPhone 14 Pro Max utterly dominates this comparison. Its superior performance, stunning display, advanced camera system, and exceptional battery life make it a clear winner. The LG Leon offers basic functionality at a low price, but it's worlds apart in terms of overall quality and features.

PHONES
Phone Names LG Leon Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only)GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100 - H340NHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 3, 7, 8, 20 - H340N1, 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 - A2894, A2896
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 - A2894, A2896
SpeedHSPA 21.1/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 MbpsHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 2, 4, 12 - T-Mobile1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2895
Launch
Announced2015, February. Released 2015, April2022, September 07
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2022, September 16
Body
Build-Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions129.9 x 64.9 x 10.9 mm (5.11 x 2.56 x 0.43 in)160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm (6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 in)
SIMSingle SIM (Micro-SIM) or Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by)· 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)
Weight140 g (4.94 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
Resolution480 x 854 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~218 ppi density)1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)
Size4.5 inches, 55.8 cm2 (~66.2% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCDLTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM)
 -Always-On display
Platform
CPUQuad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53Hexa-core (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth)
ChipsetQualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 (28 nm)Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 306Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSAndroid 5.0.1 (Lollipop)iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotmicroSDHC (dedicated slot)No
Internal8GB 1GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM
 eMMC 4.5NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flashDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single5 MP or 8 MP, AF12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF, OIS (unconfirmed) SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple-48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Video1080p@30fps4K@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
SingleVGA12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video-4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth4.1, A2DP, LE5.3, A2DP, LE
NFCNoYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASSGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioFM radio, RDSNo
USBmicroUSB 2.0Lightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspotWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsAccelerometer, proximity, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving)
Battery
Charging-Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
Stand-byUp to 465 h (2G) / Up to 505 h (3G)-
TypeLi-Ion 1900 mAh, removableLi-Ion 4323 mAh (16.68 Wh)
Misc
ColorsTitan, GoldSpace Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
ModelsH324, H340n, H320, LGMS345, H340, H345A2894, A2651, A2893, A2895, A2896, iphone15,3
PriceAbout 120 EUR€ 530.79 / $ 489.81 / £ 446.75
SAR1.05 W/kg (head)     0.80 W/kg (body)1.15 W/kg (head)     1.07 W/kg (body)
SAR EU0.99 W/kg (head)     0.78 W/kg (body)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- -24.3 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 955884 (v9) GeekBench: 5423 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)
OUR TESTS
Battery (old)-Endurance rating 121h
Camera-Photo / Video
Display-1760 nits max brightness (measured)
Loudspeaker--24.3 LUFS (Very good)
Performance-AnTuTu: 955884 (v9) GeekBench: 5423 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

LG Leon

  • Extremely affordable
  • Compact size
  • Basic functionality

  • Outdated chipset
  • Low-resolution display
  • Poor camera quality
  • Limited storage
  • Slow performance

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

  • Blazing-fast performance
  • Stunning display
  • Exceptional camera system
  • Long battery life
  • Premium design
  • Fast charging (wired & wireless)

  • High price
  • Can be bulky
  • Limited customization compared to Android

Display Comparison

The iPhone 14 Pro Max boasts a stunning Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion (adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz) and a peak brightness of 1760 nits, offering incredible clarity and vibrant colors. The LG Leon's display is a standard LCD, significantly less bright and with lower resolution, resulting in a noticeably inferior viewing experience. Contrast ratio is infinite on the iPhone, while the Leon's is typical of an older LCD.

Camera Comparison

The iPhone 14 Pro Max features a pro-grade camera system with advanced computational photography capabilities, delivering exceptional image quality in various conditions. The LG Leon's camera is basic and produces mediocre results, especially in low light. Video recording capabilities are also vastly superior on the iPhone.

Performance

The iPhone 14 Pro Max's A16 Bionic chip is a performance beast, handling demanding tasks and games with ease. The LG Leon's Snapdragon 410 is a budget chipset that struggles with modern apps and multitasking. Expect significant lag and slowdowns on the Leon.

Battery Life

The iPhone 14 Pro Max offers exceptional battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 121 hours. The LG Leon's battery life is adequate for light usage, but it pales in comparison to the iPhone's longevity. The iPhone also supports fast charging (wired and wireless).

Buying Guide

The LG Leon is for users on an extremely tight budget who primarily need a phone for basic calling, texting, and light app usage. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is for users who demand the best possible performance, camera quality, and features, and are willing to pay a premium for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the LG Leon still worth buying in 2024?
Only if you're on an incredibly tight budget and only need basic phone functionality. Otherwise, there are better options available.
❓ What are the biggest differences between the LG Leon and the iPhone 14 Pro Max?
The biggest differences are performance, display quality, camera capabilities, and battery life. The iPhone 14 Pro Max offers a vastly superior experience in every category.
❓ Can the LG Leon run modern apps?
It can, but performance will be significantly slower and you may encounter compatibility issues with some apps.