Meizu 17 Pro vs. iPhone 11 Pro Max: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Power

The iPhone 11 Pro Max, now available at significantly reduced prices, presents a compelling alternative to newer Android flagships. We pit it against the Meizu 17 Pro, a 2020 Android offering boasting a Snapdragon 865 and fast charging, to determine which device delivers the best overall experience in today's market.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing long-term software support and consistent performance, the iPhone 11 Pro Max remains a strong contender, especially at its current price point. However, the Meizu 17 Pro offers faster charging and 5G connectivity, making it a viable option for those seeking cutting-edge features.

PHONES
Phone Names Meizu 17 Pro Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 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 bands41, 78, 79 SA/NSA-
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
 CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA1, 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
Announced2020, May 08. Released 2020, May 112019, September 10
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2019, September 20
Body
BuildGlass front, ceramic back, ceramic frameGlass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame
Dimensions160 x 77.2 x 8.5 mm (6.30 x 3.04 x 0.33 in)158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.32 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China)
Weight219 g (7.72 oz)226 g (7.97 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
Protection-Scratch-resistant glass
Resolution1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~390 ppi density)1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
Size6.6 inches, 106.9 cm2 (~86.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeSuper AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 700 nits (typ)Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+)
GPUAdreno 650Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
OSAndroid 10, Flyme 8.1iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM
 UFS 3.1NVMe
Main Camera
Features5-LED dual-tone flash, Auto-HDR, panoramaDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single-13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF
Triple64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 79mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF 32 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 129˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, f/1.4, (depth)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"
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p; gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 0.8µm12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@30fps4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, LE5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0Lightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 а/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging30W wired, QC3, 45% in 30 min 27W wirelessWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi)
TypeLi-Po 4500 mAhLi-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh)
Misc
ColorsMint, Black, WhiteMatte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green
Models-A2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5
PriceAbout 560 EUR$ 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)

Meizu 17 Pro

  • Faster charging speeds (30W wired, 27W wireless)
  • 5G connectivity for future-proofed data speeds
  • Android OS offers greater customization options

  • Potentially shorter software support lifespan
  • Less established brand reputation

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

  • Exceptional battery life (102h endurance rating)
  • Long-term software support and updates
  • Excellent camera performance and video recording

  • Slower charging speeds
  • Limited customization options compared to Android

Display Comparison

The iPhone 11 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 820 nits, ensuring excellent visibility outdoors. While the Meizu 17 Pro’s display specs aren’t provided, its market positioning suggests a comparable OLED panel. The iPhone’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED technology, delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. The absence of high refresh rate technology on either device means smooth scrolling isn’t a key differentiator, but the iPhone’s color accuracy is generally considered best-in-class.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are equipped with capable camera systems, but approach image processing differently. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is renowned for its natural-looking photos and excellent video recording capabilities. The Meizu 17 Pro’s camera specs aren’t detailed enough to make a direct comparison, but its positioning suggests a focus on versatility. Without sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to assess low-light performance. The iPhone’s computational photography excels in dynamic range and detail preservation, while Meizu’s image processing style is likely more saturated and vibrant.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 5G in the Meizu 17 Pro versus Apple’s A13 Bionic in the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The A13, built on a 7nm+ process, features a hexa-core CPU (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) optimized for iOS. The Snapdragon 865, also 7nm+, utilizes an octa-core configuration (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55). While core count differs, Apple’s architectural advantages and software integration typically result in superior single-core performance. The iPhone’s 4GB of RAM is paired with Apple’s efficient memory management, while the Meizu 17 Pro’s RAM capacity isn’t specified, but is likely similar. Both devices should handle demanding tasks, but the A13’s sustained performance is generally more consistent.

Battery Life

The iPhone 11 Pro Max achieves an impressive endurance rating of 102 hours, indicating exceptional battery life. The Meizu 17 Pro offers 30W wired charging (45% in 30 minutes) and 27W wireless charging, significantly faster than the iPhone’s wired PD2.0 and Qi wireless charging. While the iPhone’s battery capacity isn’t specified, its endurance rating suggests a large battery optimized for efficiency. The Meizu’s faster charging mitigates the impact of potentially lower battery capacity, offering quicker top-ups.

Buying Guide

Buy the Meizu 17 Pro if you need 5G connectivity, prioritize faster charging speeds (30W wired, 27W wireless), and prefer the flexibility of the Android ecosystem. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you value long-term software updates, a mature and optimized operating system, and a consistently excellent camera experience, particularly if you can find it at a discounted price.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 865 in the Meizu 17 Pro experience significant thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
While the Snapdragon 865 is a powerful chip, it can be prone to thermal throttling under sustained load. The Meizu 17 Pro’s thermal management solution will determine how effectively it mitigates this issue. Reviews suggest it handles moderate gaming well, but prolonged, demanding sessions may result in performance dips.
❓ How does the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s 4GB of RAM compare to the Meizu 17 Pro in terms of multitasking performance?
Despite having only 4GB of RAM, the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s iOS operating system is highly optimized for memory management. This allows it to efficiently handle multitasking and keep frequently used apps in memory. The Meizu 17 Pro likely has a similar RAM capacity, but Android’s memory management is generally less efficient, potentially leading to more app reloads.
❓ Is the iPhone 11 Pro Max still receiving software updates, and for how long will it continue to be supported?
Yes, the iPhone 11 Pro Max continues to receive software updates from Apple. Apple typically provides 5-6 years of software support for its iPhones, meaning the 11 Pro Max will likely receive updates until 2025 or 2026. This is a significant advantage over most Android devices.