Motorola Edge+ (2020) vs. iPhone 12 Pro Max: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing ecosystem integration, long-term software support, and a refined camera experience, the iPhone 12 Pro Max remains the superior choice. However, the Motorola Edge+ (2020) delivers comparable raw performance at a significantly lower price point, making it ideal for power users on a budget.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Motorola Edge+ (2020) | 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 - Global | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 66, 71 - Global | 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 | 5, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 Sub6 - Global | 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 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (6CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 2, 5, 66, 260, 261 mmWave/Sub6 - Verizon | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2410, A2411, A2412 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, April 22 | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, May 14 | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 161.1 x 71.4 x 9.6 mm (6.34 x 2.81 x 0.38 in) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 203 g (7.16 oz) | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| Water-repellent coating | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~385 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~95.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 90Hz, HDR10+ | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10 | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 81mm (telephoto), 3x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1.0µm, AF TOF 3D, (depth) | 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 | 6K@30fps, 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 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 | 25 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 0.9µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30/120fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | 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, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired 15W wireless 5W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Smokey Sangria, Thunder Grey, Baltic Gray | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue |
| Models | XT2061-3 | A2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4 |
| Price | About 670 EUR | $ 328.00 / C$ 549.75 / £ 270.67 / € 339.00 |
| SAR EU | - | 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 100h | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.3 LUFS (Very good) | -23.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 574155 (v8) GeekBench: 3295 (v5.1) GFXBench: 48fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Motorola Edge+ (2020)
- More affordable price point
- Faster 5G connectivity with Snapdragon 865
- 90Hz display refresh rate for smoother visuals
- Reverse wireless charging capability
- Shorter software support lifecycle
- Less refined camera image processing
- Slower charging speeds compared to iPhone
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Superior performance with A14 Bionic chip
- Excellent camera system with computational photography
- Long-term software support and ecosystem integration
- Faster wired charging with PD2.0
- Higher price tag
- No high refresh rate display
- Less customization options compared to Android
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays with an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 822 nits, significantly exceeding what Motorola officially advertised for the Edge+. While both are excellent for everyday use, the iPhone’s higher brightness provides superior visibility in direct sunlight. The Edge+’s 90Hz refresh rate, absent on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, offers smoother scrolling and animations, though the impact is subtle for many users. The iPhone’s color accuracy is renowned, and while the Edge+ is likely good, Apple’s calibration is generally considered best-in-class.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but approach image processing differently. The iPhone 12 Pro Max excels in computational photography, leveraging Apple’s image pipeline for consistently excellent results in various lighting conditions. While both phones can capture photo and video, the iPhone’s Smart HDR and Deep Fusion technologies provide a noticeable advantage in dynamic range and detail. Sensor sizes are not specified for the Edge+, but Apple’s larger sensors and advanced image stabilization (OIS) contribute to superior low-light performance. The Edge+ likely offers more manual control options for photography enthusiasts, but the iPhone’s ‘point-and-shoot’ simplicity and consistent quality are appealing to a wider audience.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s A14 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, offers superior power efficiency and single-core performance compared to the Motorola Edge+’s 7nm+ Snapdragon 865. While the Snapdragon 865 has an octa-core configuration (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77, 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55), the A14’s hexa-core design (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) is optimized for both burst performance and sustained workloads. In real-world usage, this translates to faster app launches and smoother multitasking on the iPhone. The Edge+’s raw CPU power is still substantial, but the A14’s architectural advantages are clear.
Battery Life
Endurance ratings place the Motorola Edge+ at 100 hours, slightly ahead of the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 95 hours. However, this doesn’t tell the whole story. The Edge+ supports 18W wired charging, 15W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max offers faster wired charging via PD2.0 (50% in 30 minutes) and 15W wireless charging with MagSafe/Qi2 (requiring iOS 17.4 for Qi2). The iPhone’s charging speed, despite a similar endurance rating, allows for quicker top-ups. The Edge+’s larger battery capacity (not specified in the data, but typically around 5000mAh) contributes to its slightly longer endurance, but the A14 Bionic’s efficiency mitigates the difference.
Buying Guide
Buy the Motorola Edge+ (2020) if you prioritize raw processing power, fast 5G connectivity, and a more open Android experience, and are comfortable with a shorter software support lifecycle. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if you value a seamless user experience, a superior camera system with computational photography advantages, and guaranteed software updates for years to come, even at a higher cost.