Motorola Moto X30 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: A Deep Dive into Android and iOS Flagships

The Motorola Moto X30 Pro arrived as a disruptor, challenging the established premium market with aggressive specs like 125W charging and a high-end Snapdragon processor. Now, we pit it against the reigning champion, the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max, to determine which phone delivers the best overall experience, considering Apple’s integrated ecosystem and the Moto’s raw power.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing a seamless ecosystem, long-term software support, and a consistently excellent camera experience, the iPhone 14 Pro Max remains the superior choice. However, the Motorola Moto X30 Pro offers a compelling value proposition with its significantly faster charging and competitive performance, appealing to Android enthusiasts.

PHONES
Phone Names Motorola Moto X30 Pro Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bandsLTE1, 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 bandsSA/NSA/Sub61, 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, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA 800 / 1900 1, 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
Announced2022, August 112022, September 07
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, August 11Available. Released 2022, September 16
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back (Gorilla Glass 5)Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions161.7 x 73.5 x 8.4 mm (6.37 x 2.89 x 0.33 in)160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm (6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· 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)
Weight198.5 g (7.02 oz)240 g (8.47 oz)
 Splash and dust resistantIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
Protection-Ceramic Shield glass
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~393 ppi density)1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)
Size6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~91.2% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1250 nits (peak)LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM)
 -Always-On display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)Hexa-core (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 730Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSAndroid 12, MYUI 4.0iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM
 UFS 3.1NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesDual-LED flash, panorama, HDRDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single-12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF, OIS (unconfirmed) SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple200 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/1.22", 0.64µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.2, 117˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF 12 MP, f/1.6, (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom48 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)
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS4K@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
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single60 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 0.64µm12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@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
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive5.3, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-CLightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, 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
 Ready For 3.5 supportUltra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving)
Battery
Charging125W wired, 50% in 7 min, 100% in 19 min 50W wirelessWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
TypeLi-Po 4610 mAhLi-Ion 4323 mAh (16.68 Wh)
Misc
ColorsWhite, BlackSpace Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
ModelsXT2241-1A2894, A2651, A2893, A2895, A2896, iphone15,3
PriceAbout 550 EUR€ 530.79 / $ 489.81 / £ 446.75
SAR-1.15 W/kg (head)     1.07 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- -24.3 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 955884 (v9) GeekBench: 5423 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Motorola Moto X30 Pro

  • Incredibly fast 125W wired charging
  • Competitive Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 performance
  • Potentially more affordable price point
  • 50W Wireless Charging

  • Software support may be limited compared to Apple
  • Less refined software experience than iOS

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

  • Industry-leading A16 Bionic performance
  • Exceptional camera system with advanced image processing
  • Seamless iOS ecosystem and long-term software support
  • Bright and color-accurate display

  • Slower charging speeds compared to the Moto X30 Pro
  • Higher price point

Display Comparison

The iPhone 14 Pro Max boasts a peak brightness of 1760 nits, a figure the Moto X30 Pro’s display likely cannot match, offering superior visibility in direct sunlight. While the Moto X30 Pro’s display specs aren’t detailed, the iPhone’s infinite contrast ratio (nominal) and likely LTPO technology for adaptive refresh rates contribute to a smoother, more power-efficient viewing experience. The iPhone’s display is a clear advantage for outdoor use and overall visual fidelity.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are described as having excellent photo and video capabilities, but the specifics differ. The iPhone 14 Pro Max benefits from Apple’s computational photography prowess and a refined image processing pipeline. While the Moto X30 Pro may feature a higher megapixel count (not specified in the data), sensor size and lens quality are equally important. The iPhone’s optimized software and potentially larger sensor (based on Apple’s history) likely result in better low-light performance and dynamic range. The Moto X30 Pro’s camera system will likely appeal to those who enjoy more manual control and experimentation.

Performance

The Apple A16 Bionic, built on a 4nm process, utilizes a hexa-core architecture (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth) optimized for iOS. This contrasts with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) in the Moto X30 Pro, featuring an octa-core configuration (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510). While core count isn’t everything, Apple’s chip design and software integration typically yield superior single-core performance, crucial for responsive app launches and UI fluidity. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 excels in sustained multi-core workloads, potentially benefiting demanding tasks like video editing, but thermal management will be key to preventing throttling. The iPhone’s LPDDR5 RAM is also likely faster than the Moto X30 Pro’s, further enhancing performance.

Battery Life

Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 121 hours, suggesting comparable overall battery life despite differing battery capacities (not specified for the Moto X30 Pro). However, the charging speeds are drastically different. The Moto X30 Pro’s 125W wired charging can replenish the battery to 100% in just 19 minutes, a significant advantage over the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 30-minute 50% charge. The Moto X30 Pro also offers 50W wireless charging, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max is limited to 15W MagSafe and Qi2 (with iOS 17.2). For users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly, the Moto X30 Pro is the clear winner.

Buying Guide

Buy the Motorola Moto X30 Pro if you need blazing-fast charging, prioritize raw Android performance, and are comfortable with a less polished software experience. Buy the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max if you prefer a refined, integrated ecosystem, industry-leading camera capabilities, and guaranteed software updates for years to come. The iPhone is the safer, more predictable choice, while the Moto X30 Pro is the risk-taker’s reward.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Motorola Moto X30 Pro’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is known to be more thermally efficient than its predecessor, but sustained high performance can still generate heat. The Moto X30 Pro’s thermal management system will be crucial. While we don't have specific testing data, the 4nm process helps mitigate throttling, but extended gaming may still result in some performance reduction.
❓ How does the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s camera perform in low-light conditions compared to the Moto X30 Pro?
The iPhone 14 Pro Max typically excels in low-light photography due to its larger sensor (likely) and Apple’s sophisticated image processing algorithms. While the Moto X30 Pro may have a higher megapixel count, sensor size and software optimization are more critical for low-light performance. Expect the iPhone to produce cleaner images with better dynamic range in challenging lighting scenarios.
❓ Is the 15W wireless charging on the iPhone 14 Pro Max sufficient for daily use?
15W wireless charging is relatively slow compared to the Moto X30 Pro’s 50W wireless charging. It’s convenient for overnight charging or occasional top-ups, but won’t provide the same speed as wired charging or the Moto X30 Pro’s wireless capabilities. The Qi2 standard (requiring iOS 17.2) may offer slight improvements, but it remains significantly slower than the Motorola’s offering.