ThinkPhone vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: A Deep Dive into Productivity and Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing overall performance, camera quality, and ecosystem integration, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the clear winner. However, the ThinkPhone’s 68W charging and more affordable price point make it a compelling option for business professionals who value speed and efficiency over absolute top-tier specs.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Motorola ThinkPhone | Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - ROW | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66 - ROW | 1, 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, 53, 66 - A3106 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - ROW | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3106 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - China | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, January 05 | 2023, September 12 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, January 29 | Available. Released 2023, September 22 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), aramid fibre back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | 158.8 x 74.4 x 8.3 mm (6.25 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm (6.30 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-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) |
| Weight | 188.5 g (6.67 oz) | 221 g (7.80 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Drop-to-concrete resistance from up to 1.3m MIL-STD-810H compliant | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~399 ppi density) | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 105.2 cm2 (~89.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | P-OLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+ | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Hexa-core (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15 | iOS 17, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.5", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm, AF Auxiliary lens | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.06", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 4K@30fps HDR10, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, 3D (spatial) video, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.0", 0.7µm - ROW model 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.0µm - PRC model | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | - |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer (North America only) | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 68W wired 15W wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update 4.5W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 4441 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Carbon Black | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
| Models | XT2309-2 | A2849, A3105, A3106, A3108, iPhone16,2 |
| Price | € 249.79 | € 758.79 / $ 579.87 / £ 628.29 |
| SAR | - | 1.07 W/kg (head) 1.11 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 116h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -21.6 LUFS (Excellent) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1081805 (v9) GeekBench: 4207 (v5.1) GFXBench: 90fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Motorola ThinkPhone
- Significantly faster 68W wired charging
- More affordable price point
- Clean Android experience with business-focused features
- Less powerful processor (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1)
- Dimmer display compared to iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Likely inferior camera performance
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Industry-leading A17 Pro processor
- Brighter and smoother display with ProMotion
- Superior camera system with advanced image processing
- Slower wired charging speed
- Higher price tag
- iOS ecosystem lock-in
Display Comparison
The iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 1787 nits compared to the ThinkPhone’s 1069 nits. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both displays have an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, the iPhone’s higher peak brightness and likely superior color calibration provide a more vibrant and accurate viewing experience. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also benefits from Apple’s ProMotion technology (LTPO), dynamically adjusting the refresh rate for smoother scrolling and improved power efficiency, a feature absent on the ThinkPhone.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable photo and video recording, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to have a more sophisticated camera system. While specific sensor details are missing for both, Apple’s computational photography prowess and advanced image processing algorithms typically yield superior results, particularly in low-light conditions. The iPhone’s larger sensor size (likely) and advanced optical image stabilization (OIS) contribute to sharper images and smoother videos. The ThinkPhone’s camera is likely competent, but it’s unlikely to match the iPhone’s overall image quality and versatility. We'll need to see detailed image comparisons to fully assess the differences.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s Apple A17 Pro, fabricated on a 3nm process, delivers substantially higher performance and efficiency than the ThinkPhone’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm). While the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is still a capable chip, the A17 Pro’s hexa-core architecture (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) and optimized neural engine provide a noticeable advantage in demanding tasks like video editing and gaming. The iPhone’s LPDDR5X RAM further enhances performance, while the ThinkPhone’s RAM specification is not provided, suggesting a potential performance gap. The 3nm process of the A17 Pro also contributes to better thermal management, reducing the likelihood of throttling during sustained workloads.
Battery Life
The iPhone 15 Pro Max demonstrates a clear advantage in battery endurance, achieving an active use score of 16:01h versus the ThinkPhone’s endurance rating of 116h (equivalent to roughly 13-14 hours of typical use). While the ThinkPhone’s 68W wired charging is significantly faster than the iPhone’s wired charging (50% in 30 min via PD2.0), the iPhone’s overall battery life and efficiency allow it to go longer between charges. The iPhone also supports 15W wireless charging via MagSafe and Qi2 (with iOS 17.2), while the ThinkPhone offers 15W wireless charging. The iPhone’s 4.5W reverse wired charging is a niche feature the ThinkPhone lacks.
Buying Guide
Buy the Motorola ThinkPhone if you need a smartphone that prioritizes rapid charging, offers a clean Android experience with business-focused security features, and fits a tighter budget. Buy the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max if you prefer a seamless ecosystem, unmatched performance, a superior camera system, and are willing to pay a premium for the best possible user experience.