Nio Phone vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle

The smartphone landscape is dominated by Apple and a growing number of ambitious Android contenders. The Nio Phone, powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, directly challenges Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max, a benchmark for premium smartphone experiences. This comparison dissects their core strengths, revealing which device delivers the best value and performance for different user needs.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing a seamless ecosystem and refined software, the iPhone 14 Pro Max remains a strong choice. However, the Nio Phone’s significantly faster charging – both wired and wireless – and potent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset offer compelling advantages for power users and those seeking cutting-edge Android features.

PHONES
Phone Names Nio Phone Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 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 bands1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA1, 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 / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 -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
Announced2023, September 212022, September 07
StatusAvailable. Released 2023, September 21Available. Released 2022, September 16
Body
Build-Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions165.2 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm (6.50 x 2.97 x 0.35 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)
Weight212 g or 216 g (7.48 oz)240 g (8.47 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass VictusCeramic Shield glass
Resolution1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density)1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)
Size6.81 inches, 112.0 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1800 nits (peak)LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM)
 -Always-On display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)Hexa-core (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 740Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSSkyUIiOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM
 -NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesRing-LED flash, HDR, panoramaDual-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)
Triple50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.6, 65mm (periscope telephoto), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.8x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.4, 15mm, 110˚ (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm48 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)
Video4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS, OIS4K@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
Single12 MP, f/2.5, (wide)12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack -No
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Lossless5.3, A2DP, LE
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), GLONASSGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C, OTGLightning, USB 2.0
WLANYesWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving)
Battery
Charging66W wired, PD3.0, QC4 50W wireless 10W reverse wirelessWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
TypeLi-Po 5200 mAhLi-Ion 4323 mAh (16.68 Wh)
Misc
ColorsBlack, Gray, Pink, Gold, Green, Blue, Dark BlueSpace Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
ModelsN2301A2894, A2651, A2893, A2895, A2896, iphone15,3
PriceAbout 820 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)

Nio Phone

  • Significantly faster wired and wireless charging
  • Potentially superior multi-core CPU performance
  • Android customization and open ecosystem

  • Camera performance is unproven
  • Software support may be shorter than Apple's

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

  • Polished and intuitive iOS ecosystem
  • Industry-leading video recording capabilities
  • Long-term software support and updates

  • Slower charging speeds compared to Nio Phone
  • Less customization options than Android

Display Comparison

The iPhone 14 Pro Max boasts a peak brightness of 1760 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Nio Phone’s peak brightness isn’t specified, its panel technology is likely to be LTPO, enabling adaptive refresh rates for improved power efficiency. The iPhone’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED displays, delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. The Nio Phone’s display quality will be a key differentiator, and independent testing will be needed to assess its color accuracy and viewing angles relative to Apple’s industry-leading panel.

Camera Comparison

Both devices excel in photography and videography, but approach it differently. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is renowned for its consistent image processing and cinematic-quality video recording. The Nio Phone’s camera specifications are currently limited, but its image processing algorithms will be crucial. Sensor size and lens apertures will be key factors in low-light performance. Without detailed sensor information, it’s difficult to definitively assess the Nio Phone’s camera capabilities, but a focus on computational photography will be essential to compete with Apple’s established reputation.

Performance

The Nio Phone’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) is a powerhouse, featuring an octa-core CPU with a Cortex-X3 prime core clocked at 3.36 GHz. This contrasts with the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s hexa-core A16 Bionic (4nm) utilizing ‘Everest’ and ‘Sawtooth’ cores. While core count isn’t everything, the Snapdragon’s architecture suggests strong multi-threaded performance. The 4nm fabrication process on both chips ensures excellent power efficiency, but the Snapdragon’s larger core configuration may translate to a slight edge in sustained performance, particularly in graphically intensive applications. The Nio Phone likely utilizes LPDDR5x RAM, further boosting performance.

Battery Life

Both phones achieve an impressive endurance rating of 121 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life despite potentially different battery capacities. However, the Nio Phone’s charging capabilities are a significant advantage. Its 66W wired charging, supporting PD3.0 and QC4, will deliver a full charge much faster than the iPhone’s wired charging (50% in 30 minutes with PD2.0). Furthermore, the Nio Phone’s 50W wireless charging dwarfs the iPhone’s 15W MagSafe/Qi2 charging, offering unparalleled convenience. The 10W reverse wireless charging on the Nio Phone is also a useful feature for topping up accessories.

Buying Guide

Buy the Nio Phone if you need blazing-fast charging speeds, prioritize Android customization, and demand top-tier performance for demanding tasks like gaming. Buy the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max if you prefer a polished, integrated ecosystem, value long-term software support, and prioritize camera consistency and video recording capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Nio Phone's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset throttle under sustained load, and how does its thermal management compare to the iPhone 14 Pro Max?
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is known for its improved thermal efficiency compared to previous generations. However, throttling can still occur during prolonged gaming or demanding tasks. The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a well-engineered thermal system, but independent testing is needed to determine which phone maintains peak performance for longer periods under stress.
❓ What codecs and standards does the Nio Phone support for wireless charging, and is it fully compatible with all Qi-certified wireless chargers?
The Nio Phone supports 50W wireless charging, utilizing the Qi standard. While it should be compatible with most Qi-certified chargers, achieving the full 50W speed may require a compatible charger. The iPhone 14 Pro Max supports 15W Qi2 charging (with iOS 17.2) and 15W MagSafe, offering a more standardized wireless charging experience.
❓ How does the Nio Phone's software update policy compare to Apple's, and for how long can users expect to receive security and feature updates?
Apple is renowned for its long-term software support, typically providing updates for 5-7 years. Nio, as a newer smartphone manufacturer, may offer a shorter update window. This is a crucial consideration for users who prioritize long-term software security and feature enhancements.