OnePlus 7 Pro vs. iPhone 11 Pro Max: Which 2019 Flagship Still Holds Up?

Released within months of each other in 2019, the OnePlus 7 Pro and Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max represented the pinnacle of Android and iOS smartphone technology. Now, several years later, with prices significantly reduced, these phones offer compelling value. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which remains the better choice in 2024, considering performance, display quality, camera capabilities, and battery endurance.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing longevity and a refined software experience, the iPhone 11 Pro Max emerges as the winner. Its superior battery life (102h endurance) and the continued support from Apple’s software updates outweigh the OnePlus 7 Pro’s faster charging and smoother 90Hz display.

PHONES
Phone Names OnePlus 7 Pro Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global1, 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
SpeedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 MbpsHSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - North America1, 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
Announced2019, May 14. Released 2019, May 162019, September 10
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2019, September 20
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frameGlass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame
Dimensions162.6 x 75.9 x 8.8 mm (6.40 x 2.99 x 0.35 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)
Weight206 g (7.27 oz)226 g (7.97 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Scratch-resistant glass
Resolution1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~516 ppi density)1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
Size6.67 inches, 108.8 cm2 (~88.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeFluid AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485)Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm)Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+)
GPUAdreno 640Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
OSAndroid 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, OxygenOS 12.1iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM
 UFS 3.0NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDRDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single-13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF
Triple48 MP, f/1.6, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 78mm (telephoto), 3x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide), AF12 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@30/60/240fps, 720p@480fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS, no video rec. with ultrawide camera4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
SingleMotorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@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
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a)GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGLightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNAWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 Virtual proximity sensingUltra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging30W wiredWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi)
TypeLi-Po 4000 mAh, non-removableLi-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh)
Misc
ColorsMirror Grey, Almond, Nebula BlueMatte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green
ModelsGM1911, GM1913, GM1917, GM1910, GM1915A2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5
PriceAbout 590 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 -93.0dB / Crosstalk -89.6dB Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -81.5dB
Battery life Endurance rating 85h Endurance rating 102h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -23.9 LUFS (Very good) -25.6 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 364025 (v7) GeekBench: 10943 (v4.4), 2721 (v5.1) GFXBench: 19fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 459713 (v7), 536883 (v8) GeekBench: 13870 (v4.4), 3503 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

OnePlus 7 Pro

  • 90Hz Fluid AMOLED display for smoother visuals
  • 30W fast wired charging for quick power-ups
  • More affordable price point in 2024

  • Shorter battery life compared to the iPhone
  • Potentially shorter software support lifespan
  • Image processing can sometimes over-sharpen photos

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

  • Exceptional battery life (102h endurance)
  • Powerful A13 Bionic chip for smooth performance
  • Reliable camera system with excellent video recording

  • 60Hz display refresh rate
  • Slower wired charging compared to OnePlus 7 Pro
  • Higher initial purchase price (even used)

Display Comparison

The OnePlus 7 Pro boasts a 90Hz Fluid AMOLED display, offering a noticeably smoother experience compared to the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s 60Hz Super Retina XDR display. While the OnePlus 7 Pro achieves 616 nits of peak brightness, the iPhone 11 Pro Max surpasses it with 820 nits, resulting in better outdoor visibility. The iPhone’s ‘infinite’ (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, delivers deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. The OnePlus 7 Pro’s higher refresh rate is a significant advantage for gamers and those sensitive to motion blur, but the iPhone’s superior brightness and contrast provide a more visually impactful experience in various lighting conditions.

Camera Comparison

Both devices offer capable camera systems, but approach image processing differently. The iPhone 11 Pro Max excels in video recording, offering cinematic stabilization and a natural color profile. While both phones are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, the iPhone’s computational photography consistently delivers more accurate colors and better dynamic range in challenging lighting conditions. The OnePlus 7 Pro’s camera, while capable, tends to over-sharpen images. Sensor sizes and lens apertures are not specified in the provided data, making a detailed comparison difficult, but the iPhone’s reputation for consistent image quality gives it an edge.

Performance

The iPhone 11 Pro Max’s Apple A13 Bionic chip, fabricated on a 7nm+ process, consistently outperforms the OnePlus 7 Pro’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm) in both single-core and multi-core benchmarks. While both are 7nm chips, Apple’s custom silicon design and optimized software integration provide a performance edge. The A13’s hexa-core configuration (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) is architecturally different from the Snapdragon 855’s octa-core setup (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485). This translates to faster app launch times and smoother multitasking on the iPhone. Both phones feature 4GB of RAM, but iOS’s memory management is generally more efficient.

Battery Life

The iPhone 11 Pro Max’s endurance rating of 102 hours significantly surpasses the OnePlus 7 Pro’s 85 hours. This difference is primarily due to the iPhone’s more efficient chipset and optimized power management. While the OnePlus 7 Pro offers faster 30W wired charging, allowing for quicker top-ups, the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s longer battery life reduces the need for frequent charging. The iPhone also supports wireless charging via Qi, offering added convenience, while the OnePlus 7 Pro relies solely on wired charging.

Buying Guide

Buy the OnePlus 7 Pro if you prioritize a high refresh rate display for smoother scrolling and gaming, and value incredibly fast 30W wired charging. It’s ideal for Android enthusiasts who enjoy customization and don’t mind potentially shorter software support. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you prefer a more polished and consistent user experience, exceptional battery life, and a camera system known for its reliable image quality and video recording capabilities. It’s the better choice for users deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the OnePlus 7 Pro still a good gaming phone in 2024?
Yes, the Snapdragon 855 is still capable of handling most mobile games at high settings. However, the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s A13 Bionic offers a more consistent and smoother gaming experience, especially in graphically demanding titles. The OnePlus 7 Pro’s 90Hz display provides a visual advantage, but thermal throttling can occur during extended gaming sessions.
❓ How long will Apple continue to provide software updates for the iPhone 11 Pro Max?
Apple typically provides software updates for its iPhones for 5-7 years. While official support may eventually end, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is likely to receive security updates for at least another year or two, ensuring continued security and compatibility with the latest apps.
❓ Does the OnePlus 7 Pro's fast charging degrade the battery faster?
While 30W fast charging is convenient, it can contribute to slightly faster battery degradation over time compared to slower charging methods. However, modern battery management systems mitigate this effect, and the difference is unlikely to be significant for most users. Using optimized charging features (if available) can further extend battery lifespan.