OnePlus Ace Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max: A Deep Dive into Performance and Value

The OnePlus Ace Pro and Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max represent distinct philosophies in smartphone design. The Ace Pro prioritizes raw performance and blazing-fast charging at a competitive price, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max focuses on a polished user experience, a strong camera system, and long-term software support. This comparison dissects these differences to help you choose the right device for your needs.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing a seamless experience and excellent camera, the iPhone 13 Pro Max remains a strong contender. However, the OnePlus Ace Pro delivers significantly faster charging and comparable performance for a lower price, making it the winner for power users and gamers.

PHONES
Phone Names OnePlus Ace Pro Apple iPhone 13 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, 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 - A2643, A2644, A2645
5G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2643, A2644
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA 800 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2641
Launch
Announced2022, August 092021, September 14
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, August 15Available. Released 2021, September 24
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, glass backGlass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions163 x 75.4 x 8.8 mm (6.42 x 2.97 x 0.35 in)160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.30 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight203.5 g (7.20 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 5Ceramic Shield glass
Resolution1080 x 2412 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density)1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
Size6.7 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~87.9% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeFluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 800 nits (HBM), 950 nits (peak)Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 730Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSAndroid 12, ColorOS 12.1iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM
 UFS 3.1NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesColor spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panoramaDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single16 MP, f/2.4, 24mm (wide), 1/3", 1.0µm12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro)12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), PDAF, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 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
Single16 MP, f/2.4, 24mm (wide), 1/3", 1.0µm12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@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
 24-bit/192kHz audio-
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0Lightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, 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
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging150W wiredWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
TypeLi-Po 4800 mAhLi-Ion 4352 mAh (16.75 Wh)
Misc
ColorsMoonstone Black, Jade Green, Genshin ImpactGraphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green
ModelsPGP110A2643, A2484, A2641, A2644, A2645, iphone14,3
PriceAbout 500 EUR€ 423.38 / $ 394.86 / £ 355.00
SAR-1.18 W/kg (head)     1.20 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- -24.0 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 801691 (v9) GeekBench: 4706 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

OnePlus Ace Pro

  • Incredibly fast 150W charging
  • Potentially higher raw performance with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
  • More affordable price point

  • Android ecosystem fragmentation
  • Potentially shorter software support lifespan

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

  • Polished iOS ecosystem
  • Excellent camera system with cinematic mode
  • Long-term software support

  • Slower charging speeds
  • Higher price

Display Comparison

The iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 1050 nits, ensuring excellent visibility outdoors. While the Ace Pro’s display specs aren’t provided, OnePlus typically utilizes high-quality AMOLED panels. The iPhone’s infinite (nominal) contrast ratio delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. The iPhone’s ProMotion technology (adaptive refresh rate) isn’t mentioned for the Ace Pro, suggesting a potential advantage for smoother scrolling and animations on the iPhone. The iPhone’s display is likely to have superior color accuracy out of the box, a hallmark of Apple’s display calibration.

Camera Comparison

Both devices excel in camera performance, but approach it differently. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is renowned for its cinematic mode and consistent image quality across all lenses. While specific sensor details for the Ace Pro are missing, the iPhone’s larger sensors and advanced image processing algorithms likely provide an edge in low-light photography and dynamic range. Both phones are capable of excellent photo and video recording, but the iPhone’s computational photography is generally considered more refined. The Ace Pro may offer more versatility with potential features like a higher megapixel count (not specified), but the iPhone’s overall consistency and video capabilities are strong points.

Performance

The OnePlus Ace Pro’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) and the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s Apple A15 Bionic (5nm) represent different approaches to mobile silicon. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 utilizes a more traditional octa-core configuration (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2, 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710, 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510), while the A15 Bionic employs a hexa-core design (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard). Despite the core count difference, the A15 Bionic consistently demonstrates superior single-core performance. The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 offers improved thermal efficiency compared to previous generations, but the A15 Bionic’s architecture is highly optimized for power efficiency. The Ace Pro likely benefits from faster LPDDR5x RAM, potentially aiding in multitasking, but the A15 Bionic’s Neural Engine provides a significant advantage in machine learning tasks.

Battery Life

The iPhone 13 Pro Max achieves an impressive endurance rating of 121 hours, indicating excellent battery life. The OnePlus Ace Pro’s battery capacity is not specified, but its 150W wired charging is a game-changer. This allows for a full charge in a fraction of the time compared to the iPhone’s 50% charge in 30 minutes via PD2.0. While the iPhone offers 15W wireless charging (MagSafe/Qi2), the Ace Pro’s charging speed is significantly faster. The iPhone’s long-term battery health is generally well-maintained due to Apple’s software optimizations, but the Ace Pro’s rapid charging can mitigate range anxiety.

Buying Guide

Buy the OnePlus Ace Pro if you need uncompromising performance for gaming and demanding tasks, and value incredibly fast 150W charging. You're comfortable with Android and prioritize value for money. Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max if you prefer a refined, intuitive ecosystem, a consistently excellent camera experience, and long-term software updates, and are willing to pay a premium for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the OnePlus Ace Pro suffer from significant thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
While the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is more efficient than its predecessor, it can still generate heat under sustained load. The Ace Pro likely incorporates cooling solutions to mitigate throttling, but prolonged gaming at maximum settings may result in some performance reduction. The iPhone 13 Pro Max’s A15 Bionic is generally better at maintaining consistent performance under heavy load due to its efficient architecture.
❓ How does the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s battery life hold up with heavy usage, such as video recording and gaming?
The iPhone 13 Pro Max consistently delivers excellent battery life, even with demanding tasks. Its endurance rating of 121 hours suggests it can easily last a full day of heavy use. However, prolonged 4K video recording or graphically intensive gaming will naturally deplete the battery faster. Apple’s software optimizations help to manage power consumption effectively.
❓ Is the 150W charging on the OnePlus Ace Pro safe for long-term battery health?
OnePlus incorporates safety mechanisms to protect the battery during fast charging. While extremely fast charging can theoretically contribute to faster battery degradation over the long term, the Ace Pro’s charging system is designed to minimize this effect. The phone likely employs adaptive charging algorithms to slow down the charging rate as the battery approaches full capacity.