Oppo Find X3 vs. iPhone 12 Pro Max: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Power

The Oppo Find X3 and Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max represent distinct approaches to the premium smartphone market. The Find X3, powered by the Snapdragon 870, aimed to deliver flagship performance at a more competitive price point, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max, with its A14 Bionic, focused on a tightly integrated hardware and software experience. This comparison dissects their key differences to determine which device offers the best value in 2024.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing a seamless ecosystem and long-term software support, the iPhone 12 Pro Max remains a strong contender, despite its age. However, the Oppo Find X3 offers comparable performance with significantly faster charging and a potentially lower price, making it the better choice for Android enthusiasts and power users.

PHONES
Phone Names Oppo Find X3 Apple iPhone 12 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, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66 - China1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2342
5G bands1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 - China1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2342
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, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2410, A2411, A2412
Launch
Announced2021, March 112020, October 13
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, March 19Available. Released 2020, November 13
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back, aluminum frameGlass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions163.6 x 74 x 8.3 mm (6.44 x 2.91 x 0.33 in)160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in)
SIMNano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China)
Weight193 g (6.81 oz)228 g (8.04 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla GlassCeramic Shield glass
Resolution1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density)1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
Size6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, BT.2020, 500 nits (typ), 1300 nits (peak)Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585)Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm)Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 650Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
OSAndroid 11, upgradable to Android 13, ColorOS 13iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM
 -NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesColor spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panoramaDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Quad50 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, 2x optical zoom, PDAF 50 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 110˚ (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 3 MP, f/3.0, (microscope), AF, ring flash, 60x magnification-
Triple-12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 65mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS; HDR, 10‑bit video4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesPanoramaHDR
Single32 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm12 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 -No
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGLightning, 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
Charging65W wired, PD, 40% in 10 min 30W wireless, 100% in 80 min 10W reverse wirelessWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update
TypeLi-Po 4500 mAhLi-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh)
Misc
ColorsGloss Black, Blue, WhiteSilver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue
ModelsPEDM00A2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4
PriceAbout 600 EUR$ 328.00 / C$ 549.75 / £ 270.67 / € 339.00
SAR EU-0.99 W/kg (head)     0.99 W/kg (body)
Pricing
128GB 6GB RAM-$ 599.99
256GB 6GB RAM-$ 728.45
512GB 6GB RAM-$ 886.67
RENEWED-$ 627.00
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 95h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -23.8 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Oppo Find X3

  • Significantly faster 65W wired charging
  • More flexible Android operating system
  • Potentially lower price point

  • Less established software update support
  • Ecosystem limitations compared to Apple

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

  • Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem
  • Long-term software update support
  • Excellent video recording capabilities

  • Slower charging speeds
  • Higher price point
  • Less customization options

Display Comparison

The iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 822 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the Oppo Find X3’s peak brightness isn’t specified, its display technology is likely to be competitive. Both devices feature infinite (nominal) contrast ratios, typical of OLED panels. The iPhone’s display benefits from Apple’s color calibration, known for its accuracy, while the Find X3’s display quality is generally well-regarded, though specific calibration details are unavailable. The iPhone’s larger screen size and tighter integration with iOS content may be preferable for media consumption.

Camera Comparison

Both phones excel in photography, but approach it differently. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is renowned for its computational photography and video capabilities, delivering consistently high-quality results. The Oppo Find X3’s camera system, while capable, relies more on hardware specifications. While specific sensor details are missing, the iPhone’s image processing prioritizes natural colors and dynamic range, while Oppo often leans towards more vibrant, saturated images. The iPhone’s video recording capabilities are particularly strong, offering ProRes video recording (though this requires higher storage tiers).

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Oppo Find X3 utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G (7nm) with an octa-core CPU, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max features the Apple A14 Bionic (5nm) with a hexa-core CPU. The A14 Bionic’s 5nm process gives it a theoretical efficiency advantage, but the Snapdragon 870’s higher clock speeds (3.2 GHz peak) provide strong performance. Real-world performance is comparable for most tasks, but the A14 Bionic consistently demonstrates superior single-core performance, benefiting applications optimized for Apple’s silicon. The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 6GB of RAM is matched by the Find X3, but iOS’s memory management is generally more efficient.

Battery Life

Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 95 hours, indicating similar overall battery life. However, their charging capabilities differ dramatically. The Oppo Find X3’s 65W wired charging can deliver a 40% charge in just 10 minutes, and a full charge in under 40 minutes. The iPhone 12 Pro Max, with its 20W wired charging, takes approximately 30 minutes to reach 50%. The Find X3 also offers 30W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which relies on 15W MagSafe and Qi wireless charging (requiring iOS 17.4 for Qi2 support).

Buying Guide

Buy the Oppo Find X3 if you need blazing-fast 65W charging, prefer the flexibility of Android, and prioritize raw performance-per-dollar. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if you value Apple’s ecosystem, long-term software updates, and a refined user experience, and are willing to pay a premium for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 870 in the Oppo Find X3 struggle with sustained performance under heavy load, like prolonged gaming?
The Snapdragon 870 is a highly capable chip, but it can experience some thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions. However, the Find X3’s cooling system is generally effective at mitigating this, and performance remains strong for most users. It won't match the A14 Bionic's sustained performance, but it's still a very capable gaming device.
❓ How does the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s software support compare to the Oppo Find X3, considering Apple’s long-term commitment?
Apple typically provides 5-7 years of software updates for its iPhones, ensuring continued security and feature enhancements. Oppo’s software support is generally shorter, typically around 3 years of major Android updates and 4 years of security patches. This means the iPhone 12 Pro Max will likely remain secure and up-to-date for a longer period.
❓ Is the difference in charging speed between the Oppo Find X3 and iPhone 12 Pro Max truly noticeable in everyday use?
Absolutely. The Oppo Find X3’s 65W charging is a game-changer. A quick 10-minute charge can provide a significant boost, making it ideal for users who frequently need to top up their battery. The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s slower charging requires a much longer commitment to reach a full charge.