Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Power

The Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G, released in 2021, represented a peak in Oppo's Android flagship ambitions, offering a compelling feature set. Now, several years later, we revisit it against the still-relevant Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max, a benchmark for iOS performance and camera capabilities. This comparison isn't about crowning a definitive winner, but understanding the trade-offs between Android's flexibility and Apple's integrated ecosystem, especially considering the Reno5 Pro+'s current price point.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing long-term performance, software support, and camera consistency, the iPhone 13 Pro Max remains the superior choice. However, the Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G offers a significantly faster 65W charging experience and potentially a lower entry cost, making it attractive for budget-conscious users who value rapid power-ups.

PHONES
Phone Names Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G 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, 12, 17, 18, 19, 26, 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, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 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 / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1x 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
Announced2020, December 242021, September 14
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, January 05Available. Released 2021, September 24
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frameGlass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions159.9 x 72.5 x 8 mm (6.30 x 2.85 x 0.31 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
Weight184 g (6.49 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 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density)1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
Size6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~89.3% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 800 nits (HDR), 1100 nits (peak)Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 650Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSAndroid 11, ColorOS 11.1iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB 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)
Quad50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm 2 MP (macro)-
Single-12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple-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-EIS, HDR4K@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
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@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
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, 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, 100% in 35 min Reverse wiredWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
TypeLi-Po 4500 mAhLi-Ion 4352 mAh (16.75 Wh)
Misc
ColorsGalactic Silver, Starlight BlackGraphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green
ModelsPDRM00, PDRT00A2643, 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)

Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G

  • Significantly faster 65W wired charging
  • Potentially lower purchase price
  • Reverse wired charging capability

  • Older Snapdragon 865 chipset
  • Likely fewer software updates
  • Potentially inferior camera processing

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

  • Superior performance with the A15 Bionic
  • Long-term software support from Apple
  • Excellent camera system with advanced image processing

  • Slower charging speeds compared to Oppo
  • Higher purchase price
  • Closed ecosystem limitations

Display Comparison

The iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts a display capable of reaching 1050 nits of peak brightness, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Reno5 Pro+ 5G’s display specs aren’t provided, it’s likely lower, impacting outdoor readability. The iPhone’s infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. The iPhone 13 Pro Max also benefits from Apple’s ProMotion technology (not mentioned in the provided data, but a key feature), offering adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations, a feature absent on the Reno5 Pro+ 5G.

Camera Comparison

Both devices are described as having strong photo and video capabilities, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max likely holds an edge due to Apple’s advanced image processing pipeline and sensor technology. While sensor sizes aren’t specified, Apple typically employs larger sensors, capturing more light and detail. The iPhone’s computational photography excels in dynamic range and low-light performance. The Reno5 Pro+ 5G’s camera system, while capable, relies on Qualcomm’s ISP and Oppo’s software algorithms, which may not match Apple’s refinement. The absence of detail regarding lens apertures on the Reno5 Pro+ 5G makes a direct comparison difficult, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s wider apertures generally allow for better low-light performance.

Performance

The Apple A15 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, demonstrably outperforms the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (7nm+) in both CPU and GPU benchmarks. The A15’s hexa-core architecture, with its 2x3.23 GHz Avalanche and 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard cores, is optimized for both peak performance and efficiency. The Snapdragon 865’s octa-core configuration, while capable, is older and less efficient. This translates to the iPhone 13 Pro Max handling demanding tasks like video editing and gaming with greater ease and sustained performance, while the Reno5 Pro+ 5G may exhibit more thermal throttling under prolonged load. The iPhone's RAM speed (likely LPDDR5) is also faster than what was typical for the Reno5 Pro+ 5G.

Battery Life

Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 121 hours, suggesting similar overall battery life despite differing battery capacities (not specified for the Reno5 Pro+ 5G). However, the charging speeds are drastically different. The Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G’s 65W wired charging can replenish the battery to 100% in just 35 minutes, a significant advantage over the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s slower wired charging (50% in 30 minutes via PD2.0). The iPhone 13 Pro Max offers 15W wireless charging with MagSafe and Qi2 (requiring iOS 17.2), while the Reno5 Pro+ 5G also supports reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the iPhone.

Buying Guide

Buy the Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G if you need blazing-fast 65W charging, prefer the Android operating system, and are comfortable with a phone that will receive fewer software updates. Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max if you prioritize a seamless user experience, industry-leading performance from the A15 Bionic, a consistently excellent camera system, and long-term software support.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 865 in the Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G struggle with demanding games like Genshin Impact compared to the iPhone 13 Pro Max?
Yes, the Snapdragon 865, while capable, will likely exhibit more frame drops and thermal throttling in graphically intensive games like Genshin Impact compared to the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The A15’s superior GPU and thermal management allow for sustained high performance over longer gaming sessions.
❓ How much does the 65W charging of the Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G actually improve the user experience in daily use?
The 65W charging is a game-changer for convenience. Being able to go from 0% to 100% in 35 minutes means you can quickly top up your phone during a short break, eliminating range anxiety. This is a significant advantage over the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which takes considerably longer to fully charge.
❓ Given the age of the Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G, how confident can I be in receiving future software and security updates?
Software support for the Oppo Reno5 Pro+ 5G is likely limited at this point. Oppo typically provides a few years of major Android updates, and the device is now several generations behind. While security patches may still be available, they may become less frequent over time. The iPhone 13 Pro Max, on the other hand, will continue to receive updates for several years to come.