Sony Xperia 5 II vs. iPhone 12 Pro Max: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Powerhouses
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing ease of use and a polished ecosystem, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the better choice. However, the Sony Xperia 5 II provides a compelling alternative for content creators and those who value customization and a more compact form factor, offering a unique feature set at a competitive price.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 5 II | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66 | 1, 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 bands | 1, 3, 8, 28, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2342 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, September 17 | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, October 12 | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 158 x 68 x 8 mm (6.22 x 2.68 x 0.31 in) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 163 g (5.75 oz) | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 86.9 cm2 (~80.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Triluminos display X-Reality Engine | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 12 | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, 3x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF | 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) |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p, 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX HD, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 21W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Grey, Blue, Pink | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue |
| Models | SO-52A, XQ-AS52, XQ-AS62, XQ-AS72, A002SO, SOG02 | A2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4 |
| Price | About 650 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 |
| 128GB 8GB RAM | $ 695.00 | - |
| 256GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 728.45 |
| 512GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 886.67 |
| RENEWED | £ 239.00 | $ 627.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 102h | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -28.3 LUFS (Average) | -23.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 532655 (v8) GeekBench: 3301 (v5.1) GFXBench: 41fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia 5 II
- Compact and ergonomic design
- Advanced video recording features with manual controls
- Headphone jack for audio enthusiasts
- Competitive price point
- Lower peak display brightness
- Less powerful processor than the A14 Bionic
- No telephoto lens
- Less refined software experience
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Brighter and larger display
- More powerful A14 Bionic chip
- Excellent camera system with telephoto lens
- Seamless iOS ecosystem and software support
- Higher price tag
- Larger size may be unwieldy for some
- No headphone jack
- Less customization options
Display Comparison
The iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display at 822 nits compared to the Xperia 5 II’s 600 nits, making it more legible outdoors under direct sunlight. Both displays share an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels. While the Xperia 5 II’s 6.1-inch display offers a more manageable size for one-handed use, the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch screen provides a more immersive viewing experience. Neither device specifies refresh rate, but the iPhone 12 Pro Max lacks the high refresh rate options becoming common in Android flagships, potentially resulting in less smooth scrolling for some users.
Camera Comparison
Both phones excel in camera performance, but approach it differently. While both offer photo and video capabilities, the Xperia 5 II focuses heavily on manual controls and video features, appealing to professional content creators. The iPhone 12 Pro Max excels in computational photography, delivering consistently excellent results with minimal user input. Sensor sizes aren't specified, but the iPhone's image processing prioritizes natural-looking images, while Sony's tends towards more vibrant, saturated colors. The lack of a dedicated telephoto lens on the Xperia 5 II is a notable disadvantage compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s versatile camera system.
Performance
The Apple A14 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, generally outperforms the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (7nm+) in raw CPU and GPU benchmarks. The A14’s hexa-core configuration (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) delivers strong single-core performance, crucial for responsive app launches and everyday tasks. The Xperia 5 II’s octa-core Snapdragon 865, while powerful, lags behind in efficiency. The iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 6GB of RAM is comparable to the Xperia 5 II’s 8GB, but Apple’s software optimization allows it to manage memory more effectively. The A14’s Neural Engine also provides a significant advantage in machine learning tasks.
Battery Life
The Xperia 5 II achieves an endurance rating of 102 hours, slightly surpassing the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 95 hours. However, this doesn’t necessarily translate to longer real-world usage, as the A14 Bionic’s efficiency mitigates the difference. Both phones support 50% charging in 30 minutes, but the iPhone 12 Pro Max adds 15W wireless charging (MagSafe and Qi2 with iOS 17.4), a convenience the Xperia 5 II lacks. The Xperia 5 II’s 21W wired charging is faster than the iPhone’s PD2.0 wired charging, but the wireless charging option on the iPhone provides added flexibility.
Buying Guide
Buy the Sony Xperia 5 II if you need a compact flagship with advanced video recording features, a customizable interface, and a headphone jack. It’s ideal for photographers and videographers who want granular control over their content creation. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if you prefer a seamless user experience, a robust app ecosystem, and a larger display for media consumption. It’s the better option for those deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem and prioritize simplicity.