Sony Xperia Pro-I vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: The Ultimate Showdown

The Sony Xperia Pro-I and Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max represent the pinnacle of smartphone technology, each catering to a slightly different audience. One prioritizes professional photography features, while the other offers a seamless ecosystem and unparalleled performance. Let's dive into a head-to-head comparison to determine which device deserves your money.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The iPhone 14 Pro Max emerges as the overall winner thanks to its superior battery life, significantly brighter display, and tighter ecosystem integration. However, the Xperia Pro-I remains a compelling choice for serious photographers seeking a dedicated camera-centric experience with unique features like external monitor output.

PHONES
Phone Names Sony Xperia Pro-I Apple iPhone 14 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, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 711, 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 - A2894, A2896
5G bands1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub61, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2894, A2896
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub61, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2895
Launch
Announced2021, October 262022, September 07
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, December 02Available. Released 2022, September 16
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frameGlass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions166 x 72 x 8.9 mm (6.54 x 2.83 x 0.35 in)160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm (6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China)
Weight211 g (7.44 oz)240 g (8.47 oz)
 IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Built-in strap-holeIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass VictusCeramic Shield glass
Resolution1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density)1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)
Size6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM)
 Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use casesAlways-On display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Hexa-core (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 660Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSAndroid 11, upgradable to Android 13iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal512GB 12GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM
 UFS 3.XNVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesZeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, 12-bit RAW, HDR, eye trackingDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF, OIS (unconfirmed) SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple12 MP, f/2.0-4.0, 24mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 2.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS (315 PDAF points, 90% frame coverage) 12 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", PDAF, 2x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Video4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS4K@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
Single8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system-
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive5.3, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSSGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG, DisplayPortLightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNAWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 Native Sony Alpha camera supportUltra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving)
Battery
Charging30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 minWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
TypeLi-Po 4500 mAhLi-Ion 4323 mAh (16.68 Wh)
Misc
ColorsFrosted BlackSpace Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
ModelsXQ-BE62, XQBE62-B, XQ-BE62-B, XQ-BE62/B, XQ-BE42, XQ-BE42-B, XQ-BE42/B, XQ-BE72, XQ-BE52A2894, A2651, A2893, A2895, A2896, iphone15,3
PriceAbout 930 EUR€ 530.79 / $ 489.81 / £ 446.75
SAR-1.15 W/kg (head)     1.07 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.99 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 87h Endurance rating 121h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -28.6 LUFS (Average) -24.3 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 725839 (v9) GeekBench: 3540 (v5.1) GFXBench: 51fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 955884 (v9) GeekBench: 5423 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Sony Xperia Pro-I

  • 1-inch sensor for exceptional image quality
  • External monitor output for professional workflows
  • Dedicated camera controls and features
  • High-quality build

  • Lower peak brightness display
  • Less efficient processor
  • Shorter battery life
  • Higher price point

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

  • Exceptional performance with A16 Bionic chip
  • Significantly brighter display
  • Longer battery life
  • Seamless iOS ecosystem integration
  • Excellent computational photography

  • Less control over camera settings compared to Xperia Pro-I
  • Slower charging speeds
  • Limited customization options

Display Comparison

The iPhone 14 Pro Max boasts a staggering 1760 nits peak brightness, dwarfing the Xperia Pro-I's 644 nits. While the Xperia Pro-I offers accurate colors, the iPhone's display is significantly more visible in direct sunlight and provides a more immersive viewing experience. The iPhone's 'Infinite' contrast ratio (nominal) further enhances image quality.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer exceptional camera systems. The Xperia Pro-I's 1-inch sensor provides unique advantages in low-light photography and offers more control for professionals. The iPhone 14 Pro Max excels in computational photography, delivering consistently excellent results across various scenarios. Video recording capabilities are top-tier on both, but the Xperia Pro-I's external monitor output is a significant advantage for professional workflows.

Performance

The Apple A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 14 Pro Max delivers blistering performance, easily outperforming the Snapdragon 888 in the Xperia Pro-I. While the Xperia Pro-I is still capable, the iPhone handles demanding tasks and games with greater ease and efficiency. The A16's efficiency also contributes to better battery life.

Battery Life

The iPhone 14 Pro Max dominates in battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 121 hours compared to the Xperia Pro-I's 87 hours. This translates to significantly longer usage between charges, a crucial factor for many users.

Buying Guide

The Sony Xperia Pro-I is ideal for professional photographers and videographers who need a dedicated camera tool with external monitor connectivity and advanced manual controls. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is perfect for users deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem, prioritizing performance, a vibrant display, and a user-friendly experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Xperia Pro-I worth it for casual photographers?
Probably not. Its advanced features are geared towards professionals. Casual users will likely find the iPhone 14 Pro Max more user-friendly and versatile.
❓ Can the Xperia Pro-I connect to an external monitor?
Yes, it has a dedicated HDMI output for connecting to external monitors, a unique feature not found on the iPhone.
❓ Which phone has better video recording capabilities?
Both are excellent, but the Xperia Pro-I's external monitor output gives it an edge for professional video workflows.
❓ Does the iPhone 14 Pro Max support wireless charging?
Yes, it supports both MagSafe (15W) and Qi2 (requires iOS 17.2) wireless charging.