Sony Xperia Z3 Compact vs. iPhone 12 Pro Max: A Clash of Generations

The Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, a beloved compact flagship from 2015, faces off against the behemoth that is the iPhone 12 Pro Max. This comparison explores how a phone from a bygone era stacks up against a modern titan, considering design, performance, camera capabilities, and overall value. Can the Z3 Compact's legacy hold up?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The iPhone 12 Pro Max overwhelmingly wins due to its vastly superior performance, modern features, and camera technology. However, the Z3 Compact offers a compelling argument for those prioritizing extreme battery life and a truly compact form factor, especially at a significantly lower price point (if found used).

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Xperia Z3 Compact	Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - D5803	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 20 - D5803	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, 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 Cat4 150/50 Mbps	HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40 - D5833	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2410, A2411, A2412

Launch
Announced	2014, September. Released 2014, September	2020, October 13
Status	Discontinued	Available. Released 2020, November 13

Body
Build	Glass front, glass back, plastic frame	Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions	127.3 x 64.9 x 8.6 mm (5.01 x 2.56 x 0.34 in)	160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China)
Weight	129 g (4.55 oz)	228 g (8.04 oz)
	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)

Display
Protection	Shatter proof glass	Ceramic Shield glass
Resolution	720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~319 ppi density)	1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
Size	4.6 inches, 58.3 cm2 (~70.6% screen-to-body ratio)	6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD	Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
	Triluminos display X-Reality Engine	-

Platform
CPU	Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400	Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm)
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 (28 nm)	Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)
GPU	Adreno 330	Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
OS	Android 4.4.4 (KitKat), upgradable to 6.0 (Marshmallow)	iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (dedicated slot)	No
Internal	16GB 2GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM
	eMMC 5.0	NVMe

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single	20.7 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/2.3", 1.12µm, AF	-
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)
Video	4K@30fps,1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR	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
Single	2.2 MP, f/2.8	12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video	1080p@30fps	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

Comms
Bluetooth	4.0, A2DP, LE, aptX	5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS
Radio	Stereo FM radio, RDS	No
USB	microUSB 2.0 (MHL TV-out), OTG, magnetic connector	Lightning, USB 2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot

Features
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer	Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
	ANT+	Ultra Wideband (UWB) support

Battery
Charging	18W wired, QC2	Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update
Music play	Up to 110 h	-
Stand-by	Up to 880 h (2G) / Up to 920 h (3G)	-
Talk time	Up to 12 h (2G) / Up to 14 h (3G)	-
Type	Li-Ion 2600 mAh, non-removable	Li-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh)

Misc
Colors	Black, White, Green, Orange	Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue
Models	D5803, D5833, SO-02G	A2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4
Price	About 300 EUR	$ 328.00 / C$ 549.75 / £ 270.67 / € 339.00
SAR	0.95 W/kg (head) 1.10 W/kg (body)	-
SAR EU	0.69 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body)	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
Audio quality	Noise -85.2dB / Crosstalk -85.3dB	-
Battery life	Endurance rating 101h	Endurance rating 95h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: 942:1 (nominal), 2.616 (sunlight)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	Voice 65dB / Noise 62dB / Ring 73dB	-23.8 LUFS (Very good)
Performance	Basemark X: 12080	AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

OUR TESTS
Audio quality	Noise -85.2dB / Crosstalk -85.3dB	-
Battery (old)	Endurance rating 101h	Endurance rating 95h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: 942:1 (nominal), 2.616 (sunlight)	822 nits max brightness (measured)
Loudspeaker	Voice 65dB / Noise 62dB / Ring 73dB	-23.8 LUFS (Very good)
Performance	Basemark X: 12080	AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

Extremely compact size
Exceptional battery life
Durable build quality
Affordable (used)

Outdated processor
Low-resolution display
Limited app support
Older camera technology

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

Blazing-fast performance
Excellent camera system
Bright and vibrant display
Premium design
Long-term software support

Expensive
Large size
No expandable storage
Lightning port (vs USB-C)

Display Comparison

The iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display (822 nits) and an 'infinite' contrast ratio, offering vibrant colors and excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. The Z3 Compact's display (942:1 contrast, 2.616 sunlight readability) is respectable for its time but pales in comparison. The iPhone's Super Retina XDR display is a clear winner.

Camera Comparison

The iPhone 12 Pro Max's camera system is vastly superior, offering multiple lenses, advanced computational photography, and stunning image quality. The Z3 Compact's camera is adequate for basic photography but lacks the detail, dynamic range, and features of the iPhone. The iPhone's video recording capabilities are also significantly better.

Performance

The A14 Bionic chip in the iPhone 12 Pro Max is in a different league than the Snapdragon 801 in the Z3 Compact. The iPhone offers lightning-fast performance, smooth multitasking, and effortless handling of demanding apps and games. The Z3 Compact, while capable for its time, will struggle with modern applications and intensive tasks. The iPhone's hexa-core architecture provides a substantial advantage.

Battery Life

Interestingly, the Z3 Compact and iPhone 12 Pro Max have very similar endurance ratings (101h vs 95h). However, this is largely due to the Z3 Compact's older, less power-hungry components. The iPhone's larger battery capacity contributes to its longevity despite the more demanding processor and display.

Buying Guide

The Sony Xperia Z3 Compact is ideal for users seeking a small, durable phone with exceptional battery life and a retro feel, willing to accept older technology. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is for those who demand top-tier performance, a premium camera system, and the latest iOS features, and are prepared to pay a premium.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Xperia Z3 Compact still worth buying?

If you prioritize a small size, long battery life, and a low price, and don't need the latest features, it can be a decent option. However, be aware of its limitations with modern apps and software.

❓ How does the iPhone 12 Pro Max's camera compare to other phones?

The iPhone 12 Pro Max's camera is consistently ranked among the best in the smartphone market, offering excellent image quality, versatile lens options, and advanced features like Night mode and Cinematic mode.