vivo iQOO 12 vs. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and a seamless ecosystem, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is the superior choice, offering a brighter display and significantly longer battery life. However, the iQOO 12 delivers comparable performance at a potentially lower price point, making it a compelling option for Android power users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo iQOO 12 | Apple iPhone 15 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, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - India | 1, 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, 53, 66 - A3106 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - India | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3106 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, November 07 | 2023, September 12 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, November 14 | Available. Released 2023, September 22 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front, glass back, titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | 163.2 x 75.9 x 8.1 mm or 8.4 mm | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm (6.30 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-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) |
| Weight | 198.5 g or 203.7 g (7.02 oz) | 221 g (7.80 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1260 x 2800 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~453 ppi density) | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 111.0 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1400 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) | Hexa-core (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 14, upgradable to Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades, Funtouch 15 (International), OriginOS 4 (China) | iOS 17, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.7, 23mm (wide), 1/1.3", 1.2µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.6, 70mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, 15mm, 119˚ (ultrawide), AF | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.06", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, 3D (spatial) video, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless (market/region dependent) | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update 4.5W reverse wired |
| Type | 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 4441 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Red, White (BMW M branding) | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
| Models | V2307A | A2849, A3105, A3106, A3108, iPhone16,2 |
| Price | About 640 EUR | € 758.79 / $ 579.87 / £ 628.29 |
| SAR | - | 1.07 W/kg (head) 1.11 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
vivo iQOO 12
- Blazing-fast 120W wired charging
- Potentially lower price point
- High-performance Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset
- Shorter battery life compared to iPhone
- Less refined software experience (Android)
- Display brightness lower than iPhone
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Exceptional battery life
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- Seamless Apple ecosystem integration
- Higher price point
- Slower wired charging compared to iQOO 12
- Less customization options (iOS)
Display Comparison
The iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 1787 nits measured, compared to the iQOO 12’s 1425 nits. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both displays are excellent, the iPhone’s higher peak brightness and likely superior color calibration (though not specified in the data) provide a more vibrant and accurate visual experience. The iQOO 12’s display tech isn’t specified, but the brightness difference is a clear win for Apple. The iPhone’s ProMotion technology (LTPO) is also absent from the iQOO 12’s specs, suggesting a fixed refresh rate, potentially impacting smoothness in certain scenarios.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are equipped with capable camera systems, but the provided data lacks specifics to make a definitive judgment. Both are described as offering Photo/Video capabilities. The iQOO 12’s camera system is likely to focus on versatility and potentially high megapixel counts, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is known for its computational photography prowess and cinematic mode. Without sensor size, aperture, or OIS details, it’s difficult to assess image quality. The iPhone’s consistent image processing and video stabilization are likely advantages, but the iQOO 12 could offer unique features or a different aesthetic.
Performance
The core battleground is the chipset: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) in the iQOO 12 versus Apple’s A17 Pro (3nm) in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The A17 Pro’s 3nm process gives it a theoretical efficiency advantage, allowing for higher performance with lower power consumption. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 utilizes an octa-core configuration with a Cortex-X4 prime core clocked at 3.3 GHz, while the A17 Pro employs a hexa-core design with higher clock speeds (up to 3.78 GHz). While core count isn’t everything, the A17 Pro’s architecture and process node likely deliver superior sustained performance and thermal management. The iQOO 12’s LPDDR5x RAM is standard for high-end Android phones, but Apple’s memory bandwidth is often optimized for its silicon.
Battery Life
The iPhone 15 Pro Max demonstrably outperforms the iQOO 12 in battery life, achieving an active use score of 16:01h compared to the iQOO 12’s 13:30h. The iPhone’s older endurance rating of 118h further reinforces its longevity. While the iQOO 12 compensates with incredibly fast 120W wired charging (potentially fully charging the battery in under 30 minutes), the iPhone’s 50% charge in 30 minutes via PD2.0 and wireless charging options (MagSafe and Qi2) offer convenience. The iQOO 12’s charging speed is a significant advantage for those who frequently need to top up quickly, but the iPhone’s overall endurance is more valuable for all-day use.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo iQOO 12 if you need uncompromising performance for gaming and demanding tasks, coupled with the fastest charging speeds available. You’ll benefit from the flexibility of Android and a potentially lower upfront cost. Buy the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max if you prioritize a polished user experience, exceptional battery life, a brighter and more color-accurate display, and seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem. The iPhone’s longevity and resale value are also significant advantages.