vivo iQOO 8 Pro vs. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a seamless experience and long-term software support, the iPhone 12 Pro Max remains a strong contender. However, the iQOO 8 Pro delivers exceptional value with its Snapdragon 888+ chipset and groundbreaking 120W charging, making it the winner for power users and gamers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo iQOO 8 Pro | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 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, LTE, 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 | 2021, August 17 | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 26 | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 165 x 75.2 x 9.2 mm (6.50 x 2.96 x 0.36 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 + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 205 g (7.23 oz) | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~518 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 111.0 cm2 (~89.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1500 nits (peak) | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 11, OriginOS 1.0 | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide) | - |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, gimbal OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 60mm (telephoto), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 0.8µm, AF | 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 | 8K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 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 | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide) | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with dual speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | Yes | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, 100% in 18 min 50W wireless 10W reverse wireless | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update |
| Type | 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | White (BMW M branding), Black, Pilot Edition | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue |
| Models | V2141A, I2017 | A2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4 |
| Price | About 660 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 |
| 256GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 728.45 |
| 512GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 886.67 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 627.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -23.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo iQOO 8 Pro
- Blazing-fast 120W wired charging
- Powerful Snapdragon 888+ processor
- Potentially higher refresh rate display
- 50W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- Software support may be shorter than iPhone
- Display PWM dimming rate unknown (potential flicker concerns)
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Excellent video recording capabilities
- Seamless iOS ecosystem integration
- Long-term software support
- High display brightness and color accuracy
- Slower charging speeds
- 60Hz display refresh rate
Display Comparison
The iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 822 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the iQOO 8 Pro’s display specifications aren’t provided, its market positioning suggests a comparable AMOLED panel. However, the iPhone’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED displays, delivers deeper blacks. The iQOO 8 Pro likely features a higher refresh rate (assumed 120Hz based on brand trends) for smoother scrolling, a feature not natively available on the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 60Hz display. The absence of PWM dimming information for the iQOO 8 Pro is a concern for users sensitive to flicker, while the iPhone’s display is known for its color accuracy.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are capable of excellent photo and video capture, but approach it differently. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is renowned for its cinematic video recording and consistent image processing. The iQOO 8 Pro’s camera specifications are missing, but its positioning suggests a focus on high-resolution sensors and computational photography. Without sensor size details, it’s difficult to assess low-light performance. The iPhone’s image processing prioritizes natural colors, while the iQOO 8 Pro likely employs a more vibrant, contrast-enhanced style favored by many Android manufacturers. The absence of details on the iQOO 8 Pro’s optical image stabilization (OIS) system is a key omission.
Performance
The iQOO 8 Pro’s Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5nm) chipset, with its Cortex-X1 prime core clocked at 2.99 GHz, is designed for sustained peak performance. This contrasts with the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s A14 Bionic (5nm), a hexa-core processor with a different architectural approach. While the A14’s Firestorm cores reach 3.1 GHz, Apple’s silicon benefits from superior single-core performance and efficient power management. The iQOO 8 Pro’s LPDDR5 RAM (capacity unspecified) complements the Snapdragon, but the iPhone’s optimized software and chip integration often translate to a smoother overall experience despite having 6GB of RAM. Thermal management will be crucial for the iQOO 8 Pro to maintain peak performance under sustained load.
Battery Life
The iPhone 12 Pro Max achieves an impressive 95-hour endurance rating, demonstrating excellent battery life despite its older battery technology. The iQOO 8 Pro’s battery capacity is unknown, but its 120W wired charging is a game-changer, achieving a full charge in just 18 minutes. This is significantly faster than the iPhone’s 50% charge in 30 minutes using Power Delivery 2.0. The iQOO 8 Pro also offers 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which relies on 15W MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging (requiring iOS 17.4).
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo iQOO 8 Pro if you need uncompromising charging speeds, peak Android performance for gaming, and aren't heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if you prioritize a refined user experience, excellent video recording capabilities, and seamless integration with other Apple devices, and value long-term software updates.