vivo NEX 3 5G vs. iPhone 11 Pro Max: A Detailed Comparison of Two 2019 Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a polished ecosystem and long-term software support, the iPhone 11 Pro Max remains the superior choice. However, the vivo NEX 3 5G offers compelling value with its faster 44W charging and comparable performance, making it a strong contender for Android enthusiasts.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo NEX 3 5G | Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 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, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2218 |
| 5G bands | 41, 78 NSA | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2161, A2220 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September. Released 2019, September | 2019, September 10 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2019, September 20 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 167.4 x 76.1 x 9.4 mm (6.59 x 3.00 x 0.37 in) | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 218.5 g (7.72 oz) | 226 g (7.97 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2256 pixels (~363 ppi density) | 1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.89 inches, 119.3 cm2 (~93.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, HDR10 | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485) | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) | Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 10, Funtouch 10 | iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
| - | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | - | 13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.5, 52mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), PDAF | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6" |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR | HDR |
| Single | Motorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.1, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 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 | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | 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, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 44W wired | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) |
| Type | 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue | Matte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green |
| Models | V1924A, V1924T, 1913 | A2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5 |
| Price | About 730 EUR | $ 233.00 / C$ 369.75 / £ 226.95 / € 249.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.16 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 256GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 874.46 |
| 512GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 1,004.31 |
| 64GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 435.00 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 485.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -93.7dB / Crosstalk -93.1dB | Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -81.5dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 110h | Endurance rating 102h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 70dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 72dB | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 388878 (v7), 497858 (v8) GeekBench: 11060 (v4.4) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 459713 (v7), 536883 (v8) GeekBench: 13870 (v4.4), 3503 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo NEX 3 5G
- Significantly faster 44W wired charging
- More affordable price point
- Waterfall display offers an immersive visual experience
- Less refined camera software and image processing
- Android ecosystem fragmentation and update concerns
- Lower display brightness compared to iPhone
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
- Superior performance thanks to the A13 Bionic chip
- Excellent camera system with consistent results
- Long-term software support and ecosystem integration
- Slower charging speed compared to vivo NEX 3 5G
- Higher price tag
- Less customization options compared to Android
Display Comparison
The iPhone 11 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display at 820 nits compared to the vivo NEX 3 5G’s 610 nits. This translates to better visibility under direct sunlight. Both displays share an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. While the NEX 3 5G’s waterfall display offers a more immersive aesthetic, the iPhone’s color accuracy and overall calibration are generally considered superior, particularly for professional content consumption. The lack of high refresh rate on either device is a notable omission by today's standards.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer versatile camera systems capable of capturing high-quality photos and videos. However, Apple’s image processing prioritizes natural colors and dynamic range, while vivo tends towards more saturated and vibrant images. While specific sensor sizes aren’t provided, the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s triple-camera system (wide, ultrawide, telephoto) offers greater versatility. The NEX 3 5G’s camera is capable, but lacks the consistent performance and refined software features of the iPhone. Both phones record excellent video, but the iPhone’s cinematic mode and superior stabilization give it an edge.
Performance
The Apple A13 Bionic, fabricated on a 7nm+ process, consistently outperforms the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ (7nm) in single-core CPU tasks. While the Snapdragon 855+ features an octa-core configuration versus the A13’s hexa-core, Apple’s architectural advantages and optimized software integration deliver superior real-world performance. Both chipsets are capable of handling demanding applications and games, but the A13 exhibits better sustained performance due to more efficient thermal management. The iPhone 11 Pro Max’s 4GB of RAM is matched by the NEX 3 5G, but iOS’s memory management is more efficient, minimizing app reloading.
Battery Life
The vivo NEX 3 5G achieves an endurance rating of 110 hours, slightly exceeding the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s 102 hours. However, this doesn’t tell the whole story. The NEX 3 5G’s 44W wired charging is significantly faster than the iPhone’s 50% charge in 30 minutes via PD2.0. This means the NEX 3 5G can replenish its battery much quicker. While the iPhone offers Qi wireless charging, the NEX 3 5G lacks this feature. The difference in charging speed is a major advantage for the NEX 3 5G, especially for users who frequently need to top up their battery.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo NEX 3 5G if you need exceptionally fast charging, prefer the flexibility of Android, and prioritize raw performance for the price. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you value a seamless user experience, a mature camera system with consistent results, and guaranteed software updates for years to come. The iPhone is also the better choice for users heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem.