vivo S12 Pro vs iPhone 13 Pro Max: A Detailed Comparison of Performance, Camera, and Battery
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a seamless ecosystem and long-term software support, the iPhone 13 Pro Max remains the superior choice. However, the vivo S12 Pro delivers impressive performance and a capable camera system for a fraction of the cost, making it a strong contender for budget-conscious buyers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo S12 Pro | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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, 66 - A2643, A2644, A2645 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2643, A2644 |
| 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 |
| CDMA2000 1x | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2641 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, December 22 | 2021, September 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, December 30 | Available. Released 2021, September 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 159.5 x 73.3 x 7.4 mm (6.28 x 2.89 x 0.29 in) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 171 g (6.03 oz) | 240 g (8.47 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.56 inches, 103.9 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 1200 (6 nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 11, OriginOS Ocean | iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF 8 MP, f/2.3, 105˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Triple | 108 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.52", PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) | 12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), PDAF, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 4K@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), ProRes, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF 8 MP, f/2.3, 105˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR | HDR |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, 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 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update |
| Type | 4300 mAh | Li-Ion 4352 mAh (16.75 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, Yellow | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green |
| Models | V2163A | A2643, A2484, A2641, A2644, A2645, iphone14,3 |
| Price | About 430 EUR | € 423.38 / $ 394.86 / £ 355.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.18 W/kg (head) 1.20 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 121h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.0 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 801691 (v9) GeekBench: 4706 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo S12 Pro
- Faster 44W wired charging
- More affordable price point
- Android customization options
- Less powerful processor
- Potentially lower camera quality
- Shorter software support lifespan
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Superior performance with A15 Bionic
- Best-in-class camera system
- Long-term software support (iOS)
- Significantly higher price
- Slower wired charging compared to vivo
- Less customization options (iOS)
Display Comparison
The iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1050 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the vivo S12 Pro’s display specs aren’t provided, it likely doesn’t reach these peak brightness levels. The iPhone’s infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, thanks to its OLED technology, delivers deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. The iPhone 13 Pro Max also benefits from ProMotion, an adaptive refresh rate technology (not specified for the S12 Pro) that dynamically adjusts up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations, enhancing the overall user experience.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are equipped with capable camera systems, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max likely holds an advantage in overall image quality and video recording. While both are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the iPhone’s sensor size and Apple’s computational photography prowess deliver superior dynamic range, detail, and low-light performance. The iPhone’s ProRes video recording capabilities are also unmatched. The vivo S12 Pro’s camera performance is likely strong within its price bracket, but it won’t match the consistency and refinement of the iPhone’s system. The absence of specific sensor details for the S12 Pro makes a precise comparison difficult, but the iPhone’s larger sensor and advanced image processing algorithms are key differentiators.
Performance
The Apple A15 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, demonstrably outperforms the vivo S12 Pro’s Mediatek Dimensity 1200 (6nm). The A15’s hexa-core architecture, with its 3.23 GHz Avalanche cores, provides superior single-core performance crucial for responsive app launches and fluid multitasking. While the Dimensity 1200’s octa-core configuration is capable, the A15’s architectural advantages and tighter software integration result in a more efficient and powerful experience. The iPhone’s GPU also holds a significant edge, translating to better gaming performance and faster video editing. The 6nm process of the Dimensity 1200, while efficient, isn’t as refined as the 5nm A15, potentially leading to more thermal throttling under sustained load.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an impressive endurance rating of 121 hours, suggesting comparable battery life under similar usage scenarios. However, the charging speeds differ significantly. The iPhone 13 Pro Max supports 50% charge in 30 minutes with wired PD2.0, 15W wireless charging with MagSafe, and 15W with Qi2 (requiring iOS 17.2). The vivo S12 Pro offers a faster 44W wired charging solution, potentially achieving a full charge quicker than the iPhone. While the iPhone’s battery life is excellent, the vivo S12 Pro’s faster charging could be a deciding factor for users who prioritize quick top-ups.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo S12 Pro if you need a stylish phone with fast charging and a good camera without breaking the bank, and are comfortable with the Android ecosystem. Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max if you prioritize top-tier performance, a best-in-class camera system, and the longevity of iOS updates, and are willing to pay a premium for the experience.