vivo X Note vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: A Head-to-Head Comparison of Android and iOS Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and a seamless software experience, the iPhone 15 Pro Max emerges as the winner. Its A17 Pro chip delivers superior sustained performance, and its 16:01 hour active use battery life is unmatched. However, the vivo X Note’s 80W wired charging is a compelling advantage for those who value speed.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo X Note | 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, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 | 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, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 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 |
| CDMA2000 1x | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, April 11 | 2023, September 12 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, April 15 | Available. Released 2023, September 22 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, glass back, titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | 168.8 x 80.3 x 8.4 mm (6.65 x 3.16 x 0.33 in) | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm (6.30 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) |
| 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 | 216 / 221 g (7.62 oz) | 221 g (7.80 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3080 pixels (~486 ppi density) | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 7.0 inches, 121.3 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Hexa-core (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 12, OriginOS Ocean | iOS 17, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, Dual-LED flash, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.6, (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.0, 47mm (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.2µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm | - |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | - |
| Triple | - | 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@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | - |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavIC | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort |
| 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/6e, tri-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, 100% in 32 min 50W wireless 10W reverse wireless | 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, Blue, Gray | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
| Models | V2170A | A2849, A3105, A3106, A3108, iPhone16,2 |
| Price | About 870 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 X Note
- 80W Wired Charging: Significantly faster than iPhone.
- 50W Wireless Charging: Faster wireless charging than iPhone.
- Android Flexibility: Offers greater customization options.
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: Less efficient than A17 Pro.
- Battery Life: Likely shorter than iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- A17 Pro Chipset: Superior performance and efficiency.
- Exceptional Battery Life: 16:01 hours of active use.
- iOS Ecosystem: Seamless integration and long-term support.
- Slower Charging: 50% in 30 minutes is comparatively slow.
- Less Customization: iOS is a more restrictive operating system.
Display Comparison
The iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured peak of 1787 nits, making it far more visible outdoors than the X Note (brightness data unavailable). While the X Note’s panel technology isn’t specified, the iPhone 15 Pro Max utilizes an advanced LTPO panel, dynamically adjusting refresh rates for improved efficiency. The iPhone’s display is also likely to have superior color accuracy and calibration, a hallmark of Apple’s displays. Bezels are expected to be similarly minimal on both devices, reflecting current flagship design trends.
Camera Comparison
Detailed camera analysis is hampered by a lack of sensor size information for the vivo X Note. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to feature a sophisticated camera system with advanced image processing capabilities. Apple’s computational photography excels in dynamic range and detail preservation. The iPhone’s OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) is likely to be highly effective, ensuring sharp photos and stable videos. While the X Note may offer unique features, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s consistent image quality and video recording prowess are likely to be superior. We can assume the iPhone will have a more refined video recording experience.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s Apple A17 Pro, fabricated on a 3nm process, offers a clear architectural advantage over the vivo X Note’s 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The A17 Pro’s hexa-core configuration (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) prioritizes performance per watt, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s octa-core setup (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) aims for a balance of power and efficiency. The 3nm node of the A17 Pro translates to significantly improved thermal efficiency, reducing throttling during demanding tasks like gaming. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is powerful, the A17 Pro is expected to maintain higher sustained performance. RAM specifications are not provided for the X Note, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max likely utilizes faster LPDDR5X RAM, further enhancing performance.
Battery Life
The iPhone 15 Pro Max shines in battery endurance, achieving an impressive 16:01 hours of active use and an endurance rating of 118 hours. The vivo X Note compensates with significantly faster charging: 80W wired, reaching 100% in just 32 minutes, compared to the iPhone’s 50% in 30 minutes with PD2.0. The X Note also offers 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging, features the iPhone matches with 15W MagSafe/Qi2 (requiring iOS 17.2) and a meager 4.5W reverse wired. The X Note’s charging speed is a major advantage for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly, but the iPhone’s overall battery life is superior.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo X Note if you need blazing-fast charging, prefer the flexibility of Android, and appreciate a larger, potentially more customizable experience. Buy the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max if you prioritize long-term software support, a tightly integrated ecosystem, consistently high performance under sustained load, and exceptional battery life, even if it means sacrificing charging speed.