vivo X100 vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a seamless ecosystem and long-term software support, the iPhone 15 Pro Max remains the safer bet. However, the vivo X100’s blazing-fast 120W charging and potent Dimensity 9300 offer a compelling alternative, particularly for Android enthusiasts seeking raw performance and innovative features.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo X100 | 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, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 - International | 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 - International | 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 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, November 13 | 2023, September 12 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, November 21 | Available. Released 2023, September 22 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back | Glass front, glass back, titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | 164.1 x 75.2 x 8.5 mm or 8.8 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 | 202 g or 206 g (7.13 oz) | 221 g (7.80 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1260 x 2800 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~452 ppi density) | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 111.5 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 3000 nits (peak) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.25 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-X4 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A720) | Hexa-core (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 9300 (4 nm) | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) |
| GPU | Immortalis-G720 MC12 | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 14, Funtouch 14 (International), OriginOS 4 (China) | iOS 17, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, LED flash, panorama, HDR, 3D LUT import | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.6, (wide), 1/1.49", 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), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, 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 | 4K, 1080p, 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 | 32 MP, f/2.0, 20mm (ultrawide) | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 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 | 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), NavIC (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, 50% in 11 min Reverse wired | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update 4.5W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Ion 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 4441 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Startrail Blue, Asteroid Black, White, Orange | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
| Models | V2309A, V2308 | A2849, A3105, A3106, A3108, iPhone16,2 |
| Price | ₹ 51,999 | € 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 X100
- Incredibly fast 120W wired charging
- Potentially superior multi-core CPU performance with Dimensity 9300
- Android ecosystem flexibility
- Likely inferior GPU performance compared to A17 Pro
- Software support may not match Apple’s longevity
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Exceptional camera system with advanced video capabilities
- Industry-leading A17 Pro chip with 3nm efficiency
- Long-term software support and ecosystem integration
- Slower charging speeds compared to vivo X100
- Less customization options within the iOS ecosystem
Display Comparison
The iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a peak brightness of 1787 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the vivo X100’s display specifications aren’t provided, it’s likely to be a high-quality AMOLED panel. The iPhone’s advantage lies in its measured brightness and likely superior color calibration, crucial for content creators. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also benefits from Apple’s ProMotion technology (LTPO) for adaptive refresh rates, potentially improving battery efficiency and smoothness compared to a standard refresh rate panel on the X100 (assuming it doesn't also have LTPO).
Camera Comparison
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is renowned for its computational photography and video recording capabilities. While specific sensor details for the vivo X100 are missing, the focus should be on the main sensor’s size and aperture. Apple’s image processing pipeline is highly refined, delivering consistent results across various lighting conditions. The iPhone’s video recording capabilities, including ProRes support, are a significant advantage for professional users. The X100 will likely excel in specific scenarios, but the iPhone offers a more versatile and reliable camera experience overall.
Performance
The core architectural difference is significant: Apple’s A17 Pro is a hexa-core chip built on a 3nm process, prioritizing efficiency and sustained performance. Conversely, the vivo X100’s Dimensity 9300 utilizes an octa-core configuration (1x3.25 GHz Cortex-X4, 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-X4, 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A720) on a 4nm node. The Dimensity 9300’s multiple high-performance cores suggest a potential edge in multi-threaded tasks, while the A17 Pro’s 3nm fabrication should deliver superior power efficiency. The iPhone’s GPU is also likely to outperform the Mali-G720 MC12 in the Dimensity 9300, especially in graphically intensive games. The iPhone 15 Pro Max benefits from faster RAM (LPDDR5X) which contributes to overall system responsiveness.
Battery Life
The iPhone 15 Pro Max achieves an impressive 16:01h of active use, and an endurance rating of 118h, demonstrating excellent battery optimization. The vivo X100 compensates with its 120W wired charging, reaching 50% charge in just 11 minutes – a substantial advantage over the iPhone’s 30-minute 50% charge time. While the X100’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the faster charging mitigates concerns about battery life for users who prioritize quick top-ups. The iPhone also offers 15W wireless charging via MagSafe and Qi2 (with iOS 17.2), while the X100 provides reverse wired charging, a useful feature for topping up accessories.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo X100 if you need incredibly fast charging (reaching 50% in just 11 minutes), prefer the Android ecosystem, and prioritize raw CPU performance as indicated by the Dimensity 9300’s Cortex-X4 core configuration. Buy the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max if you value a polished user experience, a mature camera system with excellent video capabilities, and the longevity of Apple’s software updates, alongside the convenience of MagSafe wireless charging.