vivo X60 Pro (China) vs. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Power

The vivo X60 Pro (China) and the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max represent distinct approaches to the premium smartphone market. The X60 Pro, powered by Samsung’s Exynos 1080, aimed to disrupt the established order with competitive specs at a potentially lower price point, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max, with Apple’s A14 Bionic, continued a legacy of tightly integrated hardware and software. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device delivers the best experience.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing long-term software support, a refined ecosystem, and consistently excellent video recording, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max remains the superior choice. However, the vivo X60 Pro (China) offers compelling performance and a capable camera at a potentially lower cost, making it a strong contender for Android enthusiasts.

PHONES
Phone Names vivo X60 Pro (China) Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 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 bands1, 3, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2342
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2410, A2411, A2412
Launch
Announced2020, December 29. Released 2021, January 082020, October 13
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2020, November 13
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frameGlass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions158.6 x 73.2 x 7.6 mm (6.24 x 2.88 x 0.30 in)160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China)
Weight178 g (6.28 oz)228 g (8.04 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 6Ceramic Shield glass
Resolution1080 x 2376 pixels (~398 ppi density)1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
Size6.56 inches, 104.6 cm2 (~90.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.8 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm)
ChipsetExynos 1080 (5 nm)Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)
GPUMali-G78 MP10Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
OSAndroid 11, OriginOS 1.0iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 12GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM
 UFS 3.1NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesZeiss optics, color spectrum sensor, Pixel Shift, LED flash, HDR, panoramaDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Quad48 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.5, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide)-
Triple-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)
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@30fps4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
 32-bit/192kHz audio-
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C, OTGLightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 Virtual proximity sensingUltra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging33W wiredWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update
Type4200 mAhLi-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh)
Misc
ColorsGray, AuroraSilver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue
ModelsV2047AA2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4
PriceAbout 640 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 X60 Pro (China)

  • Faster wired charging (33W)
  • Potentially lower price point
  • Android OS flexibility

  • Shorter software support lifecycle
  • Less refined ecosystem
  • Uncertain camera performance details

Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

  • Industry-leading video recording
  • Exceptional sustained performance
  • Long-term software support

  • Slower wired charging (20W)
  • Higher price
  • Less OS customization

Display Comparison

The iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 822 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the X60 Pro’s display specifications aren’t provided, vivo typically prioritizes vibrant colors and high refresh rates in its Pro models. The iPhone’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, characteristic of OLED panels, delivers deep blacks and vivid colors. The lack of LTPO technology in either device means variable refresh rates aren’t present, but the iPhone’s color accuracy is generally considered best-in-class, crucial for professional photo and video editing.

Camera Comparison

Both phones excel in photography, but with different strengths. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is renowned for its computational photography and exceptional video recording capabilities. While specific sensor details for the X60 Pro are missing, vivo often emphasizes image processing algorithms and low-light performance. The iPhone’s ProRes video recording (available in later iOS versions) provides professional-grade video quality. The X60 Pro likely offers a more saturated and contrasty image profile, typical of vivo’s aesthetic, while the iPhone aims for more natural color reproduction. The absence of detailed camera specs for the X60 Pro makes a direct sensor size comparison impossible, but the iPhone’s larger sensor generally translates to better low-light performance.

Performance

Both the Exynos 1080 and the A14 Bionic are fabricated on a 5nm process, but their architectural approaches differ significantly. The A14’s hexa-core configuration, with its high-clocked Firestorm cores, delivers exceptional single-core performance, vital for responsive app launches and smooth multitasking. The Exynos 1080 utilizes an octa-core setup, balancing performance and efficiency. While the X60 Pro can hold its own in benchmarks, the A14 Bionic consistently demonstrates superior sustained performance due to Apple’s tighter hardware-software integration and more efficient thermal design. The iPhone’s 6GB of RAM is matched by the X60 Pro, but iOS’s memory management is generally more efficient.

Battery Life

The iPhone 12 Pro Max achieves an impressive endurance rating of 95 hours, indicating excellent battery life. The X60 Pro’s battery capacity is not specified, but its 33W wired charging is significantly faster than the iPhone’s 20W wired charging (50% in 30 minutes). The iPhone also supports 15W MagSafe and Qi wireless charging, requiring iOS 17.4 for optimal Qi2 compatibility. While the X60 Pro’s faster charging is convenient, the iPhone’s overall battery endurance and optimized power management provide a longer-lasting experience between charges.

Buying Guide

Buy the vivo X60 Pro (China) if you need a powerful Android phone with a focus on gaming and fast charging, and are comfortable with a potentially shorter software support lifecycle. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if you prefer a seamless user experience, industry-leading video capabilities, and guaranteed software updates for years to come, even if it means paying a premium.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 1080 in the vivo X60 Pro tend to overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
While the Exynos 1080 is a capable chip, it's known to generate more heat under sustained load compared to the A14 Bionic. The X60 Pro's thermal management system will likely mitigate this, but users may experience some throttling during extended gaming sessions, potentially impacting frame rates.
❓ How does the iPhone 12 Pro Max's battery life hold up with 5G enabled?
The iPhone 12 Pro Max's 95-hour endurance rating was measured with mixed usage, including 5G. However, consistently using 5G will noticeably reduce battery life. Apple's Smart Data Mode intelligently switches between 5G and 4G LTE to optimize battery consumption, but heavy 5G users should expect to charge more frequently.
❓ Is the 2MP macro camera on the vivo X60 Pro (if equipped) actually useful for detailed close-up shots?
Generally, 2MP macro cameras on smartphones offer limited detail and image quality. They are often included for marketing purposes but rarely deliver truly impressive results. The iPhone 12 Pro Max doesn't include a dedicated macro camera, relying on its main sensor's close-focusing capabilities, which typically produce superior macro shots.
❓ Does the iPhone 12 Pro Max support 60fps or 90fps recording in popular mobile games like PUBG?
The iPhone 12 Pro Max can support frame rates up to 60fps in PUBG Mobile, depending on the game's settings and the device's thermal conditions. While 90fps is becoming more common on Android devices, the A14 Bionic prioritizes consistent 60fps performance with high graphical fidelity over pushing for higher, potentially unstable frame rates.