vivo X90 Pro+ vs. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle

The vivo X90 Pro+ arrives as a compelling Android alternative to Apple’s established dominance with the iPhone 14 Pro Max. While Apple refines its ecosystem and software integration, vivo aggressively pushes hardware boundaries with cutting-edge charging and a powerful Snapdragon processor. This comparison dissects the core differences to determine which phone delivers the best experience for discerning users.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the power user prioritizing charging speed and raw Android performance, the vivo X90 Pro+ is the clear winner. However, the iPhone 14 Pro Max maintains its edge for those deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem, valuing consistent performance, and prioritizing long-term software support.

PHONES
Phone Names vivo X90 Pro+ Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 661, 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 - A2894, A2896
5G bands1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2894, A2896
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 -1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2895
Launch
Announced2022, November 222022, September 07
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, December 06Available. Released 2022, September 16
Body
BuildGlass front, aluminum frame, eco leather backGlass front, glass back, stainless steel frame
Dimensions164.4 x 75.3 x 9.7 mm (6.47 x 2.96 x 0.38 in)160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm (6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 in)
SIMNano-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)
Weight221 g (7.80 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
Resolution1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~517 ppi density)1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)
Size6.78 inches, 111.4 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO4 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1800 nits (peak)LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM)
 -Always-On display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)Hexa-core (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 740Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
OSAndroid 13, Funtouch (Global), OriginOS 3 (China)iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM
 -NVMe
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, Pixel Shift, dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Quad50.3 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 1.6µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/1.6, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.4", 0.7µm, AF, 2x optical zoom, OIS 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, AF-
Single-12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF, OIS (unconfirmed) SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple-48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, 14-bit RAW video4K@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
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@30/60fps4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack -No
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless5.3, A2DP, LE
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSSGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.2, 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, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving)
Battery
Charging80W wired, 100% in 33 min 50W wireless Reverse wiredWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
Type4700 mAhLi-Ion 4323 mAh (16.68 Wh)
Misc
ColorsBlack, RedSpace Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
ModelsV2227AA2894, A2651, A2893, A2895, A2896, iphone15,3
PriceAbout 1030 EUR€ 530.79 / $ 489.81 / £ 446.75
SAR-1.15 W/kg (head)     1.07 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- -24.3 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 955884 (v9) GeekBench: 5423 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

vivo X90 Pro+

  • Incredibly fast 80W wired charging
  • Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor
  • More customizable Android operating system

  • Long-term software support may be limited
  • Camera image processing may not appeal to all

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

  • Seamless Apple ecosystem integration
  • Industry-leading video recording quality
  • Excellent long-term software support

  • Slower charging speeds compared to vivo
  • Less customizable operating system

Display Comparison

The iPhone 14 Pro Max boasts a peak brightness of 1760 nits, providing excellent outdoor visibility, while the X90 Pro+'s display specs are not provided. However, both utilize advanced panel technology; the iPhone’s infinite contrast ratio ensures deep blacks, and its LTPO technology dynamically adjusts refresh rates for power efficiency. The iPhone’s display is likely to have superior color accuracy and calibration, a hallmark of Apple’s displays. Without specific details on the X90 Pro+'s panel, it's difficult to assess its color gamut coverage or PWM dimming rate, which is crucial for users sensitive to flicker.

Camera Comparison

Both devices excel in photography and videography, but approach it differently. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is known for its cinematic mode and consistently high-quality video recording. The X90 Pro+’s camera specs are not fully detailed, but its potential lies in leveraging a larger sensor (implied by its positioning as a flagship) and advanced image processing. Without knowing the sensor sizes and lens apertures, a direct comparison is difficult. Apple’s computational photography is highly refined, prioritizing natural-looking images, while vivo often leans towards more vibrant and saturated colors. The iPhone’s video stabilization is industry-leading, a key advantage for mobile filmmakers.

Performance

The core of the performance difference lies in the chipsets. The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s A16 Bionic, with its hexa-core architecture (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth), is renowned for its single-core performance and efficiency. The vivo X90 Pro+ counters with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm), an octa-core processor (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510). While the Snapdragon offers more cores, Apple’s chip design and software optimization often translate to superior real-world performance, particularly in sustained tasks. Both phones utilize 4nm fabrication, but Apple’s custom silicon gives it an advantage in power efficiency and thermal management. The X90 Pro+ benefits from LPDDR5x RAM, potentially offering faster memory speeds than the iPhone, but the impact is often marginal in typical usage.

Battery Life

Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 121 hours, indicating similar overall battery life despite differing battery capacities (not specified for the X90 Pro+). However, the charging experience is where the X90 Pro+ truly shines. Its 80W wired charging can fully charge the device in just 33 minutes, a significant advantage over the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s slower wired charging (50% in 30 minutes). The X90 Pro+ also offers 50W wireless charging, far exceeding the iPhone’s 15W MagSafe/Qi2 wireless charging. While the iPhone’s efficiency helps offset the slower charging, the X90 Pro+ provides unparalleled convenience for users who frequently need to top up their battery.

Buying Guide

Buy the vivo X90 Pro+ if you need incredibly fast charging (80W wired, 50W wireless), a more open operating system with customization options, and are comfortable with the Android ecosystem. Buy the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max if you prefer a seamless user experience, prioritize video recording quality, and value Apple’s robust software updates and app ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the vivo X90 Pro+ get noticeably hot during extended gaming sessions?
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a thermally efficient chip, but sustained high loads will generate heat. The X90 Pro+'s cooling system (details not provided) will determine how well it manages this heat. While throttling is possible, the 4nm process node and optimized architecture should minimize it compared to older generation chips.
❓ With iOS 17.2, how does MagSafe/Qi2 charging on the iPhone 14 Pro Max compare to the X90 Pro+'s 50W wireless charging?
Even with the Qi2 update, the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 15W wireless charging is significantly slower than the X90 Pro+'s 50W wireless charging. The X90 Pro+ will replenish its battery much faster wirelessly, offering a more convenient experience for users who prefer cable-free charging.
❓ Is the lack of detailed camera specs for the vivo X90 Pro+ a cause for concern?
Not necessarily. Vivo often focuses on sensor size and image processing algorithms. While megapixels aren't everything, a larger sensor generally captures more light, resulting in better low-light performance. The X90 Pro+'s positioning as a flagship suggests a high-quality camera system, even without specific details.