The iPhone 11 Pro Max or the iPhone 12 Pro are both available in the same pricing range. Since the phone is one year old, the former has been able to match the latter’s price range thanks to street prices, but the iPhone 12 Pro is now being sold at its full retail price. Is it still worth it to have an iPhone 11 Pro Max in 2021, or is it preferable to get an iPhone 12 Pro? We hope that by providing this specs comparison, which highlights the main differences between the 11 Pro Max and the iPhone 12 Pro, we will be able to assist you in making this decision.
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro
| Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 12 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm, 226 g | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm, 189 g |
| DISPLAY | 6.5 inches, 1242 x 2688p (Full HD+), Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.1 inches, 1170 x 2532p (Full HD+), Super Retina XDR OLED |
| PROCESSOR | Apple A13 Bionic, hexa-core 2.65 GHz | Apple A14 Bionic, hexa-core |
| MEMORY | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 256 GB – 4 GB RAM, 512 GB | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 256 GB – 6 GB RAM, 512 GB |
| SOFTWARE | iOS 13 | iOS 14 |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 12 + 12 + 12 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.0 + f/2.4 12 MP f/2.2 front camera |
Quad 12 + 12 + 12 MP + LiDAR scanner, f/1.6 + f/2.0 + f/2.4 Dual 12 MP + SL 3D f/2.2 front camera |
| BATTERY | 3969 mAh, fast charging 18W, Qi wireless charging | 2815 mAh, fast charging 20W, fast wireless charging 15W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Waterproof IP68, Face ID, eSIM, optional dual SIM | IP68 waterproof, optional dual SIM, optional eSIM, Face ID, 5G |
Design
Both the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max are made of incredibly high-quality materials. They both have a borderless design with a notch on the front panel, and their bodies are made of glass with a stainless steel frame. The iPhone 12 Pro is my favorite since it has smaller dimensions, a more appealing overall profile, and improved water resistance (it is waterproof up to 6 meters deep instead of 4 meters guaranteed by the 11 Pro Max). Last but not least, the iPhone 12 is slimmer and lighter than its predecessor.
Display
The displays of the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the iPhone 12 Pro are nearly identical. Both include Super Retina XDR OLED screens with HDR10+ certification and up to 1200 nits of brightness, as well as Dolby Vision and True-Tone technology and a wide color gamut. Although the 11 Pro Max has more pixels, the pixel density is nearly identical. The main difference is the display diagonal: the iPhone 12 Pro has a 6.1-inch display, whilst the 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch display. That is what will persuade me to get the 11 Pro Max. They both have a notch that houses the sensors for 3D facial recognition, but none has a fingerprint scanner.
Specs & Software
One of the most significant differences between iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 12 Pro is the hardware and software department. The iPhone 12 Pro features a more powerful Apple A14 Bionic processor, as well as 6 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of internal storage. The 11 Pro Max has the same RAM and native storage as the 11 Pro, but it features a less powerful Apple A13 Bionic processor. The iPhone 12 Pro is actually speedier, because it comes preloaded with a more modern operating system. Naturally, we’re discussing iOS 14.
Camera
The iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 12 Pro cameras are nearly identical, but there are a few key variances. The main camera in the iPhone 12 Pro has a brighter focal aperture, so it should be able to take better images in a variety of situations. In addition, the iPhone 12 Pro contains a LiDAR scanner that gathers depth information for AR products and other uses. With the iPhone 12 Pro, you can take better images and create better videos. The front cameras use the same 12 MP sensor as the back cameras, as well as an SL 3D sensor for 3D facial recognition.
Battery
The battery on the iPhone 11 Pro Max is significantly larger than that on the iPhone 12 Pro. As a result, the 11 Pro Max has a longer battery life in practically every situation. You get 3969 mAh versus 2815 mAh, and the 5 nm A14 Bionic chipset can’t make up the difference. The iPhone 12 Pro, on the other hand, comes with MagSafe compatibility, which enables for faster wireless charging.
Price
The 256 GB edition of the iPhone 11 Pro Max may be found for around €1300/$1100 on the internet, while the iPhone 12 Pro starts at approximately €1200/$1000. The 11 Pro Max’s only true advantages are its larger battery and wider display, but if you ignore those, it’s not worth it to buy the Pro Max over the iPhone 12 Pro in the same price bracket. You can get a better camera, a higher-end CPU, MagSafe, and 5G with the iPhone 12 Pro, which are all significant features.