Apple iPhone XS vs iPhone 12 Pro Max

57 out of 100

73 out of 100

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 5.8-inch Apple iPhone XS (with Apple A12 Bionic) that was released on September 12, 2018, against the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max, which is powered by Apple A14 Bionic and came out 25 months after. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Differences
Review
Specs
Benchmarks
Battery life
Camera
Comments

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone

Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone XS

Better grip in hands – the body is 7.2 mm narrower
Weighs 49 grams less

Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max

Has a 0.9 inch larger screen size
Shows 56% longer battery life (35:25 vs 22:46 hours)
Comes with 1029 mAh larger battery capacity: 3687 vs 2658 mAh
38% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (828K versus 600K)
Delivers 36% higher peak brightness (872 against 641 nits)
The rear camera has a 2.5x optical zoom
Compatible with Wi-Fi 6 wireless networks
Has 50% more RAM: 6GB versus 4GB
Has an ultra-wide angle camera lens
The phone is 2-years and 1-month newer
The front-facing camera can record video at 4K

Review

Evaluation of Apple iPhone XS and iPhone 12 Pro Max crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	OLED	OLED
Size	5.8 inches	6.7 inches
Resolution	1125 x 2436 pixels	1284 x 2778 pixels
Aspect ratio	19.5:9	19.5:9
PPI	458 ppi	458 ppi
Refresh rate	60 Hz	60 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	625 nits	800 nits
HDR support	Yes, Dolby Vision	Yes, Dolby Vision
Screen protection	Tempered glass	Ceramic Shield
Screen-to-body ratio	82.9%	87.4%
Display features	- DCI-P3	- DCI-P3

RGB color space	98.8%	99.4%
PWM	240 Hz	238 Hz
Response time	4.4 ms	8 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	143.6 mm (5.65 inches)	160.8 mm (6.33 inches)
Width	70.9 mm (2.79 inches)	78.1 mm (3.07 inches)
Thickness	7.7 mm (0.3 inches)	7.4 mm (0.29 inches)
Weight	177 g (6.24 oz)	226 g (7.97 oz)
Waterproof	IP68	IP68
Rear material	Glass	Glass
Frame material	Metal	Metal
Colors	Silver, Gold, Gray	Silver, Gold, Gray, Blue
Fingerprint scanner	No	No

Chipset	Apple A12 Bionic	Apple A14 Bionic
Max clock	2490 MHz	3100 MHz
CPU cores	6 (2 + 4)	6 (2 + 4)
Architecture	- 4 cores at 1.6 GHz: Tempest - 2 cores at 2.49 GHz: Vortex	- 4 cores at 1.8 GHz: Icestorm - 2 cores at 3.1 GHz: Firestorm
Lithography process	7 nanometers	5 nanometers
Graphics	Apple A12 GPU	Apple A14 GPU
GPU shading units	256	256
GPU clock	1100 MHz	1278 MHz
FLOPS	~576 GFLOPS	~654.3 GFLOPS

CPU	151927	234779
GPU	141208	256839
Memory	104587	153144
UX	200467	181729
Total score	600311	828500

Max surface temperature	44.8 °C	45 °C
Stability	63%	75%
Graphics test	34 FPS	47 FPS
Graphics score	5700	7880

RAM size	4 GB	6 GB
Memory type	LPDDR4X	LPDDR4X
Memory clock	2133 MHz	-
Channels	2	2

Storage size	64, 256, 512 GB	128, 256, 512 GB
Storage type	NVMe	NVMe
Memory card	No	No

Operating system	iOS 12 (Can be upgraded to iOS 17)	iOS 14.1 (Can be upgraded to iOS 17)
OS size	11.8 GB	16 GB

Capacity	2658 mAh	3687 mAh
Max charge power	15 W	18 W
Battery type	Li-Ion	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes, Qi (10 W)	Yes (7.5 W)
Reverse charging	No	No
Fast charging	Yes (50% in 60 min)	Yes (55% in 30 min)
Full charging time	2:40 hr	1:32 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	07:30 hr	12:04 hr
Watching video	09:19 hr	14:25 hr
Gaming	04:43 hr	07:09 hr
Standby	80 hr	122 hr

Main camera
Matrix	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	4032 x 3024	4032 x 3024
Zoom	Optical, 2x	Optical, 2.5x
Flash	Quad LED	Dual LED
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
8K video recording	No	No
4K video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
1080p video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
Slow motion	240 FPS (1080p)	240 FPS (1080p)
Angle of widest lens	-	120°
Lenses	2 (12 MP + 12 MP)	4 (12 MP + 12 MP + 12 MP)
Wide (main) lens	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Apple iSight X (CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/1.6 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.7 micron - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization
Telephoto lens	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.4 - Focal length: 52 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/3.4" (CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 65 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/3.4", Sony IMX613 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization
Ultra-wide lens	-	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.4 - Focal length: 13 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/3.4", Sony IMX372 (Exmor-RS CMOS)
Depth lens	-	Yes
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support
Samples	-	Photo samples of Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max from DxOMark

Selfie camera
Megapixels	7 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	3088 x 2316	4290 x 2800
Aperture	f/2.2	f/2.2
Focal length	32 mm	23 mm
Pixel size	1.12 microns	1 microns
Sensor type	CMOS	Exmor-RS CMOS
Video resolution	1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Wi-Fi features	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display
Bluetooth version	5	5
Bluetooth features	SPP, PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, LE, HSP, HID, HFP, HDP, GAP, GAVDP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP	LE, A2DP
USB type	No	No
USB version	2	-
USB features	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG	- Charging - USB-Storage mode
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS
NFC *	Yes	Yes
Infrared port	No	No

Number of SIM *	1	1
Type of SIM card	Nano	Nano
eSIM support *	Yes	Yes
Hybrid slot	No	No
LTE Cat *	16	18
5G support	No	Yes

Speakers	Stereo	Stereo
Headphone audio jack	No	No
FM radio	No	No
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes

Category	Flagship	Flagship
Announced	September 2018	October 2020
Release date	September 2018	November 2020
SAR (head)	0.99 W/kg	0.99 W/kg
SAR (body)	0.99 W/kg	0.99 W/kg
Sensors	- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Face recognition sensor	- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Face recognition sensor

Apple iPhone XS vs iPhone 12 Pro Max

Apple iPhone XS vs iPhone 12 Pro Max

Key differences

Review

Value for money

Tests and specifications

Display

Design and build

Performance

Benchmarks

Memory

Software

Battery

Camera

DxOMark camera tests

Connectivity

Sound

Other

Conclusion