iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro Max: What should you buy?

iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro Max

If you want one of Apple's best iPhones, an iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro Max comparison makes a lot of sense. Yes, they're both very powerful and capable flagship phones, complete with Apple's A14 Bionic processor and 5G, but they feel quite different when you actually put them in your hand. As you'll see in our iPhone 12 Pro review, the regular Pro's 6.1-inch display makes it easy to use with one hand. And our iPhone 12 Pro Max review shows that going big with a 6.7-inch display has its benefits. But there's more two these two iPhones than their sheet size difference. The best phones right now Best iPhone 12 deals: Save big on every model Plus: Do not buy the Apple MagSafe Duo charger The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max also differ in terms of price, camera features and especially battery life. Here's what you need to know before you buy.

iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro Max: Specs compared

	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 12 Pro Max
Price	$999	$1,099
Display	6.1-inch OLED (2532 x 1170)	6.7-inch OLED (2778 x 1284)
Colors	Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue	Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue
CPU	A14	A14
Storage	128GB, 256GB, 512GB	128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Rear camera	12MP wide (f/1.6), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.4), 12MP telephoto (f/2.0)	12MP wide (f/1.6), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.4), 12MP telephoto (f/2.2)
Zoom	2x optical/10x digital	2.5x optical12x digital
Front camera	12MP TrueDepth (f/2.2)	12MP TrueDepth (f/2.2)
5G	sub-6Ghz, mmWave	sub-6Ghz, mmWave
Battery life (hrs: mins)	9:06	10:53
Size	5.78 x 2.82 x 0.29 inches	6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches
Weight	6.66 ounces	8.03 ounces

iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro Max: Price

The iPhone 12 Pro starts at $999 for 128GB of storage. Upgrading to the 256GB model costs $1.099, and the 512GB version costs $1,299. 

Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 Pro Max starts at $1,099 for 128GB. The 256BG version costs $1,199 and the 512GB model is priced at a whopping $1,399 (or $100 more than the MacBook Pro).

If you're on the fence between the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, it's good to know that you can get double the storage on the regular Pro for the same cost as the entry-level Pro Max.

iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro Max: Design

If you want an iPhone that's easier to use with one hand, the obvious choice is the iPhone 12 Pro. It features a 6.1-inch display in a fairly compact design that measures 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.29 inches and weighs 6.6 ounces. 

Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is a beast of a handset. It packs a 6.7-inch screen into a taller, wider and heavier chassis that comes in at 6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches and 8.03 ounces. This is best for those who want an immersive screen and don't mind using two hands.Both the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro feature sleek flat edges and narrower borders, as well as a Ceramic Shield Display that's designed to offer four times better drop performance than the iPhone 11 series. And the water resistance is great for both models, too, with an IP68 rating that allows them to be submerged in up to 6 meters of water for 30 minutes. 

I also like the matte glass back on both phones (which resists fingerprints) and the polished stainless steel band that runs along the outside of the handsets.

iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro Max: Displays

The OLED displays on the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max are simply among the best you'll find on any phone. These panels are bright, colorful and accurate, though the sheer size of the Pro Max may tempt you if you enjoy watching videos on the go. The Pro Max's display is also ideal for reviewing documents.

In our lab tests, the screens on the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max were evenly matched in terms of color reproduction. The iPhone 12 Pro registered 115.6% of the sRGB color gamut and 81.9% of the more demanding DCI-P color space. By comparison, the iPhone 12 Pro Max hit 119.7% and 84.8%, respectively.

The iPhone 12 Pro proved a bit brighter, as its display averaged 742 nits based on our testing, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max reached 654 nits. Both screens are plenty bright enough to see in direct sunlight.

iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro Max: Cameras

The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max both offer triple rear cameras along with Apple's computational photography upgrades, including Night Mode portraits and Smart HDR 3 for better photos in tricky lighting. Plus, both phones record Dolby Vision video in 4K for stunningly colorful footage.

But there are some notable camera differences here. The iPhone 12 Pro Max benefits from a larger main wide camera sensor, which lets in more light, and the larger iPhone also offers a slightly more powerful zoom than the iPhone 12 Pro. 

Let's start with the zoom on both phones, The telephoto lens on the iPhone 12 Pro has an optical zoom of 2x and a digital zoom of 10x. However, the iPhone 12 Pro Max delivers a 2.5x optical zoom and 12x digital zoom.

As you can see in this shot of harvest decorations, the iPhone 12 Pro Max gets you closer to your subject than the iPhone 12 Pro. It's not a dramatic difference, but it's still a welcome upgrade.

I also challenged both phones in low light with this close-up of a Christmas tree. The iPhone 12 Pro Max did a slightly better job capturing the gold ornament on the left, as you can see that it's slightly sharper and more in focus. The same thing goes for the icicle in the center.

I took this next photo of a holiday sign in near darkness with Night mode engaged on both phones. While the iPhone 12 Pro shot is fairly bright, the iPhone 12 Pro Max image delivers much better texture and detail in the fabric on the dresser and in the flecks of paint on the sign. The words are in better focus, too.