iPhone Xs Max vs iPhone 12

Swappasaurus says...
Upgrading the iPhone XS Max to the iPhone 12 brings a handful of improvements, despite the iPhone 12 being the base 2020 model. Notable iPhone 12 improvements include 5G connectivity, A14 chip, ultra wide camera, Night Mode, Smart HDR 3, HDR video recording, stronger glass body, better water resistance, longer battery life, MagSafe charging, and more.
Price Comparison
iPhone Xs Max vs iPhone 12 Pricing
Specs Comparison
The iPhone 12 has several advantages over the iPhone XS Max, which includes a higher-quality display, a newer processor, and 5G cellular connectivity. Features of the iPhone 12 include a 6.1” Super Retina XDR display, an Apple A14 Bionic chip, and up to 256GB of storage space. The iPhone XS Max features a 6.5” Super Retina HD display, an Apple A12 Bionic chip, and up to 512GB of storage.
Size | iPhone Xs Max | iPhone 12 |
---|---|---|
Width | 77 mm 3.1 inches | 72 mm 2.8 inches |
Height | 158 mm 6.2 inches | 147 mm 5.8 inches |
Depth | 8 mm 0.3 inches | 7 mm 0.3 inches |
Weight | 208 g 7.3 ounces | 162 g 5.7 ounces |
The iPhone 12 is smaller than the iPhone XS Max. Measurements for the iPhone 12 are as follows: 5.78” (H) x 2.78” (W) x 0.29” (D), and measurements for the iPhone XS Max are as follows: 6.20” (H) x 3.05” (W) x 0.30” (D). Otherwise, the iPhone 12 has a 6.1” display size and weighs 5.78 ounces, versus the 6.5” display size and 7.34-ounce weight of the iPhone XS Max.
Camera | iPhone Xs Max | iPhone 12 |
---|---|---|
Primary | 12.2 MP | 12.2 MP |
Resolution | 4032x3024 | 4032x3024 |
Aperture | f/2.4 | |
Secondary | 12.0 MP |
The iPhone XS Max and iPhone 12 both feature a dual 12MP rear camera system, though there are some differences in the lenses and features. The iPhone XS Max has a wide and telephoto lens, and the iPhone 12 has a wide and ultra-wide lens. The iPhone 12 features include Night Mode, Deep Fusion, and HDR video recording with Dolby Vision (up to 4K at 30 fps).
Display | iPhone Xs Max | iPhone 12 |
---|---|---|
Screen Tech | None | OLED |
Resolution | 1242x2688 | 1170x2532 |
Screen Size | 165 mm 6.5 in | 154 mm 6.1 in |
Pixels Per Inch | 456 ppi | 457 ppi |
Refresh Rate | - Hz | 60 Hz |
The iPhone XS Max has a 6.5-inch Super Retina HD (OLED) HDR display with a resolution of 2688 x 1242 and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. In comparison, the iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR (OLED) HDR display with a resolution of 2532 x 1170 and a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1. Common display features include wide color (P3), True Tone, and a 625 nits (typical) max brightness.
Battery | iPhone Xs Max | iPhone 12 |
---|---|---|
Capacity | 3179 mAh | 2815 mAh |
Longevity | 13 hours | 13 hours |
USB | Lightning | Lightning |
The iPhone XS Max has a battery capacity of 3,174 mAh, and the iPhone 12 has a battery capacity of 2,815 mAh. The iPhone XS Max and the iPhone 12 support fast wired charging and Qi wireless charging. The iPhone 12 also supports Apple’s MagSafe charging. In terms of battery life expectations, the iPhone XS Max battery can provide up to 15 hours of video playback time or up to 65 hours of audio playback time. The iPhone 12 battery will offer up to 17 hours of video playback time or up to 65 hours of audio playback time.
Color Choices
iPhone 12
Available in 6 colors:
-
Black
-
White
-
Blue
-
Green
-
Purple
-
Red
iPhone Xs Max vs iPhone 12 Colors

The iPhone XS Max is available in three colors, and the iPhone 12 has twice as many color options. The iPhone XS Max colors include Space Gray, Silver, and Gold. The iPhone 12 is available in Black, White, Green, Blue, Purple, and PRODUCT(RED).
Storage Options
iPhone Xs Max
Choose from 3 storage options:
-
64GB
-
256GB
-
512GB
iPhone 12
Choose from 3 storage options:
-
64GB
-
128GB
-
256GB
iPhone Xs Max vs iPhone 12 Storage

The iPhone XS Max and iPhone 12 each offer three options for storage, but the iPhone XS storage maxes out at 512GB, and the iPhone 12 storage maxes out at 256GB. The other two iPhone XS Max storage options are 64GB and 256GB, and the other two iPhone 12 storage options are 64GB and 128GB.
iPhone Xs Max vs iPhone 12 Reviews
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