What is the difference between 12 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max?

After an upgrade? Check out the iPhone 12 series. Apple’s 12, 12 Pro, and Pro Max all boast flagship features that compete with most heavyweight handsets. But which one is right for you? We’ll help with that—here you’ll find our take on everything from displays to designs, cameras to colour balance.

If you’re edging towards one of these handsets by the end of this guide, check out our refurbished phones page for some huge savings.

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Size and design

When it comes to the 12 and 12 Pro, it’s a game of spot the difference. Both phones feature rounded curves and stainless steel that look and feel buttery smooth. The 12 Pro Max, however, is 14mm taller, 7mm wider, and 39g heavier. The latter is useful for functions like Face ID, which feels less intrusive.

Prone to phone accidents? No problem. Thankfully, all three handsets have dust and water-resistant IP68 certification. It’s tested to depths of 6 metres for 30 minutes, so you shouldn’t have any issues if your iPhone takes a pool-side plunge.

The 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max come in the same colours: Silver, Graphite, Gold, and Pacific Blue. On the most basic version, the 12, you’ll have a choice of Purple, Blue, Green, Red, White, and Black.

 

iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Samsung S22 Ultra dimensions: 

	iPhone 12	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 12 Pro Max
Height	146.7mm	146.7mm	160.8mm
Width	71.5mm	71.5mm	78.1mm
Depth	7.4 mm	7.4 mm	7.4 mm
Weight	164 g	189 g	228 g

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Verdict: Choose the iPhone 12 Pro if you want a pocket-friendly phone with Max-like features.

 

Display

The 12 and 12 Pro feature a 6.1inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen with an 1170x2532 resolution and rich HDR viewing. However, there’s a difference: the 12 Pro’s screen brightness extends to 800 nits—handy when the sun’s shining.

Enter the 12 Pro Max. The handset raises the bar, supersizing with a stunning 6.7inch Super Retina XDR display. It has roughly the same pixel density and brightness as the 12 and 12 Pro, but the added screen space enhances your Netflix binges. Every phone’s display refresh rate is 60HZ, offering a smooth scrolling experience.

 

iPhone 12 vs iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 12 Pro Max display comparison:

iPhone 12 Display: 

• Type: Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
• Size: 6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio)
• Resolution: 1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)
• Protection: Scratch-resistant ceramic glass, oleophobic coating, Wide colour gamut, True-tone

iPhone 12 Pro Display: 

• Type: Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
• Size: 6.1 inches, 90.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio)
• Resolution: 1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)
• Protection: Scratch-resistant ceramic glass, oleophobic coating, Wide colour gamut, True-tone

iPhone 12 Pro Max Display:

• Type: Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
• Size: 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio)
• Resolution: 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density)
• Protection: Scratch-resistant ceramic glass, oleophobic coating, Wide colour gamut, True-tone

Verdict: You’ll love the 12 Pro Max’s supersized screen if you use your handset for films, series, and gaming.

 

Camera

Let’s compare the 12 and 12 Pro. The 12 Pro offers more lens game than the 12, boasting Wide, Ultra Wide, and 2 Telephoto angles. However, both handsets’ snappers are built around the same 12-megapixel Ultra Wide sensors and feature an f/1.6 aperture. This tech results in photographs with superb colour, clarity, and precision in low light conditions. There’s also enhanced zoom on the 12 Pro when using Night Mode, and a LiDAR sensor that improves autofocus.

The 12 Pro, like the 12 Pro Max, supports ProRAW shots, allowing users to adjust exposure, colour, and white balance after taking a picture. The threesome also features a 12 MP front camera for high-quality selfies and crystal-clear video calling.

If you’re looking to get more from your iPhone camera, choose the 12 Pro Max. Its image sensor is 47% larger than the rest of the 12 range, outperforming the Pro in low light. Plus, the zoom feature extends to 2.5x reach.

Every iPhone 12 supports Dolby Vision for sharp-sounding productions and sensor stabilisation. Another thing all these phones have in common is 4K video, but you’ll get double the fps on the Pro and Max models.

	iPhone 12	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 12 Pro Max
Dual	12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.6"	12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.6" TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth	12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 65mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.6" TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth)
Features	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Video	4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 30fps), stereo sound rec.	4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec	4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Verdict: Planning on snapping at night? Choose the iPhone 12 Pro Max.    

 

Specs, performance, and battery life

If it’s a fast phone you need, you can’t go wrong with any handset from the Apple 12 range. All three iPhones are powered by an A14 Bionic chipset and 6GB RAM, promising super-charged speeds whether you’re photo editing, streaming, or playing games. Each handset is 5G compatible, too.

Unlike the 12, the 12 Pro and the Pro Max feature 128GB of memory as standard, extending to 512GB. This is a welcome change, especially for those who like to download a lot of media.

Last up, let’s talk batteries. The 12 and 12 Pro have a 2815 mAh battery estimated to produce 17 hours of uninterrupted video playback. Not bad, but the Pro Max goes one better with a larger 3687 mAh unit.

	iPhone 12	iPhone 12 Pro	iPhone 12 Pro Max
Chipset	Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)	Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)	Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)
CPU	Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm)	Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm)	Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm)
GPU	Apple GPU (4-core graphics)	Apple GPU (4-core graphics)	Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
Battery type	Li-Ion 2815 mAh, non-removable (10.78 Wh)	Li-Ion 2815 mAh, non-removable (10.78 Wh)	Li-Ion 3687 mAh, non-removable (14.13 Wh)
Charging	Fast charging 20W, 50% in 30 min (advertised) USB Power Delivery 2.0 MagSafe wireless charging 15W Qi magnetic fast wireless charging 7.5W	Fast charging 20W, 50% in 30 min (advertised) USB Power Delivery 2.0 MagSafe wireless charging 15W Qi magnetic fast wireless charging 7.5W	Fast charging 22W, 50% in 30 min (advertised) USB Power Delivery 2.0 MagSafe wireless charging 15W Qi magnetic fast wireless charging 7.5W

Verdict: No surprises here— the 12 Pro Max’s bigger battery wins this round.

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Conclusion

Have you made up your mind yet? We appreciate it isn’t easy. But if you’re looking for an iPhone that boasts all the bells and whistles Apple has to offer, there’s only one winner: the 12 Pro Max. After all, it features a superior camera, a bigger screen, and more battery power. However, if you don’t fancy forking out those extra pounds, the 12 and 12 Pro are excellent in their own right.

Whatever you decide, refurbished iPhone handsets are available from Envirofone for a snip of retail prices. Better still, you can save more money by selling your iPhone to us and putting the cash towards your next handset!