iPhone 12 vs iPhone 17 Pro Max
43.9Performance80.4
32.6Display65.9
33.5Camera63.7
24.2Battery69.3
89.3Features89.3
2 spec wins — iPhone 1213 spec wins — iPhone 17 Pro Max
InnoReviews verdict
iPhone 17 Pro Max wins this phone face-off, 72.8 to 40.2, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+45) and performance (+37). iPhone 12 still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the iPhone 12
- 30% lower weight: 164 g vs 233 g
- 15% lower thickness: 7.4 mm vs 8.8 mm
- Lower launch price: $799 vs $1,199
Reasons to pick the iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Stronger performance score: 80 vs 44
- Stronger display score: 66 vs 33
- Stronger camera score: 64 vs 34
- Stronger battery score: 69 vs 24
- 300% higher Main camera: 48 MP vs 12 MP
Display
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.1 ″ | 6.9 ″+13% |
| Panel type | OLED | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Resolution | 2532x1170 | 1320x2868 |
| Pixel density | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 1,200 nits | 3,000 nits+150% |
| Screen-to-body | — | 91.2 % |
Performance
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Apple A19 Pro |
| AnTuTu 10 | 950,000Top 51% | 2,150,000+126%Top 10% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,080Top 28% | 3,850+85%Top 1% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 4,900Top 35% | 9,700+98%Top 4% |
| RAM (max) | 4 GB | 12 GB+200% |
| Storage options | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB | 256/512GB/1TB/2TB |
| Storage type | NVMe | NVMe |
Camera
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 48 MP+300% |
| Main aperture | f/1.6 | f/1.78 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 48 MP+300% |
| Telephoto | — | 48 MP |
| Optical zoom | — | 4 x |
| Max video | 4K@60fps | 4K@120fps |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 18 MP+50% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 2,815 mAh | 5,088 mAh+81% |
| Wired charging | 20 W | 40 W+100% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 25 W+67% |
| Active use endurance | — | 14 h |
Design
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 164 g+30% | 233 g |
| Thickness | 7.4 mm+15% | 8.8 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Aluminum unibody |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 6.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | iOS 14 | iOS 26 |
| OS update pledge | 6 years | 6 years |
Audio
| Spec | iPhone 12 | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |