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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, Manufacturer

OnePlus 12R vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Choosing between OnePlus 12R and Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max can be tricky. Both are excellent, but they serve different priorities. This guide highlights what matters for US shoppers.

Ratings: 4.3★ vs 4.8★

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OnePlus 12R

OnePlus 12R

4.3
(23)Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:3 major Android OS upgrades; 4 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform
Graphics:Qualcomm Adreno 740
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

4.8
(126)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
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Comparison: OnePlus 12R vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

OnePlus 12R

OnePlus 12R

4.3(23)Amazon
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

4.8(126)Best Buy
OnePlus 12R

OnePlus 12R

Rating:4.3(23)Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:3 major Android OS upgrades; 4 years of security updates
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform
Graphics:Qualcomm Adreno 740
RAM:8GB / 16GB LPDDR5X
Storage:128GB / 256GB (UFS 3.1)
Display Size:6.78" (measured diagonally from corner to corner)
Screen Type:AMOLED ProXDR Display with LTPO 4.0
Resolution:2780 x 1264 pixels (1.5K), 450 ppi
Refresh Rate:1–120Hz (Dynamic)
Peak Brightness:4,500 nits (Peak) / 1,600 nits (HBM)
Main Camera:50MP Wide (Sony IMX890, f/1.8, 24mm equiv), PDAF, OIS
Ultra-Wide Camera:8MP Ultra-Wide (Sony IMX355, f/2.2, 112° FOV)
Telephoto Camera:N/A (No dedicated telephoto lens)
Optical Zoom:N/A (Digital zoom only)
Digital Zoom:Up to 20x
Video Recording:4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps
Front Camera:16MP Front (f/2.4, 24mm equiv), Fixed Focus
Battery:5,500 mAh (Dual-cell 2,750 mAh, non-removable)
Wired Charging:80W SUPERVOOC (US 110V limitation); supports 100W in 220V regions
Wireless Charging:N/A (Not supported)
Connectivity:5G (Sub6); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC; IR Blaster
USB:USB Type-C 2.0
Durability:IP64 (Dust tight; Water splash resistant); Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (front)
Dimensions:6.43" x 2.96" x 0.35" (163.3 x 75.3 x 8.8 mm)
Weight:7.30 oz (207 g)
Biometrics:Optical In-display Fingerprint Sensor; Face Unlock
Extras:Alert Slider; Dual Stereo Speakers; Dolby Atmos; HyperTouch; Aqua Touch

✓ Pros:

  • Exceptional battery life (5,500mAh) with very fast 80W charging (US)
  • Flagship-grade 120Hz LTPO 4.0 display with extreme peak brightness
  • Strong performance from Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset at a lower price point
  • Includes IR Blaster and the signature OnePlus Alert Slider
  • Comes with a fast charger in the box

✗ Cons:

  • No wireless charging capabilities
  • Rated IP64 is lower than the standard IP68 found in most flagships
  • USB-C port is limited to slow USB 2.0 transfer speeds
  • No telephoto lens; relies on digital crop for zoom
  • Software support period (3 years OS) is shorter than top-tier competitors

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Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Rating:4.8(126)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
RAM:12 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.9" (6.86" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2868 x 1320 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz)
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum
Main Camera:48MP Fusion Main (24 mm, f/1.78), 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for 24MP and 48MP super-high-resolution photos
Ultra-Wide Camera:48MP Fusion Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography
Telephoto Camera:48MP Fusion Telephoto (100 mm, f/2.8), tetraprism design, 3D sensor-shift OIS, autofocus; enables 12MP optical-quality 8x zoom (200 mm equivalent)
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x optical-quality zoom steps (16x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 40x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps (Fusion Main); ProRes up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
Front Camera:18MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:5088 mAh (Li-ion, eSIM model); Up to 39 hours video playback (35 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 3 speeds (up to 10 Gb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Ceramic Shield back; Aerospace-grade aluminum unibody (with internal vapor chamber)
Dimensions:6.43" x 3.07" x 0.34" (163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm)
Weight:8.22 oz (233 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Always-On display; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite

✓ Pros:

  • Brightest iPhone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor)
  • Triple 48MP camera system with 8x optical-quality zoom
  • A19 Pro chip with 12GB RAM and vapor chamber cooling for sustained performance
  • Excellent battery life (up to 39 hours video playback)
  • Faster 40W wired charging and 25W wireless charging

✗ Cons:

  • Large and heavy form factor (233 g)
  • Fastest charging speeds require purchasing a 40W+ adapter separately
  • No physical SIM tray (eSIM only in US)
  • Expensive starting price
  • Camera bump is significantly larger due to new tetraprism lens

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Which one is better?

Looking at user satisfaction (Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max: 4.3★ vs OnePlus 12R: 4.8★), Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max pulls ahead. The gap is small—choose based on the priorities below.

Who should buy each?

Expert take:
- OnePlus 12R suits buyers who need Exceptional battery life (5,500mAh) with very fast 80W charging (US), Flagship-grade 120Hz LTPO 4.0 display with extreme peak brightness
- Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max suits buyers who want Brightest iPhone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor), Triple 48MP camera system with 8x optical-quality zoom

Conclusion

There is no wrong answer here. Focus on the features you will use daily and pick the model that aligns with them.

Frequently Asked Questions

+Which has better value?

OnePlus 12R excels if you value exceptional battery life (5,500mah) with very fast 80w charging (us). Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is better if you prioritize brightest iphone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor). Pick based on your budget and daily use.

+Is this an independent review?

Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.

+Do newer models exist?

Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.

Affiliate disclosure

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