Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 8
The Verdict
iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 8 represent vastly different eras of smartphone technology. Apple's 12 Pro Max features a stunning 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with 1200 nits brightness, the blazingly fast A14 Bionic processor, and a sophisticated dual telephoto camera system with sensor-shift OIS and 2.5x zoom. Battery capacity nearly doubles at 3687 mAh with MagSafe wireless charging. Conversely, iPhone 8 offers a compact 4.7-inch IPS LCD screen, dated A11 processor, simpler single camera setup, and modest 1821 mAh battery. The 12 Pro Max includes 5G, IP68 water resistance, and modern iOS 14 features absent from iPhone 8's iOS 11. For photography, gaming, and longevity, 12 Pro Max dominates substantially. iPhone 8 appeals only to budget-conscious users accepting significant compromises in performance, camera quality, and future software support. The generation gap makes this comparison unbalanced.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if…
- →Large 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display
- →Sensor-shift OIS exclusive to Pro Max
- →Excellent battery life for an iPhone
Buy the Apple iPhone 8 if…
- →Compact and lightweight at 148 g
- →Wireless charging support
- →Powerful A11 Bionic chip
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
Pros
- Large 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display
- Sensor-shift OIS exclusive to Pro Max
- Excellent battery life for an iPhone
- Dolby Vision HDR video recording
- 5G support across sub-6 and mmWave
Cons
- No 120Hz ProMotion display
- Heavy at 226 g
- 60Hz refresh rate felt dated in 2020
- Lightning port
- No charger included in the box
Apple iPhone 8
Pros
- Compact and lightweight at 148 g
- Wireless charging support
- Powerful A11 Bionic chip
- True Tone display
- Reliable Touch ID fingerprint sensor
Cons
- Very small 1821 mAh battery
- Dated home button design with large bezels
- Single rear camera only
- 750p resolution on 4.7-inch display
- Only 2 GB RAM
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max | Apple iPhone 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 14 | iOS 11 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 226 g | 148 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame, Ceramic Shield front | Aluminum frame, glass back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Dimensions | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.6, sensor-shift OIS | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 | 7 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps, Dolby Vision HDR | 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.2, 2.5x optical zoom | — |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.4 | — |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 2 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 64 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3687 mAh | 1821 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 18W wired (adapter sold separately) |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | 7.5W Qi |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 4.7 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Retina IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2778 x 1284 | 1334 x 750 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1200 | 625 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) | Hexa-core (2x2.39 GHz + 4x1.7 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Apple GPU (3-core) |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Apple A11 Bionic |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | Lightning |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
Explore more in phones, see all Apple products or all Apple products. View full details for the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max or the Apple iPhone 8.