Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy A04s
The Quick Answer
Apple's iPhone 12 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy A04s occupy entirely different market segments, making direct comparison challenging yet instructive.
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone 12 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy A04s occupy entirely different market segments, making direct comparison challenging yet instructive. The iPhone 12 Pro Max ($1099) delivers flagship performance with its A14 Bionic chip, 1200-nit Super Retina XDR OLED display at 2778x1284 resolution, and advanced camera system featuring sensor-shift OIS, 2.5x optical zoom, and Dolby Vision video recording at 4K60fps. Its 3687 mAh battery supports 15W MagSafe wireless charging, while IP68 rating and ceramic shield front provide excellent durability. The Galaxy A04s ($149) serves budget-conscious users with a 5000 mAh battery, larger 6.5-inch screen, and practical 50 MP main camera, though its 1600x720 PLS LCD display, Exynos 850 processor, and 1080p video capture are considerably less capable. The iPhone offers superior performance, display quality, and ecosystem integration, while the Galaxy A04s excels at battery longevity and affordability. For anyone prioritizing camera quality, display technology, and processing power, the iPhone 12 Pro Max justifies its premium cost. Budget buyers will find the Galaxy A04s adequate for messaging, social media, and casual photography, accepting trade-offs in screen quality and performance.
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 Samsung Galaxy A04s if…
- →Extremely affordable Samsung phone at $149
- →5000 mAh battery provides multi-day endurance
- →90Hz display is smoother than typical entry-level 60Hz phones
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
Samsung Galaxy A04s
Pros
- Extremely affordable Samsung phone at $149
- 5000 mAh battery provides multi-day endurance
- 90Hz display is smoother than typical entry-level 60Hz phones
- NFC support for contactless payments at the budget tier
- 50 MP main camera takes acceptable daylight photos
Cons
- HD+ resolution is pixelated on the 6.5-inch screen
- Exynos 850 is very slow — struggles with basic multitasking
- Only 15W charging takes hours for a full charge
- No 5G connectivity
- 2 MP macro and depth cameras are useless
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy A04s |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 14 | Android 12 (One UI Core 4.1) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 226 g | 195 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame, Ceramic Shield front | Plastic frame and back |
| IP rating | IP68 | None |
| Dimensions | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm | 164.7 x 76.7 x 9.1 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.6, sensor-shift OIS | 50 MP, f/1.8 |
| Front camera | 12 MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 | 5 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps, Dolby Vision HDR | 1080p@30fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.2, 2.5x optical zoom | — |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.4 | — |
| Depth | — | 2 MP, f/2.4 |
| Macro | — | 2 MP, f/2.4 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 3 GB / 4 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3687 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 15W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | No |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.5 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | PLS LCD |
| Resolution | 2778 x 1284 | 1600 x 720 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 90Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1200 | 400 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) | Octa-core (8x2.0 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Mali-G52 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Samsung Exynos 850 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
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