Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Vivo Y36
The Quick Answer
These phones serve completely different market segments.
The Verdict
These phones serve completely different market segments. The iPhone 12 Pro Max dominates with its superior 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display (1200 nits, 60Hz), A14 Bionic processor, and exceptional camera system featuring a 12MP main sensor with sensor-shift OIS, 2.5x optical zoom, and 4K60 Dolby Vision recording. Build quality is premium with stainless steel and Ceramic Shield. Battery capacity sits at 3687 mAh with 20W wired and 15W MagSafe charging. The Vivo Y36 targets budget-conscious users with a larger 6.64-inch IPS LCD (90Hz refresh, 600 nits brightness), bigger 5000 mAh battery, and faster 44W wired charging. It offers a 50MP main camera and 8GB RAM, but lacks optical zoom, wireless charging, NFC, 5G, and IP rating protection. Processor performance isn't comparable: the A14 Bionic crushes the Snapdragon 680 in real-world tasks, gaming, and longevity. The iPhone maintains iOS 14 with longer update support, while the Y36 runs Android 13. At 5.5 times the price, the iPhone 12 Pro Max justifies its cost through superior durability, performance, camera capabilities, and ecosystem integration. The Vivo Y36 offers decent value for basic needs and extended battery life, but sacrifices premium build and advanced features. Choose the iPhone for photography, gaming, and long-term investment; choose the Vivo for maximum battery endurance on a tight budget.
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 Vivo Y36 if…
- →44W fast charging is quick for a budget phone
- →5000 mAh battery provides reliable two-day endurance
- →50 MP main camera takes acceptable daylight photos
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
Vivo Y36
Pros
- 44W fast charging is quick for a budget phone
- 5000 mAh battery provides reliable two-day endurance
- 50 MP main camera takes acceptable daylight photos
- 8 GB RAM is generous for the price range
- 90Hz display is smoother than entry-level 60Hz phones
Cons
- No 5G support — 4G LTE only
- No NFC for contactless payments
- Snapdragon 680 is weak for gaming or heavy multitasking
- 2 MP depth sensor adds negligible value
- No water resistance rating
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max | Vivo Y36 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 14 | Android 13 (Funtouch OS 13) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 226 g | 190 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 | 164.0 x 76.1 x 8.0 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.6, sensor-shift OIS | 50 MP, f/1.8, PDAF |
| Front camera | 12 MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 | 16 MP, f/2.0 |
| 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 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3687 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 44W FlashCharge |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | No |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.64 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2778 x 1284 | 2388 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 90Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1200 | 600 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz + 4x1.9 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno 610 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.1 |
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