Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs iQOO 13
The Verdict
iPhone 12 Pro delivers Apple's refined ecosystem with a premium build and solid performance, but the iQOO 13 significantly outpaces it with cutting-edge hardware at half the price. Apple's Super Retina XDR display is excellent at 800 nits, though the iQOO's 4500-nit LTPO AMOLED screen with 144Hz refresh rate is dramatically superior for content consumption. Processing-wise, the A14 Bionic still performs admirably, but Snapdragon 8 Elite offers measurably faster real-world speeds. Camera systems differ philosophically: iPhone's 12MP sensors with computational photography versus iQOO's 50MP sensors with OIS and 4K@120fps video. Battery capacity heavily favors iQOO (6000mAh vs 2815mAh), and its 120W charging demolishes iPhone's 20W wired standard. iQOO 13 wins on raw specs and value proposition, making it the stronger choice for performance enthusiasts. iPhone 12 Pro appeals mainly to iOS loyalists prioritizing ecosystem integration over hardware capabilities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro if…
- →First iPhone with LiDAR scanner for AR and Night mode portraits
- →Introduced MagSafe magnetic accessory ecosystem
- →First 5nm chip (A14 Bionic) on any smartphone
Buy the iQOO 13 if…
- →Snapdragon 8 Elite flagship chip at an aggressive $549 price
- →6000 mAh battery with 120W charging — best combo in any flagship
- →144Hz 2K AMOLED display with 4500-nit brightness is extraordinary
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
Pros
- First iPhone with LiDAR scanner for AR and Night mode portraits
- Introduced MagSafe magnetic accessory ecosystem
- First 5nm chip (A14 Bionic) on any smartphone
- ProRAW format for professional photo editing
- Flat-edge design revival praised for aesthetics
Cons
- No 120Hz ProMotion display at Pro pricing
- Small 2815 mAh battery requires charging daily
- Charger removed from box controversially
- 2.5x telephoto falls short of Android competition
iQOO 13
Pros
- Snapdragon 8 Elite flagship chip at an aggressive $549 price
- 6000 mAh battery with 120W charging — best combo in any flagship
- 144Hz 2K AMOLED display with 4500-nit brightness is extraordinary
- Triple 50MP camera system is well-balanced
- IP69 durability at this price is exceptional
Cons
- Very limited global availability — primarily a China/India phone
- No wireless charging despite the flagship specs
- Camera processing lags behind Samsung and Apple in consistency
- Funtouch OS software is not as refined as OxygenOS or One UI
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 12 Pro | iQOO 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 14 | Android 15 (Funtouch OS 15) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 189 g | 213 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame | Aluminum frame, glass back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP69 |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm | 163.0 x 76.8 x 8.1 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP | 50 MP, f/1.88, OIS (Sony IMX921) |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MP, f/2.0 |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision | 4K@120fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP 2.5x | 50 MP, f/2.57, 2x telephoto |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 50 MP, f/2.0, 120-degree |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 2815 mAh | 6000 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 120W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | — |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.82 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 3168 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 1-144Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 800 | 4500 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz + 6x3.53 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno 830 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.4 |
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.
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