Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs POCO C65
The Quick Answer
Apple iPhone 12 Pro and POCO C65 serve vastly different market segments, making this comparison primarily useful for understanding value proposition rather than direct competition.
The Verdict
Apple iPhone 12 Pro and POCO C65 serve vastly different market segments, making this comparison primarily useful for understanding value proposition rather than direct competition. iPhone 12 Pro costs roughly 9 times more ($999 vs $109) yet delivers substantially superior performance through the A14 Bionic chipset, which handles demanding apps and gaming effortlessly compared to the POCO's MediaTek Helio G85. Display quality heavily favors the iPhone: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED at 2532 x 1170 with 800 nits brightness versus POCO's 6.74-inch IPS LCD at 1600 x 720 with 500 nits. Camera systems reflect the price gap, with iPhone 12 Pro offering dual 12MP telephoto and ultrawide alongside 4K Dolby Vision video, while POCO provides a 50MP main sensor but limited to 1080p video. Battery capacity favors POCO (5000 mAh vs 2815 mAh), though real-world endurance depends on optimization. iPhone 12 Pro includes wireless charging, 5G connectivity, and superior build quality with stainless steel construction and IP68 rating. POCO C65 delivers acceptable performance and exceptional battery life for budget users willing to compromise on display quality and processing power. Choose iPhone 12 Pro for premium experience and longevity; select POCO C65 if battery life and affordability matter most.
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 POCO C65 if…
- →Incredibly affordable at $109 for a usable smartphone
- →5000 mAh battery lasts multiple days with basic usage
- →NFC support at the ultra-budget tier is useful
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
POCO C65
Pros
- Incredibly affordable at $109 for a usable smartphone
- 5000 mAh battery lasts multiple days with basic usage
- NFC support at the ultra-budget tier is useful
- IP52 splash resistance for basic water protection
- 90Hz display is smoother than typical 60Hz entry-level phones
Cons
- HD+ resolution is pixelated on the large 6.74-inch screen
- Helio G85 is very weak — struggles with modern apps
- No 5G connectivity
- 18W charging is slow for the 5000 mAh battery
- 5 MP front camera produces poor quality selfies
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 12 Pro | POCO C65 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 14 | Android 13 (MIUI 14) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 189 g | 192 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame | Plastic frame and back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP52 |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm | 168.0 x 77.8 x 8.09 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP | 50 MP, f/1.8 |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 5 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision | 1080p@30fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP 2.5x | — |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | — |
| Depth | — | 0.08 MP |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 4 GB / 6 GB / 8 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 2815 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 18W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | No |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.74 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 1600 x 720 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 90Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 800 | 500 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz + 6x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Mali-G52 MC2 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | MediaTek Helio G85 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.3 |
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