Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs POCO M5s
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone 13 Pro Max dominates with its superior A15 Bionic chipset, ProMotion 120Hz Super Retina XDR display reaching 1000 nits, and professional-grade camera system featuring Dolby Vision ProRes recording. Build quality benefits from stainless steel construction and IP68 water resistance. POCO M5s offers budget appeal with larger 5000 mAh battery, decent 64MP main camera, and AMOLED screen, yet suffers from slower MediaTek Helio G95 processor, limited 60Hz refresh rate, plastic construction, and no water resistance. Performance gap proves substantial: A15 Bionic crushes Helio G95 in gaming and demanding applications. Camera comparison heavily favors iPhone for computational photography, 4K 60fps video with Dolby Vision, and telephoto capabilities. Battery life slightly favors POCO due to larger capacity, but iPhone's efficiency and fast charging offset this. For professional content creation or demanding users, iPhone 13 Pro Max is essential. Budget-conscious buyers accepting performance compromises may find POCO acceptable, though longevity concerns exist. iPhone 13 Pro Max clearly justifies premium pricing through technology and build quality.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max if…
- →ProMotion 120Hz display arrived for first time on iPhone Pro
- →Best-in-class battery life among 2021 iPhones
- →ProRes video recording up to 4K
Buy the POCO M5s if…
- →AMOLED display at $199 is exceptional — deep blacks and vibrant colors
- →Large 5000 mAh battery lasts two days with moderate use
- →64 MP main camera takes good daylight photos
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Pros
- ProMotion 120Hz display arrived for first time on iPhone Pro
- Best-in-class battery life among 2021 iPhones
- ProRes video recording up to 4K
- Macro photography with ultrawide camera
- Cinematic mode for shallow depth-of-field video
Cons
- Very heavy at 238 g
- Notch still present despite slimmed-down design
- Lightning connector limiting transfer speeds
- Large size is unwieldy for smaller hands
POCO M5s
Pros
- AMOLED display at $199 is exceptional — deep blacks and vibrant colors
- Large 5000 mAh battery lasts two days with moderate use
- 64 MP main camera takes good daylight photos
- 33W fast charging is quick for the price range
- Slim and lightweight at 178.8 g
Cons
- No 5G — limited to 4G LTE
- 60Hz display feels dated compared to 90Hz competitors
- Helio G95 struggles with demanding games
- 2 MP macro and depth cameras are filler
- No water resistance rating
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max | POCO M5s |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 15 | Android 12 (MIUI 13) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 238 g | 178.8 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame | Plastic frame and back, glass front |
| IP rating | IP68 | None |
| Dimensions | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.65 mm | 159.9 x 73.9 x 8.29 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP | 64 MP, f/1.79, PDAF |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 13 MP, f/2.4 |
| Video | 4K@60fps Dolby Vision ProRes | 1080p@30fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP 3x | — |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 8 MP, f/2.2 |
| Depth | — | 2 MP, f/2.4 |
| Macro | — | 2 MP, f/2.4 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 4 GB / 6 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 64 GB, 128 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4352 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 27W wired | 33W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | No |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.43 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED, LTPO | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2778 x 1284 | 2400 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1000 | 700 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core (2x2.05 GHz + 6x2.0 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core) | Mali-G76 MC4 |
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic | MediaTek Helio G95 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| 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.
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