Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs vivo X Note: The Apple iPhone 13 Pro is one of the best phones you can buy in 2022 even though it was released back in 2021. The vivo X Note is also one of the best Android phones of 2022 and was released in 2022. So, between the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the vivo X Note which is better?
In this post, I’ll compare the specs of the iPhone 13 Pro Max vs vivo X Note side-by-side to help you know which is better. At the end of this post, you should know which of these phones to buy and why.
See Also: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: Which is better
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs vivo X Note Specs
| Specs | iPhone 13 Pro Max | vivo X Note |
| Display | 6.7-inch, 120Hz | 7-inch, 120Hz |
| RAM | 6GB | 8/12GB |
| Storage | 128GB – 1TB | 256/512GB |
| Back Camera | 12 + 12 + 12MP + TOF | 50 + 8 + 12 + 48MP |
| Front Camera | 12MP + SL 3D | 16MP |
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Software | Apple iOS 15 | Android 12 |
| Battery | 4,352mAh (27W) | 5,000mAh (80W) |
| IP68 Rating | YES | YES |
Display and Design
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max comes with a smaller 6.7-inch display, features an OLED panel, has support for HDR10+, a 120Hz refresh rate, and Dolby vision. It has a 1440 x 3200 pixels resolution and its display is protected by Gorilla Glass. Its build material is Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), and stainless steel frame. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is also Scratch-resistant ceramic glass with an oleophobic coating and its rated IP68 water and dust resistant.
The vivo X Note on the other hand comes with a massive 7-inch display, features a 120Hz refresh rate, an AMOLED panel, and has support for HDR10+. It has a 1440 x 3080 pixels resolution and its peak brightness is 1700 nits. It has a Glass front (Gorilla Glass) and its rear material has this leatherlike finish. Its also rated IP68 water and dust resistant.
The display of both phones is really bright and gives you some of the best colors you’ll get in a smartphone. And for those who need a big display that is slightly curved on both sides, the vivo X Note gives you that. But, in addition to its display quality, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is more durable. While both phones are rated IP68, only the iPhone 13 Pro Max includes additional materials such as ceramic glass and oleophobic coating for extra protection.
See Also: OPPO Find X5 Pro vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: Which is better
Camera
The vivo X Note features a quad rear camera set-up and a single front camera. It has a 50MP main camera with PDAF, Laser AF, and OIS features. It also comes with an 8MP periscope lens that has OIS and 5x optical zoom capability. Then there is a 12MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom and a 48MP ultra-wide lens to complete the four cameras at the rear. Upfront, it has a 16MP selfie camera.
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max also comes with a quad rear camera setup but with different sensors: a 12MP main camera with sensor-shift stabilization, a 12MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a TOF 3D LiDAR scanner. Upfront it comes with a dual front camera, a 12MP camera, and an SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor).
Both the iPhone 13 Pro Max and vivo X Note are very good camera smartphones. The vivo X Note has a 50MP main camera that features Laser AF and OIS. This makes it take incredible photos even in low light conditions. So, when it comes to photography, both phones are truly amazing. But, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is the better phone for videography.
See Also: vivo X Note vs Xiaomi 12 Pro: Which should you buy?
The vivo X Note can shoot videos in 8k resolution while the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max can only shoot videos in 4k resolution. But, when it comes to videography features, the iPhone 13 Pro Max gives users more options. Some of the videography features of the iPhone 13 Pro Max are 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, Cinematic mode, and stereo sound rec. You won’t get most of these videography features inside the vivo X Note.
Performance | Storage | RAM | 5G
Although both phones have support for 5G connectivity, the performance of both phones is very different. This is because both phones feature chipsets from different companies. The iPhone 13 Pro Max features the Apple A15 Bionic while the vivo X Note features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip.
With respect to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, the Apple A15 Bionic chip is the best and most powerful chipset you’ll get in a smartphone in 2022. The A15 Bionic chip is also more power-efficient and does not get heated up easily. You can read this A15 Bionic vs Snapdragon 8 Gen chip article to know more about both chipsets.
The RAM inside the iPhone 13 Pro Max is 6GB while the vivo X Note comes with 8/12GB RAM. The minimum internal storage capacity on both phones is 128GB. The maximum storage capacity on the iPhone 13 Pro Max is 1TB while that of the vivo X Note is 512GB. There is also no space for storage expansion on either phone.
See Also: vivo X Note vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Which is better
Software
The vivo X Note boots Origin OS Ocean based on Android 12 out of the box. vivo has promised three years of major software updates and security patches for this device. The iPhone 13 Pro Max boots Apple iOS 15 out of the box. Apple has promised years of major software updates and years of monthly security patches for the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Apple is the best phone company when it comes to software updates. So even though the software update plans for the vivo X Note are good, that of the iPhone 13 Pro Max is better.
Battery
The vivo X Note is powered by a 5,000mAh battery capacity with 80W fast charge support. While the iPhone 13 Pro Max is powered by a 4,352mAh battery with support for a 27W fast charge. Both phones have support for a fast wireless charge but only the iPhone 13 Pro Max has support for Magsafe wireless charge.
See Also: OnePlus 10 Pro vs vivo X Note: Which should you buy
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max vs vivo X Note: Price
The price of the iPhone 13 Pro Max with 6 + 256GB storage option is about $1,200 and the 8 + 256GB storage option of the vivo X Note is priced at $1,169. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is the more expensive device to buy but is it also the better device to buy? Check out the verdict below the table.
Buy iPhone 13 Pro Max and vivo X Note
| iPhone 13 Pro Max | Price | vivo X Note | Price |
| Buy on Gazelle | $1,069 | Buy on Giztop | $1,169 |
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs vivo X Note: Verdict
So, between the vivo X Note and the iPhone 13 Pro Max which is better? The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is the better phone and here is why.
Although the vivo X Note has the same display quality, has the same IP68 water/dust protection, features a powerful chipset, and comes with good cameras, the iPhone 13 Pro Max offers extra. For example, the iPhone 13 Pro Max offers Scratch-resistant ceramic glass and oleophobic coating in addition to the iP68 water/dust protection. The iPhone 13 Pro Max also features a more powerful chipset that is paired with the very powerful Apple GPU that has 5-core graphics.
Also, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is the better phone for videography and it’s the best battery smartphone you can buy in 2022. So, the overall value of the iPhone 13 Pro Max is just too good. This does not mean the vivo X Note is a bad phone, in fact, the vivo X Note is one of the best Android phones you can buy in 2022. In the end, it still comes to user preference, for those who need a big display and love curved edge phones, the vivo X Note is the phone for you.
If I’m to score both phones, I’ll score the vivo X Note (49%) and the iPhone 13 Pro Max (51%). Even though the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is the more expensive device, the extra features it provides makes up for the price.
