Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Sony Xperia 1 III
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (2025) runs on the Apple A19 Pro, while the Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888; launch prices were $1199 and $1299. By overall MobileRank rating, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max leads — 75/100 vs 60/100 (a 15-point difference). Key differences: the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max has the bigger battery (4823 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 48 MP vs 12 MP; the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is faster in AnTuTu (2,538,751 vs 1,232,200); the Sony Xperia 1 III is noticeably lighter (186g vs 233g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Sony Xperia 1 III
What makes Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 2538751 vs 1232200
- Better Geekbench Single: 3933 vs 1500
- Better Geekbench Multi: 10223 vs 3537
- Bigger battery: 4823 vs 4500 mAh
- Faster charging: 40W vs 30W
- Better main camera: 48MP vs 12MP
- Faster wireless charging: 25W vs 11W
- Cheaper at launch: $1199 vs $1299
- Higher performance (92/100 vs 65/100)
- Better camera (71/100 vs 46/100)
- Longer battery life (53/100 vs 42/100)
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?
- Lighter: 186g vs 233g
- Better display (90/100 vs 85/100)
- Better portability (65/100 vs 30/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs the Sony Xperia 1 III, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 15 points higher (75/100 vs 60/100). In the "performance" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max leads (92/100 vs 65/100). In the "camera" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max leads (71/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max leads (53/100 vs 42/100). Value score: Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max — 60/100, Sony Xperia 1 III — 30/100; it shows how far a model sits above or below the usual level for its price, and is not part of the overall rating. In the "performance" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (92/100 vs 65/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (90/100 vs 85/100). In the "camera" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (71/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is a bit better (53/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (65/100 vs 30/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max | Sony Xperia 1 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple A19 Pro | Snapdragon 888 | |
| AnTuTu | 2538751 | 1232200 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3933 | 1500 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 10223 | 3537 | |
| Display | 6.9" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.5" OLED | |
| Resolution | 2868x1320 | 1644x3840 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 4823 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
| Charging | 40W | 30W | |
| Wireless charging | 25W | 11W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 105 | |
| Main camera | 48 MP | 12 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP | 12 MP | |
| Telephoto | 48 MP | 12 MP | |
| Front camera | 18 MP | 8 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB | 256GB / 512GB | |
| OS | iOS 26 | Android 11 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 3000 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP65/IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 163.4×78.0×8.8 mm | 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm | |
| Weight | 233 g | 186 g | |
| Launch price | $1199 | $1299 |
Camera comparison
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Main: 48MP f/1.78
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 18MP
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Display comparison
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 6.9" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED
- Resolution: 2868x1320
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 6.5" OLED
- Resolution: 1644x3840
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 4823 mAh
- Wired: 40W
- Wireless: 25W
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 11W
Overall performance score
We compared Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and Sony Xperia 1 III, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max leads Sony Xperia 1 III by 106.0% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $100. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max was $100 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (92/100 vs 65/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (90/100 vs 85/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (71/100 vs 46/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is a bit better (53/100 vs 42/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max (65/100 vs 30/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max or the Sony Xperia 1 III?
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is noticeably better than the Sony Xperia 1 III — the overall rating gap is 15 points.
What is the rating of the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max and the Sony Xperia 1 III?
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max has a MobileRank rating of 75/100, the Sony Xperia 1 III — 60/100.
Which has the better camera: the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max or the Sony Xperia 1 III?
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max leads on camera score (71/100 vs 46/100).
Which is more powerful: the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max or the Sony Xperia 1 III?
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max leads on performance (92/100 vs 65/100).
Should you choose the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max over the Sony Xperia 1 III?
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is a better fit for gamers and power users. The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users.