Between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and X Fold 3 Pro, the iPhone 17 Pro Max comes out ahead in pixel density and weight, while the X Fold 3 Pro wins on wired charging and front camera. Overall, the iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 67.5 and the X Fold 3 Pro scores 73.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The X Fold 3 Pro edges ahead on the Mars Score (67.5 vs 73.1), but the 5.6-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the iPhone 17 Pro Max if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. The biggest gaps in its favor are pixel density, weight, antutu, among others.
Pick the X Fold 3 Pro if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are wired charging, front camera, wireless charging, among others.
Both ship with comparable refresh rate, 5g support, optical image stabilization, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the X Fold 3 Pro is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max wins
- ▲Pixel density — 14.43% more. 460 ppi vs 402 ppi.
- ▲Weight — 9.00 g less. 227 vs 236.
- ▲AnTuTu — 1.45% more. 2100000 vs 2070000.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 4).
Why Vivo - X Fold 3 Pro wins
- ▲Wired charging — 233.33% more. 100 W vs 30 W.
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Wireless charging — 100.00% more. 50 W vs 25 W.
- ▲RAM — 33.33% more. 16 GB vs 12 GB.
- ▲Battery capacity — 21.66% more. 5700 mAh vs 4685 mAh.
- ▲Screen size — 16.38% more. 8.03 " vs 6.9 ".
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
- ▲Water resistance: IPX8 (vs IP68).
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Vivo - X Fold 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 227 glead | 236 g |
| Thickness | 8.3 mmlead | 11.2 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IPX8lead |
| Form factor | bar | foldable_booklead |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Vivo - X Fold 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.9 " | 8.03 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 402 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2200 nits | 4500 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Vivo - X Fold 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Vivo - X Fold 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4685 mAh | 5700 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 30 W | 100 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 25 W | 50 Wlead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Vivo - X Fold 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Vivo - X Fold 3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 yearslead | 4 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 17 Pro Max or X Fold 3 Pro?+
X Fold 3 Pro has 21.7% more battery — 4685 mAh vs 5700 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 17 Pro Max or X Fold 3 Pro?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max is 9g lighter — 227g vs 236g.
Is iPhone 17 Pro Max waterproof?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max has an IP68 rating.
Does X Fold 3 Pro support 5G?+
Yes, X Fold 3 Pro supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 17 Pro Max or X Fold 3 Pro?+
X Fold 3 Pro offers 16GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 17 Pro Max or X Fold 3 Pro?+
X Fold 3 Pro has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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