Between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Phone (3a), the iPhone 17 Pro Max comes out ahead in antutu and ram, while the Phone (3a) wins on front camera and wired charging. Overall, the iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 67.5 and the Phone (3a) scores 62.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max edges ahead on the Mars Score (67.5 vs 62.5), but the 5.0-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 antutu, ram, pixel density, among others.
Pick the Phone (3a) if you photograph or shoot video regularly and want the better imaging pipeline of the two. Its strongest claims are front camera, wired charging, weight, 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 iPhone 17 Pro Max 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
- ▲AnTuTu — 156.10% more. 2100000 vs 820000.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Pixel density — 18.86% more. 460 ppi vs 387 ppi.
- ▲Screen size — 1.92% more. 6.9 " vs 6.77 ".
- ▲Water resistance: IP68 (vs IP64).
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 3).
- ▲Wireless charging: 25 W vs 0 W.
Why Nothing - Phone (3a) wins
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 66.67% more. 50 W vs 30 W.
- ▲Weight — 26.00 g less. 201 vs 227.
- ▲Battery capacity — 6.72% more. 5000 mAh vs 4685 mAh.
- ▲Main camera — 4.17% more. 50 MP vs 48 MP.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 227 g | 201 glead |
| Thickness | 8.3 mmlead | 8.4 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68lead | IP64 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.9 "lead | 6.77 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppilead | 387 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2200 nits | 3000 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 50 MPlead |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MPlead |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4685 mAh | 5000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 30 W | 50 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 25 Wlead | 0 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Nothing - Phone (3a) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 yearslead | 3 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has 6.7% more battery — 4685 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) is 26g lighter — 227g vs 201g.
Is iPhone 17 Pro Max waterproof?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max has an IP68 rating.
Does Phone (3a) support 5G?+
Yes, Phone (3a) supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Phone (3a)?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Phone (3a)?+
Phone (3a) has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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