Between the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Phone (3), the iPhone 17 Pro Max comes out ahead in wireless charging and screen size, while the Phone (3) wins on front camera and wired charging. Overall, the iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 67.5 and the Phone (3) scores 68.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (67.5 vs 68.7). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
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 wireless charging, screen size, antutu, among others.
Pick the Phone (3) 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 ram, refresh rate, 5g support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max wins
- ▲Wireless charging — 66.67% more. 25 W vs 15 W.
- ▲Screen size — 2.99% more. 6.9 " vs 6.7 ".
- ▲AnTuTu — 2.44% more. 2100000 vs 2050000.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 6 (vs 5).
Why Nothing - Phone (3) wins
- ▲Front camera — 166.67% more. 32 MP vs 12 MP.
- ▲Wired charging — 116.67% more. 65 W vs 30 W.
- ▲Weight — 31.00 g less. 196 vs 227.
- ▲Battery capacity — 9.93% more. 5150 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 (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 227 g | 196 glead |
| Thickness | 8.3 mmlead | 8.4 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Nothing - Phone (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.9 "lead | 6.7 " |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2200 nits | 4500 nitslead |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Nothing - Phone (3) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (3) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 4685 mAh | 5150 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 30 W | 65 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 25 Wlead | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Nothing - Phone (3) |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | false |
| microSD slot | false | false |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 17 Pro Max | Nothing - Phone (3) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 6 yearslead | 5 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Phone (3)?+
Phone (3) has 9.9% more battery — 4685 mAh vs 5150 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Phone (3)?+
Phone (3) is 31g lighter — 227g vs 196g.
Is iPhone 17 Pro Max waterproof?+
iPhone 17 Pro Max has an IP68 rating.
Does Phone (3) support 5G?+
Yes, Phone (3) supports 5G.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Phone (3)?+
Phone (3) has a 50 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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