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The POCO X8 Pro Max is the better fit on paper if you want a large, high-refresh display, a very high stated battery capacity and 100W wired charging. Choose the iPhone 15 if you prefer a smaller 6.1-inch phone, iOS, Apple’s A16 Bionic platform and a camera system that includes a computational 2x option. Specifications alone do not prove which phone is faster or takes better photos; the available sources do not include a controlled side-by-side test.
At a glance: how the iPhone 15 and POCO X8 Pro Max differ
| What matters | Apple iPhone 15 | POCO X8 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 6.1 inches, according to Apple’s 2023 launch announcement. | 6.83-inch AMOLED, 2772 × 1280 resolution and up to 120Hz, according to Xiaomi UK’s specification page accessed 7 October 2026. |
| Platform and software | Apple A16 Bionic; runs iOS. The cited Apple announcement does not state a current support-duration commitment. | TechRadar’s 3 April 2026 review identifies Android 16 with HyperOS 3 and reports four years of operating-system updates and six years of security fixes. |
| Rear cameras | 48MP main camera, 12MP Ultra Wide and a computational 2x telephoto option; 24MP is the default capture, per Apple’s 2023 announcement. | 50MP main camera with OIS and 8MP ultra-wide, per Xiaomi UK’s specification page accessed 7 October 2026. |
| Battery and charging | Comparable capacity and charging wattage are not stated in the cited Apple launch announcement. | 8,500mAh typical capacity, 100W wired HyperCharge and up to 27W wired reverse charging, per Xiaomi UK’s specification page accessed 7 October 2026. These are specifications, not a comparative runtime test. |
| Memory and storage | Apple’s 2023 launch announcement lists 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage; RAM is not stated there. | 12GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB storage, per Xiaomi UK’s specification page accessed 7 October 2026. |
For the POCO figures, Xiaomi’s UK page is a regional specification source; configurations and features may differ by market. See Xiaomi UK’s POCO X8 Pro Max specifications. Apple’s figures above come from its iPhone 15 launch announcement.
Price difference: compare local offers and storage, not old launch prices
There is no single current global price gap. Prices vary by country, storage tier, seller and promotion, so compare the same storage capacity from sellers in your market.
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- United States, 2023: Apple announced the iPhone 15 at a launch starting price of $799. This is a historical launch price, not a current retail quote.
- POCO launch pricing reported in 2026: TechRadar reported $469/£469 for 256GB and $519/£519 for 512GB in its 3 April 2026 review. These are reported launch prices, not current offers.
- India listing snapshot: Gadgets Now displayed offer prices of ₹59,900 for iPhone 15 and ₹48,999 for POCO X8 Pro Max on the comparison page accessed 7 October 2026. The listing is dynamic, not a guaranteed price, and does not establish a durable like-for-like gap across storage tiers.
Check the current seller price, exact storage variant, warranty and package contents before deciding. Price sources: Apple, TechRadar and Gadgets Now.
#1 Best Overall
- USA MARKET ONLY WORK ON TMOBILE BOOST MINT TELLO OR ANY UNDER TMOBILE NETWORK PHONE NEEDS A SIM CARD ALREADY ACTIVATED ,OUTSIDE USA WORKS ANY GSM CARRIER SIM GSM FCC ID: 2AFZZPC0AG
- Dual SIM (nano SIM + nano SIM or nano SIM + eSIM) (NO MICRO SD) 5G: 5G SA: n1/2/3/5/7/8/20/26/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)//77/78/485G NSA: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)/77/784G LTE TDD: B38/40/41/42/484G LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/18/19/20/26/28/66*(70M)/713G WCDMA: 1/2/4/5/6/8/192G GSM: 2/3/5/8Supports 4x4 MIMO*5G SA/NSA N66(70M) and 4G B66(70M): UL 1710MHz～1780MHz, DL 2110MHz～2180MHz*5G connectivity may vary based on region availability and local operator support.
- 6.83" 1.5K 120Hz ultra-bright AMOLED displayResolution: 2772 x 1280Contrast ratio: 8,000,000:1Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz*Refresh rate can be adjusted to up to 120Hz for supported apps.Peak brightness: 3500 nits covering 25% display areaHBM brightness: 2000 nitsTypical brightness: 800 n: 2560Hz*480Hz touch sampling rate is activated under Game Turbo Mode.*2560Hz instant touch sampling rate is activated under Game Turbo Mode.12-bit color depth, 68 billion colorsDCI-P3 wide display 2.0HDR10+TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly CertifiedDolby VisionCorning Gorilla Glass 7i
- MediaTek Dimensity 9500s3nm manufacturing process1 x Cortex-X925, up to 3.73GHz3 x Cortex-X4, up to 3.3GHz4 x Cortex-A720, up to 2.4GHzImmortalis-G925 MC11NPU 890 - 8500mAh (typ)100W HyperChargeUSB Type-C charging portUp to 27W reverse chargingSupports PD3.0/PD2.0Smart charging
- Wi-Fi Protocol: Wi-Fi 7/ Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 5/ Wi-Fi 4 and 802.11a/b/g*Wi-Fi 7/Wi-Fi 6 capability may vary based on regional availability and local network support. Wi-Fi connectivity (including Wi-Fi frequency bands, Wi-Fi standards and other features as ratified in IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications) may vary based on regional availability and local network support. The function may be added via OTA when and where applicable.WLAN frequency: 2.4G Wi-Fi | 5G Wi-FiSupports Multi-Link Operation, 2x2 MIMO, 8x8 Sounding for MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, MiracastBluetooth 6.0, Dual-BluetoothSupports SBC / AAC / LDAC / LHDC 5.0 / LC3 / ASHA / AuracastNFC
Which screen and size suit you?
Choose the POCO for a larger, smoother display
The POCO’s 6.83-inch AMOLED panel and refresh rate up to 120Hz make it the more clearly specified option for people who prioritize a large screen and smoother scrolling. Xiaomi lists its resolution as 2772 × 1280. A high refresh rate is a display specification; it does not, by itself, establish a faster overall phone.
Choose the iPhone for a smaller handset
Apple describes the iPhone 15 as having a 6.1-inch display. That smaller size may be preferable if you want a more compact phone. The cited Apple launch source does not provide a directly comparable refresh-rate figure, so this comparison cannot establish a like-for-like screen smoothness advantage for either device.
Rank #2
- USA MARKET ONLY WORK ON TMOBILE MINT TELLO OR ANY UNDER TMOBILE NETWORK PHONE NEEDS A SIM CARD ALREADY ACTIVATED ,OUTSIDE USA WORKS ANY GSM CARRIER SIM GSM FCC ID: 2AFZZPC0AG
- Dual sim (NO MICRO SD) 5G: 5G SA: n1/2/3/5/7/8/20/26/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)/71/77/78/485G NSA: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)/71/77/784G LTE TDD: B38/40/41/42/484G LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/18/19/20/26/28/66*(70M)/713G WCDMA: 1/2/4/5/6/8/192G GSM: 2/3/5/8Supports 4x4 MIMO*5G SA/NSA N66(70M) and 4G B66(70M): UL 1710MHz～1780MHz, DL 2110MHz～2180MHz*5G connectivity may vary based on region availability and local operator support.
- 6.59" 1.5K 120Hz ultra-bright AMOLED displayResolution: 2756*1268Contrast ratio: 8,000,000:1Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz*Refresh rate can be adjusted to up to 120Hz for supported apps.Peak brightness: 3500 nits covering 25% display areaHBM brightness: 2000 nitsTypical brightness: 800 nitsTouch sampling rate: Up to 480HzInstant touch sampling rate: 2560Hz*2560Hz instant touch sampling rate is activated under Game Turbo Mode.12-bit color depth, 68 billion colorsDCI-P3 wide color gamut3840Hz PWM dimmingOriginal color PROPro HDR displayWet Touch display 2.0HDR10+TCertifiedTÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly CertifiedDolby VisionCorning Gorilla Glass 7i
- Dimensity 8500-Ultra4nm manufacturing processOcta-core CPU, up to 3.4GHzMali-G720 MC8 GPU / 6500mAh (typ)100W HyperChargeUSB Type-C charging portUp to 27W reverse chargingSupports PD3.0/PD2.0Smart charging
- Wi-Fi Protocol: Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 5/ Wi-Fi 4 and 802.11a/b/g*Wi-Fi 6 capability may vary based on regional availability and local network support. Wi-Fi connectivity (including Wi-Fi frequency bands, Wi-Fi ratified in IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications) may vary based on regional availability and local network support. The function may be added via OTA when and where applicable.WLAN frequency: 2.4G Wi-Fi | 5G Wi-FiSupports 2x2 MIMO, 8x8 Sounding for MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, MiracastBluetooth 6.0Supports SBC / AAC / LDAC / LHDC 5.0 / LC3 / ASHA / AuracastNFC -
Battery and charging: POCO leads on listed hardware
Xiaomi UK lists an 8,500mAh typical battery, 100W HyperCharge over USB-C and wired reverse charging up to 27W for the POCO X8 Pro Max. Xiaomi says the UK box does not include a power adapter and recommends a Xiaomi adapter rated at 100W or higher. Check the package for your region, as box contents can differ.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Those capacity and charging figures describe the POCO’s published hardware, not how long it will last against an iPhone 15 in real use. The cited Apple launch material does not give a comparable iPhone battery-capacity figure, and the sources do not provide a controlled battery-life comparison. For the regional details and manufacturer qualifications, consult Xiaomi UK’s specification page and Xiaomi’s global product page.
Rank #3
- USA MARKET ONLY WORK ON TMOBILE BOOST MINT TELLO OR ANY UNDER TMOBILE NETWORK PHONE NEEDS A SIM CARD ALREADY ACTIVATED ,OUTSIDE USA WORKS ANY GSM CARRIER SIM GSM FCC ID: 2AFZZPC0AG
- Dual SIM (nano SIM + nano SIM or nano SIM + eSIM) (NO MICRO SD) 5G: 5G SA: n1/2/3/5/7/8/20/26/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)//77/78/485G NSA: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)/77/784G LTE TDD: B38/40/41/42/484G LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/18/19/20/26/28/66*(70M)/713G WCDMA: 1/2/4/5/6/8/192G GSM: 2/3/5/8Supports 4x4 MIMO*5G SA/NSA N66(70M) and 4G B66(70M): UL 1710MHz～1780MHz, DL 2110MHz～2180MHz*5G connectivity may vary based on region availability and local operator support.
- 6.83" 1.5K 120Hz ultra-bright AMOLED displayResolution: 2772 x 1280Contrast ratio: 8,000,000:1Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz*Refresh rate can be adjusted to up to 120Hz for supported apps.Peak brightness: 3500 nits covering 25% display areaHBM brightness: 2000 nitsTypical brightness: 800 n: 2560Hz*480Hz touch sampling rate is activated under Game Turbo Mode.*2560Hz instant touch sampling rate is activated under Game Turbo Mode.12-bit color depth, 68 billion colorsDCI-P3 wide display 2.0HDR10+TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly CertifiedDolby VisionCorning Gorilla Glass 7i
- MediaTek Dimensity 9500s3nm manufacturing process1 x Cortex-X925, up to 3.73GHz3 x Cortex-X4, up to 3.3GHz4 x Cortex-A720, up to 2.4GHzImmortalis-G925 MC11NPU 890 - 8500mAh (typ)100W HyperChargeUSB Type-C charging portUp to 27W reverse chargingSupports PD3.0/PD2.0Smart charging
- Wi-Fi Protocol: Wi-Fi 7/ Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 5/ Wi-Fi 4 and 802.11a/b/g*Wi-Fi 7/Wi-Fi 6 capability may vary based on regional availability and local network support. Wi-Fi connectivity (including Wi-Fi frequency bands, Wi-Fi standards and other features as ratified in IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications) may vary based on regional availability and local network support. The function may be added via OTA when and where applicable.WLAN frequency: 2.4G Wi-Fi | 5G Wi-FiSupports Multi-Link Operation, 2x2 MIMO, 8x8 Sounding for MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, MiracastBluetooth 6.0, Dual-BluetoothSupports SBC / AAC / LDAC / LHDC 5.0 / LC3 / ASHA / AuracastNFC
Camera comparison: different hardware, no proven overall winner
iPhone 15: main, ultra-wide and computational 2x
Apple lists a 48MP main camera and a 12MP Ultra Wide camera, with a computational 2x telephoto option. Its announcement says the phone captures 24MP by default. These are camera-system features; they do not guarantee a better result in every scene.
POCO X8 Pro Max: 50MP main with OIS
Xiaomi UK lists a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. In its 3 April 2026 review, TechRadar’s reviewer described the cameras as fine for daily use but not optimized for photographers. That observation is a review assessment, not a controlled comparison with the iPhone 15.
Rank #4
- USA MARKET ONLY WORK ON TMOBILE MINT TELLO OR ANY UNDER TMOBILE NETWORK PHONE NEEDS A SIM CARD ALREADY ACTIVATED ,OUTSIDE USA WORKS ANY GSM CARRIER SIM GSM FCC ID: 2AFZZPC0AG
- Dual SIM (nano SIM + nano SIM or nano SIM + eSIM) (NO MICRO SD) 5G: 5G SA: n1/2/3/5/7/8/20/26/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)/71/77/78/485G NSA: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)/71/77/784G LTE TDD: B38/40/41/42/484G LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/18/19/20/26/28/66*(70M)/713G WCDMA: 1/2/4/5/6/8/192G GSM: 2/3/5/8Supports 4x4 MIMO*5G SA/NSA N66(70M) and 4G B66(70M): UL 1710MHz～1780MHz, DL 2110MHz～2180MHz*5G connectivity may vary based on region availability and local operator support.
- 6.83" 1.5K 120Hz ultra-bright AMOLED displayResolution: 2772 x 1280Contrast ratio: 8,000,000:1Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz*Refresh rate can be adjusted to up to 120Hz for supported apps.Peak brightness: 3500 nits covering 25% display areaHBM brightness: 2000 nitsTypical brightness: 800 n: 2560Hz*480Hz touch sampling rate is activated under Game Turbo Mode.*2560Hz instant touch sampling rate is activated under Game Turbo Mode.12-bit color depth, 68 billion colorsDCI-P3 wide display 2.0HDR10+TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly CertifiedDolby VisionCorning Gorilla Glass 7i
- MediaTek Dimensity 9500s3nm manufacturing process1 x Cortex-X925, up to 3.73GHz3 x Cortex-X4, up to 3.3GHz4 x Cortex-A720, up to 2.4GHzImmortalis-G925 MC11NPU 890 - 8500mAh (typ)100W HyperChargeUSB Type-C charging portUp to 27W reverse chargingSupports PD3.0/PD2.0Smart charging
- Wi-Fi Protocol: Wi-Fi 7/ Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 5/ Wi-Fi 4 and 802.11a/b/g*Wi-Fi 7/Wi-Fi 6 capability may vary based on regional availability and local network support. Wi-Fi connectivity (including Wi-Fi frequency bands, Wi-Fi standards and other features as ratified in IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications) may vary based on regional availability and local network support. The function may be added via OTA when and where applicable.WLAN frequency: 2.4G Wi-Fi | 5G Wi-FiSupports Multi-Link Operation, 2x2 MIMO, 8x8 Sounding for MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, MiracastBluetooth 6.0, Dual-BluetoothSupports SBC / AAC / LDAC / LHDC 5.0 / LC3 / ASHA / AuracastNFC
Megapixel counts are not enough to settle image quality, and the available sources do not establish an overall camera winner from side-by-side testing. Apple’s camera details are in its launch announcement; POCO’s hardware is on Xiaomi UK’s specifications page.
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The POCO’s listed memory configuration is 12GB RAM, with 256GB or 512GB storage. Apple’s 2023 announcement lists the iPhone 15 in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB capacities. RAM totals are not directly comparable across Android and iOS, so the larger POCO figure should not be treated as proof of superior performance.
Software is a choice between iOS on the iPhone and Android 16 with HyperOS 3 on the POCO as identified in TechRadar’s April 2026 review. TechRadar reports four years of operating-system updates and six years of security fixes for the reviewed POCO. The Apple source cited here is its 2023 launch announcement, not a current support-duration statement; the available evidence therefore does not establish which phone will receive updates for longer. Check current Apple support terms and the applicable POCO policy for your region before buying on expected ownership length.
Which one should you buy?
- Pick the POCO X8 Pro Max if a 6.83-inch display with up to 120Hz, the listed 8,500mAh battery, 100W charging or 12GB RAM matters most to you—and the available software and regional configuration suit your needs.
- Pick the iPhone 15 if you want a 6.1-inch phone, iOS, Apple’s A16 Bionic platform, or the listed 48MP main camera with a computational 2x option.
- Decide on price only after checking local listings for the same storage tier. The published price figures above come from different countries, dates and price contexts.
Before ordering either phone, verify local network-band compatibility, warranty coverage and box contents. Xiaomi notes that network and eSIM features and battery configuration can vary by region; the UK POCO specification page says its adapter is not included.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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