BeastCompare

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Which One Should You Buy?

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra edges ahead with a BeastScore of 95.0/100 — but the right choice depends on what matters to you.

Head-to-head
Comparing 2 devicesSwipe ⇄
Asus · 2025

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra
95/ 100
Launch pricePrice on request
Apple · 2025

iPhone 17 Pro Max

iPhone 17 Pro Max
85/ 100
Launch price$1,199
Head-to-head

iPhone 17 Pro Max wins 4 of 6 categories

Here's exactly where each phone is stronger.

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra
Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra
1 win
iPhone 17 Pro Max
iPhone 17 Pro Max
4 wins
At a glance

Bigger shape = better phone.

SpeedCameraSelfieBatteryDisplayConnectivity
Asus Zenfone 12 UltraiPhone 17 Pro Max
Category winners

Scores out of 100. "From specs" scores compare only the specs both phones list. How we score

  • SpeediPhone 17 Pro Max
    86
    90
  • Camerafrom specsiPhone 17 Pro Max
    82
    91
  • VideoNot enough data
  • SelfieAsus Zenfone 12 Ultra
    88
    76
  • BatteryiPhone 17 Pro Max
    63
    86
  • Displayfrom specsTie
    92
    92
  • ConnectivityiPhone 17 Pro Max
    65
    100
  • SecurityNot enough data
  • ValueNot enough data
Key differences
  • Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has the bigger battery5,500 mAh vs 5,088 mAh
  • Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has a sharper main camera50 MP vs 48 MP
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max has the bigger screen6.9" vs 6.78"
  • Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is lighter220 g vs 233 g
  • Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has a sharper selfie camera32 MP vs 18 MP
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max has newer Bluetooth6 vs 5.4
  • Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has more RAM16 GB vs 12 GB
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max has the faster chipApple A19 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Elite
See all specs ↓

Why buy each phone

Swipe ⇄
Reasons to buy Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra
  • ✓13 g lighter (220 g), easier to hold
  • ✓Bigger 5,500 mAh battery (+412 mAh)
  • ✓50 MP main camera
Reasons to buy iPhone 17 Pro Max
  • ✓$8800 cheaper at launch ($1199 vs $9999)
  • ✓48 MP main camera
  • ✓6.9" display at 120 Hz

Full specifications

Swipe ⇄
SpecificationAsus Zenfone 12 UltraiPhone 17 Pro Max
1. Display & Screen
Screen typeColor LTPO AMOLED Screen (16M Colors)LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED
Screen Size6.78"6.9"
Resolution & Density~ 388 PPI 2868x1320 (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate120 Hz ProMotion120 Hz ProMotion
BrightnessN/A3,000 nits peak
Screen ProtectionNot listedNot listed
2. Platform & Performance🏆 iPhone 17 Pro Max Wins Performance
Chipset / ProcessorSnapdragon 8 Elite Apple A19 Pro (3nm)
CPU CoresNot listedNot listed
GPU GraphicsNot listedApple GPU (6-core)
Operating SystemAndroid 15 15iOS 26
3. Memory & Storage
RAM Memory16 GB LPDDR12 GB LPDDR
Internal Storage512 GB256GB / 512GB / 1024GB / 2048GB
Storage SpeedNot listedNot listed
Card SlotNoNo
4. Main Camera Optics🏆 iPhone 17 Pro Max Wins Camera
Primary Camera50 MP, 50MP Main (OIS) + 50MP Ultra-wide + Telephoto48 MP, f/1.78, OIS, Fusion 48MP
Telephoto ZoomNone (digital zoom only)48 MP (8x optical zoom), f/2.8, OIS
Ultrawide CameraN/A48 MP, f/2.2
LiDAR / DepthNoneNone
5. Video
Main Camera Video
Not listed
Not listed
Front Video
Not listed
Not listed
6. Selfie Camera
Selfie Lens32 MP18 MP, f/1.9
7. Body & Dimensions🏆 Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra Lightest Chassis
DimensionsN/A163.4 x 78 x 8.75 mm
Weight220 g233 g
Build MaterialsNot listedNot listed
SIM TypeNot listedNot listed
Water ResistanceNot listedIP68
8. Battery & Charging🏆 iPhone 17 Pro Max Wins Battery
Battery Capacity5,500 mAh5,088 mAh
Wired Fast ChargingN/A40W wired fast charging
Wireless ChargingNot listed25W wireless charging
Reverse ChargingNot listedNot listed
9. Sound & Audio
LoudspeakerNot listedNot listed
3.5mm Headphone JackNoNo
10. Connectivity
Wi-Fi StandardYes, with wifi-hotspotWi-Fi 7
BluetoothYes, v5.4, HFP + A2DP + AVRCP + HID + PAN + OPP, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless6.0
USB Port & SpeedYes, USB-CUSB-C 3.0
NFCYesYes (contactless payment)
11. Sensors & Security
SensorsNot listedNot listed
Satellite FeaturesNot listedNot listed
12. Colors & Overview
ColorsNot listedNot listed
Launch PricePrice on request$1199
Our verdict

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra wins — BeastScore 95.0/100

After comparing all the specs, Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is the stronger all-round phone. Its main edge: Higher overall BeastScore: 95.0 vs top rival 84.5 and Larger battery capacity: 5,500 mAh (+412 mAh more).

Buy Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra if you want

Higher overall BeastScore: 95.0 vs top rival 84.5 · Larger battery capacity: 5,500 mAh (+412 mAh more)

Buy iPhone 17 Pro Max if you want

Significantly faster wired charging: 40W vs max 0W · Dedicated optical telephoto zoom (1 lens system)

Common questions

Which is better: Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max?

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra leads with an overall BeastScore of 95.0/100 compared to iPhone 17 Pro Max (84.5/100), driven by advantages in Higher overall BeastScore: 95.0 vs top rival 84.5 and Larger battery capacity: 5,500 mAh (+412 mAh more).

What are the main battery and display differences between Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max?

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has a 6.78-inch display and 5500 mAh battery. iPhone 17 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch display and 5088 mAh battery.

How do Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max compare for speed?

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra scores 86/100 for performance; iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 90/100.

Similar Smartphones

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5G
Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5G

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Apple

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold
Google

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold

OnePlus 15
Oneplus

OnePlus 15

Redmi Note 13 Pro+
Xiaomi

Redmi Note 13 Pro+

Vivo X300s
Vivo

Vivo X300s

Oppo Find X9 Ultra 5G
Oppo

Oppo Find X9 Ultra 5G

Motorola Razr Fold 5G
Motorola

Motorola Razr Fold 5G

More Smartphones comparisons

vs

ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra vs Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra

Compare →
vs

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra vs Pixel 10 Pro XL

Compare →
vs

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max

Compare →
vs

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 18 Pro Max

Compare →
vs

iPhone 15 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max

Compare →
vs

iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro Max

Compare →
vs

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 17e

Compare →
vs

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Pro

Compare →

Related articles

All articles →
Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Dimensity 9400 vs Apple A18 Pro: The Real WinnerDeep Dive
11 min read

Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Dimensity 9400 vs Apple A18 Pro: The Real Winner

We compared the big three 3nm smartphone chipsets under sustained 60-minute gaming loads, measuring frame rate stability, power draw, and thermal throttling.

Read →
TrendForce: Apple to capture a quarter of the folding phone market in 2026Market
4 min read

TrendForce: Apple to capture a quarter of the folding phone market in 2026

TrendForce forecasts Apple will capture 25.2% of worldwide foldable smartphone shipments in 2026 following the iPhone Duo release, reshaping competition with Samsung.

Read →
Here are the Apple iPhone Duo alternativesGuide
6 min read

Here are the Apple iPhone Duo alternatives

Explore top alternatives to the $2,000 Apple iPhone Duo, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, Xiaomi 18 Fold 5G, Vivo X Fold5 Pro, and OnePlus Open 2.

Read →