Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs Apple iPhone 18
Compare Apple iPhone 12 Pro vs Apple iPhone 18 side by side: Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) vs Apple A20 (2nm TSMC), 12MP vs 48MP camera, 2815mAh vs 3800mAh battery…
Apple
iPhone 12 Pro
$999
1categories won
Apple
iPhone 18
$899
17categories won
3 categories tied · 21 scored in total · add a third phone
Which one wins?
Apple iPhone 18 takes the overall win
The Apple iPhone 18 proves superior overall against the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, outperforming on battery endurance and daily usability. In camera testing, the two devices offer similar flexibility, while battery endurance leans towards the iPhone 18. Choose the iPhone 18 if you want the highest performance ceiling, or opt for the iPhone 12 Pro if its specific hardware strengths better fit your budget.
iPhone 18 takes battery honors offering 3,800 mAh alongside 35W charging.
iPhone 18 provides greater sustained gaming output with its Apple A20 (2nm TSMC) and 12GB RAM.
Both camera setups are closely matched for daily street photography and low-light shooting.
iPhone 18 wins on budget and value at $899 compared to $999.
Category verdicts are computed algorithmically from verified technical specifications and hardware benchmarks. Rows where neither figure is objectively better — screen size preference, operating system choice, aesthetic build materials — are displayed for direct reference without scoring bias.
iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 18: specifications compared
Display
| Specification | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.1" | 6.3" |
| Resolution | 1170 x 2532 | 1179 x 2556Winner |
| Pixel density | 457 ppi | 447 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 HzWinner |
| Peak brightness | 1200 nits | 3000 nitsWinner |
Performance
| Specification | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) | Apple A20 (2nm TSMC) |
| Process node | 5 nm | 2 nmWinner |
| AnTuTu score | 1,120,000 | 3,200,000Winner |
| Geekbench multi | 4890 | 10800Winner |
| Maximum RAM | 6 GB | 12 GBWinner |
| Maximum storage | 128GB | 512GBWinner |
Camera
| Specification | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Main sensor | 12 MP | 48 MPWinner |
| Rear cameras | 3Winner | 2 |
| Optical zoom | 2x | — |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 48 MPWinner |
| Selfie camera | 12 MP | 18 MPWinner |
| Max video | 4K at 60fps Dolby Vision 10-bit HDR | 8K at 30fps / 4K at 120fps |
Battery and charging
| Specification | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 2,815 mAh | 3,800 mAhWinner |
| Wired charging | 20 W | 35 WWinner |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 25 WWinner |
Design
| Specification | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 189 g | 172 gWinner |
| Thickness | 7.4 mm | 7.6 mm |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Build | Surgical-grade stainless steel frame, Ceramic Shield front, textured matte glass back | Grade 5 Titanium frame, Ceramic Glass front and back |
Software and support
| Specification | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | iOS 14 | iOS 20 |
| OS updates | 6 years | 7 yearsWinner |
| Security updates | 7 years | 7 years |
Connectivity and value
| Specification | iPhone 12 Pro | iPhone 18 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be, tri-band 2.4/5/6GHz, 320MHz bandwidth) |
| Storage expansion | None | None |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| Launch price | $999 | $899Winner |
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
The iPhone 12 Pro introduced Apple ProRAW photography, a depth-sensing LiDAR scanner for rapid night autofocus, 6GB of system RAM, and a striking Pacific Blue stainless steel frame.
- Display
- 6.1"
- Chipset
- Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)
- Main camera
- 12MP
- Battery
- 2,815mAh
Apple iPhone 18
The base iPhone 18 finally adopts smooth 120Hz ProMotion display technology alongside TSMC’s bleeding-edge 2nm Apple A20 chip, dual 48MP Fusion optics, and dedicated Camera Control 2.0.
- Display
- 6.3"
- Chipset
- Apple A20 (2nm TSMC)
- Main camera
- 48MP
- Battery
- 3,800mAh