iPhone 12 iPhone 11 Pro Max vs iPhone 12 (iPhone 13 maybe out of budget) with one should I buy ?

[adamdria]

Hi everyone! I need advice on which iPhone to buy in 2025. I’m considering:

• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 13 (but this one is quite expensive in my country, so I might not be able to afford it)

My details:

• Region: Algeria
• Priorities: I want good battery life, camera quality, and storage. 5G is nice, but not the most important.
• Buying condition: I’m okay with used or refurbished if it’s worth it.

Which one would you recommend for me, and why? Is it better to save money with the 11 Pro Max, or go with the 12? Thanks a lot!

 

[maerz001]

The normal 12 is more expensive than 11pro max in your country? Doesn’t make sense

I wouldn’t buy an iphone older than 5years if u want to use it for anything longer than 2 years.

Get a nothing or pixel android phone instead to save money.

the only refurbished models are worth it directly from apple. Most other sellers use this term as pure marketing/fraud

 

[Shirasaki]

The normal 12 is more expensive than 11pro max in your country? Doesn’t make sense

I wouldn’t buy an iphone older than 5years if u want to use it for anything longer than 2 years.

Get a nothing or pixel android phone instead to save money.

the only refurbished models are worth it directly from apple. Most other sellers use this term as pure marketing/fraud

It would make sense considering Algeria is in North Africa, and how difficult it is to get anything there. In fact, I would not be surprised if their used iPhone 14 is just expensive as brand new iPhone 17 Pro Max sold in EU with all the tax and whatnot on top.

Also, Apple only has 1 official store for the entire country according to Google Maps.

With that being said, a high quality brand new android phone is a much better buy if even used iPhone is so expensive in Algeria.

 

[russell_314]

Hi everyone! I need advice on which iPhone to buy in 2025. I’m considering:

• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 13 (but this one is quite expensive in my country, so I might not be able to afford it)

My details:

• Region: Algeria
• Priorities: I want good battery life, camera quality, and storage. 5G is nice, but not the most important.
• Buying condition: I’m okay with used or refurbished if it’s worth it.

Which one would you recommend for me, and why? Is it better to save money with the 11 Pro Max, or go with the 12? Thanks a lot!

From that list of iPhones, I would probably pick the iPhone 12. Especially if it was significantly cheaper than the iPhone 13. It wouldn’t be worth paying a lot more for a slightly newer older iPhone.

My logic is it’s slightly newer than the iPhone 11 Pro Max so should have support for longer.

My brother still has an iPhone 12 and he’s happy with it. He bought it when the iPhone 15 was out. It replaced his iPhone 6S.


The only caveat I’d say is to get one with a battery in good condition with the original screen, etc. If you have local shops that can replace the battery then it shouldn’t be a problem.

You could get an android phone cheaper, but I understand people want to be in the iOS ecosystem. I would pick an iPhone 12 over a Samsung Galaxy S25 😂
.

 

[adamdria]

From that list of iPhones, I would probably pick the iPhone 12. Especially if it was significantly cheaper than the iPhone 13. It wouldn’t be worth paying a lot more for a slightly newer older iPhone.

My logic is it’s slightly newer than the iPhone 11 Pro Max so should have support for longer.

My brother still has an iPhone 12 and he’s happy with it. He bought it when the iPhone 15 was out. It replaced his iPhone 6S.


The only caveat I’d say is to get one with a battery in good condition with the original screen, etc. If you have local shops that can replace the battery then it shouldn’t be a problem.

You could get an android phone cheaper, but I understand people want to be in the iOS ecosystem. I would pick an iPhone 12 over a Samsung Galaxy S25 😂
.

yeh a s25 would be perfect but the price is waaaaay high in my country

 

[adamdria]

It would make sense considering Algeria is in North Africa, and how difficult it is to get anything there. In fact, I would not be surprised if their used iPhone 14 is just expensive as brand new iPhone 17 Pro Max sold in EU with all the tax and whatnot on top.

Also, Apple only has 1 official store for the entire country according to Google Maps.

With that being said, a high quality brand new android phone is a much better buy if even used iPhone is so expensive in Algeria.

we don't have a Apple Store that's why the prices are so high
and why im not buying android cuz the guy who selling me the iPhones I know him and he will give me a good deal

 

[Shirasaki]

we don't have a Apple Store that's why the prices are so high
and why im not buying android cuz the guy who selling me the iPhones I know him and he will give me a good deal

Unless you want something specifically from iPhone 11 Pro Max, such as 4K video recording, I suggest you get iPhone 12, which you should be able to get one more year major software support.

 

[winxmac]

What is your current smartphone or do you have one at the moment?

As a current owner of a pre-owned iPhone 11 Pro Max, I would say go for it since it has the biggest battery capacity of the three choices you have. Just remember that the lowest storage for iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 12 are both 64GB while the lowest storage for iPhone 13 is 128GB.

128GB would be okay if you don't use it as a primary photo and video taking device but try to go with a 256GB one if it is still within your financial capability. iPhone 11 Pro Max is only available in 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB while iPhone 12 is only available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB while iPhone 13 is only available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.

If you prefer a smaller smartphone, even if it's the highest price, I would go with the iPhone 13. It is what the iPhone 12 should have been.

 

[Paddle1]

iPhone 12 has bad battery life compared to 11 series and 13 series. iOS 26 might be the last iOS version for the iPhone 11, if you care about that kind of thing.

 

[Tripps9000]

I can imagine iPhones are probably pretty expensive where you live just out curiosity how much is a iPhone 16e brand new?

 

[adrianlondon]

iOS 26 is running well on my base iPhone 11, but I'm assuming it'll be the last major iOS release I can run on it.

Whether the iPhone 12 (with the A14 chip vs the A13 chip I have) will survive iOS 27 is also doubtful, but I'd still get that instead of the 11. I'm not sure the Pro offers much apart from an extra camera lens and a slightly smaller size.