Canon SX720 HS has a 20.3MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features DIGIC 6 processor. On the other hand, Pentax MX-1 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .
Canon SX720 HS's sensor provides 8.3MP more than Pentax MX-1's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely.
On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.
Below you can see the SX720 HS and MX-1 sensor size comparison.
![Canon SX720 HS vs Pentax MX-1 Sensor Size Comparison]()
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SX720 HS and Pentax MX-1 Cameras
As seen above, Pentax MX-1 has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Canon SX720 HS. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.