Nikon P500 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Canon 1D X has a 18.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Dual Digic 5+ processor.
Canon 1D X's sensor provides 6MP more than Nikon P500'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 P500 and 1D X sensor size comparison.
![Nikon P500 vs Canon 1D X Sensor Size Comparison]()
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P500 and Canon 1D X Cameras
As seen above, Canon 1D X has a 30.8x Larger sensor area than Nikon P500. 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.