Reviews |
May 23, 2023
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max: Maximizing Excellence and Unparalleled Performance – A Comprehensive Review
Introduction
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the largest Pro iPhone, and if the battery life is good, it is an important detail to choose.
In recent years, Apple has differentiated the Pro from the Pro Max through additional features. Maybe a smarter camera or better stabilization. Not this time.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is an iPhone 14 Pro with a longer battery life and a bigger screen that is more suitable for gaming.
Not necessarily with the launch of the more affordable iPhone 14 Plus, but I’d say this is the only iPhone I’d recommend if you’re looking for a bigger display.
Screen and Design
- The large 6.7-inch display is a delight.
- Using the dynamic island notch (finally)
- A boxy design can be tricky
There are two main reasons to prefer the Max version of the iPhone 14 Pro over the regular 14 Pro, the first of which is the screen.
The iPhone 14 Pro has a modest 6.1-inch OLED display, but the Mac has a larger 6.7-inch display. In my opinion, a larger display is even better if you use your phone more for gaming, creating or consuming content. TV shows from Netflix or Disney, especially those rendered in HDR, look gorgeous on large canvases, and there’s plenty of room to immerse yourself in the game.
Of course, a bigger screen means a bigger phone, which is where the iPhone 14 Pro Max falls short. The boxy, square design makes it a better fit for smaller phones. Here the 14 Pro Max can be a bit tricky, with sharp edges digging into the palm of your hand. A soft case can easily solve this problem, but keep that in mind if you want to use your phone without extra protection.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max, like its predecessors, the 12 and 13 Pro Max, is almost a gem in its design approach. The high-gloss (and fingerprint-heavy) stainless steel sides glisten in the sunlight, and the three-colour range, along with the very flashy gold, is a subdued and sophisticated look. I personally prefer the fun shades in the iPhone 14 line, but the options here, especially the new deep purple, exude a more ‘professional’ vibe.
The biggest visual change this time around is the new dynamic island. The phone got plenty of stage time during its announcement, and nerdy names aside, it seems like a wise step forward for notches of fun. I’d be very surprised if 2023 didn’t see a few Android phones with similar features.
Dynamic Island takes a notch that has existed since the iPhone X, separates it from the top bezel, and adds some clever software around it into a new tiny interactive area, but hides a front camera and plenty of cameras on the B. Face ID. The sensor.
Everything from music playback controls to connected AirPods and low battery warnings now pop up on Dynamics Island, but not regular notifications and messages, for example. Having two notifications pop up at the same time in two different fields can create a confusing visual element.
In many cases, Dynamic Island is one step ahead. Music controls or timer notifications can be accessed from any app, and the addition of Live Activity in iOS 16.1 extends the functionality to third-party apps. I think in a year or so we will really start to see the benefits of this change.
The rest of the screen is equally beautiful. The biggest upgrades are HDR usage and brightness when out on a sunny day. It’s the brightest screen I’ve ever used outdoors and can easily compete with direct sunlight.
Our iPhone 14 Pro review took a closer look at the display, but it really ticked all the boxes. The smooth, adaptive 120Hz promotion bounces up and down with what it displays, and everything from scrolling up and down webpages to playing games feels much smoother than the 60Hz iPhone 14 .
Apple has enabled the Always-On option in the 14 Pro Series, which lowers the screen to 1Hz so you can see the screen in the dark at all times. Some Android phones do this by recognizing only a portion of the display, usually the clock, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max does the entire display, only moving once per second.
I’ve been using a fixed monitor for over a month now, and I find it both very useful, but also annoying. Once activated, very little has changed. The brightness level is not adjustable and all displays in the door panels are mirrored. A silent wall is always shown, if there is one.
Sometimes I find it’s bright enough to distract from the phone when it’s on the table. Other times, especially if you work at a desk, it may be worth constantly checking the time and other information. If it really bothers you, you can turn it off, and it will automatically turn off when the phone is in sleep mode, so you won’t be too disturbed at night on your bedside table.
Battery life can also be affected if the screen is always on, but this is less pronounced on the Pro Max than the smaller Pro.
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Camera
- Same camera setup as iPhone 14 Pro
- 48 megapixel main sensor, better selfie camera
- The resolution of the telephoto display is not as strong as that of Samsung’s competitors.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max matches the camera specs of the smaller Pro, so there’s no point going for the bigger, more expensive option. As I mentioned in my phone review, it’s the best camera you can buy, right up there with the Pixel 7 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Like previous iPhones, it’s fast and smooth, and it reliably takes great pictures in all situations. Add auto focus to the front camera and you can take great selfies.
It can be hard to tell the difference between the 13 Pro Max and the 14 Pro Max during the day, but some additional user-friendly features and improved low-light technology give you more room for creativity….
The iPhone 14 Pro Max marks the first time Apple has moved beyond the phone’s 12-megapixel sensor, switching to an all-new 48-megapixel model. That’s because it uses pixel binning technology used by Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. This effectively combines the four pixels on the sensor together, providing greater pixel density without increasing image resolution.
Alternatively, Prora mode can be activated to take advantage of the full megapixel count. This provides large images (usually 80MB or more) in RAW format, allowing more complex editing and better performance in programs such as Lightroom.
After shooting with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max for 1 month, I have come to the conclusion that I usually shoot at 12 megapixels because the quality and detail are very good and the images are quite fast. It’s easy to share. However, it is good to have the freedom to change if you know that there are some photos that you want to spend a little more time editing and editing, and you can create some of the best photos that you can expect from cable. .
The iPhone is great at taking long daytime photos, and that doesn’t change here. If you put a 13 Pro Max photo next to a 14 Pro Max photo, the difference is small until you zoom in, but if it’s from an older model, the difference is even greater.
Most of all the details are perfectly recorded: hair, plants and even the spiky fibers of the jumper. Although in some cases more refined than before. Smart HDR provides the right balance of power to easily handle harsh lighting conditions and produce stunning images with accurate colors. A larger sensor gives a more natural bokeh effect, so you can have a soft background blur with the foreground out without switching to the default portrait mode.
When it comes to portraits, I still like the Google Pixel 7 Pro’s photos. Google handles different skin tones better and generally looks more natural.
In harsh conditions this affordable phone stands out and the iPhone 14 Pro Max excels in low light conditions. I found I didn’t have to switch to night mode as often as some iPhones. Come on, it takes time and some light to accept it as it comes. Get your results. Night photos are great. Details are preserved without noise, colors are slightly brighter without blurring, and the sky still retains the colors of the night sky. The 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera offers greater flexibility at night.
The camera on the 12MP phone hasn’t changed and the zoom is on par with phones that don’t use the periscope controls, but beyond the 3x zoom it’s pretty much on par with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Apple has added a new 2x zoom option. 48 megapixels for cropping to 12 megapixels with center.
No major changes have been made here to improve the video experience, but it still holds the lead as the best phone for recording video on the market. Minor changes include 4K support with a solid Cinematic mode and a new Action mode that helps stabilize video when moving quickly at the expense of low-light performance.
Performance
- The A16 Bionic chipset is very efficient.
- 6GB RAM, up to 1TB storage
- No US SIM card
One of the most surprising things about the iPhone 14 lineup is that all SIM slots have been removed in the US, forcing users to switch to eSIM. All major operators appear to be supported, and the process of switching from physical to physical card is straightforward.
My UK review unit had a SIM slot like all iPhones before it, and I don’t think the technology is as advanced as here. It is supported by Vodafone, the network I reviewed the phone from, but not by any other network. The third example is a popular network in the UK and currently does not support eSIM.
Like removing the headphone jack and taking the charger out of the box, this sounds like a revolution entering the high-end phone market over the next few years.
The camera on the 12MP phone hasn’t changed and the zoom is on par with phones that don’t use the periscope controls, but beyond the 3x zoom it’s pretty much on par with the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Apple has added a new 2x zoom option. 48 megapixels for cropping to 12 megapixels with center.
No major changes have been made here to improve the video experience, but it still holds the lead as the best phone for recording video on the market. Minor changes include 4K support with a solid Cinematic mode and a new Action mode that helps stabilize video when moving quickly at the expense of low-light performance.
Battery Life
- Charging cable is not included
- Qi, MagSafe and cable charging options
- Same charging speed and durability as 13 Pro Max
The iPhone 14 Pro Max may not be the best new iPhone in terms of battery life. That honor goes to the iPhone 14 Plus.
I’ve been using the iPhone 13 Pro Max for several months since its release and love the duration between charges. After a busy day, I usually have about 30% left, and there are many situations where I can slowly go two days without going to the charger.
After 10 days of using the iPhone 14 Pro Max, battery life is reasonable, but not as good as the 13 Pro. Updating that feature can make your battery match the previous version.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max runs faster than the 13 Pro in everyday use, but lasts longer in single tasks. This could be because the brighter screen sucks more juice out of it. Streaming loop video lasted about 90 minutes on the new model, which benefits from a more efficient chip.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s longevity really depends on how hard you push it and what you do with it. If you turn down the brightness, limit certain functions on the screen, and avoid intensive tasks like high-end games, it’s your second phone. Stream stacks of HDR video, shoot RAW photos, and hammer out the 5G to energize before bed.
There are countless ways to charge your iPhone 14 Pro Max. MagSafe and Qi are two wireless solutions, while the Lightning Port offers a wired option. Expect USB-C to be the final year of the older, slower port, with 2023 expected to take its place.
A 50% charge takes about 30 minutes (as Apple claims) and a full 0-100% charge takes 92-100 minutes. This is consistent with our testing with the 13 Pro Max.
Final Thoughts
iPhone 14 Pro Max is a powerful big-screen device with long battery life and great cameras. It’s not a monumental leap from the 13 Pro Max, but it’s the iPhone of choice if you want extra display real estate and the best array of features.
But there are a few simple changes that can make it even better. The boxy, intuitive design doesn’t lend itself well to larger sizes, and the Lightning port feels outdated on modern phones. Not only does it charge very slowly, but it also takes longer than expected to transfer large video files over the cable. Telephoto zoom is definitely the next big camera improvement.
That said, despite its high starting price (especially in Europe), the iPhone 14 Pro Max is a hard device to resist and definitely one of the best phones you can buy right now.
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