The iPhone 13 Pro Max is Apple’s largest iPhone, but it has no advantage over the iPhone 13 Pro in terms of functionality, unlike previous generations. It is heavy and unwieldy, but the large display is great for gaming and the larger battery capacity allows almost two full days of regular use. The display has a refresh rate of 120Hz, but there is still an annoying notch that interferes with movies.
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Performance is excellent thanks to the A15 Bionic SoC. You can choose from 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB of storage. The main new features are in the camera: Movie Mode and Photo Styles. The camera hardware has also been improved over the previous generation. Macro shooting is now possible and the optical zoom goes up to 3X. Although incredibly expensive, the iPhone 13 Pro Max represents the best of the best in the iPhone 13 line.
Design
The iPhone 13 Pro Max looks slightly different, but it has the smooth edges of the iPhone 12 Pro Max. One reason for this is that the camera cluster is larger than before and therefore takes up a bit more space on the back of the phone. The iPhone 13 Pro Max weighs 8.46 ounces, which is significantly more than its predecessor’s 8.03 ounces. But since the new iPhone Pro has a larger battery, We will tolerate it.
On the plus side, Apple has reduced the notch on the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s display by 20 percent while retaining the essential Face ID technology. Although it does not have a full-screen look, it is an improvement over current iPhones. The absence of Touch ID in the power button or under the display is the only serious design flaw I can find in the iPhone 13. It would have been convenient to have another method of accessing the display. It would be convenient to have another method to quickly unlock our iPhones at a time when many people are still wearing masks in public areas.
Fortunately, the iOS software update makes it possible for Face ID to work with masks. In addition, the update passed our tests and is effective. Four color options are available for the iPhone 13 Pro Max: graphite, gold, silver and sierra blue. If I were to spend my money, I would choose the blue model. The graphite model I reviewed has a sophisticated and professional feel, but it lacks playfulness. One thing to keep in mind is that you can now make repairs on your iPhone thanks to Apple’s self-service repair kits, but you have to proceed with caution because some technical know-how is required.
Display
At least in one respect, the “boring” brigade is right. The design of the iPhone 13 Pro Max has not been significantly changed by Apple. Initially, it bears a striking resemblance to the 12 Pro Max. Because the sides are flat and the guides on the edges are glossy, they are very attractive for fingerprints. Although Apple has reduced the size of the notch, it is still very much present. Although the notch has been reduced horizontally, this has had no impact on the operation of the iPhone.
Compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is also a bit thicker and heavier. The phone’s camera bulge is significantly larger and appears to be sufficiently intimidating. Why Apple made the lenses larger can be understood by looking at how the cameras work, but we will get to that in a moment. Although it is quite strong and sturdy, Ceramic Shield, which is still on the front of the iPhone, will not effectively protect it from a violent fall. Be careful not to damage it with your keys or with the phone in your pocket, because it is not scratch-resistant.
Software
The iPhone 13 Pro Max came with iOS 15, a minor update that added a few new features, most notably new focus modes (similar to Do Not Disturb, but with more control) and the Notification Summary that filters out less important notifications and sends them all at once at specific times of the day. The good news is that no significant problems have occurred with the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iOS 15, so there is no need to worry.
Apple also released updates quickly: iOS 15.1, the first significant update, included SharePlay for FaceTime and unlocked the ProRes video recording feature on Pro models less than a month after initial release. Later, iOS 15.1.1 addressed call dropping issues, and iOS 15.2 recently added a tool called the App Privacy Report that allows you to see how often different apps use location, camera, and other potentially sensitive features.
Hardware
Given Apple’s control over both hardware and software, you should anticipate an incredibly speedy experience regardless of what you’re doing, whether you’re playing Call of Duty Mobile at its maximum graphics level or exporting a film from iMovie. No matter what we threw at the iPhone 13 Pro Max, it hasn’t stumbled once while in regular use.
Performance
Although Apple’s A15 Bionic chip is shared by all four iPhone 13 models, there are some small differences to be aware of. First, while using the same 5nm manufacturing technique as the A14 from the previous year, the A15 chip manages to improve CPU and GPU performance.
In addition, this processor performs better than most Android phones that normally use the Snapdragon 888. The advances in single-core speeds are not as significant as the improvements in multi-core performance when we measure CPU performance, as follows:
Camera
There is a good reason why the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a larger camera. With 1.9 million pixels (up from 1.7 million) and an f/1.5 aperture, the primary wide camera is Apple’s largest to date and is expected to capture 49 percent more light than the iPhone 12 Pro Max. In addition, the ultrawide camera has a wider field of view and f/1.8 aperture (it was f/2.4 on the iPhone 13 Pro Max).
In addition, the telephoto lens on the iPhone 13 Pro Max now allows 3x optical zoom, an improvement over the 2.5x on the iPhone 12 Pro Max. In addition to the hardware, there are many other improvements to the camera. For example, the iPhone 13 Pro Max takes advantage of the ultrawide lens to take photos from a distance of only 2 cm. On a nearby beach, I had a lot of fun getting close to this piece of wood. With the new iPhone, I was able to capture every nook and cranny, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max had difficulty getting close.
This violet violet was captured beautifully by the iPhone 13 Pro Max, with rich colors and tons of detail in the petals. I was even able to make out all the legs of the terrible spotted lanternfly up close and the delicate lines on its wings as it crawled through the pebbles. Me standing in front of the Manasquan Reservoir got a more attractive portrait with the iPhone 13 Pro Max. My face is clearer, as are my green clothes. You can see how much better the new iPhone is even if you are still using an older model, such as the iPhone 11 Pro, because I appear dark and blurry in this photo.
Battery life
Apple’s expertise in computational photography is one of the main reasons why iPhone cameras have improved over time. The A15 carries on this legacy. One of the main causes is machine learning, and the A15 boasts a new 16-core neural engine. According to Apple, the engine was created in collaboration with the camera hardware and software teams, ensuring seamless integration between the two.
Thanks to the superior performance of the A15 processor, the new Cinematic mode runs smoothly. The A15 processor also provides exceptional battery life for this iPhone. Although the battery life of the iPhone 12 Pro Max impressed us, that of the iPhone 13 Pro Max is almost 2.5 hours longer.
Price and availability
The Pro Max model costs $100 more than the iPhone 13 Pro and, unlike last year, does not come with any special features other than a larger display and longer battery life. Therefore, given the premium features available, the iPhone 13 Pro offers the best value for money if you don’t mind having a slightly smaller iPhone.
Conclusion
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is undoubtedly the biggest and best iPhone ever. The 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display and improved 120 Hz refresh rate offer a significant upgrade over the iPhone 12 Pro Max, and the A15 Bionic inside is undefeated in benchmark results.
This phone can handle any situation, whether it’s hardcore gaming or on-the-fly video editing. Despite its high cost, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is a compelling buy for what Apple has done with the cameras and display. Perhaps those switching from the iPhone 12 Pro series might not see enough “value” in it. But Apple has made some incremental and incredible changes to the iPhone 13 Pro Max that make it the best smartphone you can buy right now.