After those of the iPhone 13 mini, 13 and 13 Pro, here is our full test of the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It takes the main characteristics of its sidekick, the iPhone 13 Pro, pushing its possibilities to the maximum. But it is especially its autonomy and its large screen that impress.
More than ever this year, Apple has thinned out its iPhone lineup. If there are still three different screen sizes for four models, this time, they are evenly divided into two distinct classes: the iPhone 13 mini and the iPhone 13 to get to the point; iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max for those who want more, especially in photos.
And in the two families, the difference is now made on the size and autonomy. As for the “entry-level high-end” models, the Pro oppose questions of device dimensions in hand, display size, duration of use. Knowing which one to choose is above all a question of feeling, of need, but also of habit. And obviously budget.
DESIGN
This is the design of the iPhone 12 Pro Max with its large 6.7-inch screen, its straight stainless-steel contours matching the available colors. False airs of iPad Pro, iPad Air and now iPad mini to standardize the high end.
The volume and mute buttons as well as the cover for the SIM card are on the left. On the right, we have the ignition button which also blends in with the color of the device. On the bottom edge, the Lightning port is still present, surrounded by microphones and a stereo speaker, the other being at the top of the screen in the notch.
Similar design to the rest of the iPhone 13s and the same small change in size: the notch is now 20% smaller. This is due to a repositioning of its sensors. It is still used for Face ID facial recognition and for taking selfie photos. But now, its four sensors are aligned in the center, under the speaker. This makes it possible to gain a little more width, but not necessarily to display more information for all that (we would finally like to see the actual battery level indicated).
SCREEN
It is on the paper the same Oled screen (Super Retina XDR) of 6.7 inches (2,778 x 1,284 pixels at 458 ppi) as on the iPhone 12 Pro Max, with its coating in Ceramic Shield, promised the most. robust market. The oleophobic coating is always welcome to avoid seeing fingerprints everywhere and the anti-reflective one as well. But this year, the screen is improving greatly.
120 HZ FINALLY AT THE RENDEZVOUS
Ah, finally, the 120 Hz is there! Even if Apple’s refresh rate at 60 Hz was optimized and pleasant, we must admit that the fluidity offered by the 120 Hz is highly appreciable when browsing the internet or in the menus.
When switching from an old iPhone, or even the iPhone 13 that we have just tested, to the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the difference is immediate, visible from the configuration of the device and the succession of menus. to unroll. Everything is super fluid. If you had tasted 120 Hz on another device (this is the same ProMotion technology as the iPad Pro in particular), you will see the difference.
It won’t necessarily be screaming if you came from Apple’s 60Hz. Because doubling is not permanent. Apple puts an adaptive 120 Hz, that is to say that it will adapt to the activity you do, more nervous in mobile games or reading to unwind than on a static page or a video. We just regret that, for the moment, 120 Hz is not available for all applications. But Apple said it was available to developers to integrate it into their apps.
PICTURES
The photo module is the same as that of the iPhone 13 Pro with the innovations already mentioned of larger and more efficient sensors. Apple decided this year not to differentiate its two Pro smartphones. We therefore find on the back:
Wide-angle: 12 MP, f / 1.5 7-element lens, 26mm;
Ultra-Wide Angle (120 °): 12MP, 6-element f / 1.8 lens, 13mm;
Telephoto x3: 12MP, 6-element f / 2.8 lens, 77mm;
iPhone LiDAR sensor. The telephoto lens has thus been improved (x3 instead of x2), the wide-angle benefits from the stabilization by displacement of the sensor of the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the ultra-wide-angle is now optically stabilized, just like the telephoto lens.
Good news if you liked the night mode, it is now available on all 3 sensors. Apple this year added a “macro” function based on the ultra-wide angle. We invite you to go read the iPhone 13 Pro photo test to see what the photo is made of on the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Great improvements have been noted at night and in the less “burnt” management of skies.
PERFORMANCES
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has the powerful A15 Bionic chip made up of a 6-core CPU (2 Avalanche for performance and 4 Blizzard for energy efficiency), a 5-core GPU (one more than on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 Pro) and a 16-core neural engine dedicated to treatments related to artificial intelligence. If it remains engraved in 5 nm, we go from 11.8 billion transistors to 15 billion, which promises a gain in power.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is available in 128, 256, 512 GB or 1 TB of storage, along with 6 GB of RAM.
A maximum capacity which leaves much to see coming if you want to use the Apple ProRAW or ProRES files (available for the moment in the beta of iOS 15.1 only) which will be particularly greedy in volume to manage.
Also Read: 6 Main Reasons For Making Logo
AUTONOMY
This is the giant step taken by Apple this year. All testers will tell you, the battery life of the iPhone 13 Pro Max is truly Apple’s most impressive and one of the most optimized on the market, if not the best.
With its 4373 mAh battery, the iPhone 13 Pro Max has no reason to gargle. It is nevertheless 20% more than that of its predecessor and this has induced a drastic architectural change inside the device for that.
By using our iPhone 13 Pro Max extensively (browsing, email, photos, recorded videos, streaming, music, mobile games, social networks, multiple notifications, etc.), it took us 28 hours to completely empty it, leaving Netflix running continuously during 2:45 to empty the last 23%, with only 6 hours of respite without activity. In more moderate use, it happily exceeds two days of autonomy or even approaches three (4 hours per day of use).
PRICES AND AVAILABILITY
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is available in graphite, gold, silver, alpine blue from 1099 dollars in 128 GB of storage and climbs to 1599 dollars for the version in 1 TB.
Final test score
9/10
If you aren’t put off by its size and weight. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is undeniably the ultimate in what Apple has to offer today. It ticks all the boxes of what we expect from a smartphone. A beautiful design, a quality photo with little extras (the cinematic mode is not a gadget) and a significant autonomy. This last point was for a long time its great weakness, it is to a large extent fulfilled. You’ve got an iPhone, you know you won’t charge it lightning-fast, but now you know it can take its toll.
The iPhone does everything right. If in video, it continues to excel compared to the majority of its competition with its stabilized 4K / 60 IPS video. The night photo progresses in all conditions and always without racing for the resolution of the sensors.
We choose an iPhone for its solidity, its reliability, its software and hardware longevity, and its power. In this, it is the perfect model. And now, it goes up to 1TB of storage to see it coming.
There remains the tariff question… But that is a question and a choice specific to each person.
