iPhone 13 Pro Max Review, Price, Specs, Camera, Battery
iPhone 13 Pro Max Best For Camera, 120Hz display, and longer battery life add up to a practically perfect phone.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max's stellar cameras, 120Hz ProMotion display, and long battery life combine to practically perfect phones in our testing. Charging could be faster and Touch ID would be nice, but overall it's a beast that can't be beaten.
Pros
- Amazing Performance
- Best cameras in a phone
- Cinematic video mode
- Brighter display
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Could use faster charging
- Cinematic mode capped at 1080p
iPhone 13 Pro Max Review
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is when you've got practically everything you want in one phone. This premium flagship (from $1,099) packs a 120Hz refresh rate display, the fastest performance of any handset, and great battery life.
But it's the iPhone 13 Pro Max's cameras that top this phone, as they are by far the best I've tested on a phone. You can shoot videos in Cinematic mode with a captivating bokeh effect, choose your photographic styles, and take super close-up shots with the new Macro mode that takes advantage of the ultra-wide camera.
The camera bump of the iPhone 13 Pro Max is more prominent this time around, thanks to the larger sensor, and the overall design is heavier than that of the iPhone 12 Pro Max. But I like that the notch is small on the 6.7-inch display. If you want all the same features in a more compact and slightly less expensive phone, check out our iPhone 13 Pro review.
If you're looking for something more affordable and don't need a telephoto lens or 120Hz display, check out our iPhone 13 review and iPhone 13 mini-review.
While I wish Apple offered faster charging and Touch ID, as you'll see in my full iPhone 13 Pro Max review, it's the best iPhone out there — and the best phone period.
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| iPhone 13 Pro Max Specification | |
|---|---|
| Starting price | $1,099 |
| Storage | 128, 256, 512, 1TB |
| Battery life (hrs: min) | 12:16 |
| Screen size | 6.7 inches |
| Resolution (PPI) | 2778 x 1284 (458) |
| Adaptive refresh | Up to 120Hz |
| Processor | A15 Bionic |
| Rear cameras | Pro 12MP (Telephoto, Wide, Ultra Wide) |
| Zoom | 3x optical / 15x digital |
| Front camera | 12MP TrueDepth |
| Colors | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue |
| Size | 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.3 inches |
| Weight | 8.5 ounces |
| Water resistance | IP68 |
iPhone 13 Pro Max price and release date
Top
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Roll over image to zoom in Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max (128GB, Sierra Blue) [Locked] + Carrier Subscription
View & BuyThe iPhone 13 Pro Max is available for purchase now, starting at $1,099 for 128GB of storage. Going up to 256GB costs $1,199, 512GB costs $1,399 and the 1TB option costs $1,599.
On the other side of the Atlantic in the UK, the 128GB iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at £1,049, £1,149 for the 265GB model, and £1,349 for the 512GB version. If you have a lot of money to burn and want a lot of storage, the 1TB iPhone 13 Pro will cost £1,549.
Note that you can save on the iPhone 13 Pro Max if you trade in your old iPhone or any other phone. And we're taking a look at the best iPhone 13 deals to help you save some money on an Apple phone at this price.
iPhone 13 Pro Max Design and colors
- Smaller notch but a bit heavier than iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Sierra blue is our favorite color
Weighing in at 8.46 ounces, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is also noticeably heavier than its 8.03-ounce predecessor. But I will allow that given the bigger battery in the new iPhone Pro.
On the plus side, the iPhone 13 Pro Max's notch is a bit smaller on the display, as Apple has reduced it by 20% while maintaining the same key Face ID technology. It's not the full-screen look, but it's an improvement over recent iPhones.
My only real complaint with the iPhone 13's design is that it doesn't offer a Touch ID in the power button or under the display. With so many people still wearing masks in public places, it would be nice to have an alternative way to easily unlock our iPhones.
There have been some user complaints that the iPhone 13 series is having problems unlocking with the Apple Watch, which is supposed to work while you're wearing a mask. Luckily, Apple says a fix is coming.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max comes in four colors: Graphite, Gold, Silver, and Sierra Blue. If I pay with my own money I will opt for the blue model. The Graphite model I tested has a sleek professional vibe, but it's not as playful.
iPhone 13 Pro Max Display
- 120Hz ProMotion display delivers smoother performance and animations
- Brighter screen easier to read outdoors
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| Image Credit: gsmarena |
The biggest upgrade to the iPhone 13 Pro Max's display — and the biggest upgrade overall — is the new Promotion Display. This 6.7-inch panel can dynamically increase its refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz, resulting in better overall performance and animations.
For example, when scrolling through the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 12 Pro Max as well as The New York Times homepage, I could read text smoothly on Apple's new phone when scrolling quickly on both displays. It just seems more responsive.
These benefits also apply to other activities, such as swiping between apps or returning to the home screen. But I'm more excited by apps that take advantage of ProMotion. This includes Catalyst Black, a frenzied online battle game that had me shoot in all directions and turn into monsters. And the whole experience was surprisingly fluid.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Pro currently have an issue where some third-party apps are not running at 120Hz. Apple says a fix is coming.
Another plus for the iPhone 13 Pro Max's screen is its increased brightness. We measured an average of 837 nits with the Adaptive setting off and 1,038 nits with the Adaptive on. The iPhone 12 Pro Max averages 654 nits with Adaptive Off. The Galaxy S21 Ultra max is 821 nits.
The display of the iPhone 13 Pro Max delivers great detail even in low-light scenes. While watching the James Bond No Time To Die trailer, I could see every creepy crack in Rami Malek's changed face.
iPhone 13 Pro Max Cameras
- New sensors let in more light for brighter images
- More powerful 3x optical/15x digital zoom
- Compelling macro mode
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a larger camera array for a reason. The main wide camera offers the biggest f/1.5 aperture yet at 1.9μm pixels (up from 1.7μm), which is rated to let in 49% more light than the iPhone 12 Pro Max. And the ultrawide camera offers a bigger f/1.8 aperture (f/2.4 was for the iPhone 13 Pro Max) for brighter pictures while offering a wider field of view.
Zooming on the iPhone 13 Pro Max also gets a boost, as the iPhone 13 Pro Max's telephoto lens provides 2.5x to 3x optical zoom over the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
And there are plenty of camera upgrades beyond the hardware. For example, the iPhone 13 Pro Max takes advantage of the ultrawide camera to capture images up to 2cm away. I enjoyed getting up close with this piece of wood on a nearby beach. While the iPhone 12 Pro Max struggled to come close, I could capture every nook and cranny with the new iPhone.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max also did a great job of capturing this purple pansy with rich color and lots of detail in the petals. And I drew closer to this dreaded speckled lantern crawling in the rocks; I could even make fine lines on each of his legs and his wings.
iPhone 13 Pro Max Video and Cinematic mode
- Cinematic mode steals the show with automatic focus and bokeh
- ProRes support for more creative control
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| Image Credit: gsmarena |
The Cinematic Video Mode on the iPhone 13 Pro Max is so cool you'll feel like a mini Spielberg. This is certainly what I realized after shooting multiple clips that apply bokeh effects to your footage and automatically switch focus to multiple subjects depending on what's happening in the frame.
In a video I recorded of a German Shepherd and Shepherd-Rottweiler mix, I appreciated how the iPhone 13 Pro Max automatically blurred the dog in the background, resulting in a sense of depth, and I could focus on the fly. I can change the point by pressing on the display.
I also enjoyed the cinematic mode, with my son catching me walking a trail and attempting a layup while playing basketball. In both cases, the iPhone 13 Pro Max delivered a solid bokeh with video. Watch the video below to see how the iPhone 13 Cinematic Mode works.
Unfortunately, Cinematic Mode's resolution is capped at 1080p across the entire iPhone range, so you can't have Portrait Mode video and 4K quality at the same time.
If you want even more creative control, the iPhone 13 Pro Max supports ProRes video, the format preferred by video editors. You can record up to 30 fps in 4K in ProRes, but note that only models 256GB and higher support 4K; The 128GB model in ProRes is limited to 1080p because these files take up a lot of storage. See our How to Record ProRes Video on iPhone 13 Pro tutorial for more details. Information.
No matter what you shoot, you won't be disappointed in the iPhone 13 Pro Max's video quality. In this sweeping view of the Manasakan River, everything from the sky's trees and puffy clouds to the rippling water and wavy branches looks like a DSLR. However, I noticed a little noise as I zoomed in to 3x.
iPhone 13 Pro Max Performance
- A15 Bionic blows the door off of Android phones
- Sizable graphics improvement
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| Image Credit: gsmarena |
Thanks to its new A15 Bionic chipset, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is ridiculously fast and holds the title of the fastest phone in the world. I got lost in the warp drive racing game, which delivers fast frame rates and silky-smooth action even when I zoom (and sometimes teleport) around the track.
And I even got a kick out of Seek, which flexes the iPhone 13 Pro Max's machine learning muscles by identifying several plants around my habitat, from coleus to New Guinea impatiens.
In terms of benchmarks, the iPhone 13 Pro Max once again ruins the Android competition. In Geekbench 5, which measures overall performance, the iPhone 13 Pro Max scored a multi-core score of 4,549 and a single-core score of 1,720. The Galaxy S21 Ultra hit 3,440 and 1,123, respectively, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max peaked at 4,111 and 1,603.
Interestingly, the iPhone 13 scored a slightly lower 4,436/1,668, which we think could be due to the Pro Max having more RAM. (Apple doesn't specify how much memory it puts into its various iPhone models.)
You should expect a graphics boost on the iPhone 13 Pro Max, as it outperformed the competition in the 3DMark Wildlife Unlimited test. It recorded a frame rate of 68.4 frames per second, compared to 54 fps for the iPhone 12 Pro Max and 34 fps for the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Video editing should be a quick job for this phone too, as it took just 25 seconds for the iPhone 13 Pro Max to transcode a 4K file to 1080p in the Adobe Premiere Rush app. That's slightly faster than the iPhone 12 Pro Max at 28.5 seconds but faster than Samsung's 1:02 time.
To see how the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the all-new iPhones compare to each other and the Android phone competition, check out our iPhone 13 benchmarks page.
iPhone 13 Pro Max Battery life and charging
- 12 hours and 16 minutes of battery life is among the longest-lasting phones
- Charging still stuck at 20W with no USB-C port
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| Image Credit: gsmarena |
Now we come to one of the best parts of the iPhone 13 Pro Max review: the battery life. Thanks to the bigger battery and other enhancements, the iPhone 13 Pro Max lasted a whopping 12 hours and 16 minutes on Tom's Guide to Battery Test, surfing the web continuously on 5G at 150 nits of screen brightness.
Last year the iPhone 12 Pro Max lasted 10 hours 53 minutes and the Galaxy S21 Ultra lasted 11:25. Anything over 11 hours is great, so the iPhone 13 Pro Max earns a spot on our best phone battery life list.
Visit our iPhone 13 battery life results page to see how the iPhone 13 Pro Max compares to other new iPhones and the best Android phones.
The news on the charging front isn't that good, as the iPhone 13 Pro Max reaches just 50% capacity after 30 minutes using a 20W UBC-C charger, while other phones like the OnePlus 9 Pro and Xiaomi 11T Pro get 100%. could. In 30 minutes or less. MagSafe charging is even slower at 15W while still being convenient.
There is some good news. If you use a high-powered 30W charger, the iPhone 13 Pro Max can reach 100% in a fairly quick 90 minutes. It costs $49 from Apple.
iPhone 13 Pro Max iOS 15
- SharePlay lets you watch videos and listen to music with friends
- Focus cuts down on distractions
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| Image Credit: gsmarena |
iOS 15 isn't the leap iOS 14 was in terms of adding widgets, but it does offer some smart and fun upgrades. FaceTime gets some much-needed audio and video improvements and as of iOS 15.1, you can use the new SharePlay feature to listen to music or watch movies or TV shows with friends or family. And the Messages app has a new With You section for easy access to shared photos, articles, and more.
I especially like the new Focus feature in iOS 15, which lets you filter notifications based on what you're doing. Notifications are also more streamlined, thanks to a new summary view so you don't get overwhelmed.
Other iOS 15 goodies include a redesigned Safari (I don't like the address bar at the bottom, but you can change that), a more full-featured weather app, and an enhanced Maps app with more detail and better street views. is included. Last but not least, Live Text gives you Google Lens-like powers by recognizing text in real-time through the camera to make things easier for you to see.
Developers make great apps for Apple devices, and it hasn't slowed down with the release of iOS 15. We suggest loading up on some of the best iPhone apps or if you're new to the platform, our suggestion is to grab the best apps for the new iPhone.
iPhone 13 Pro Max problems and issues
Thus far, iPhone 13 owners have faced some problems. For example, some iPhone 13 users are finding that the phone won't unlock with the Apple Watch, although a fix is on the way. Also, some iPhone 13 owners are complaining about the touch display not being responsive enough in some cases, which could be an iOS 15 issue.
On the iPhone 13 Pro, in particular, there are complaints that the cameras are automatically switching between lenses without warning, and Apple will release an update that will enable users to turn it off. And the Promotion displays on the iPhone 13 Pros are not running at 120Hz with some apps, which Apple will address in an update. Of course, developers need to optimize their apps as well.
iPhone 13 Pro Max Decision
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is the rare phone that gets a 5-star rating from us. You get superior cameras and video recording capabilities - including the very compelling Cinematic Mode and Macro Mode - with blistering performance and a very responsive 120Hz display. Plus, this time around the battery life is even better and one of the best we've seen from a 5G flagship.
I also appreciate the slightly better 3x optical zoom and 15x digital zoom on the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the brighter screen, and the slightly smaller notch. But I wish Apple could charge faster, and I'd like to see the iPhone 14 next time with a sleeker design with a lesser camera bump and maybe a full-screen look.
Some may prefer the iPhone 13 Pro simply because it is smaller and lighter, as there are no other functional differences between the two handsets. But if you prefer a bigger screen, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is the closest thing you can get to a phone.
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